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ITEM EX3

EXECUTIVE – 15 APRIL 2003

Minutes of the Meeting commencing at 2.00 pm and finishing at 4.40 pm

Present:

The Executive considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting, together with a schedule of addenda tabled at the meeting, and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda and reports, copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.

100/03. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Don Seale.

101/03. MINUTES

The Minutes of the meeting held on 2 April 2003 were approved and signed.

102/03. PETITIONS AND PUBLIC ADDRESS

The following requests to address the meeting had been agreed:-

Request from	Agenda Item
Mr Bob Burrage	) ) 5 - Transport Capital Programme 2003/04 ) to 2005/06 )
Mrs Julie Mayhew-Archer
Mr Mark Walker	6 - Carterton, Witney and Oxford – Transport Links

103/03. TRANSPORT CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2003/04 TO 2005/06

(Agenda Item 5)

The Executive considered a report (EX5) which sought approval for the 2003/04 Transport Capital Programme and the Provisional Programmes for 2004/05 and 2005/06 and two project appraisals for the Premium Bus Routes and the Structural Maintenance Programme.

Mr Burrage referred to Abingdon’s vulnerability to traffic problems, which had stemmed from one single bridge crossing over the Thames. He referred to two major bottlenecks which required major scheme improvement. The first was the dualling of the Marcham Road from the A34 feeding Abingdon and the commercial area on that side of the town and the second the upgrading of Stratton Way in order to halve traffic flows in the Town Centre. Also important was the provision of south slips to the Lodge Hill interchange and provision of Thames crossings for Abingdon. He assured that Abingdon Transport 2000 would continue to work with the Oxfordshire County Council to meet Abingdon’s needs.

Mrs Mayhew-Archer thanked the County Council for its commitment to working with local organisations. However, there was concern that the financial commitment for 2003/04 seemed to have reduced by over £1m. Expectations were that major improvements such as the Marcham Road dualling would be delayed, contrary to people’s expectations.

Mr Luck sympathised with the disappointment expressed with regard to Abingdon but emphasised that a total of over £1.2m was proposed for the town in 2003/04 with a further £1m in next year’s programme.

Councillor Fawcett endorsed the view that Abingdon residents would appreciate a realistic timetable of delivery of improvements within the town.

Councillor Robertson thanked officers for producing a comprehensive report particularly the improved layout and commended the recommendations to the Executive.

RESOLVED: to:-

1. approve the detailed programmes for 2003/04 and the provisional programmes for 2004/05 and 2005/06, as set out in the booklet accompanying the report EX5;
2. delegate the inclusion of new schemes within the main budget headings in the 2003/04 Transport Capital Programme to the Head of Roads & Transport, subject to finance being available and in the case of schemes costing more than £10,000, to consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management;
3. ask the Head of Roads & Transport to carry out a review of the Transport Capital Programme and report back to the Executive in October 2003;
4. approve the Project Appraisal for the Premium Bus Routes project included at Annex 3 to the report EX5;
5. approve the Project Appraisal for the Structural Maintenance Programme (A4130 and A417 Ardington) included at Annex 4 to the report EX5.
   
   

104/03. CARTERTON, WITNEY AND OXFORD – TRANSPORT LINKS

(Agenda Item 6)

The Executive considered a report (EX6) which provided details of the response to the consultation on the A40 Strategy Review.

On 19 March 2003 the Environment Scrutiny Committee had endorsed the proposed Strategy with the exception of bus priority proposals on the B4044 at the approaches to Swinford Toll Bridge. The Committee had been addressed on this subject by a representative of Cumnor Parish Council, who had objected to this element of the proposals on grounds of practicality, cost and damage to the environment and the local quality of life without providing compensating benefits.

Councillor Hook addressed the Executive with particular regard to the B4044 proposals and also referred to major difficulties connected with the ancient Swinford bridge. The B4044 itself was a narrow road with little or no opportunity for widening. Bus priority arrangements would require land take with knock on effects for both the A40 and surrounding villages. He urged the Executive not to pursue a scheme which would be unachievable.

Mr Mark Walker addressed the Executive with particular regard to the GTE guided bus links. He suggested that reliance on this scheme would be premature pending a final decision on the siting of Oxford Station. The GTE scheme would bring bus link tracks close to housing which had been built alongside the existing rail corridor. Detailed consultation was required before public money was committed.

The Committee noted that the tabled recommendations, drawn up in the light of concerns expressed by the Environment Scrutiny Committee, would avoid any commitment to the proposals for B4044 about which Cumnor Parish Council and Councillor Hook had expressed concern.

With regard to Mr Walker’s comments Mr Luck advised that a large amount of work, including full consultation, was still required before the GTE scheme could progress. Furthermore the GTE proposals and the siting of the station were seen as interdependent, with a need for parallel exploratory work by the County Council and the Strategic Rail Authority.

Councillor Janet Godden reiterated her previous reservations on the GTE proposals.

RESOLVED: (by 7 votes to 0) to:

1. note the results of the local consultation as summarised in Annex 2 and 3 of the report EX6 which had indicated significant support for the proposed three phase transport strategy for the A40 corridor Strategy amongst key stakeholders;
2. in the light of this support and the Environment Scrutiny Committee's comments, approve the proposed strategy, subject at this stage to the exclusion of the bus priority measures on the B4044;
3. in recognition of the inclusion of the B4044 in the Premium Routes Strategy, ask the Head of Roads & Transport to carry out further feasibility work on the traffic and environmental impacts of possible bus priority measures on the B4044 and report back to a later meeting of the Executive;
4. approve the commencement of design work on individual elements of the strategy including appropriate consultation in accordance with normal highway and planning procedures; and
5. ask officers to report back to the Executive or Transport Implementation Committee as appropriate when design and consultation work had progressed to relevant stages to seek authorisation for the implementation of the individual elements of the strategy.
   
   

105/03. NORTH OXFORD RESIDENTS’ PARKING SCHEME

(Agenda Item 7)

The Executive considered a report (EX7) which considered responses to a formal public consultation on the North Oxford Residents’ Parking Scheme.

Councillor Fooks thanked the officers for their work on this scheme but expressed concern about the arrangements proposed for Linton Lodge, the coach parking bays on Charlbury Road and for schools with minimal off-street parking. Also with regard to protection of residents’ drives she suggested that it would be better to have double yellow lines to promote enforceability of restrictions. She also referred to a possible anomaly regarding Diamond Court flats for the elderly and suggested that this be looked at again. There was general local support for the proposals but there could be opposition to some aspects, particularly Linton Lodge.

RESOLVED:

1. not to proceed with the original proposals advertised between 11 January 2002 and 1 February 2002;
2. to authorise the Director for Environment & Economy to publish a draft order for the current North Oxford Residents’ Parking Scheme proposals as indicated on Drawing No 721/26403 Rev G, subject as set out in paragraphs 9 et seq of the report EX7;
3. to ask officers to investigate with the local members the specific issues raised by Councillor Fooks, subject to consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management if agreement was not reached as to whether further amendment of the proposals before public consultation was desirable;
4. that the proposals be reviewed after a period of 18 months.
   
   

106/03. SUMMERTOWN RESIDENTS’ PARKING SCHEME

(Agenda Item 8)

The Executive considered a report (EX8) which considered the outcome of consultations to date on the Summertown Residents’ Parking Scheme and sought authority for formal public consultation on revised proposals.

Councillor Fooks thanked the officers for their work on this scheme, which in general met residents’ needs, but felt that the issue of the specific needs of Oxfam required further consideration and clarification. It was important that these needs were recognised in order to protect the future of an important local employer. She also suggested that business permits should not be vehicle specific as in other city zones in order to allow flexibility for the businesses.

RESOLVED:

1. not to proceed with the original proposals advertised between 11 January 2002 and 1 February 2002;
2. to authorise the Director for Environment & Economy to publish a draft order for the current Summertown Residents’ Parking Scheme proposals as described in paragraphs 21 et seq of the report EX8 and indicated on Drawing No 721/AO/3000 Rev D;
3. to ask officers to investigate with the local members the specific issues raised by Councillor Fooks, subject to consultation with the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management if agreement was not reached as to whether further amendment of the proposals before public consultation was desirable;
4. that the proposals be reviewed after a period of 18 months.
   
   

107/03. ROAD SAFETY AND 30 MPH SPEED LIMIT PROJECT – SCRUTINY REVIEW

(Agenda Item 9)

The Executive considered a report (EX9) based on the findings of the Lead Member Review Group, which had been set up by the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee to carry out this review. The Review Group included nominees of both Community Safety and Environment Scrutiny Committees. The Community Safety Scrutiny Committee had agreed the report without amendment for submission to the Executive.

Councillor Greene, speaking on behalf the Review Group, urged acceptance of the Group’s recommendation that the Executive establish a "Task Force", to include councillors, engineers, road safety officers and the police, to form a 'Speed Limits Revision Plan’, its purpose being to aim for and to achieve a rural speed limit strategy that worked effectively.

RESOLVED:

(a) to endorse the recommendations of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee contained in the Review Group report;

1. to agree that the Task Force should comprise the Executive Members for Transport and Strategic Planning & Waste Management and the Chair/Chairman/Chairwoman and Deputy of the Environment and Community Safety Scrutiny Committees, or their respective nominees, together with officers from Environment & Economy and invited representatives from the Thames Valley Police.
   
   

108/03. SPEED MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

(Agenda Item 10)

On 3 April 2002 the Executive had approved the development of a speed management strategy including a hierarchy of roads, as a key element towards ensuring a consistent approach to setting speed limits, for future consideration by both the Executive and the Environment Scrutiny Committee.

The report had taken account of the recommendation of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee review of the 30mph speed limits in South Oxfordshire (see Minute 107/03) and had been endorsed by the Environment Scrutiny Committee on 19 March 2003.

RESOLVED: to:

1. welcome the submissions of the Community Safety and Environment Scrutiny Committees;
2. endorse the inclusion in the remit of the Task Force (recommended in the Community Safety Scrutiny Review) of responsibility for overseeing the development of the Speed Management Strategy and a review of selected speed limits in South Oxfordshire;
3. approve the promotion of 50mph speed limit orders on the lengths of road in Annex 2 to EX10 for inclusion in the pilot programme for 2003/04 with appropriate supporting engineering measures, subject to funding being included in the 2003/04 capital programme and to any representation or objections being considered by the Transport Implementation Committee;
4. approve the promotion of 20mph speed limit zones on the lengths of road in Thame and Oxford shown on Plans 1 and 2 accompanying EX10 with appropriate supporting engineering measures, subject to funding being included in the 2003/04 capital programme and any representation or objections being considered by the Transport Implementation Committee.
   
   

109/03. FORWARD PLAN AND FUTURE BUSINESS

1. agree the additions and amendments set out in Schedules 1-3 as amended by the schedule of addenda and Minute 111/03 below for the purpose of the Forward Plan for the ensuing four months;
2. to note the items currently identified for forthcoming meetings as set out in Schedule 4.

110/03. EXEMPT ITEMS

RESOLVED: that the public be excluded during the consideration of item 12E in the Agenda since it was likely that if they were present during that item there would be a disclosure of "exempt" information as described in Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972 and specified below the item in the Agenda, i.e. information relating to any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.

PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

111/03. ASYLUM SEEKERS ACCOMMODATION CENTRE - INFRASTRUCTURE

(Agenda Item 12E)

The Executive considered a report (EX12) which described approaches from prospective Home Office contractors to ascertain the County Council’s intererst in the provision of education and library services to people resident at the proposed ‘Accommodation Centre’ for asylum applicants planned on Ministry of Defence land near Bicester, should this receive consent and be implemented.

RESOLVED: to:

1. endorse the submission of a tender to provide education and library services to the contractors appointed by the Home Office to operate the Accommodation Centre, in the event that consent for the Centre were to be given and its development to proceed, subject as set out in the report EX12E;
2. consider at a future meeting whether to authorise a formal contract for such provision in that event.

in the Chair

Date of signing 2003

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