Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2019/106

Contact: Rikke Hansen, Head of Integration & Improvement Tel: 07554 103536

Report by Director for Community Operations (CA6).

Oxfordshire County Council have been requested by the Department for Transport to implement a street works permit scheme. Officers have reviewed the feasibility of implementing a scheme and completed a cost benefit analysis to determine whether a scheme is suitable for Oxfordshire. Both have found it favourable to implement a scheme.

Officers have developed and consulted on a permit scheme document which sets out the terms and conditions of a scheme. Officers are requesting approval from Cabinet to continue to implement a permit scheme for Oxfordshire

Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)          Approve in principle for a Street works permit scheme for Oxfordshire to be implemented.

(b)          Approve the contents of the Street works permit scheme document at Annex 1 which has considered feedback from public consultation.

Recommendations Agreed.

Oxfordshire County Council had been requested by the Department for Transport to implement a street works permit scheme. Officers had reviewed the feasibility of implementing a scheme and completed a cost benefit analysis to determine whether a scheme is suitable for Oxfordshire. Both have found it favourable to implement a scheme.

Officers had developed and consulted on a permit scheme document which set out the terms and conditions of a scheme. Cabinet considered a report seeking approval from Cabinet to continue to implement a permit scheme for Oxfordshire.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the contents of the report and moved the recommendations.

Paul Fermer and Keith Stenning responded to questions from Cabinet Members:

·         There would be clear guidelines about what constituted emergency work.

·         Town and Parish Councils would be briefed as part of a wider refresh.

·         They agreed that there was a misconception that could be corrected that the Council already had these powers and did them badly. They were going forward at this time because the process to put in place a permit scheme had been refined, it was more easily available and they were able to build on the experience of others.

·         There would be a focus on enforcement and compliance. There was a criminal offence, but it was very rare that it would go through the courts. Fines and compliance notices were used, and these would be monitored and published.

·          In the event of issues such as unsafe working there was a core power to revoke licences.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)          approve in principle for a Street works permit scheme for Oxfordshire to be implemented; and

(b)          approve the contents of the Street works permit scheme document at Annex 1 which has considered feedback from public consultation.