Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest.

Any County Councillor may, by giving notice to the Proper Officer by 9.00 am two working days before the meeting, ask a question on any matter in respect of the Cabinet Member’s delegated powers.

The number of questions which may be asked by any Councillor at any meeting is limited to two or one question with notice and a supplementary question at the meeting. The time for questions will be limited to 30 minutes. As with Questions at Full Council, any questions which remain unanswered at the end of this Item will receive a written response.

Questions submitted prior to the agenda being despatched are shown below and will be the subject of a response from the appropriate Cabinet Member or other councillor or officer determined by the Cabinet Member. Such Questions shall not be the subject of debate at this meeting. Questions received after the despatch of the agenda, but before the deadline for the receipt of Questions, will be shown on the Schedule of Addenda circulated at the meeting, together with the written response if one is available.

Councillor Dan Levy

Question

Oxfordshire County Council is considering the termination of its contract with West Oxfordshire District Council for on-street parking enforcement in West Oxfordshire.  Can Cllr Bearder please detail when this notice is likely to be given and when it will come into force, outline how it will ensure that on-street enforcement in the future is much better than it currently is in places where it is required like Eynsham and Woodstock, and confirm that WODC will continue to control pricing and enforcement in its off-street car parks, such as the ones in Witney. 

Response from Cabinet Member for Highway Management

A decision to end the agency arrangement with West Oxfordshire will be made by Cabinet in March 2022. If approved, notice will be given to West Oxfordshire District Council providing the 12 months’ notice required by the agency agreement. Oxfordshire County Council would then take over the enforcement of on-street parking on 1 April 2023.

Members may recall that the County Council successfully applied to the Department for Transport to extend the existing civil parking enforcement arrangements to encompass Cherwell, South and Vale District Councils in 2021, and this came into operation on 1 November 2021. As a result, we have civil parking enforcement powers across the whole of the County together with a single service provider, Conduent Public Sector Services Limited, providing feet on the ground enforcement in all areas except West Oxfordshire. Officers consider the benefits of ending the agency agreement to be:

·       Clarity and single organisation for members of the public and users of the network to contact about on-street parking within Oxfordshire.

·       Consistency of approach, resilience, and coverage in terms of enforcement levels and deployment.

·       A single back-office system serving all areas of the county providing economies of scale and resilience to deal with varying workload demands.

·       Implement intelligent deployment via data driven deployment plans and introduce new technologies to enhance the on-street and back-office service.

·       An additional benefit would be the alignment and operation as a single enforcement service, if the application to enforce moving traffic offences is approved.  

I can confirm that these changes only effect on-street (highway) parking and do not affect off-street parking or pricing of public car parks operated by West Oxfordshire District Council (or any of the public car parks in any of the other district areas).

Cllr Levy mentions Woodstock and Eynsham in particular. I can confirm that Officers have been working with Woodstock Town Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, Councillor Andy Graham, and other interested parties to bring in a scheme to better manage the parking situation in Woodstock. This scheme involves introducing controlled parking zones (resident parking) combined with joint usage for on-street visitor parking and resident parking in the centre of the town together with an element of on-street pay and display parking to support the turnover of parking spaces which supports the local economy. Informal consultation on the scheme has proved positive and the scheme will go forward for full public consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14/22

Attendance at Meetings

Currently Council meetings are taking place in-person (not virtually) with social distancing operating in the venues.  However, Members of the Public who wish to speak at this meeting can attend the meeting “virtually” through an online connection. 

Places at the meeting are being managed to respect the requirements of social distancing. You can ask to attend the meeting in person. However, you are strongly encouraged to attend “virtually” to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection.

Please also note that in line with current government guidance all attendees are strongly encouraged to take a lateral flow test in advance of the meeting.

Requests to Speak

Normally, requests to speak at this public meeting are required by 9.00 am on the day preceding the published date of the meeting. However, during the current Covid-19 pandemic, requests to speak must be submitted by no later than 9.00 am four working days before the meeting, that is, 9.00 am on Friday, 18 February 2022.

Requests to speak should be sent to:

cameron.maclean@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you ask to attend in person, the Committee Officer will advise you regarding Covid-19 safety measures that will be taken at the meeting.

Written Statements

If you are speaking “virtually”, you are requested to submit a written statement of your presentation to ensure that your presentation can be considered should a virtual presentation not be possible for whatever reason.

The statement should be provided no later than 9.00 am two working days before the meeting, that is, Tuesday, 22 January 2021. Statements should be no longer than one side of an A4 sheet.

Item 5: Kirtlington Village: Proposed 20 Mph Speed Limit

Cllr Jean Conway, Cherwell District Council

Item 7: Harwell: B4493 & Village Roads – 20 Mph & Traffic Calming Measures

Alan Brunstrom

Cllr Sally Povolotsky

 The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to:

·       Make permanent the provisions of the current Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders for the Church Cowley, Florence Park and Temple Cowley area Low Traffic Neighbourhoods.

·       Instruct officers to investigate options to mitigate issues identified in Paragraph 33 and, where necessary, submit schemes for future funding.

The Director of Growth and Economy had submitted a report making recommendations in relation to the Church Cowley, Temple Cowley, and Florence Park Areas Low Traffic Neighbourhoods Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).

Councillor Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, stated that, in response to the number of emails that had been received in response to this Item, and the strength of feeling that the report’s recommendations had engendered, it had been proposed that it was not appropriate for a single Cabinet Member to decide on the report’s recommendations. Therefore, it had been agreed late last night that the report should be referred to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration.

Councillor Bearder went on to say it was his view that the matter should be debated before the Council’s Cabinet and for Cabinet to decide on the report’s recommendations. Therefore, it was his decision to extend the Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) until such time as Cabinet could consider the report.

Councillor Bearder went on to note that the March meeting of the Council’s Cabinet has a very full agenda and, therefore, it was unlikely that the matter would be considered would be considered at that meeting.

In conclusion, Councillor Bearder apologised to any persons who had made plans to attend today’s meeting specifically for this item and for the late notification that the item would be referred to the Council’s Cabinet.[1]

NOTED

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed introduction of 20mph and 40mph speed limits as advertised.

Councillor Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, considered a report by the Corporate Director, Environment and Place, which presented responses received to a statutory consultation on a proposal to introduce 20 mph and 40 mph speed limits in Kirklington as shown in annexes 1 to 3 of the report.

It was RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member for Highway Management approve the proposed introduction of 20 mph and 40 mph speed limits as advertised.

Councillor Bearder noted that there had been one written representation from District Councillor Jean Conway. He stated that he had considered the report which concerned one of the Council’s 20 mph trial areas and that he was grateful for the work carried out by Parish Councillors in assisting the Council’s officers in coming forward with this scheme. He noted the concerns that had been raised by the Parish Council. However, rather than hold up implementation of the scheme which would necessitate further consultation, it was his decision to approve the officer’s recommendation. He noted that, as this was part of a trial, there would be further investigation and another opportunity to consider the concerns raised by Councillor Conway. Accordingly, he asked that officers note the concerns raised by Councillor Conway so that they might be given further consideration.

DECISION: to approve the proposed introduction of 20 mph and 40 mph speed limits as advertised.

Signed ……………………………………………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Date of Signing …………………………………………………………………

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED:

a)    Not to approve at present the proposed inclusion of Bourne Close and David Walter Close within the Cutteslowe Controlled Parking Zone) as advertised.

b)    To keep under review the parking pressures in these roads to identify if measures may be required at a later date.

Councillor Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, considered a report by the Corporate Director, Environment and Place.

The report stated that, following representations made by the local Member and consideration of a proposed No Waiting at Any Time Restrictions at Bourne Close at the Cabinet Member for Highway Management meeting on 14 October 2021, officers had been asked by the Cabinet Member to consider including Bourne Close and David Walter Close in the Cutteslowe Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ). As a result of this review, the proposals were the subject of a formal consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management was RECOMMENDED:

a)    Not to approve at present the proposed inclusion of Bourne Close and David Walter Close within the Cutteslowe Controlled Parking Zone, as advertised; and

b)    To keep under review the parking pressures in these roads to identify if measures may be required at a later date.

Councillor Bearder noted that there have been no written representations and request to speak on this item. However, there were several objections in the consultation set out at Annex 1 to the report. He stated that, in general, he was in favour of CPZ’s which were an important facet of the wider Oxford traffic schemes it was proposed to implement. He stated that he was concerned that the proposals might create a “honeypot” for people who knew about these places who would then use them for parking.

Having given due consideration to the objections, Councillor Bearder stated that, in the knowledge that the matter may well be revisited, it was his decision to go with the report’s recommendations.

DECISION: to approve the report’s recommendations.

Signed …………………………………………………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Date of Signing ……………………………………………………………….………

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management is RECOMMENDED to approve, as advertised:

a)    The introduction of a 20mph speed limit zone a 20mph speed limit zone in Harwell. The proposals will replace the existing 30mph speed limit with a 20mph speed limit zone on all roads within Harwell village, leading out to the following points:

·       Blenheim Hill/Didcot Road - a point 40 metres east of its junction with Teasel     Bank

·       Grove Road - a point 410 metres west of its junction with Drewitts Corner

·       Townsend - its junction with Barrow Lane

·       Wantage Road - its junction with Reading Road

b)    Traffic calming measures within the 20mph zone comprising:

·       Raised tables to be located on:

o   Wantage Road - with its junction Tyrrells Close,

o   High Street - outside Wellow House,

o   Blenheim Hill - outside Hill Orchard.

·       One sided ‘build-out’ feature on the High Street (near the War Memorial) on the northbound lane, with priority given to traffic travelling southwards,

·       Centre line road markings will be removed on High Street & Wantage Road & 1.5m wide advisory cycle lanes in each lane will be provided,

·       ’20’ roundel road markings on the carriageway & ‘20 mph` repeater signs will be installed at various locations within the zone.

Councillor Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, considered a report by the Corporate Director, Environment and Place which presented responses received to a statutory consultation on proposals to introduce a 20-mph speed limit zone and supporting traffic calming measures at Harwell.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management was RECOMMENDED to approve as advertised:

a)    The introduction of a 20mph speed limit zone a 20mph speed limit zone in Harwell. The proposals will replace the existing 30mph speed limit with a 20mph speed limit zone on all roads within Harwell village, leading out to the following points:

·       Blenheim Hill/Didcot Road - a point 40 metres east of its junction with Teasel Bank

·       Grove Road - a point 410 metres west of its junction with Drewitts Corner

·       Townsend - its junction with Barrow Lane

·       Wantage Road - its junction with Reading Road

b)    Traffic calming measures within the 20mph zone comprising:

·       Raised tables to be located on:

o Wantage Road - with its junction Tyrrells Close,

o High Street - outside Wellow House,

o Blenheim Hill - outside Hill Orchard.

·       One sided ‘build-out’ feature on the High Street (near the War Memorial) on the northbound lane, with priority given to traffic travelling southwards,

·       Centre line road markings will be removed on High Street & Wantage Road & 1.5m wide advisory cycle lanes in each lane will be provided,

·       ’20’ roundel road markings on the carriageway & ‘20 mph` repeater signs will be installed at various locations within the zone.

Having heard presentations on the proposals, Councillor Bearder made the following observations –

(a)  Having spent time driving around his own village at 20 mph, he appreciated how difficult it was to adjust to the 20 mph speed limit. However, after a time, he has found driving at the speed a relaxing experience and there was considerably less noise from his vehicle as a result, and that he had significantly reduced the level of possible danger to pedestrians.

(b)  That cyclists, whatever measures were put in place, would, almost always, take the most direct, even if dangerous, route, irrespective of safety concerns.

(c)   He wholeheartedly agreed with the principle of speed cameras, noting that the last speed camera installed in Oxfordshire was, possibly, in 1998. Regulations governing the operation of traffic cameras meant that any fines resulting from the operation of traffic cameras were paid to the Treasury and it was for the Police to fund the installation of traffic cameras from their own resources.

(d)  As average speed cameras worked, Council officers were working with area Police forces on proposals to install speed cameras which could be paid for by the Council.

(e)  Having persons exceeding a 20 mph restriction by, say, 5 mph, although not acceptable, was preferable to having people exceeding a 30 mph restriction by 5 mph.

(f)    It was his decision to approve the 20 mph on the understanding that such measures were introduced in consultation with the community and he apologised that this was not done  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19/22

The Cabinet Member for the Environment is RECOMMENDED to approve the proposed provision of Disabled Persons Parking Places (DPPP) at:

Cheviot Way, Banbury; Edinburgh Way, Banbury; Margaret Close, Banbury; Dryden Avenue, Bicester; Tadmarton Road, Bloxham, and High Street, Hook Norton.

But to defer approval of the proposals at the following locations pending further investigations:

Angus Close, Banbury; Sussex Drive, Banbury; Brickle Lane, Bloxham; Brandon Close, Kidlington; Windrush, Banbury; Fairfax Road, Banbury; The Crofts, Witney, and The Leys, Chipping Norton.

Councillor Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management, considered a report by the Corporate Director, Environment and Place which noted that the provision of Disabled Persons Parking Places was reviewed when requested by members of the public. Specific proposals were assessed applying national regulations and guidance on the suitability of providing new bays or amending or removing existing ones.

The report recommended that the Cabinet Member for [Highway Management] approve the proposed provision of Disabled Persons Parking Places (DPPP) at:

·       Cheviot Way, Banbury;

·       Edinburgh Way, Banbury;

·       Margaret Close, Banbury;

·       Dryden Avenue, Bicester;

·       Tadmarton Road, Bloxham; and

·       High Street, Hook Norton;

but to defer approval of the proposals at the following locations pending further investigations:

·       Angus Close, Banbury;

·       Sussex Drive, Banbury;

·       Brickle Lane, Bloxham;

·       Brandon Close, Kidlington;

·       Windrush, Banbury;

·       Fairfax Road, Banbury;

·       The Crofts, Witney; and

·       The Leys, Chipping Norton.

Councillor Bearder noted that the recommendations were not controversial and that there have been no requests to speak on this item and no written representations had been received.

DECISION: to approve the report’s recommendations.

Signed …………………………………………………………………………………

Cabinet Member for Highway Management

Date of Signing ………………………………………………………………………