Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd February, 2016 were signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

To consider the above petition, bearing 42 signatures. The petition organiser has been invited to the meeting.

Note: Councillor Bigham, a Longford Ward Councillor who submitted a previous petition on this matter, has also been invited to attend the meeting.

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place concerning a petition, bearing 42 signatures, requesting the introduction of traffic lights at the junction of Longford Road and Oakmoor Road to address concerns over delays to traffic exiting Oakmoor Road. Similar petitions on this issue had been submitted to previous Cabinet Member meetings in January, 2011 and November, 2014. The petition organiser Lonnie Downes attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. Councillor Bigham, a Longford Ward Councillor who had supported the previous petitions also attended and spoke on behalf of the petitioners.

The report indicated that at her meeting on 17^th March, 2015, in response to the 2014 petition, the Cabinet Member gave approval for a detailed traffic management study to be undertaken along Longford Road including its junction with Oakmoor Road to look at options and report back on the findings, Minute 97/14 refers. The study had been completed and the five options considered were set out in the report. Attention was drawn to the fact that Longford Road was an important bus corridor used by up to 30 buses per hour with two bus stops being in close proximity to the Oakmoor Road junction. It was important that any solution for this junction didn’t have a detrimental impact to other journey times along Longford Road.

The following five options were assessed:

1) Traffic Signals

2) Roundabout

3) Southbound bus layby

4) Southbound bus layby and relocation of northbound bus stop

5) Roundabout and relocation of northbound bus stop.

Findings concluded that the best option overall was option 4 which showed significant benefit to traffic on both Longford Road and Oakmoor Road. The Cabinet Member noted the intention to monitor the effectiveness of the changes for approximately six months following implementation.

Both Lonnie Downes and Councillor Bigham outlined their support for option 4 and for all the detailed work that had been undertaken by officers to address the traffic issues. Councillor Lancaster indicated that Ward Councillors would be kept updated as regards to progress.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The concerns and requests of the petitioners be noted.

(2) Approval be given that option 4 (southbound bus layby and relocation of northbound bus stop) be designed and implemented in the 2016/17 financial year as outlined in paragraphs 2.4 and 2.5 of the report.

(3) Approval be given that following implementation of option 4 as outlined in recommendation (2) above, the effectiveness of the changes be monitored for a period of approximately 6 months, after which a further report be presented to a future Cabinet Member meeting detailing the results of the monitoring and any subsequent findings.             

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Executive Director of Place which provided a summary of the recent petitions received that had been determined by letter, or where decisions had been deferred pending further investigations and holding letters had been circulated. Details of the individual petitions were set out in an appendix attached to the report. The report was submitted for monitoring or transparency purposes.

The report indicated that in June 2015 amendments were made to the Council’s petition scheme which provided flexibility and streamlined the current petitions process. The amendments allowed a petition to be dealt with or responded to by letter without being formally presented in a report to a Cabinet Member meeting. As well as saving costs by reducing bureaucracy, it meant that petitions could be dealt with and responded to quicker so improving the service to the public.

Each petition was dealt with on an individual basis, with the Cabinet Member considering advice from officers on appropriate action to respond to the petitioners’ request. Councillor Lancaster drew attention to the process whereby, if it was decided to respond to the petition without formal consideration at a Cabinet Member meeting, both the relevant Councillor/ petition organiser could still request that their petition be the subject of a Cabinet Member report.

Where holding letters were sent, this was because further investigation work was required. Once matters had been investigated either a follow up letter would be sent or a report submitted to a future a Cabinet Member meeting.  

It was the intention that an updated monitoring report would be submitted to future Cabinet Member meetings.

RESOLVED that:

(1) Approval be given that, where appropriate, a summary of petitions received which are determined by letter and/or where decisions are deferred pending further investigation, be reported to meetings of the Cabinet Member for Public Services for monitoring purposes.

(2) The actions being taken by officers as set out in Section 2 and Appendix A of the report in response to the petitions received be endorsed.  

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The Cabinet Member noted a report of the Executive Director of Resources that contained a list of outstanding issues and summarised the current position in respect of each item. She agreed that the report on the review of residents parking schemes would be considered once the finalised report had been discussed at Scrutiny.

Any other items of public business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved

There were no additional items of business.