Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14^th November 2016 were agreed and signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

To consider the above petition bearing a total of 739 signatures (696 paper signatures and 43 e-signatures) which has been submitted by Councillor J Lepoidevin, a Woodlands Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for the consideration of this item along with the petition organiser.

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a petition bearing a total of 739 signatures (696 paper signatures and 43 e-signatures) which had been submitted by Councillor J Lepoidevin, a Woodlands Ward Councillor, who attended the meeting for the consideration of the item.

The petition advised “Many of us use this junction to cross to and from St Andrew’s Primary School, Eastern Green Hall Nursery and also Eastern Green Junior School and know that since losing our lollipop man at the junction, crossing the road has become increasingly dangerous. Just this morning there were 2 car accidents both involving vehicles going into each other at this junction. While some drivers are responsible enough to slow down and give way for pedestrians to cross, there are a lot who don’t. So this petition is for either proposed traffic lights, a mini roundabout with a sign “School safety zone – Max speed 20 when lights flash” or a pelican crossing with a lollipop man.”

The former Cabinet Member for Public Services had previously considered a report of the Executive Director of Place in response to a petition about speed concerns on Hockley Lane, heard in January 2015 (minute 76/14 referred), following which changes were made to the speed limit on Pickford Green Lane in August 2015. This moved the position where the speed limit changed to/from 60mph, further away from the Hockley Lane/Upper Eastern Green Lane junction and introduced a new section of 40mph speed limit, to work as a ‘buffer zone’, so drivers approaching the junction were already slowing down as they approached the 30mph speed limit. In addition, a perceived safety scheme was introduced which implemented a 20mph advisory speed limit at school entry and exit times.

In October 2016 a pedestrian crossing count was undertaken which showed that peak crossing times were at school entry and exit times and few pedestrians crossed at other times. A School Crossing Patrol Officer had since been appointed and had been working at the location since October 2016.

The Cabinet Member invited Councillor Lepoidevin to speak in support of the petition. Councillor Lepoidevin spoke on the issues raised in the petition and further raised concerns about the number of heavy goods vehicles travelling at speed along Hockley Lane, which vehicles used as a cut through to the A45. She commented that the 20mph advisory speed limit, introduced as a perceived safety scheme, had been ineffective and suggested that the installation of a physical speed reducing measure, such as a chicane, was required to slow traffic down. Acknowledging that the building of the residential Bannerbrook Park had placed extra traffic and pedestrian pressures on the area, Councillor Lepoidevin queried the use of the Section 106 Planning obligation funding for the Estate. Councillor Lepoidevin confirmed the petitioners request for further action be taken to install traffic lights, a mini roundabout or a pelican crossing at the junction for the safety of the parents and children using the three education facilities in the area.

The Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Executive Director of Place that detailed an application that had been made to the City Council by the owner of Brett Martin Daylight Systems, Sandford Close, Dutton Road, Aldermans Green Industrial Estate, Coventry CV2 2QU, requesting that the Local Authority applied to the Magistrates’ Court for an order which would stop up the highway known as Sandford Close. The highway was carriage way and footway that was a cul-de-sac and only served the applicants premises.

The Council could make an application under section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 to the Magistrates Court to have a highway stopped up if it was considered that the highway in question was surplus to highway requirements and was no longer required for public use. There were no other means of stopping up highway that was carriageway, footway or verge unless it was subject to a planning consent or development, in this case the land was not subject to a planning consent.

The applicant and occupier of the land and had consulted the freehold land owner and owners of the sub soil, Coventry City Council, who did not object to the proposal. Statutory undertakers had also been consulted and had not objected to the proposal. The applicant had agreed to cover all cost related to the stopping up.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services approves an application being made to the Magistrates’ Court for an order stopping up the land at Sandford Close, identified on the plan attached as Appendix 1 to the report, as a highway, in accordance with the provision of Sections 116 and 117 of the Highways Act 1980.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member for City Services considered a report of the Executive Director of Place that detailed an application made to the City Council by the owner of 10 Lichen Green, requesting that the Local Authority applied to the Magistrates Court for an order which would stop up the highway, a grass verge with a highway tree, adjacent to Bransford Avenue/Lichen Green. 

The Council could make an application under section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 to the Magistrates Court to have a highway stopped up if it is considered that the highway in question was surplus to highway requirements and was no longer required for public use. There were no other means of stopping up highway that was carriageway, footway or verge unless it was subject to a planning consent or development, in this case the land was not subject to a planning consent.

Bransford Avenue was a connecting residential road that looped to link with De Montfort Way at both its northern and southern extents. Lichen Green was a cul-de-sac that formed a junction onto Bransford Avenue. The highway to be stopped up was recorded on the lists of streets as a verge. The verge area contained a highway tree which the applicant believed was causing damage to his property.  This land did not serve any function for the safe operation of the highway and no required visibility splays would be removed. The applicant had agreed to cover all costs related to the stopping up.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services approves an application being made to the Magistrates’ Court for an order stopping up the land identified on the plan attached as an appendix to the report, titled Highways Act 1980 Section 116 – Application to Stop-up Highway Adjacent to Bransford Avenue/Lichen Green, in accordance with the provisions of sections 116 and 117 of the Highways Act 1980.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

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

The report indicated that each petition had been dealt with on an individual basis, with the Cabinet Member considering advice from officers on appropriate action to respond to the petitioners’ request. Attention was drawn to the fact that if it had been 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.

Members were informed that where holding letters were being 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 Cabinet Member meeting.

RESOLVED that the actions being taken by officers as detailed in the appendix to the report, in response to the petitions received, be endorsed.

Report of trhe Executive Director of Resources

The Cabinet Member received 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.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services approves the dates for future consideration of matters relating to the outstanding issues listed in the report.

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 other items of public business.