Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

To consider the above petition, bearing 51 signatures, which has been submitted by Councillor J S Birdi, a Bablake Ward Councillor, who has been invited to the meeting for consideration of this item along with the petition organiser.

The Cabinet member considered a petition that responded to a petition requesting that the footpaths at Derwent Road be brought up to safety standards. The petition, bearing 51 signatures, had been submitted by a Bablake Ward resident, who was unable to attend the meeting. Councillor Birdi, the Councillor sponsoring the Petition and a Bablake Ward Councillor, attended the meeting and spoke on behalf of the petitioners. The report had been requested by the Petition Spokesperson, following receipt of a determination letter, a copy of which was attached as an Appendix to the report, which advised of the investigations undertaken, the action proposed and approved in response to the issues raised.

The report indicated that Derwent Road was a local residential road and the footways provided access for pedestrians to and from properties and connected to Greycoat Road and Rylston Avenue. Some properties were served by the appropriate vehicle access arrangements but others were driving over the footway to access their frontage hard standing. An Appednix to the report provided a location plan.

Records showed that the last annual programmed safety inspection took place on the 11^th November 2018 at which time some of the paving slabs were identified as requiring removal and replacement with tarmac to provide a safe and sustainable repair, some further areas had been attended to in January 2019.

Following receipt of the petition an engineer made a separate visit (11^th February 2019) to make an assessment of the construction and overall condition of the pavements. It was noted that the pavements were 1.8 metre in width consisting mainly of slab construction with some areas of bituminous material reinstatements. The pavements were aged and although not aesthetically pleasing at the time of inspection, there were no intervention level defects identified.

Following the engineer’s assessment on the 11th February 2019, and given the current condition and usage, the recommended treatment would be reconstruction of the pavements. The pavements along Derwent Road would be held on the Council’s forward programme list and their condition would continue to be monitored and scored against all other similar sites citywide. If a priority score was reached at any time, the pavements would be included in a future capital funded improvement programme, budget permitting, and until such time,  any defects at or above the intervention level as identified would continue to be made safe.

Councillor Birdi referred to the report and thanked officers on behalf of the residents for the continued monitoring of the condition of the Derwent Road pavements and its inclusion on the Council’s forward programme list.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for City Services:

1)  Notes the petitioners Concerns.

2)  Approves that the pavements along Derwent Road be held on Coventry City Council’s forward programme list and their condition continues to be monitored and scored against all other similar sites citywide. If a priority score is reached the pavements to be included in a future capital funded improvement programme, budget permitting, and until such time, continue to make safe any defects at or above the intervention level as identified.