Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed all attendees to the meeting and invited Councillors and Officers to introduce themselves.

None.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 15 September 2016 are agreed as a correct record.

With reference to minute 4, Rissa Long, Highways Liaison Officer, advised that the bus shelters could be removed. However this would form part of a scheme which would need to be funded. Essex County Councillors expressed their disappointment that the bus company did not communicate well with Essex County Council and now the local residents are not benefitting. It was explained that the shelters would be left for a period of time in case the route returned to its previous route.

A member of the public had submitted written questions and was in attendance to address the panel.

Mr Neil Coster, Head of Pemberley Academy.

Pemberley Academy

Question 1

How was the school allowed to open without satisfactory safety infrastructure when other schools [Passmores and Holy Cross] were much more heavily managed in this regard?

Officers advised that unfortunately they could not answer this as this should have been resolved by the School Improvement Team at the time of building the school. Rissa Long, Highways Liaison Officer, did advise that a feasibility study to look at advanced signage, extra railing on the road for safety and filtration system on the gate are being explores. However, it was agreed that Mr Coster would email Rissa Long with the ideas from the school regarding safety.

Question 2

Although the school understands that there is a study looking at what will be needed, what is the projected timeline for the start of works and can the panel offer the school a 'medium' term measure such as a lollipop person in the interim?

Officers could not advise of the final timescales, but would expect that if funding was agreed by the Panel then any proposed measures would be in place by the end of the next financial year 2017/18. However, the Chairman informed Mr Pemberley that lollipop persons were the responsibility of the Education Portfolio at ECC and that the Cabinet member for this portfolio is Councillor Ray Gooding.

Councillor Tony Durcan asked if any monies could be recuperated from the team that managed the new school build and it was agreed that the Chair would investigate and report back.

Two members of the public requested the Chair approval to ask questions of the panel. The Chair advises that although this outside the normal protocol, he would on this occasion accede their request. 

Sandra Newens, Chair of Governors for Fawbert and Barnard School, Old Harlow.

Question 1

Due to the inconsiderate parking of the parents of Fawbert and Barnard, the school has asked if it would be possible to put signage directing parents to the Chippingfield Car Park. Alternative could signs be placed advising non-residents of no parking between 8.15–9.15 and 2.45-3.45 weekdays.

Rissa Long, Highways Liaison Officer, advised that with the exception of area that a road traffic order is in place all road users of a publicly adopted highways are free to park on the road in question. However, it was agreed that they would look into improving signage to direct parents to the car park where possible.

The panel received the report from Essex County Council on the status of schemes approved 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2016/17.

Rissa Long provided some further updates on some of the listed schemes as follows:

LHAR152003 – Parsloe Road – Gateway feature on the Harlow/Epping boundary – work has been placed on hold due to an illegal encroachment of land. HDC Officers are investigating and then will report back to the panel.

LHAR162003 – Tawneys Road – Feasibility study – There is a short Traffic Road Order process involved, once this has been completed it should be in a position to come back before the panel at the meeting of the 29 March 2017 for authorisation to fund the work.

Summary of schemes for potential consideration in 2017/18.

The Panel received a list of potential schemes for 2017 / 18 from Essex County Council.

LHAR004001 and LHAR142011 it was agreed that the work would continue on the Essex County Council owned land. On land owned by Harlow Council Rissa Long would supply Joe McGill with the GIS map references.

Passenger Transport Bus Shelters

It was advised that 17 bus shelters set out in pages 23 – 25 of the report required funding. After careful consideration it was agreed that the panel would refer the listing to the Bus Users Group for the group to select and rank the top five priorities. In consultation with Michael Kelly who is lead officer of the group Dean James will comment on the dilapidation of each unit.. Following the meeting of the bus users group the panel will consider their top five recommendations for final approval in March 2017

New Terms of Reference were agreed. Panel members would have received a link by email to the new terms.

29 March 2017 at 10am

Wednesday 29 March 2017 at 10am in the Council Chamber.

Councillor David Carter asked if there was any way of making the Utilities Companies that have to work on highways and pavements to take responsibility and ensure that the area is left risk free. Councillor Carter advised that he had been approached by a resident who claims that Affinity Water had installed a water meter and tarmacked the area, however due to the weight of the vehicle it had a split a section in two

The Chair requested that Cllr. Carters’ constituent who witnessed the incident provides a statement on when the damage took place, i.e. time, date, location and vehicle registration and company name. The compliant can then be registered via http://www.essexhighways.org/transport-and-roads/tell-us/report-all-issues.aspx. The highways inspectors will then investigate

Councillor Tony Hall asked the Chair if he could look at the possibility of ECC adopting a private road that leads out of Church Langley. The roads and footpaths are not maintained and could possibly cause a risk.

The Chair advised that he would look into this matter; however, he also explained that ECC would not adopt footways or roads that are not up to adoptable standards and that Essex CC would seek a commuted sum.