Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Communities & Sustainability)

The Council has a Highway Obstruction Policy which came into effect on 30th August 2012. This is an over-arching policy that deals with a number of potential sources of obstructions on the highway. As part of the Investing in Stockport Programme a New Model for Regulation was approved by the Council’s Executive on 16th December 2014. This proposed a review of current levels of intervention and the restructure of three service areas into one team dealing with environmental enforcement.

The report endorsed changes to the existing Highway Obstruction Policy which would enable the new team to focus on those areas that cause a serious detriment or hazard. This report sets out the process necessary to amend the existing Highway Obstruction Policy.

The Executive is recommended to approve the following:-

·         That the existing Highway Obstruction Policy should be amended at point 6.1 to include the following:  Investigation of cases for enforcement activity will be limited to those that are a serious detriment and/or present a hazard as determined by professional officers.

·         That references in Section 6.1 to a letter to be sent out where an obstruction does not present an immediate danger should be removed as should a copy of that letter.

Officer contact: Ian O'Donnell, 0161-474-4175, ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Sustainability) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to approve changes to the existing Highway Obstructions Policy to reflect changes to the model of service delivery agreed at the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014 as part of the Investing In Stockport Programme and the New Model for Regulation proposals.

RESOLVED – That in light of changes previously agreed by the Executive as part of the New Model for Regulation that formed part of the Investing in Stockport Programme, the Highway Obstruction Policy be amended at point 6.1 as follows:-

·         include ‘Investigation of cases for enforcement activity will be limited to those that are a serious detriment and/or present a hazard as determined by professional officers’; and

·         remove references to a letter to be sent out where an obstruction does not present an immediate danger and reference to a copy of that letter.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report sets out the process necessary to amend the existing Highway Obstruction Policy following the approval of the Investing in Stockport Programme New Model for Regulation at the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014,

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the proposed amendments to the Highway Obstruction Policy, prior to consideration by the Executive Meeting on 10 February 2015.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to approve changes to the existing Highway Obstructions Policy to reflect changes to the model of service delivery agreed at the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014 as part of the Investing In Stockport Programme and the New Model for Regulation proposals.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting on 10 February 2015.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Sustainability) (Councillor Martin Candler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The report proposed that in light of changes previously agreed by the Executive as part of the New Model for Regulation that formed part of the Investing in Stockport Programme, the Highway Obstruction Policy be amended at point 6.1 as follows:-

·         include ‘Investigation of cases for enforcement activity will be limited to those that are a serious detriment and/or present a hazard as determined by professional officers’; and

·         remove references to a letter to be sent out where an obstruction does not present an immediate danger and reference to a copy of that letter.

It was clarified that any traffic offences were the responsibility of the Police to enforce.

RESOLVED – That the Executive be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the proposed amendments to the Highway Obstruction Policy.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report sets out the process necessary to amend the existing Highway Obstruction Policy following the approval of the Investing in Stockport Programme New Model for Regulation at the Executive Meeting on 16 December 2014,

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the proposed amendments to the Highway Obstruction Policy, prior to consideration by the Executive Meeting on 10 February 2015.

Officer Contact: Ian O’Donnell on 0161 474 4175 or email: ian.odonnell@stockport.gov.uk