Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 2 August 2018.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 2 August 2018 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

There were no call-in items to consider.

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

The report provides the opportunity for comments to be made on the following documents:-

·         Skid Resistance Policy Statement

·         Street Lighting and other Illuminated Infrastructure Policy Statement

·         Winter Services Policy

·         Winter Services Plan

·         Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Policy Statement

·         Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan

·         Public Rights of Way Inspection and Repair Plan

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the above documents to deliver asset management in line with the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice and support the approval of the documents by the Cabinet.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the following suite of policies and measures in response to the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice (WMHI) published in 2016 but that would come into full effect at the end of October 2018:-

• Skid Resistance Policy Statement
• Street Lighting and other illuminated Infrastructure Policy Statement
• Winter Services Policy
• Winter Services Plan
• Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Policy Statement
• Highways Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan
• Public Right of Way Inspection and Repair Plan.

The Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice (WMHI) came into full effect at the end of October when the Well-Maintained Highways, Management of Highways Structures and Well-lit Highways Codes of Practice ceased to be recognised. Historically the Council had relied on meeting the standards of the old codes to defend the quality of its maintenance processes, and this had been accepted in court when defending highways related claims. The WMHI contained no prescriptive or minimum standards for maintenance purposes. It advised the Council that it be used, in conjunction with the Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Guidance, as the starting point against which to develop, review and formally approve highway infrastructure maintenance policy. It would be these policies that were now relied on for the defence of claims against the Council to show that it had applied the WMHI.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• With regard to the Street Lighting and other Illuminated Policy Statement, the Council was dependent on the performance of its contractors and sub-contractors. In addition, the frequency of the re-inspection of the street lighting columns was dependent on the risk of failure of the columns.
• It was acknowledged that the report had taken a long time to be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee, but this was a result of the complexity and amount of work that had gone into the preparation of the documents.
• With regard to the Skid Resistance Policy Statement, the guidelines set out the speed of vehicles at which the measurements were taken. When fatal or serious accidents occurred and skid resistance may be a contributory factor, the surface condition and historical data would be assessed. The Council would analyse the data if requested to do by the Police and respond to any questions or requests for further information.
• With regard to the Winter Services Policy and Plan, Officers would endeavour to provide grit bins for locations where it was imperative that they were in place.
• A Member requested that all the documents be placed on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the Council’s response to the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice and the adoption of the policies and plans which had been developed.

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

The report considers the re-designation of the Woodford Neighbourhood Forum and the submission of the Woodfield Neighbourhood Plan to the Council.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to note the report.

Officer Contact: Steve Johnson on 0161 474 3509 or email: steven.johnson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) regarding the re-designation of the Woodford Neighbourhood Forum and the submission of the Woodford Neighbourhood Plan to the Council.

The designation of the Forum was for a period of five years which would expire on 17 October 2018 and the Woodford Neighbourhood Forum had therefore submitted information to support its redesignation. There was no significant change to the application from the original application. Where there is no designation for a Forum, there is no legal means by which the Neighbourhood Plan can be advanced or by which existing members of the Forum are able to act in relation to it.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

RESOLVED – (1) That the Cabinet and Council Meeting be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the re-designation of the Woodford Neighbourhood Forum.

(2) That Members of the Scrutiny Committee be provided with a link to the report on Neighbourhood Plans submitted to the meeting of the Local Development Framework Working Party held on 19 September 2918.

At the meeting of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee held on 13 August 2018 it was agreed that a joint scrutiny review on District Centres be undertaken with the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Committee during 2018/19.

The Director of Development and Regeneration will report on the background to this issue at the meeting.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to appoint Members to serve on the Scrutiny Review Panel.

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager reported that at the meeting of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee held on 13 August 2018 it had been agreed that a joint scrutiny review on District Centres be undertaken with the Communities and Housing Scrutiny Committee during 2018/19, and he requested the Scrutiny Committee to appoint Councillors to serve on the Scrutiny Review Panel.

With the agreement of the Chair, a representative of Marple Neighbourhood Forum and a representative of Marple Civic Society were permitted to address the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That Councillors Roy Driver, Graham Greenhalgh, Amanda Peers and Suzanne Wyatt be appointed to the Scrutiny Review Panel – District Centres insofar as this Scrutiny Committee is concerned.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer Contact: David Clee on 0161 474 3137 or email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items for the Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

Clarification was sought when the proposed report on District Centres would be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED –That the report be noted.