Agenda and minutes

Members are requested to advise the Democratic Services Officer of any  apologies for this meeting.

Councillors Cullen and Hodgkinson.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2024 are attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2024 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Government guidance expected Members of Scrutiny Committees not to act in accordance with party whipping and that, if they did, they were to declare it.

Government guidance expected Members of Scrutiny Committees not to act in accordance with party whipping and that, if they did, they were to declare it.

Resolved: There were no declarations.

Executive's Forward Plan of Key and Non-Key Decisions:

Please find attached, a link to the Council’s Forward Plan, which details the forthcoming Key and Non-Key decisions that are due to be taken by the Cabinet, a Member of the Cabinet (Portfolio Holder) or a Designated Officer relating to the service areas of this Committee, at this time: Forward Plan of Key/Non-Key Decisions

The Committee considered a report outlining the Council’s Forward Plan of forthcoming key and non-key decisions to be taken by the Cabinet, an Individual Portfolio Holder or delegated officers, in relation to the relevant service area.

Resolved: The Committee notes the forthcoming decisions as outlined within the report, with no items being requested to be placed on a future agenda of the Committee.

Report of Director – Environment and Director – Place is attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Director – Environment, Paul Barton, and Director – Place, Aidan Thatcher, presented by the Programme Manager, Alyssa Doran, which proposed the Confident Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee work plan for the 2024/2025 municipal year.

Resolved: The Committee:-

(1)  thanks the Programme Manager for her report; and

(2)  approves the proposed Confident Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee work plan for the 2024/25 municipal year.

Report of Director – Environment is attached.

The Committee considered a report of the Director – Environment, presented by the Service Lead - Highways and Network Management, Martin Barton, which provided an update on the performance of the Council’s Highways and Network Management Group in managing and maintaining the borough’s highway infrastructure.

The management and maintenance of the borough’s highway infrastructure was aligned to the Department for Transport (DfT) national approach for using Whole Life Costings, Highway Asset Management and evidencing the Council’s annual self-assessment.

During its discussions, the Committee raised the following salient points:-

·           funding received by the Council;

·           the traffic enforcement in place throughout the borough;

·           new adopted footways;

·           road sweeping throughout the borough; and

·           pot hole access and repairs.

The Service Lead informed the Committee that capital maintenance funding provided to the Council had remained the same for the previous three years and the amount of funding had been determined by markers such as performance and the size of the borough. Due to inflation costs, Highways Asset Management was effective in ensuring funding was allocated effectively.

The Service Lead advised Members that the Council had received an additional £600K of funding as a result of the redistribution of funding following the revised plans for HS2.  The service had also worked alongside Greater Manchester (GM) to ensure the Council had access to funding streams when made available.

The Service Lead informed Members that new powers given to the Council allowed for traffic enforcement via cameras in areas that would promote safety and monitor issues such as congestion and air quality.

The Service Lead advised the Committee that new footways were adopted by the Council once a development was completed and were deemed an acceptable standard and quality for the Council to maintain. The footways scheme stated that contractors must use new material only when developing new footways.

The Director – Environment informed the Committee that there were currently five large road sweepers in operation throughout the Borough, however, the service was developing service standards over the next 12 months to ensure that the Council’s frontline services were more aligned in delivery, taking into account the priorities of the borough’s residents and Ward Members. The service also planned to work with Members to establish the needs and priorities of each Ward, to ensure the correct services would be allocated and provided.

The Service Lead advised Members that procedures were in place in relation to teams not being able to access areas issued for repair (i.e. due to park cars etc).In these cases, the service would undertake letter drops to residents in order to resolve access issues. Such activities have proved successful when access had been limited at the time of a scheduled pothole repair.

Resolved: The Committee:-

(1) thanks the Service Lead - Highways and Network Management for his report; and

(2) endorses the work being undertaken in managing and maintaining the borough’s highway infrastructure, as identified within the report.