Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Connell and Robertson.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 21 January 2010

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting be agreed as a correct record, subject to minute no 76 (6) being amended to read:

“an allocation of £380 be made form the Molyneux Ward budget for a bin opposite the shops on Waddicarr Lane”.

Further to Minute No 65 of the meeting held on 21 January 2010, PC Ramdhan and PCSO Diane Brady outlined the crime statistics for the Sefton East Parishes area from 22 January 2010 to 17 March 2010.  The following was a summary of their assessment:

A total of 40 burglaries had occurred since 21 January 2010: 16 in Maghull, 9 in Melling, 13 in Aintree and 2 in Lydiate.  Many of the burglaries where due to unsecure windows, and Police continued to promote the message to residents regarding  securing their properties. One arrest in relation to a burglary on Wango Lane had been made and the individual would form part of an identity parade in the coming weeks.  Police had also made a significant arrest in relation to 17 burglaries believed to be connected to a single individual.

There had been 36 reported incidents of thefts from a motor vehicle since 21 January 2010, many of these due to valuables being on display. Police continued to also note the trend of registration plate thefts and therefore continued their campaign to promote clutch screws.

There had been four robberies over a two month period.  In one incident a significant amount of cash had been stolen from the William Hill betting shop in Maghull, whilst two separate incidents of mobile phone robberies from young people had also been reported.

Councillors conveyed their disappointment in reaction to burglary and robbery figures, and whilst they appreciated the help of the Police in tackling issues at Satinwood Estate, other areas of the Sefton East Parishes required more focus.

Councillors asked a variety of questions relating to: recording of crimes; issues in the night time economy; anti-social behaviour around the chip shop in Waddicarr Lane; and an armed response unit attendance to an incident at Waddicarr Lane.  PC Ramadhan and PCSO Brady responded to questions and, where appropriate, agreed to take details of incidents from Members.

During the Open Forum the following questions/comments were submitted:

(a)               Further to Minute No 66(a) of the meeting held on 19 March 2009, Mr P. James requested an update to his question submitted on that date to the Area Committee with regard to consideration of funding for a deterrent in order to stop the problem of cars parking and blocking the pavements on Sandy Lane/Lambshear Lane when parents droped off and collected their children from St Gergory’s and Lydiate Primary schools.  Mr James had been unable to obtain a response from the Assistant Director Technical Services Transportation and Spatial Planning and had noted a decline in police presence to tackle this issue.

Mr Johnston, Technical Services representative had written to Mr James outlining the current situation regarding the issue and how the Council were tackling it. Problems associated with St Gregory’s and Lydiate Primary, and to a lesser extent St Thomas Primary, had recently been brought to Sefton Council’s attention via a number of different sources. Dealing with parking problems around schools was notoriously difficult, and the first course of action had to be to work with the schools in developing School Travel Plans, which identified how the pupils and teachers travelled to school, and to persuade them to reduce their dependency on private motorised vehicles. This was a major culture change for parents and whilst Sefton Council had had very good results in certain schools, others, such as St Gregory’s, had been much slower in achieving a reduction in school traffic. Work with each of the three schools’ School Travel Plans would continue, but it was recognised that physical works to control or dissuade school run traffic would be needed in the short term.

As part of Sefton’s Local Safety Scheme programme, the route linking Northway and Southport Road, i.e. Kenyons Lane and Lambshear Lane, had been identified as having a large number of speed related road traffic collisions, which had resulted in recorded personal injuries. Design work was currently taking place to develop speed reducing features along the route, with a view to implementing a scheme in the new financial year. It was envisaged that the speed reducing features would include items such as pedestrian refuges, enhanced signs and carriageway markings, vehicle activated signs which detect vehicle speeds and flashed an appropriate message, 20 mph School Zones and associated waiting restrictions. It was anticipated that the draft design would be completed shortly, and would be consulted upon with Councillors and residents in May/June. This would enable the scheme to be rolled out during the school summer holidays. The whole impetus of the Local Safety Scheme was to reduce the large number of recorded injury collisions along the route, but an added bonus of the scheme was that the Council would also be able to introduce a number of parking restrictions or features, which would assist in reducing congestion and improving safety for LydiatePrimary school children.

Funding of the Local Safety Scheme would only allow the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 83.

Street Services Officer Sefton East Parishes Area

Mr D. Lamb Street Cleansing officer and Mr G. Berwick, Cleansing Services Manager attended the meeting to respond to Councillors’ questions.

Mr G. Berwick indicated that due to budget constraints a review of the cleansing service had been undertaken; that the service would be separated into four teams; that, subject to Cabinet approval, several new vehicles would be added to the fleet to enhance service provision; and that the condition of the A59 was being constantly monitored but at present the road would be cleaned around 10pm, once every six weeks

Councillors asked a variety of questions and raised a number of issues including: Switch Island; bins on Waddicarr Lane, particularly opposite the chip shop; reviewing the usefulness of bins across the borough and re-using them in other areas; fly tipping in Aintree Village; the condition of Robins Island; and the wooded area in Old Roan and Bobbies Wood.

RESOLVED:

Mr G. Berwick and Mr.D.Lamb be thanked for their attendance.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the pedestrian crossing review - proposed pedestrian refuge - Liverpool Road South, Maghull, seeking approval for progression of the scheme.

RESOLVED: That

(1)              progression of a pedestrian refuge on Liverpool Road South, Maghull at a location adjacent to the junction with Ormonde Drive be approved; and

(2)               subject to a positive outcome from the public consultation, the request to progress the design and implementation of a pedestrian refuge on Liverpool Road South, Maghull as soon as possible, be approved.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the proposed amendment to existing Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) - Damfield Lane, Maghull and seeking approval for an amendment to the existing TRO on Damfield Lane, Maghull the effect of which would be the introduction of waiting restrictions as shown on the attached plan in Annex A.

RESOLVED: That     

(1)               the Traffic Regulation Order, as set out on the plan in Annexe A be approved; and

(2)               the Traffic Services Manager be authorised to undertake the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council's intention to implement the Order.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

The Committee considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director on the outcome of the on-street parking consultation - Maghull Station Area, seeking the Committee’s view on a way forward with regard to the proposed amendment to the existing Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) the effect of which would mean the introduction of parking restrictions between Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 11.00 am in order to deter all day parking by commuters whilst still providing residents with some flexibility by enabling them and their visitors to park on-street outside of the restricted hour.

The report indicated that in response to a number of complaints regarding on-street parking in residential roads in the vicinity of Maghull Railway Station, parking restrictions between Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 11.00 am were introduced on Hurst Road, Daisy Mount and Spring Gardens; that following completion of the scheme in May 2009 a number of complaints had been received from residents from adjacent streets; and that  it was agreed to re-consult with residents involved in the original consultation in addition to consulting residents of Heathfield Road, Molyneux Road, Ashleigh Road, Poverty Lane and Melling Lane (between its junction with Summerhill Drive and No. 55 Melling Lane).

The public consultation took place between Wednesday, 27 January and Friday, 19 February. A total of 130 questionnaires were delivered out of which 73 were returned. This equated to a return rate of 56%, which was considered to be a good response rate for this type of consultation.

The report indicated that due to recent budgetary restrictions, parking schemes would be funded from within traffic management budgets if the scheme delivered a road safety benefit, as opposed to an amenity or environmental benefit for residents.  Such schemes elsewhere in the Borough had been approved by Area Committees and had been funded by the Area Committee.

RESOLVED: That

(1)         the results of the public consultation shown in Annex B of this report be noted; and

(2)         the report be deferred to the next Sefton East Parishes Area Committee to resolve if the £2,000 to fund the implementation of the scheme could be met in the new financial year. 

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

This item was withdrawn from the agenda by the Planning and Economic Development Director.

Report of the Head of Technical Services

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Technical Services advising of those locations which had been identified for inclusion in the Highways Maintenance Programme 2009/10.

The report indicated that following the format adopted in previous years, the 2010/11 Highways Maintenance Programme was being shared with Area Committees for comment, prior to it being referred to the Cabinet Member – Technical Services for formal approval on 7 April 2010; but that, unlike previous Highways Maintenance Programmes an indicative list of locations, had been identified for specific highway treatments, namely Major Reconstructions, Carriageway Resurfacing, Micro-Asphalt Carriageway Surface Treatments and Footway Reconstruction/Relay for one year only. Due to the severe weather during the winter which had had a significant impact on levels of deterioration in many roads across the Borough, it was not possible to predict future deterioration levels across the whole network with any degree of confidence at the present time; consequently, any attempt to identify schemes for inclusion in the financial year 2011/12 and beyond was deemed premature. 

In each category of treatment identified in the annexe to the report, the initial thick black line denoted the extent to which the Programmes were likely to be completed during 2010/11, based upon anticipated budget allocations and preliminary cost estimates.

Members views’ were sought regarding the Programme and requested to advise the Technical Services Department of any comments.

RESOVED: That

(1)               the report on the Highways Maintenance Programme 2010/11 be noted;

(2)               the following roads be investigated regarding their potential inclusion in the Highway Maintenance Programme 2010/11, given the additional funding awarded: Broomsgrove, Haileybury Avenue, service road up to Poverty Lane, Southport Road from Bells Lane; and

(3)               any further roads to which Members are alerted, which should be investigated for inclusion in the Highway Maintenance Programme 201/11 be passed to the Assistant Director - Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes Team before 31 March 2010.

Report of the Assistant Director Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes         

Further to Minute No 75 of the meeting held on 21 January 2010, the Committee considered the report of the Assistant Director - Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes on the update in relation to the Village and Satinwood Estate on Waddicar Lane, Melling, outlining progress made on resolving ongoing issues.

Knowsley Council maintained that the footpath into the Satinwood Estate was a strategic route from Knowsley to Sefton, and a Stopping-Up Order may prevent access.  It had been agreed to undertake the pedestrian footfall count again due to the bad weather potentially skewing the figures.  Once completed the Committee would be informed.  A Gating Order also remained a potential resolution if the Stopping-Up orderwass opposed.

Sefton Council was reviewing any legislation which could be invoked to improve the situation and were working in partnership with United Utilities to resolve the sewage issues.   The Assistant Director- Neighbourhoods and Investment Programmes was thanked for her continuing hard work on this. 

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the progress made to date be noted;

(2)               the request that this item remain a standing agenda item until identified issues were resolved be approved; and

(3)               Members of the Sefton East Parishes Area Committee would continue to support officers to resolve the situation at both estates.

Report of the Neighbourhood and Investment Programmes Director

Further to Minute No 59 of the meeting held on 12 November 2009, the Committee considered the report of Neighbourhood and Investment Programmes Department Director that indicated that the balance available for the allocation of 2009/10 budget was as follows.

Members were asked to note that, as agreed at the meeting held on 21 January 2010, an allocation of £380 made from the Molyneux Ward budget for a litterbin opposite shops on Waddicarr Lane had not yet been deducted and therefore the Molyneux Ward budget should read £2,340.67 for committed expenditure and a balance remaining of £473.33

RESOLVED:  That

(1)         the balance of the budget available for each Parish/Town Council from the general budget and to each Ward from the SEPAC-wide budget allocations for the rest of the year be noted;

(2)         the balances of the litter bin budget for each Ward be noted;

(3)         an allocation of £380 from the Sudell Ward Budget for a replacement metal litterbin in Moorhey Road near to ATC and Hudson Primary School be approved;

(4)         an allocation of £380 from the Molyneux Ward Budget for a litterbin to be sited at Bobbies Wood,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 91.

RESOLVED:

That as this would be the last meeting for Councillor Connell, that Ian Williams, Committee Administrator, be requested to write to Councillor Connell to convey the Committee Members’ thanks for his services over the years.

In accordance with the agreed Schedule of Meetings for this Area Committee, the next meeting will be held on Thursday 27 May 2010 at Maghull Town Hall, Hall Lane, Maghull commencing at 18:30.