Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

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 16 December 2009

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 16 December 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to the Minute No 49(a) of the Litherland and Ford Area Committee held on 28 October 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the petition of the Litherland Village Community Group, containing 21 signatures from residents of Hawthorne Court and Marina Avenue, requesting a prohibition of driving Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for Hawthorne Road, Litherland, the effect of which would restrict right turns out of the KFC restaurant and petrol station onto Hawthorne Road. The petition also requested that traffic conditions be improved in general in Marina Avenue, Litherland.

The report indicated that an investigation to introduce a prohibition of driving TRO on Hawthorne Road, Litherland, had concluded that there was no current justification to introduce such a TRO or for any further action relating to speeding vehicles and unnecessary traffic movements in Marina Avenue; and that Merseyside Police had been advised of the receipt of the petition and requested to carry out any enforcement they considered necessary at this location.

Officers agreed however that they would approach the KFC restaurant to see if it would be willing to introduce signage to encourage customers to turn left when exiting the restaurant; and undertake an investigation into the control system of the traffic lights operating at the junction with Church Road and the pedestrian crossing opposite the garage and KFC restaurant.

RESOLVED: That

(1)              the report be noted; and

(2)              the Traffic Services Manager write to advise the petitioners of the resolution of the Committee regarding the matter.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No 49 (a) of the Litherland and Ford Area Committee held on 28 October 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director which outlined the application for a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to provide an extra two Disabled Parking Places adjacent to the Chemist on Sefton Road, Litherland.

The report indicated that there was already a shortage of on-street parking in the vicinity of the shopping area; that any further parking restrictions should only be considered once the effect of the introduction of parking restrictions on Field Lane were known; and that comprehensive parking surveys would be undertaken to consider the wider aspect of on-street parking before reaching any final conclusions.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               comprehensive parking surveys be undertaken to consider the wider aspect of on-street parking in the area; and

(2)               a report be prepared and forwarded to Litherland and Ford Area Committee, which would address the Committee’s previous suggestions for additional restrictions around the central island, and the latest request for additional Disabled Parking Places.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director seeking approval for a temporary closure of Prescot Road, Melling, from its junction with Bank Lane 100m in a south-westerly direction to vehicular traffic to enable junction improvement to be implemented.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the temporary closure of Prescot Road, Melling from its Junction with Bank Lane 100m in a south-westerly direction to vehicular traffic to enable junction improvement to be implemented be approved; and

(2)               the Traffic Services Manager be authorised to execute the necessary legal procedures, including those of consultation and objection and to advertise the Council’s intention to implement the appropriate Traffic Regulation Order.                   

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

Further to Minute No 34 of the meeting held on 29 July 2009 which detailed the Southport Cycle Town – Working Programme for 2009/10, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director on the Southport Cycle Town 2009-10 Revised Work Programme, seeking approval to revise the funding allocations for individual schemes within the Cycle Town Work Programme 2009/10 due to additional funding allocations and indicating that a decision on the matter was required in order to allow delivery of schemes within the Programme.

The report indicated that there had been a wish to create a more pleasant cycletrack that ran alongside the Coastal Road to Ainsdale (Pontins Roundabout); that Cycling England had allocated an additional Capital Grant of £250,000 to Sefton Council in order to enable the works to be completed; and that it was anticipated that the route could be delivered by the 31 March 2010.

It was proposed that an allocation of £80k be made to deliver a cycle route along Wennington Road; that whilst discussions are continuing with Councillors regarding the form of this route it would not be possible to deliver a scheme on the ground during 2009/10 and therefore an allocation to the Wennington Road scheme would be reduced to £5K for the current financial year, with the remaining £75k to be used to further develop the Seafront Cycle facilities and routes.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the report be noted; and

(2)               Cabinet be recommended to approve the inclusion of the capital funding from Cycling England / Department for Transport into the 2009/10 Capital Programme.

Report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Regeneration Director seeking approval to award the Variable Message Signs Contract for the provision of 18 No. Variable Message Signs in and around Southport Town Centre; and indicating that a decision on the matter was required to comply with Contract Procedure Rules of the Constitution.

RESOLVED: That

(1)               the only tender received and submitted by Dambach UK Ltd for the value of £190,652.75 be approved; and

(2)               the Legal Director be requested to prepare a formal contract with the successful Tenderer.

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public

RESOLVED:

That, under Section 100(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test had been applied and favoured exclusion of the information from public and press.

Report of the Strategic Director - Communities

Further to Minute No 101 of the meeting held 16 December 2009, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director of Communities on the Thornton to Switch Island Link Road Exchange of Land, seeking approval for an exchange of land in the terms outlined in the report; and indicating that a decision on the matter was required in order to request Cabinet’s approval for the exchange.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)                the terms and conditions set out in the report be accepted;

(2)               powers be delegated to the Strategic Director - Communities to agree any other terms; and

(3)               powers be delegated to the Legal Director to complete the necessary documentation.