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.

RESOLVED:  

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 October 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on the work being undertaken in relation to the Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP) for Sefton and identifying the strategic objectives, processes and parties involved in the preparation of the Plan.

The report indicated that a SWMP Steering Group had been set up, comprising officers from Sefton Council, the Environment Agency, United Utilities and Capita Symonds.  The strategic objectives for the SWMP agreed by the Steering Group were attached as Annex A to the report.

RESOLVED:  

That subject to confirmation on funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the submission of a report to Cabinet to include the proposal in the Capital Programme, the development and implementation of a communications plan for Surface Water Management Proposals be approved.

Report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Environmental and Technical Services Director on new duties being placed on the Council, from April 2011, in relation to local flood risk management.

Attached as an Appendix to the report was a fact sheet summarising the implications of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, which placed responsibility on local authorities, "for leading the co-ordination of flood risk management in their areas".

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the Government's intention to place additional duties on the Council as a Lead Local Flood Authority be noted;

(2)       the Government's intention to fund these additional duties via Area Based Grant be noted;

(3)       the need for resources to be included in future budgets to deliver the new burdens and the provision of a Client function be noted; and

(4)       once detailed Government figures are made available, a further report be submitted to the Cabinet Member outlining the resource implications to the Council to undertake the additional duties referred to in the report.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No. 58 of the meeting held on 11 August 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director seeking approval for the proposed East-West Cycle route along Portland Street, Southport; and detailing the results of the consultation exercise undertaken in respect of the proposals.

The report indicated that following the consultation exercise, amendments to the scheme had been made and that the proposed scheme now comprised of the following elements:

·                 20 mph zone between Duke Street and Eastbank Street/Southbank Road including Portland Street.  (There would be no physical measures introduced on the side streets)

·                 Speed tables on Portland Street at the junctions with each of the minor side roads, with pinch points placed between each of the junctions, planted with trees/shrubs to reduce traffic speeds and improve the environment

·                 Mini roundabout on speed table at junction of Portland Street/Shakespeare Street

·                 Opening up of gaps in central reserve of Lord Street to allow cyclists to cross from Portland Street to Coronation Walk.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the responses to the East-West link consultation exercise be noted;

(2)      the introduction of the 20 mph zone, speed tables, mini roundabout and opening of gaps to the road closure on Lord Street for cyclists be approved in principle, subject to further consideration and a report to the Cabinet Member on the number and spacing of the proposed speed tables and investigation into the suitability of carriageway conditions were they are proposed to be sited; and

(3)      the proposed build outs containing trees be omitted from the proposals due to the difficulties in introducing trees along Portland Street.

Report of the Planning and Economic Development Director

Further to Minute No. 75 of 22 September 2010, the Cabinet Member considered the report of the Planning and Economic Development Director seeking a decision on a proposal to introduce Pay and Display Parking in the Waterloo and Crosby Coastal off-street car parks; and indicating that a decision on this matter was required as Council, on 17 December 2009, approved for inclusion in 2010/11 and future Council budgets income of £77,000 to be generated from the introduction of Pay and Display Parking in the Waterloo and Crosby Coastal area off-street car parks; the decision on the detail of the parking scheme and hence necessary Traffic Regulation Orders for how this was to be achieved was delegated to the Crosby Area Committee.  However, at their meeting on 20 January 2010, the Crosby Area Committee referred the matter to Cabinet Member - Technical Services.  Hence a decision of the Cabinet Member was now required to achieve the Council's budget approvals.

The report detailed the Cabinet Member's review of the requests made by the Crosby Area Committee and local traders on the following issues:

·                 initial free period for short stay parking

·                 residents' permits

·                 operational times - leisure car parks

·                 review of on-street parking

·                 refunds

·                 consultation

·                 displaced parking

·                 improvements to car parks

The report also detailed the recommended scale of charges and their hours of operation.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the proposed Traffic Regulation Orders for the introduction of a Pay and Display Car Parking scheme for the Waterloo and Crosby coastal off-street car parks, as detailed in the report, be approved;

(2)      the implementation costs to be funded in full or in part from within the Technical Services portfolio if identified as a result of the current financial exercise, and/or through Prudential borrowing as indicated in the report;

(3)      the Traffic Services Manager be authorised to progress the necessary legal procedures, including those of public consultation and advertising the Council's intention to implement the orders; and

(4)      the report be referred to the Cabinet Member - Leisure and Tourism for information.