Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

Minutes of the meeting held 3 November 2020

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 Novemebr 2020 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Head of Highways and Public Protection

The Committee considered the report of the Head of Highways and Public Protection that sought comments on the updated Vehicle Crossing Policy (the Policy) to align it with the latest Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice, the Transport and Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Policy and Strategy 2019/21 and the recently updated Developers Pack; and which indicated that the Policy would enable the Council to operate in a consistent and transparent manner and fully recover costs incurred in providing the service.

The report indicated that the Council, as the Highway Authority, had a statutory obligation to manage and maintain the public highway; that vehicle crossings were provided to assist vehicle access across footways into driveways at the request of householders, subject to payment of the costs of installation; that the construction of a vehicle crossing by the Highway Authority did not give the occupier of the premises any particular rights, except to drive across the footway to gain access to his/her property with a private light goods or similar vehicle and that the crossing itself formed part of the public highway; and that it had been identified in recent years that there had been a number of defects identified within the footpath areas of the highway that had not been included for reconstruction as part of the provision of vehicle crossings and these subsequent defects were the responsibility of the Council.

The report concluded by detailing the proposed changes to the Policy in respect of:

A copy of the draft Sefton Council Vehicle Crossings Policy was attached as an appendix to the report.

Members of the Committee asked questions/commented on the following issues:

·        Vehicle crossings that would cover the full length of the driveway and the potential increased costs for homeowners

·        It was suggested that vehicles parked off the highway on driveways could contribute to highway safety

·        The potential for homeowners to spread the cost of constructing driveways over a period of time

·        In respect of the fee associated with staff costs to be split into two elements, the first being a non-refundable fee for the provision of a quote, information was sought on the take-up of the construction of driveways following the receipt of a quote such works

RESOLVED:

That the updates to the Sefton Council Vehicle Crossings Policy be approved.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

Further to Minute No. 19 of the meeting held on 3 November 2020 and Minute No. 69 of the meeting of Cabinet held on 3 December 2020 the Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer advising of the of Cabinet’s decision to approve the Executive/Scrutiny Protocol for use in Sefton.

The Protocol, that was attached as an annex to the report, had been published on the Council’s website and would be used as part of future Member Induction and Member Development Programmes.

RESOLVED:

That the decision of Cabinet in approving the Executive/Scrutiny Protocol for use in Sefton be noted and welcomed.

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that sought a review of the Work Programme for 2020/21; the identification of potential topics for scrutiny reviews to be undertaken by a Working Group(s) appointed by the Committee; the identification of any items for pre-scrutiny by the Committee from the Key Decision Forward Plan; that updated on the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and updated on the progress of items that had previously been considered by the Committee.

RESOLVED: That

Report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Legal and Democratic Officer that included the most recent reports from the Cabinet Members for Communities and Housing; Health and Wellbeing; Locality Services; Planning and Building Control; and Regeneration and Skills. 

A Member sought assurance that updates would continue to be provided to the Committee particularly in relation to major regeneration projects. Councillor Atkinson, Cabinet Member – Regeneration and Skills referred to updates contained in her report to Members on all major projects across the borough; and assured the Committee that updates would continue to be provided.   

RESOLVED: That