Lead Member for Transport and Environment
DECISIONS made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Claire Dowling, on 22 May 2023 at Committee Room, County Hall, Lewes
Councillor Chris Dowling spoke on item 4 (see minute 5)
Councillor Steve Murphy spoke on item 5 (see minute 6)
Councillors Wendy Maples and John Ungar spoke on item 6 (see minute 7)
Councillors Godfrey Daniel, Julia Hilton and Wendy Maples spoke on item 7 (see minute 8)
1. Decisions made by the Lead Cabinet Member on 13 March 2023
1.1 The Lead Member approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2023.
2. Disclosure of Interests
2.1 Councillor Daniel declared a personal interest in item 7 as a resident of Lower Park Road, although his residence is not within the area referred to in the petition. He did not consider this to be prejudicial.
3. Urgent items
3.1 There were none.
4. Reports
4.1 Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.
5. Community Match Schemes 2023/24
5.1 To avoid the potential for a perceived conflict of interest, the Lead Member for Resources and Climate Change considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport on behalf of the Lead Member for Transport and Environment.
DECISIONS
5.2 The Lead Member RESOLVED to:
(1) Agree that £30,000 of match funding is allocated towards the Blackboys Community Match speed limit reduction scheme for detailed design work in 2023/24 and construction in 2023/24; and
(2) Delegate authority to the Director of Communities, Economy & Transport to approve the 50% match funding contribution for the scheme in Table 1 up to a maximum contribution of £50,000 once the design and construction costs are known.
REASONS
5.3 The Community Match programme continues to provide the opportunity for town/parish councils, local resident groups and organisations to secure match funding to enable local priority schemes to be delivered which otherwise would not come forward using County Council funding alone through the capital programme of local transport improvements. From the £250,000 allocation for 2023/24, there is sufficient funding available to provide the community match funding requests to deliver the scheme at Blackboys for which an application has been submitted.
6. Petition: to implement a one-way system and 20mph speed limit in Garfield Road, Hailsham
6.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.
6.2 Mr Dan Page, a representative of the Lead Petitioner for the petition calling on the County Council to implement a one-way system and 20mph speed limit in Garfield Road, Hailsham spoke to highlight safety concerns regarding speed of traffic and parking along Garfield Road.
DECISIONS
6.3 The Lead Member RESOLVED to advise petitioners that:
(1) A potential scheme to implement a one-way system and 20mph speed limit in Garfield Road has been assessed through the approved High Level Sift process and is not a priority for the County Council at the present time; and
(2) Petitioners may wish to consider taking a potential scheme forward through Community Match. A Feasibility Study at a cost of £500 would be required prior to a Community Match application.
REASONS
6.4 A scheme to implement a 20mph speed limit, one-way system and any supporting traffic calming features in Garfield Road is not presently a priority for funding from the County Council’s budget. However, appropriate improvements could be considered should an alternative source of funding become available, or if an application through Community Match was successful.
7. Petition to implement a one-way system, pedestrian crossing and traffic calming measures in Ocklynge Road, Eastbourne
7.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.
7.2 Mr Bruno Santiano, the Lead Petitioner for the petition calling on the County Council to implement a one-way system, pedestrian crossing and traffic calming measures in Ocklynge Road, Eastbourne spoke to highlight safety concerns, noise levels and pollution along Ocklynge Road.
DECISIONS
7.3 The Lead Member RESOLVED to advise petitioners that:
(1) A potential scheme to implement a one-way system, pedestrian crossing and traffic calming measures has been assessed through the approved High Level Sift process and is not a priority for the County Council at the present time.
(2) Petitioners may wish to consider taking a potential scheme forward through Community Match. A Feasibility Study at a cost of £500 would be required prior to a Community Match application.
REASONS
7.4 A scheme to implement a one-way system, pedestrian crossing and traffic calming measures in Ocklynge Road does not meet the Council’s criteria and therefore, is not a priority for the County Council at the present time. However, appropriate improvements could be considered should an alternative source of funding become available, or an application through Community Match was successful.
8. Petition to implement 20mph and Heavy Goods Vehicle limits on Lower Park Road, Hastings
8.1 The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.
8.2 Mr Mark Etherington and Mr Jeremy Llewellyn-Jones, the Lead Petitioners for the petition calling on the County Council to implement 20mph and Heavy Goods Vehicle limits on Lower Park Road, Hastings spoke to highlight safety concerns, pollution, the increased number of HGVs in the area and the positioning of the speed monitoring equipment used as part of the speed survey collected for the report.
DECISIONS
8.3 The Lead Member RESOLVED to advise petitioners that:
(1) A potential scheme to implement a 20mph speed limit and Heavy Goods Vehicle restriction has been assessed through the approved High Level Sift process and is not a priority for the County Council at the present time; and
(2) Petitioners may wish to consider taking a potential scheme forward through Community Match. A Feasibility Study at a cost of £500 would be required prior to a Community Match application.
REASONS
8.4 A scheme to implement a 20mph speed limit and HGV restriction in Lower Park Road does not meet the County Council’s criteria and, therefore, is not presently a priority for funding. However, appropriate improvements could be considered should an alternative source of funding become available, or an application through Community Match was successful.