Agenda and minutes

26.1     The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2018. 

Disclosure by all Members present of personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Members regard the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.

27.1     Councillor Alan Shuttleworth declared a personal interest in Item 5, in that he is a member of the Sevenoaks Road Steering Group, but he did not consider this to be prejudicial.

28.1     Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

29.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

DECISIONS

29.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to (1) Rescind the policy sections and Drainage Management Strategy summarised in Appendix B and detailed in Appendix C;

(2)        Approve the proposed new Highway Skid Resistance policy summarised in Appendix B and detailed in Appendix D; and

(3)        Approve the proposed amendments to the policies and Highway Asset Management Strategy summarised in Appendix B and detailed in Appendix E.

Reasons

29.3     Many of the maintenance tasks carried out the East Sussex County Council’s highways department are statutory duties or powers required by legislation.  The Council’s highways policies set out the Council’s approach where local discretion is permitted in how duties or powers are applied, on in areas for which there is no legislation.

29.4     The highways maintenance policies have been reviewed to ensure that they support:

•           current legislation, guidance and best practice;

•           the County Council’s corporate priorities and local transport policy; and

•           Highways Infrastructure Services Contract needs.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

30.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

DECISIONS

30.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to: (1) Note the review to the Community Highways initiative set out in the report;

(2)        Agree that £37,500 of match funding should be allocated to three community led transport improvement schemes set out in paragraph 2.3; and

(3)        Approve the Volunteering Guidance Document.

Reasons

30.3     Community Highways is seen as a positive initiative which provides an option for Parishes to purchase additional items, deliver schemes that are important to them locally and explore different options of meeting the needs of the local community. 

30.4     Following the relaunch in May 2016 a number of changes were made to improve and update the Community Highways offering, particularly in relation to the delivery of the Community Match initiative with the introduction of a feasibility study to assist Parishes and Communities in identifying possible solutions and determining cost estimates.  A review has been undertaken of Community Match to assess the progress over the previous two years, evaluate the feedback and any lessons learnt to improve the offering.

30.5     Although there have been many feasibility studies undertaken, there have only been three applications to take schemes forward through Community Match. As there is sufficient funding available to deliver all the applications, the Cross Party Member Panel agreed that the schemes should be recommended to be taken forward.