Agenda and minutes

30.1     The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 24 October 2022.

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.

31.1     Councillor Ian Hollidge declared a personal interest in item 8 as a member of the Bexhill Wheelers Cycle Group. He did not consider this to be prejudicial

Notification of any items which the Lead Member considers urgent and proposes to take at the appropriate part of the agenda.

32.1     There were none.

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

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

34.1     To avoid the potential for a perceived conflict of interest, the Lead Member for Education and Inclusion, Special Educational Needs and Disability considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport on behalf of the Lead Member for Transport and Environment.

34.2     Mrs Lesley Dann, the Lead Petitioner for the petition calling on the County Council to urgently improve safety measures to help save the lives of drivers and pedestrians at the junction of the A267 with the B2102 at Cross in Hand spoke to highlight the safety of road users and the benefits that a pedestrian crossing may provide for the junction.

DECISIONS

34.3     The Lead Member RESOLVED to advise the petitioners that:

(1) following the outcome of the detailed appraisal process, they will be informed whether the scheme has been assessed as a high priority for potential inclusion in the 2023/24 capital programme of local transport improvements which will be considered by the Lead Member at a meeting in March 2023; and

(2) following speed surveys undertaken along the A267/A265 between Cross in Hand to Heathfield, the resultant assessment has identified that the existing 40mph speed limit remains the most appropriate and safest speed limit for this road.

REASONS

34.4     Following the pedestrian fatality near the A267/B2102 junction in Cross in Hand, the introduction of junction and pedestrian improvements have been further assessed using the County Council’s scheme prioritisation process for local transport improvements. The scheme has met the benchmark score through stage 1, the high level sift of the scheme assessment process meaning it progresses to detailed appraisal (stage 2).

34.5     The detailed appraisal assesses at a more granular level the extent to which the scheme would fulfil the Local Transport Plan (LTP) objectives, its relative value for money, and the potential risks associated with its delivery.  The detailed appraisal process is undertaken between December and January each year ahead of developing the next year’s capital programme of local transport improvements. Following the detailed appraisal, Petitioners will be informed whether the scheme has been assessed as a high priority for potential inclusion in the 2023/24 capital programme of local transport improvements which will be considered by the Lead Member at a meeting in March 2023.

34.6     Following speed surveys undertaken along the A267/A265 between Cross in Hand to Heathfield, the resultant assessment has identified that the existing 40mph speed limit remains the most appropriate and safest speed limit for this road.

34.7     The junction at Cross in Hand has recently been treated as part of the Road Safety Team’s annual assessment process. It will continue to be monitored as part of the County Council’s commitment to reducing the number of killed and seriously injured on our road network through the Local Safety Scheme identification work.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

35.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Approve continuing restricting vans and oversize vehicle access to Household Waste Recycling Sites (HWRS) to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only; and

(2)  Approve all HWRS continue with cashless transactions for non-household waste which includes hardcore, soil, plasterboard, asbestos, and tyres.

REASONS

35.3     Restricting vans and oversize vehicle access to HWRS to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only will allow more thorough Trade Waste checks to be carried out.

35.4     Removing the option of paying by cash at non-franchised sites provides a number of benefits including that it removes the cost to East Sussex County Council of paying for the secure transport of cash takings and provides full electronic documentation of all transactions which is helpful concerning regulated activities such as waste disposal.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

36.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Approve the Enhanced Partnership (EP) Plan and Scheme as detailed in Appendices 1 and 2 of the report; and

(2) Agree that East Sussex County Council proceed with the formation the EP.

REASONS

36.3     East Sussex County Council’s mission as a local transport authority is to ensure that East Sussex residents and visitors enjoy the highest possible quality bus services that provide a frequent and comprehensive choice, reduce congestion, and make a positive contribution to better air quality and decarbonisation. This mission is supported by the authority’s bus operators who will play a key role in its delivery. Equality implications will be assessed as plans develop to enable maximum benefits for people sharing specific protected characteristics.

36.4     The East Sussex Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) is an extremely ambitious plan that seeks to stimulate and drive significant improvements to bus services across the local authority area and the wider region. The BSIP intends to deliver as many of the ambitious proposals as possible, provide value for money and:

•          Recover bus usage from the Covid-19 pandemic, taking account of consequential changes in travel patterns

•          Increase bus usage significantly in the next few years and to eventually deliver a transformational change in bus usage.

•          Deliver a step change in bus provision to both current and new bus users.

•          Deliver lower and simpler fares.

•          Deliver more, higher quality (more accurate and richer) passenger information.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

37.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Agree that £4,250 of match funding is allocated towards the Plumpton Community Match safety improvement scheme for initial detailed design work in 2022/23 and construction in 2023/24;

(2) Agree that £5,000 of match funding is allocated towards the Robertsbridge Community Match dropped kerbs and lining scheme for initial detailed design work in 2022/23 and construction in 2023/24;

(3) Agree that £50,000 of funding is allocated towards the Frant A267 pedestrian crossing scheme which will be designed and delivered by Frant Parish Council;

(4) Delegate authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to approve the 50% match funding contribution for the schemes in recommendations 1and 2, up to a maximum contribution of £50,000 per scheme once the design and construction costs are known; and

(5) Delegate authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to agree the terms and conditions of the grant funding agreement with Frant Parish Council for the £50,000 grant from the Community Match funding allocation towards the scheme as set out in recommendation 3.

REASONS

37.3     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 £100,000 allocation for 2022/23, there is sufficient funding available to provide the community match funding requests to deliver all three schemes that have submitted applications. These schemes will help contribute towards delivering the County Council’s priorities of making best use of resources now and for the future and keeping vulnerable people safe.

37.4     As Frant Parish Council are proposing to take on the design and delivery of their scheme themselves, the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport will agree the terms and conditions of a grant funding agreement with the Parish Council in relation to the £50,000 Community Match funding allocation.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

38.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) Note the results of the public consultation on the Collington to Bexhill Enterprise Park pedestrian and cycle improvement scheme; and

(2) Agree that the scheme is taken forward to detailed design and construction as part of the 2022/23 and 2023/24 Capital Programme for Local Transport Improvements.

REASONS

38.3     The outcomes from the consultation indicate that there is a level of support locally for improved pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure in this part of Bexhill. The introduction of the scheme, which is identified in the Council’s Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan, will support the Council’s strategies and objectives relating to reducing carbon emissions, supporting economic recovery and economic growth as well as improving the health and wellbeing within the local community.

38.4     Whilst concerns were raised about the safety of shared route schemes and on-road cycling, evidence from other schemes introduced in the county demonstrates these facilities can operate successfully by offering alternative low emission transport links within the communities they serve. In addition, although there were requests that dedicated cycle lanes should be provided instead, the scheme has been designed, taking account of industry best practice and guidance for inclusive mobility, to ensure that cyclists have the highest level of provision possible, whilst also considering the needs of other road users.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

39.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to recommend that the County Council approve an amended motion as set out below:

The County Council recognises the significant public concerns over any initiatives to develop fracking, or other methods, for the extraction of shale oil or gas in East Sussex. The County Council, therefore, supports the Government’s recent announcement that reinstates the moratorium on fracking.

REASONS

39.3     East Sussex County Council has made a clear commitment through its Climate Emergency Action Plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions from its own operations, as well as helping to facilitate the county in general to move towards this target. The further use of fossil fuels is clearly at odds with this target, particularly at a time when there should be a greater move towards renewable and low carbon energy supplies in order to ensure that local, national and international climate change targets and obligations can be met. In light of this, and also recognising that significant concerns remain over the impacts arising from fracking, not least from the general public, the reimposition of the moratorium on fracking is something to be welcomed.