Agenda and minutes

18.1     Councillor Maynard approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2015.

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.

19.1     Councillor Bentley declared a personal interest in Item 6, in that he is a member of the Health and Wellbeing Board which allocated the Public Health funding for the project, but he did not consider it to be prejudicial.

19.2     Councillor Claire Dowling declared personal interests in: Item 4 as a Member of Wealden District Council and the Project Board; and Item 9 as the Wealden District Council portfolio holder for this area of responsibility, but she did not consider these to be prejudicial.

19.3     Councillor Maynard declared personal interests in Items 9 and 10, as Leader of Rother District Council, but he did not consider this to be prejudicial. 

19.4     Councillor O’Keeffe declared a personal interest in Item 9 as a Member of Lewes District Council, but she did not consider this to be prejudicial. 

19.5     Councillor St Pierre declared a personal interest in Item 9 in that her husband was the Chair of the East Sussex Internal Drainage Board (IDB) Steering Group, but she did not consider this to be prejudicial. 

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

Report by Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

21.2     RESOLVED to (1) Agree in principle to the implementation of the Uckfield High Street Improvement Scheme Stage 2;

(2) Agree that the Scheme progresses with a 30 minutes stay for the 23 parking spaces on the High Street;

(3) Support the provision of up to two parking bays for blue badge holders on the High Street;

(4) Authorise the use of a one-way traffic management scheme to be utilised during the construction period subject to further consideration in conjunction with the appointed contractor, and delegate power to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to authorise the final scheme; and

(5) Request that a clear Communications Plan be produced, to cover the preparation and construction phases to inform businesses and the public of when and where changes will happen, and to provide early notice of any potential delays. 

Reasons

21.3     The Stage 2 Improvement Scheme for Uckfield High Street should be progressed, based on the consultation responses and the analysis provided.  There will also be up to two allocated bays reserved for blue badge holders, to be sited after consultation with the Wealden Disability Group.

21.4     Further work will be carried out to explore the use of a one-way traffic management solution during the construction period with consideration given to determining whether a northbound or southbound direction is the optimum solution.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISION

22.2     RESOLVED to (1) Note the expected benefits of becoming an Affiliate Partner;

(2) Agree that the County Council becomes an Affiliate Partner rather than a Strategic Partner; and

(3) Delegate to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport authority to take all actions necessary to give effect to the decision to become an Affiliate Partner including authority to enter into all necessary agreements.

Reasons

22.3     It is no longer appropriate for the County Council to sign up to the YES Partnership as a Strategic Partner. However, there are considerable potential benefits to the County Council and East Sussex businesses and residents, from the County Council joining the YES Partnership as an Affiliate Partner. This does not require the County Council to contribute any finance to the YES Partnership.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

23.2     RESOLVED to agree the Capital Programme for Speed Management for the 2015/16 financial year as outlined in Appendix 1.

23.3     £125,000 of Public Health Grant Funding has been made available for speed management to help reduce the number of injury crashes in the county.  The Road Safety team have conducted speed surveys and met with Sussex Police and identified the priority list. 

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

24.2     RESOLVED to (1) authorise a Council Order to be made to continue the East Sussex Permit Scheme with the amendments as required by legislation (Deregulation Act 2015); and

(2) note the legislation requires the Council Order to be in force by 1 October 2015.

Reasons

24.3     The current scheme has been a success, improving planning by utility companies and their execution of necessary works in our highways, leading to reduced congestion. Recent legislation requires the County Council’s current permit scheme to be amended and re-issued by a Council Order if it is to continue to operate.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

25.2     RESOLVED to authorise the making of an experimental Traffic Regulation Order to allow waiting restrictions and loading, disabled and taxi bays to be introduced in the Lewes Station forecourt area.

Reasons

25.3     The Lewes Station Forecourt Improvement Scheme will provide significant improvements for pedestrians and better traffic management in Station Road.  Introducing the scheme under an experimental Traffic Regulation Order will enable the necessary parking restrictions to be monitored and reviewed before a decision is taken as to whether they should be made permanent.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

26.2     The Lead Member and other Members present expressed serious concern at the decision taken by Lewes District Council not to support a new IDB for the Ouse, with the subsequent potential impact on funding and the situation in the Ouse District. 

DECISIONS

26.3     RESOLVED to (1) Support the Environment Agency’s proposals to dissolve the Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels Internal Drainage Districts and re-establish the Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels Districts with one Internal Drainage Board;

(2) Accept the dissolution of the Ouse Internal Drainage District in principle subject to further discussions with Lewes District Council on flood risk management priorities within the area, and, further negotiations with the Environment Agency and others on funding for the County Council’s additional burden of Ordinary Watercourse Consenting and enforcement in the Ouse District; and

(3) Authorise the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport (in consultation with Lead Member for Transport and Environment) to:

a.         Agree the final response to the Environment Agency on this matter; and

b.         Agree the County Council’s representation on the proposed Pevensey and Cuckmere Water Level Management Board;

c.         Produce a further report following the consultation period to formally appoint the County Council’s representative.

Reasons

26.4     The dissolution of the Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels IDD and replacement with one Board can be supported. The dissolution of the Ouse IDD could be accepted in principle, subject to further discussions with LDC on flood risk management priorities in the area, and further negotiations with the EA and others on funding for the County Council’s additional burden on OWC and enforcement in the Ouse IDD outside the main river. Given the County Council’s interest in the delivery of flood risk management services, the EA’s invitation for County Council to take a seat on the new Internal Drainage Board for Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels should be accepted in principle, subject to further investigations.

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport

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

DECISIONS

27.2     RESOLVED to authorise the novation of the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road Archaeology Subcontract over to East Sussex County Council to be overseen by the County Archaeologist.

Reasons

27.3     The novation will provide the County Council with direct control of the work which means it can be undertaken at an affordable cost, proportionate to the significance of the findings of the fieldwork, and to spread the cost over a longer period of time during which alternative sources of funding may be sought.