Agenda item

Call-In of Decision Made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment regarding Eastbourne Town Centre Management and Access Package - Phase 2a Revised Scope.

26.1     The Deputy Chief Executive introduced the report. A decision was made by the Lead Member for Transport and Environment on the 18 November 2024 regarding the Eastbourne Town Centre Management and Access Package - Phase 2a Revised Scope. A notification of a call-in request was received from Councillor Tutt, supported by Councillor Murphy and Councillor Stephen Shing within the timeframe for calling-in a decision. When a call-in request is made that complies with the requirements set out in the Council’s Constitution, the request is required to be considered by the relevant scrutiny committee within 10 working days of the request being made. This was why the Committee has been asked to consider this matter as an urgent item.

26.2     The report contains a copy of the report to the Lead Member in relation to the Eastbourne Town Centre Management and Access Package and the draft minute of the decision that was taken. The report also contains a copy of the call-in request which sets out the basis and grounds for calling-in the decision, and a copy of the response from officers in relation to the call-in request for consideration by the Committee. The Committee is asked to consider the call-in in the light of the information presented in the report.

26.3     Councillor Swansborough spoke on behalf of Councillor Tutt. He outlined that since the Access Package Phase 2a was originally devised, the costs of the scheme had gone up dramatically by around £1 million for a scheme that was originally costed at around £5 million. Under the de-scoping exercise, the scheme was subject to a comprehensive design review which led to changes being made to surfacing materials, road layout, and the proposed public space outside the Marks & Spencer store. The Local Member, officers and the bid team have all be notified of what the changes are, but the public have not been consulted or informed about these changes and there is a need for the public to be informed about the revised scheme due to the comprehension design review. The call-in asks for information on the changes to the scheme to be provided to the public via display boards.

26.4     The Assistant Director Economy commented that on the basis of the call-in, the department is happy to provide display material within Eastbourne Town Centre to alert the public to the changes that are being made to the scheme as agreed with Councillor Tutt in the previous week. In addition, meetings have been held with bid team and local businesses on the situation and this is in addition to the consultation that will be undertaken through the statutory Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process in the New Year. The de-scoping of the scheme was necessary as it was not possible to do everything we wanted to do, within the budget available for the scheme. The design of the scheme has not changed since the one that was consulted on previously, and if more funding becomes available at a later date, it will be possible to deliver more of the original scheme in later phases of the works.

26.5     The Committee discussed the report, and a summary of the discussion is given below.

26.6     Councillor Murphy commented that as having a decision called-in is a rare occurrence, the Committee should listen to the concerns being raised by the Local Member and members of the Committee that have requested the call-in, and refer the decision back to Lead Member for Transport and Environment.

26.7     Councillor Kirby-Green commented that Councillor Tutt has met with the Assistant Director Economy who has agreed to the meet the requests in the call-in to provide information to the public on the changes to the scheme. Referring the matter back to the Lead Member may delay the implementation of the scheme, and as officers have agreed to provide the display boards requested, she would support taking no further action.

26.8     Councillor Beaver commented that in his view the changes to the scheme mean that the provision of public space outside the Marks & Spencer store will be delayed due to cost but not eliminated entirely.

26.9     Councillor Stephen Shing asked for clarification about the removal of the current one way traffic movement from Bolton Road through a short section of Terminus Road and into Langney Road, by introducing a two-way traffic configuration at the lower ends of both Bolton Road and Langney Road; and converting four short term parking bays on Tideswell Road and three doctor permit bays on Lismore Road to provide additional blue badge parking provision, offsetting the majority of the nine blue badge parking bays lost from Terminus Road and Langney Road.

26.10   The Director of CET responded that the scheme was consulted on some time ago and the fundamentals of the scheme have not changed. The Council still wants to proceed with the scheme agreed by the Lead Member but there is not enough funding due to the cost increases. The scope of the scheme has been revised in line with the budget available in order to proceed with scheme. The department has been consulting on the changes and there will be a further opportunity of the public to express their views as part of the TRO consultation process. The Assistant Director Economy added that part of the scheme may revert to the situation many years ago. It has been subject to consultation, including the changes to the parking bays in Tideswell Road, which were part of the original scheme.

26.11   The Lead Member for Transport and Environment commented that officers have agreed to provide the display boards as requested by Councillor Tutt. The Local Member and Councillors’ views have been listened to and the decision does not need to be referred back to the Lead Member.

26.12   Councillor Hollidge commented that the officers should be allowed to get on with delivering the scheme and moved that the Committee agree recommendation 1) to take no further action. This was seconded by Councillor Redstone.

26.13   The Chair put the motion to a vote and the Committee RESOLVED by a majority (6 For, 1 Against and 1 Abstention) to agree to take no further action.

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