Regeneration & Transport Select Committee

A meeting of Regeneration & Transport Select Committee was held on Monday, 13th February, 2012.

Present: Cllr Maurice Perry (Chair); Cllr Michael Clark, Cllr Kevin Faulks, Cllr Mrs Maureen Rigg, Cllr Andrew Sherris, Cllr Norma Stephenson and Cllr Norma Wilburn.

Officers: R McGuckin, J McCann, R Bradley, B Buckley (DNS); J Bailey (R); J Trainer, P Mennear, P K Bell (LD).

Also in attendance: None.

Apologies: Cllr Ian Dalgarno and Cllr Paul Kirton.

1 / Evacuation Procedure
The evacuation procedure was noted.
2 / Declarations of Interest
There were no interests declared.
3 / Minutes for Signature - 5th December 2011
The minutes of the meeting held on 5th December 2011 were signed by the Chair as a correct record.
4 / Draft Minutes - 16th January 2012
Consideration was given to the draft minutes of the meeting held on 16th January 2012.
RESOLVED that the minutes be approved.
5 / Efficiency, Improvement and Transformation (EIT) Task and Finish Review of Highways
Members received a report regarding the Highways Task & Finish Review.
Members were reminded that the baseline report for the Highways Task & Finish Group was considered by the Committee on 5th December 2011. Within this report the full scope of highway services was described which included national policy, good practice and operational procedures that are applicable to Stockton. It also identified the total spend of both Capital and Revenue and in terms of revenue contributions within the Council, identified the need to remove £500K from the revenue budgets from 2012/13 onwards.
Attached to the report were the review scope and baseline report, the background information reported at baseline, included capital funding allocations, Highway Network Management Plan and Highway Maintenance backlog.
Members discussed a number of issues including:-
- the level of money set allocated for related insurance purposes;
- progress on the adoption of roads constructed as part of private housing schemes;
- improvements to the tendering process that has improved management of the costs of structural maintenance despite the rise in oil prices.
AGREED that:-
1. The content of the report including the emerging options be noted.
2. The Head of Technical Services be authorised to develop the final recommendations for the reduction in revenue support and report back to the Committee in March 2012 for consideration.
6 / Quarterly Progress Updates on Previously Agreed Recommendations
Consideration was given to progress of the implementation of previously agreed recommendations for the EIT Review of Events, Arts & Tourism.
AGREED that the Progress Update be agreed.
7 / Scrutiny Development Session
- setting the scrutiny work programme
- refresh on the key elements of a scrutiny review
Members were given a Scrutiny Development Session that included:-
- setting the scrutiny work programme
- refresh on the key elements of a scrutiny review
AGREED that the contents of the session be noted.
8 / Work Programme
- to review the work programme
The Work Programme was discussed by Members. It was noted that following the scrutiny work programme setting process, the topics that would be reviewed by the Committee during 2012/13 would be:
  1. How the council deals with Long Term Abandoned Properties.
  2. Employability Support/Quality of Training.
Members also discussed the topic suggestion of the regeneration of local shopping parades, and re-affirmed their support for this topic. It was confirmed that although the topic had not been selected for in-depth review during the work programme setting process, it had been agreed that Executive Scrutiny Committee would consider a report that would set out the extent of theissues, in order to identify what further review work may be necessary.
AGREED that the Work Programme be noted.

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