Agenda and Minutes

Apologies were received from Michael Gold and Tony Goodall.

Councillor Khosa declared a personal interest in agenda item 5A by virtue of being a Ward Councillor.

None.

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The Committee heard representations from Felicity Smart, James Duffell, Paul Velluet, Ali Salisbury, Mary Ainscough, Duncan Picard, Peter Bloom, John Tovey, Lesley Hall, Peter Shaw and John Cleaver on agenda item 5A.

In accordance with Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 16, the Chief Executive (as Proper Officer) has called in the following cabinet member decision, having been requested to do so by two Members of the Environment and Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

"I hereby:

(a) approve the making of the Permanent Traffic Management Orders to implement an extension to the St Margarets South controlled parking zone (CPZ) in the following roads:

Bridge Road

Winchester Road

(b) approve that a review of the new CPZ extension be undertaken after six months of operation with the extent of the consultation associated with that review determined in liaison with local ward councillors taking into account the views expressed by members of the Transport Consultative Group on 18 June 2008."

The reasons for the call-in were as follows:

1. "The due processes and consultations were flawed."

2. "That the review in 6 months time be open to all the residents who were originally consulted; and that the extent of consultation should not be circumscribed by local councillors and the Transport Consultative Group."

The report of the Cabinet Member for Traffic, Transport and Parking is attached.

(1) That the decision made by the Cabinet Member for Traffic, Transport and Parking be noted.

(2) That the Cabinet Member for Traffic, Transport and Parking be requested to include the whole second stage consultation area for the review of the new CPZ extension together with any other adjacent roads where particular issues have emerged.

(3) That the proposed further consultation for The Mews and the service road off Bridge Road be noted and agreed.

(4) That consideration be given to an early review of Sidney Road.

(5) That provision of additional parking spaces on Hillview Road be investigated.

Councillor Hodgins informed the Committee that a large number of residents were aggrieved by the consultation process and the outcome which did not appear to give sufficient weight to the views expressed. Councillor Head raised a number of concerns and expressed the view that the second consultation was undemocratic and should be ignored.

The Committee heard representations from Felicity Smart, James Duffell, Paul Velluet, Ali Salisbury, Mary Ainscough, Duncan Picard, Peter Bloom, John Tovey, Lesley Hall, Peter Shaw and John Cleaver.

The majority of speakers opposed the extension to the St Margaret South Controlled Parking Zone(CPZ) for a variety of reasons including the following:

• The majority of those surveyed had not wanted a CPZ in their road and had not been given an opportunity to say if they wanted a CPZ in the area.
• There were discrepancies in the data used leading to some properties being omitted from the consultation.
• The inclusion of Bridge Road and Winchester Road in the CPZ would exacerbate the parking problems in neighbouring streets. This would inevitably lead to the extension of the CPZ to other streets in the area.
• The CPZ did not address the problem of residents being unable to park near their homes at night.
• The consultation document had not mentioned the proposed introduction of double yellow lines which would further reduce the number of available parking spaces.
• At 6 metres, the stretches of double yellow lines were considerably longer than was necessary.
• Information, including the parking survey, was withheld from residents.
• The formal advertisement of the proposals was premature and suggested that the decision had already been made.
• Alternative options were not considered.
• Whilst the area consulted was viable for a CPZ, the inclusion of two streets was not sustainable.
• The decision should be made on an experimental basis.

A resident of Sidney Road expressed the view that the road should not have been excluded from the CPZ as a majority of residents, albeit marginal, voted in favour of the CPZ.

A resident of Winchester Road spoke in support of the proposals and expressed the view that the decision as to whether a particular road should have a CPZ should be made by its residents and not by others who did not wish to be in the scheme themselves.

Councillor Morgan addressed the Committee as a Ward Councillor. He outlined the history of the consultation following requests from residents for a CPZ in 2006. The Ward Councillors had not expressed a preference for or against the CPZ but his personal opinion was that the discrepancies in data had not significantly affected the outcome of the consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Traffic, Transport and Parking, Councillor Trigg and officers responded to the issues raised. Councillor Trigg stated that, following representations from St Margaret's residents about parking problems, it had been necessary to consult over a wider area to establish the extent of the problem. The consultation process had adhered to the Council's policy. Although there were some errors in data these had been largely addressed in the second consultation and officers were satisfied that the outcome of the consultation had not been affected. Councillor Trigg believed that the inclusion of Bridge Road and Winchester Road to the St Margarets South CPZ was viable. However, if the results of the review after six months of operation revealed that residents of the two roads no longer wished to remain in the CPZ then these roads would be removed.

With regard to the double yellow lines, Councillor Trigg reported that that these should be the minimum length compatible with safety requirements. He confirmed that the extent of the yellow lines would be included in the review. With regard to Sidney Road, Councillor Trigg stated that whether or not to include it in the CPZ extension was a marginal decision. However he was prepared to consider an early review of the decision not to include it in the CPZ.

It was also agreed that, in future, CPZ consultation documents would include maps which detailed yellow line proposals.

Following further discussion the majority of Committee members considered that errors in the previous consultation had been overcome by the latest returns, and that clear support had been shown in the two roads selected for inclusion in the adjacent St Margaret's South CPZ. Members also supported investigation of proposals made by residents to include echelon parking in Hillview Road to alleviate evening parking problems. The proposal to refer the decision back to the Cabinet Member for further consideration was put to the vote and lost.

Councillor Khosa declared a personal interest in this item by virtue of being a Ward Councillor.

This report revisits the issue of the use of white line markings in front of vehicle crossover.

Report of the Assistant Director of Environment is attached.

That the item be deferred to the next meeting.