To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 September 2015 (Minute Nos. 192 - 201) as a correct record.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 September 2015 (Minute Nos. 192 – 201) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Councillors should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves or their spouse, civil partner or person with whom they are living with as a spouse or civil partner.  They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

The Chairman will ask Members if they have any interests to declare in respect of items on this agenda, under the following headings:

(a)          Disclosable Pecuniary Interests (DPI) under the Localism Act 2011.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DPI, the Member must leave the meeting and not take part in the discussion or vote.  This applies even if there is provision for public speaking.

(b)          Disclosable Non Pecuniary (DNPI) under the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council in May 2012.  The nature as well as the existence of any such interest must be declared.  After declaring a DNPI interest, the Member may stay, speak and vote on the matter.

Advice to Members:  If any Councillor has any doubt about the existence or nature of any DPI or DNPI which he/she may have in any item on this agenda, he/she should seek advice from the Director of Corporate Services as Monitoring Officer, the Head of Legal or from other Solicitors in Legal Services as early as possible, and in advance of the Meeting.

Peter Macdonald declared a Non-Pecuniary interest as he was a Member of Swale Rail as referred to at item 14 Progress Update report on Page 95 of the Agenda.

Councillor Mike Baldock declared a Non-Pecuniary interest in funding on Quiet Lanes as referred to at item 11 of page 69 of the Agenda.

Members of the public have the opportunity to speak at this meeting.  Anyone wishing to present a petition or speak on this item is required to register with the Democratic Services Section by noon on Friday 4 December 2015..  Questions that have not been submitted by this deadline will not be accepted.  Only two people will be allowed to speak on each item and each person is limited to asking two questions.  Each speaker will have a maximum of three minutes to speak.

Petitions, questions and statements will only be accepted if they are in relation to an item being considered at this meeting.

The Chairman welcomed the members of the public who had registered to speak at the meeting. He advised that those items further down on the agenda, where members of the public had registered to speak, would be brought forward.

Mr Peter England, resident, spoke on Item 5 on the Agenda, Parking Issues in Swale.  Mr England outlined the issues of vehicles parking on pavements in the Borough which included safety of young and elderly residents and damage and cost of maintaining kerbs and grass verges.

Mr Lynch and Mr Kelsy-Janson, residents, spoke on Item 7 of the Agenda, Fairview Road Area, Sittingbourne – Parking Review and outlined the problems of access in the area for emergency vehicles and refuse trucks as well as for residents, due to the high number of commuter parking and the convenient location to the High Street.  Mr Lynch suggested the introduction of a residents parking scheme.

Joyce Dellacasa, resident, spoke on Item 11 – Quiet Lane, Munsgore Lane, Borden seeking support in designating Munsgore Lane a Quiet Lane.

Several Members agreed that parking on pavements was an issue that should be addressed and gave examples of incidents of dangerous and inconsiderate parking on pavements by cars and lorries in their own wards.  A discussion followed on how to enforce this practice and the Engineer confirmed that there was already a bylaw in place that covered verges.  A Member suggested that the current bylaw should be extended to cover pavements. A Member raised the issue of untaxed cars on the road and the responsibility of the Police in enforcing obstruction by vehicles.

A Member raised concerns that the a blanket ban across the Borough would cause problems since some residents had to park on pavements as roads were too narrow.  The same Member referred to item 3.6 on the report and was concerned about the costs to Swale Borough Council of parking enforcement.  Another Member did not support a blanket ban and suggested the introduction of a dotted line on the pavement in specific areas for vehicles to park up to and suggested prioritising areas. A Member agreed that parking on pavements was necessary in some areas, particularly in newer developments and considered that the main issue was lack of enforcement whilst another Member highlighted the issue of lorries parking in residential areas and the lack of Police action; he further suggested consideration should be given to the action that Shepway District Council have recently introduced in issuing fines to unauthorised lorry parking.

A Member discussed ways to take the issue forward and proposed that the current bylaw preventing parking on grass verges be extended to pavements.  A recorded vote took place:

For:  Councillors Mike Baldock, Bowles, Lee Burgess, Richard Derby, Prescott, Ken Pugh, Parish Councillors Dave Austin and Peter MacDonald.  Total equals 8.

Against:  Councillors Harrison, Roger Truelove, Cameron Beart, Bryan Mulhern, Parish Councillor Richard Palmer.  Total equals 5.

Recommended:

(i)            That the bylaw restricting parking on grass verges be extended to include parking on footways.

A Member spoke on the difficulty of cars passing in South Road, Faversham and considered that double yellow lanes would solve the issue.

Recommended:

(i)         No further action to be taken in relation to proposed waiting restrictions in South Road, Faversham

(ii)        The parking situation to be monitored.

The Chairman clarified that a full report will be considered at the next JTB meeting in March 2016 in order that full consideration will be given to the response to the consultation  and the Engineer confirmed that no further responses had been received to the consultation as described in 3.3 of the report.

A Member stated that the issue had already been discussed many times and that previously residents had not wanted a residents parking scheme. The same Member considered that iit was difficult to stop commuters parking in the area, many of whom worked at Swale Borough Council, but hoped a solution could be found. Another Member suggested that a one hour waiting restriction may gain more support from residents.

Recommended:

(i)         That the report be noted.

The report provided a summary of a recent informal consultation with residents of Chalkwell Road, Sittingbourne on proposals to extend the existing double yellow lines along a short section of the road.  A Member gave his support to the recommendation in the report and had the support of all Members of the Committee.

Recommended:

(i)            That the report be noted and that the proposed extension to the double yellow lines be abandoned.

Robert Clark, the Project Manager (LED Street Lighting Conversion) for Kent County Council,  introduced the report which updated Members about Phase 1 of the Safe and Sensible Street Lighting (SSSL) project trial switch-off.  He further clarified that an update on LED street lighting was at a commercially sensitive stage and information on the appointed contractor would likely be available next week.

The LED Project Manager explained that the SSSL project comprised of two phases – a trial switch-off of lights and the conversion of approximately 60,000 lights to part-night operation and the consultation ended in November 2015, the responses to which will be reported at the Environment and Transport Committee in early 2016. The nine sites that were included in the trial switch off at 2.6 in the report were agreed by the JTB in August 2013. 

The LED Project Manager advised that the trial was for an 18 month period; that the sites were monitored throughout that period and information received from Kent Police regarding road traffic collisions and crime considered as well as enquiries on each site from the public and the future needs of the site. The lights in Whiteway Road were switched back on in response to concerns from pedestrians and cyclists and these will remain switched on. 

Members were advised by the LED Project Manager that due to lack of incidents and enquiries on sites, most of the lights in the nine sites in Swale would be recommended to be removed. The three columns south of the river on the Sheppey Way would be switched back on immediately and the six lights at Love Lane, Faversham would also be switched back on.  The LED  Project Manager outlined the costs and savings to KCC, the reduction of carbon emissions and light pollution and sought Members’ views on the recommendations.

Members made the following comments:

·         Safety issues for late night/shift workers on their way home using these identified sites

·         Concerned at lack of lighting at the Western Link in view of recently approved development and proposed new roundabout

·         Suggested half lighting and automatic sensors for lighting in fog and emergency lighting along the Sheppey Way

·         Supportive of night sky initiatives and reduction of carbon emission and encouraged more lights to be switched off

·         Consideration given to proposed major new development when lights removed

·         Welcomed reinstatement of lights at Love Lane, Faversham

·         Supported recommendations

In response to a question from a Member, the LED Project Manager advised that lights would be removed not just switched off as they were an obstruction and there were electrical and cost of maintenance issues.

The LED Project Manager agreed to include Members’ comments in the recommendation to Cabinet.

There was no discussion.

Recommended:

(i)    That the report be noted.

The Transport and Safety Policy Manager introduced the summary report of the Quiet Lane scheme that was designated in 2001 and gave a history of the implementation of the scheme. He highlighted the cost of the full scheme and spoke of the potential for more limited schemes such as verge and junction treatments and signage that were now being funded by some parish councils elsewhere in Kent. The Transport and Safety Policy Manager confirmed that KCC had no specific budget for funding a Quiet Lane scheme.

A Member was pleased that a report had been brought to the JTB meeting but considered that the costs of a full scheme in Munsgore Lane would not be so high and that savings could be made by the less frequent maintenance of hedges.  He further suggested a reduction in the speed limit to suit the lane and requested that the matter be reported back to the JTB Committee with a proposal for a specific scheme.

Another Member agreed that the cost of a scheme in Munsgore Lane would not be as significant as suggested in the report and suggested proposals to the Committee as a guideline to introduce a Quiet Lane scheme which included alternative signage.  The same Member spoke of the support from residents, Parish Councils and Members.

A Member recognised the support from Members from all areas of the Borough and encouraged the scheme to be a pilot scheme in Swale which could then be considered in other areas.

The Chairman moved the motion to accept the scheme and progress forward and this was agreed by the Board.

Recommended:

(i)            That a Quiet Lane scheme be implemented in Munsgore Lane and progressed by the Borough Council and local residents.

The Chairman welcomed Kirstie Williams, Traffic and Safety Team Leader at KCC,  to introduce the report.

The Traffic and Safety Team Leader advised there had been three collisions in the last three years at the site, below KCC’s threshold of six personal injury collisions and suggested a Feasibility Study as the site was complex.  She confirmed there was no funding available from KCC and suggested Members considered combined Members grant or Borough funding.

A Member agreed to fund a feasibility study at the site from his Member Grant, the results of which should then be reported back to the JTB to take forward.

Recommended:

(i)            A feasibility study to be carried out into highway improvements at the site.

(ii)          A report on the conclusions of the feasibility study to be presented to a future JTB.

(iii)         The cost of funding for the feasibility study to come from a Member’s grant.

The Board considered the report which provided an update on the identified schemes approved for consultation in 2015/16.

Members went through the report and the following comments and responses were made:

Page 79

A Member welcomed and gave praise that the repair of the collapsed section of Dawes Road, Dunkirk was programmed for December 2015.

Page 80

Clarification was sought from a Member on the completed works at School Lane, Bapchild. The District Manager agreed to clarify with the Member after the meeting.

Page 81

A Member welcomed the completion of works to the overflow soakaway at South Street, Selling but considered that the replacement sign on the Thanet Way, Hernhill was too small.

Page 85

A Member commented on the unwillingness of some residents to release land to create a new footway at Highsted Road, Sittingbourne and considered that residents should be engaged with further by KCC and another Member suggested a compulsory purchase order of the land.

A Member was disappointed that there was a delay to the school safety zone works at Bobbing Village School, and expressed his desire that work took place before the next school year in September 2016.

Page 88

A Member sought clarification on why works were still occurring at the Seager Road/Marine Parade, Sheerness junction when the development had stopped and was advised that a Planning Appeal was currently under consideration and the works were not funded by KCC.

Recommended:

(i)             That the report be noted.

To consider the Progress Update which outlines progress made following recommendations and agreed action at previous meetings.

Members considered the report that gave an update on the progress made regarding various schemes in the Borough.

Page 92

A Member commented positively on the progress of the proposed relocation of Sittingbourne Market.

Page 93

A Member suggested that a compulsory purchase order should be put in place so that KCC could carry out the necessary works at Lower Road Junction with Barton Hill Drive, Minster.

Pages 94 and 95

A Member welcomed the waiting restrictions and traffic regulation orders on pages 94 and 95.

Recommended:

(i)            That the report be noted.