election of chairman

election of vice-chairman

minutes

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14th March 2011 (Minute Nos. 724 - 736) were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

declarations of interest

Kent County Councillor Tom Gates declared a personal interest in Minute No.65 (Faversham Enterprise Partnership Traffic Management Proposals in Faversham Town Centre) as he had a property and offices at the top end of Preston Street.

public session

Members of the public spoke on the following items:

Item 7 - Petition received, residents' parking, Davington Hill, Faversham

Mr Chris Oswald-Jones, a local resident, spoke on the problem of commuter parking in the Davington Hill area. He spoke in support of extending the existing residents' parking scheme to include Curtis Way, Davington Hill and up Dark Hill towards the pedestrian crossing.

Item 9 - Faversham Enterprise Partnership Traffic Management Proposals in Faversham Town Centre

Mr Bichard, a local businessman, raised the following points regarding the proposed traffic flow changes on Preston Street: the cost implications to delivery vehicles; accessibility and turning problems, in the vicinity of parked vehicles to his premises and lack of consultation.

Mrs Chester, a local resident, spoke on behalf of the Disability Forum. She considered the design was flawed and incomplete; the consultation should have been more comprehensive and carried out for a longer period and should have included all the options for the town centre; safety concerns with delivery vehicles and parking issues.

Item 11 - Zig-Zags outside Tunstall School

Mr Mills, a local resident, raised concern with the parking problems outside Tunstall School and the dangers this caused to children. He considered the report to be too generic.

Item 13 - Highway Works Programme 2011/2012

Mr Brown, a local resident, raised concern with the surface dressing work that had been carried out on the Lower Road, Eastchurch. Dangerous gaps had appeared on the road and he considered the work carried out had not addressed this and was inadequate for this type of road. He reported that signs put up whilst the work was being carried out had not yet been removed.

Item 15 - Progress Update

Mr Macdonald, Parish Councillor, spoke on the reclassification of the B2231 to an A road, the A2500. He considered that improvements to the road, including widening, a roundabout and junction improvements were necessary, for safety reasons and to ease congestion. He explained that traffic flows were higher than the road's capacity and the road was too narrow.

Mr Brown, Parish Councillor, raised concern that only the section of the B2331 from the A249 to the Rowetts Way roundabout had been reclassified as the A2500, and suggested that this should be extended, and that signage to Minster and Eastchurch, from the Sheppey Bridge, should be added. He also considered that the new junction with Windmill Creek Road was dangerous as the vehicles had to cross the carriageway.

part a minutes for confirmation to cabinet

petition received, residents parking, davington hill, faversham

The Head of Service Delivery introduced the report which considered the recent petition requesting that Davington Hill be included in a Residents' Parking Scheme. He explained that a residents' parking scheme was normally put in place when it was considered that there was a commuter parking problem at that location. The survey had shown that the majority of the vehicles parked on Davington Hill were owned by residents and there was not a considerable commuter problem at this location.

County Councillor Gates moved the following motion: that Davington Hill be included as an extension of the existing residents' parking scheme. This was seconded by County Councillor Ferrin.

On being put to the vote the motion was agreed.

proposed withdrawal of existing voucher parking scheme, faversham

The Head of Service Delivery introduced the report which provided an update of further investigations into the proposed withdrawal of the existing Voucher Parking Scheme in Faversham.

County Councillor Gates suggested that the cost be increased to 60p/hour rather than 80p/hour.

The Head of Service Delivery explained that some residents had raised concern that withdrawal of the scheme would result in more parking on the streets rather than in a car park. He suggested that a balance could be reached if the voucher cost was the same as the cost of the car park.

Some Members raised concern with the cost of printing of the voucher as set out on page three of the report.

RECOMMENDED:
(1) That the contents of the report be noted and to continue to operate the Voucher Parking Scheme but at an increased cost of 80p/hr.
(2) That the costs of printing the vouchers be looked into.

Head of Service Delivery

faversham enterprise partnership traffic management proposals in faversham town centre

The Highway Manager introduced the report which set out the design and consultation that had been carried out on a proposed new one-way system in Faversham town centre. A significant number of residents and businesses were not in favour of reversing the traffic flow in Preston Street.

The Head of Service Delivery reminded Members that reference to the decision made at the JTB meeting in September 2010, should read that Members supported, rather than agreed to, closure to traffic in the town centre on market days.

Members made the following points: some disappointment that the scheme would not be progressed; lack of clarity of the extent of the proposals; design of layout would need to be considered in line with safety issues; need to consider the problems in turning right at East Street, especially larger vehicles; the majority of local residents/businesses were not in favour of the scheme, we should listen to them; just change bottom half of Preston Street flow; and the questions asked during the consultation process were not clear.

major projects

This report provided an update on major road projects currently in progress.

zig-zags outside tunstall school

The report responded to complaints received from residents that parking was creating additional hazardous conditions on the road. Residents had requested that parking restrictions be applied to regulate this.

Members raised the following points: support the installation of zig-zag lines; zig-zag lines were restricted on hours, so may not alleviate the problem at this location; and the report was not detailed enough.

County Councillor Bowles moved the following motion: that a further more detailed report be submitted to the JTB, with the inclusion of the Police report and that consultation be carried out to include the views of County, Borough and Parish Councillors and the offer of funding for the scheme by County Councillor Alan Willicombe be noted. This was seconded by Councillor Pat Sandle.

On being put to the vote, the motion was agreed.

sittingbourne guard railing assessment

The Jacobs Consultant introduced the report and gave a presentation on a survey that had been carried out on pedestrian guard railing in Sittingbourne. Comments were sought on proposals to remove sections of guard railing from some sites.

Members were reminded that railings would only be removed at such a time that the railings became damaged and needed to be removed in any case.

Members studied the sites one by one and made comments.

highway works programme 2011/2012

Members considered the report which provided an update on the identified schemes approved for construction in 2011/2012.

The Highway Manager agreed to find further information on the extent of the surface dressing carried out on Winding Hill, Selling (Appendix A2), and to look into the cost of the work carried out on a footway scheme at Newlands Avenue (Appendix B2), the surface dressing work on the A2500 and the clearance of signs on that road. He also agreed to find out the start dates for the street lighting schemes.

Highway Manager

County Councillor Whiting explained that the funding for an 8-seater minibus had also been funded by County Councillors Ferrin and Willicombe.

highway improvement scheme update

Members considered the report which provided an update on Integrated Transport Schemes to be implemented this financial year.

progress update

Members considered the report which gave an update on the progress made regarding various schemes in the Borough and Officers answered Members' questions. Members considered the report page by page.

732/03/11 -
The Highways Manager confirmed that a new Drainage Manager had been employed and would be providing a drainage map to Parish Councils and information on the drainage programme would be added to the KCC website.

information items - environment, highways and waste policy overview committee reports (kcc)

Members considered the reports of the Environment, Highways and Waste Policy Overview Committee.

exclusion of the press and public

part a report for recommendation to cabinet

disabled persons' parking bay installations and parking bay removals