To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Planning, Transport, Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committeemeeting held on the 15^th November 2023 and 5^th December 2023.

The minutes of the Planning, Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny meeting held on 15^th November 2023 and 5^th December 2023 were approved as a correct record.

To receive additional items that the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency, in accordance with Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972. To agree any relevant briefing notes submitted to the Committee.

The Chair raised one item of urgent business regarding the engagement results of the of the Local Plan.

Mark Bradbury, Director of Place updated the committee on the engagement figures:

·       12,200 views online

·       4,300 active engagements

·       570 submitted response online.

·       684 face to face attendance

·       Figures will now be analysed to establish if the consultation has been successful.

Members raised the following points and asked the following questions:

·       The Chair and Vice Chair expressed concerns there was no leafletting campaign and asked what efforts the Local Authority made to reach hard to reach groups and asked for a brief of the analysis (ACTION)

·       Councillor Watson noted less than 1% of the population of Thurrock submitted responses.

o   Engagement with Local Plans nationally is low, there will more opportunities for consultation. Consultation approach was agreed unanimously by Council.

·       The Chair was worried that the consultation response wasn’t adequate and proposed asking for the consultation to be extended. He noted that it was not a criticism but an observation.

No interests were declared.

Due to diary conflicts the Portfolio Holder Annual Report was not presented at this meeting.

Peter Wright, Head of Highways Infrastructure and Steven Lines, Principal Engineer presented the report and highlighted the following points:

• Budget of £979,000 for 2024/2025 to improve transport network.
• Consultation received from various sources.

Members raised the following points and asked the following questions:

·       The Chair asked how far short the funding for the department is.

o   There are national funding issues, funding is made the most of.

·       Councillor Maney asked how many where repeat pothole filled and asked why potholes are not more permanent.

o   Poor weather is causing patch failures.

o   Resources are not available to do larger fixes.

o   Balance of priorities depending on location.

·       Councillor Hartstean asked for information regarding safer routes to schools’ task and finish group.

o   First meeting is 28^th February 2024

·       Councillor Hartstean asked how confident is the department that findings will be realised by next year.

o   Depends what comes out, surveys maybe needed.

o   Signs, yellow lines and cameras

·       Councillor Watson wanted things delivered rather than the money spent of feasibility studies and asked where the figures came from.

o   The programme

o   Feasibility studies are done inhouse by the Local Authority.

·       Councillor Watson asked if the Local Authority were installing the minimum number of EV charges.

o   No, not the minimum, down to road space and funding.

·       Councillor Watson asked where the EV Charges would be placed.

o   Action: Department to be confirm locations.

·       Councillor Watson asked what a jointing programme is.

o   Jointing’s are linear cracks patches in the road.

·       Councillor Anderson asked who has the authority for the deciding on where funding is allocated.

o   Initially by officers, finalised by portfolio holder.

o   Money is also based on carrier over.

o   EV has matched funding, government targets.

·       Councillor Kelly asked what the department are hoping to achieve.

o   Meeting with waste management once a month, looking at idiosyncratic parking restrictions on collection days.

o   Looking and testing approach

·       Members enquired about the review of PPA expansion.

o   Requests received for area J parking permit zone.

o   Looking to area for South Ockendon, consultation ongoing.

The Chair read out the recommendation to the Planning, Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.1  That the Committee provide comments on the 2024/25 Integrated Transport Block capital programme allocations and proposed prioritisation for the agreed policy areas of Road Safety Engineering, Safer Routes to Schools, Area Intervention Programme and Electric Vehicle Charging programme (as detailed in Appendix A).

1.2  Note and comment on the 2024/25 Highways Maintenance Block Allocation and Pothole Fund Programme (as detailed in Appendix B).

1.3  Note and comment that delegated authority will be given  to the Interim Director of  Transformation (Public Realm), in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Highways, to make any required changes to the ITB programme and the Maintenance programme, for 2024/25, within the overall programme budget, as well as other government funding allocations that may arise within the year to ensure delivery of the programme and to ensure the efficient  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The Director of Place and Head of Regeneration presented the report and highlighted the following points:

• Regeneration will now sit under place.
• Board will next meet on the 8^th March 2024
• New flood defences are being taken into consideration.
• New proposals for the lighthouse café
• Activity centre based around the need of the sea cadets with options for other uses.
• Yacht club boatyard will not be moved.

Members raised the following points and asked the following questions:

• Chair thanked officers for clarity and reassurance.
• Chair asked for timescales and reassurance the money is still available.
  • Work with the board with a new approach
  • Membership of board is being reviewed.
  • Relationships with board is improving.
  • March 2026 is the deadline for when the money needs to be spent, not at risk of losing it presently.
  • Confident it will be delivered.
• Councillor Maney asked if the board considered any nighttime activity.
  • Aim is for activities to go into the evening.
  • Thought has been put into the design and use of the building in all seasons and times of days.
  • Possibility to invest in pop up vehicles.
• Councillor Maney asked if there would be a possibility of a theatre.
  • Board asked if they wanted the activity extended.
  • Towns fund does not have time or capacity sort out Thameside.
  • Possible future development
• Councillor Kelly asked about the progress on the 106 agreement for the Thurrock youth zone.
  • Should be straight forward.
  • Not flagged as a risk
• Councillor Maney asked what the intended purpose is of the pontoon.
  • Riverboat services
• Councillor Watson asked if there was a programme in place to deliver the project.
  • High level programme suggests it in time.
• Councillor Watson asked if costs have been increasing.
  • Not a project where costs have become too significant.
• The Chair noted there was a lack of ward councillor involvement and would like seen more work done with members. The Chair called for bridges to be built with local ward members.
  • Noted

The Chair read out the recommendation to the Planning, Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.1           That the Committee notes the proposed changes to the original programmes and the progress on delivering the Tilbury & Grays Towns Fund programmes.

The Head of Regeneration and members went through the report section by section, the following was highlighted and raised:

A13

·   Outstanding work ha been identified

·   Councillor Watson asked what budget was agreed and what was set for compensation.

o  Compensation claims and land purchase cases are currently being negotiated. The project budget includes a worst case scenario

·   The Chair sought more detail regarding the budget.

o  July report sets out the budget in more detail.

·   Councillor Kelly noted the poor state of the central reservation, and asked what processes are in place to keep the road in good condition.

o  Condition of road has been noted.

·   Councillor Watson asked what the condition would be like in 20-25 years.

o  All construction would have needed to be signed off to meet design life.

o  No programme has currently been set up as it is a new road.

·   Councillor Watson noted a pothole on Orsett Cock

Discussion ongoing

Stanford-le-Hope

·   Deliverable design for the station and interchange, Local Authority will build a new station.

·   The Chair asked for a timescale when will the station be built in the best-case scenario.

o  There is a gap in funding and would involve borrowing with approval from Commissioners and HM Treasury.

o  The Council is working on the options

·   Councillor Watson noted that all the residents want is a functional station and sought reassurance that the Local Authority would not demolish buildings without plans ready in future.

o  Capital programme was removed due to Local Authority funding issues.

o  Project has not been  well managed.

o  Best progression is what has been agreed.

·    Councillor Watson noted if the interchange could be left as is.

o  All options are being looked at.

·   Councillor Watson asked why we did this if it is a flood area.

o  Complex negotiation, nobody who made the decision remains at the Local Authority

o  Looking into options including disposal

Purfleet

·       Continuing work, some challenges from residents

·       Purfleet will have a new delivery model next 6 – 9 months.

·       The Chair shared his concern of gentrification.

·       Purfleet is prime real estate.

o   Difference between finance and funding

o   Advantage of ECF is  they include Legal and General within the partnership

o   Local Authority is taking care with procurement.

o   Continue to collaborate with community.

Standing orders extended at 21:27pm

Peter Wright left the meeting at 21:27pm

Grays South

·       Working to retain the Southeast Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) funding

·       Investigating   working with Network Rail and c2c to deliver a solution 

·       Will not involve an underpass

·       The Chair shared his concerns with the project and hoped never to see it again.

·       Action: Councillor Watson asked for a briefing note on A13 east facing access

o   Conversation ongoing with national highways

The Chair read out the recommendation to the Planning, Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED:

1.1           That the committee notes the proposed changes to the original programmes and the progress on delivering the Regeneration Projects.

Members discussed the work programme.

Noting was added to the work programme.

The recording of the meeting can be found from the following link:

Planning, Transport, Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 21 February 2024, 7:00pm - Thurrock Council committee meeting webcasts (public-i.tv)