Council and democracy

Agenda item

Lower Thames Crossing Supplementary Consultation Response

Minutes:

The Chair opened the item by giving a general summary of the proposals:

 

-          Presence of raised noise barriers (which went against the Council’s previously raised concerns about the level of the road on the landscape),

-          Landscaping and ecological issues (the Chair noted there were some improvements but they did not go far enough)

-          There was a proposal to move the existing traveller site.

-          Changes to footpaths removing a connection between Stifford Clays Road and Long Lane which reduces connectivity.

-          There are significant utilities diversions and a large working area for the development which still cause concern.

Cllr Coxshall felt that significant alterations had been made to the LTC proposal and this had in effect taken the project back to an earlier stage of development. The Council’s response was right to point out that the changes were significant and previous Council input on issues had been ignored. Cllr Coxshall also felt Highways England’s (HE) approach to the moving of the traveller site had been poor and they had not engaged with the community and he congratulated council officers for their work in resolving this issue.

 

Cllr Kent stated that the crossing would damage communities and would not improve the local road network but cause potentially further congestion. He believed the Council response was thorough and well worked.

 

Cllr Okunade raised the issue that many residents in her ward had received letters from HE and was causing anxiety within the community. Likewise, she felt that the health and equality impact assessments had not been properly shared by HE. The Assistant Director for the LTC replied that the health assessment would be delivered too late by HE and she further noted that the Council was concerned about the adequacy of the consultation given that HE’s consultation was only virtual with residents. With regards to the letters residents had received, the Assistant Director explained that many households were historically part of larger title deeds on land and this was the reason they were being contacted. Approximately 27 properties would be compulsory purchased and compensation would be available for other affected households.

 

Cllr Massey felt the moving of the traveller site was a positive outcome but not much else and transport modelling had not been resolved and this was disappointing as the Council had clearly recommended this as a useful exercise.

 

Resolved That:

 

1. The Committee maintains its objection in principle to the Lower

    Thames Crossing in Thurrock.

 

2. The Committee agrees the consultation response set out in appendix 

     A (Local Authority Response) for submission to Highways England 

     by 12 August 2020.

 

3. The Committee agrees to delegate authority to the Chief Executive 

     and Director of Place, in consultation with group leaders, Portfolio

     Holder for Regeneration and Chair of the LTC Task Force to make any

     final minor changes to the consultation response in Appendix A

     which may arise during the consideration of the consultation

     response by General Services Committee and the LTC Task Force.

 

4. The Committee agrees to delegate authority to the Chief Executive

    and Director of Finance, Governance and Property, in consultation

    with the Portfolio holder for Regeneration to finalise the consultation

    response in relation to the Council’s land holdings affected by the

    LTC scheme.

 

Supporting documents: