To consider any questions to the Executive from Members of the Council submitted on notice.
Minutes:
The following questions were submitted:-
1. Traffic Study – Grove Road/Firgrove Road
Question from Councillor Moulton to Councillor Rayment – Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport.
Will the Cabinet ask officers to carry out a detailed traffic study for the area of Freemantle around Grove Road and Firgrove Road? A considerable number of residents have over many years asked that Firgrove Road be made a one way. A great deal of concern is being expressed in the ward about the impact of the new mosque at the corner of Firgrove Road and Grove road. As well as parking there are concerns about visibility for drivers. Issues have been raised with officers who have responded by saying that any proper analysis and potential changes would require a full traffic study to be carried out.
Answer
We have previously been asked to investigate issues with the level of commercial vehicle traffic and traffic speeds in Firgrove Road. From the sample traffic count and observations it was not evident that there was a problem with commercial traffic in this area.
Another concern was that traffic uses Firgrove Road as short-cut to avoid the traffic signals at the junction of Shirley Road/Howard Road. The sample traffic count shows a higher traffic flow north-westbound, though to invest in a traffic study and prospective measures, we would need some evidence of significant road safety or other issue that would require Firgrove Road to be prioritised for funding.
To help focus the available funding for road safety measures we map all injury accidents across the city and where there are clusters of accidents these will then be reviewed to assess whether are related underlying causes that could be addressed through highway improvements or regulation. Localities are ranked on a cost-benefit ratio resulting in a number of possible schemes for funding as part of the Annual Safety Review. Firgrove Road would currently not merit consideration under this process, given the low level of recorded injury accidents relative to other sites in the city.
If Firgrove Road was made one way we could expect the following impacts:
* Reduced traffic levels (by removing one flow of traffic, though there may be some increase in the direction of the permitted flow due to reduced journey times).
* An increase in traffic speeds (by increasing the available carriageway in direction of permitted flow) and therefore a possible increase in the number and severity of traffic accidents.
* Increased traffic on other road(s)
* A small increase in journey times to access adjoining roads
* Little or no impact on parking as the road is too narrow for parking on both sides and already saturated.
Whilst an extensive traffic study would be required as part of designing any traffic management scheme in Freemantle, this would need to be funded. On the current evidence and for the reasons outlined above, it is difficult to argue that a traffic study in Firgrove Road would merit such funding when compared to other sites across the City.
2. South Stoneham Cemetery
Question from Councillor Moulton to Councillor Rayment – Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport.
In September it was reported that a due to an administrative error a family plot was unprepared for a burial at South Stoneham Cemetery. It was reported that the City Council would carry out an investigation. Can the cabinet member provide an update on the progress of the investigation?
Answer
Both the Council and the Co-op have carried out full investigations into this matter. The Co-op did make an enquiry regarding the availability a burial on the day in question, however no confirmation that the burial was going ahead was received by the Council. There is no evidence that the Co-op submitted the documentation required for us to carry out a burial.
This meant that we were not aware that the burial party were going to arrive at the cemetery on the day in question and therefor no preparations had been made. As the burials team was attending to another burial in a different cemetery, logistically there was no way that a grave could be prepared on that day.
The Co-op have put additional measures in place to ensure that this very unfortunate incident does not happen again. Obviously our thoughts were very much with the family and an alternative date was arranged for the burial.
3. Regents Park Community Centre
Question from Councillor Galton to Councillor Jeffery, Cabinet Member for Education and Change.
Can the Cabinet Member outline what steps they are taking to resolve the ongoing issue with the relocation of the Regents Park Community Centre as a result of the school merger and future expansion plans of Tanners Brook Primary School?
Answer
A consultation meeting with local residents was held on 3 October 2014, at the school, with a view to looking at the issues of concern in detail and formulating mutually agreeable solutions. At the meeting, the only issue of concern that was relevant to the planning application was that of potential noise pollution from the proposed new development, once occupied. The Council is looking to address this concern in the following two ways:
• The relocation of the proposed development site, to move it further away from neighbouring residential properties. This relocation will be reflected in the future planning application.
• The undertaking of an acoustic survey to assess the potential for any noise pollution from the new development and any impact that this may have on neighbouring properties. If the survey identifies that the proposed development is likely to have an adverse impact on neighbouring properties, the Council will look to build suitable acoustic mitigation measures into the design.
The acoustic survey is scheduled to be completed by the end of October. It is intended to bring the scheme back to the Planning Panel for consideration in January 2015, which allows sufficient time to make any necessary adjustments to the design of the building.
4. Tanners Brook School, Parking and Associated Traffic
Question from Councillor Galton to Councillor Jeffery, Cabinet Member for Education and Change and Councillor Rayment, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport.
Can the Cabinet Members fully review the issue of car parking and associated traffic in the roads immediately around Tanners Brook School ahead of the further school expansion?
Answers
Councillor Jeffery: The matter of car parking and associated traffic will be considered as part of any planning application for the expansion of the school, should it be deemed necessary to do so. The question of whether it is necessary to undertake a Transport Assessment (or similar) is ultimately determined by the Planning Department and/or the Planning Panel, upon receipt of an application.
Councillor Rayment: The need and requirements of such issues are fed into the planning application process as in this case. The Council does not have the resources to undertake these studies and the emerging guidance on residents parking areas will outline this process further.
The Centre for Sustainable Travel Choices team are working with the school to promote the “Bike-It” scheme to encourage children to travel to the school by cycle. We are also hoping to implement the parking pledge campaign ready for the new school year so pupil’s start off with 'good habits”. We are aware of the needs of the school to increase the parking for cycles and are working with the school on this. We shall of course monitor the situation.