Issue - meetings

To assist Members, the following documents are attached:-

·                     Copy of the report of the Director of Environment - Portfolio of the Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment

·                     Copy of the Record of Decision

·                     Copy of the Call In Letter

That the explanation be accepted but not endorsed by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Option 2).

The Chairman referred to the call in of the decision of the Cabinet, from its meeting held on 19 March 2013 on the Street Lighting Policy.  A call in notice had been received signed by five Members of the Council.  To assist Members with their deliberations on the issue, the following documents had been circulated with the agenda:

(a)    A copy of the report considered by the Cabinet on 19 March 2013.

(b)    A copy of the Cabinet Record of Decision, Record No. 2826

(c)     A copy of the call in notice signed by Councillors R.J.T. Guest, R.B. Jones, M.J. Peers, C.S. Carver and H.D. Hutchinson

(d)    A copy of the Procedure for dealing with a called in item

The Chairman invited the call in signatories to address the Committee via a spokesperson or individually to which the decision makers could respond.

Councillor M.J. Peers said that he understood the proposal to employ part night lighting (part 3.10 of the Street lighting report) and the estimated savings, but felt that there was no criteria in the Policy (point 5.9) nor in the report (point 3.10) to identify which lights would be affected.  He asked if the 3000 illuminated signs maintained by the Council would be suited to part lighting.  Councillor Peers then referred to point 3.12 in the report which referred to unadopted lights on adopted roads or footways which should be considered to be adopted by the Council and voiced his concern at the consequent costs that would be incurred (Financial implications 5.03 of the report ‘The cost of adopting the unadopted lights will be from current maintenance budgets’.) and sought clarification on this matter.

Councillor R.J.T. Guest voiced concerns about the process around the development of the Policy and report and felt it was wrong that the matter went from the Overview & Scrutiny workshop to Cabinet, without first going to an Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting.  Councillor Guest advised the Members of the Committee to opt for Option 3 and to refer the Policy and report back to Cabinet.

Councillor C.S. Carver pointed out that section 3.08 of the report stated that the most appropriate lighting system to be installed on the Council’s highway network was the white light Cosmopolis option and that this should be specified in future on all new developments and utilised during any replacement or upgrade work carried out by the Council.  He pointed out that the lower energy lights could not be replaced in isolation, in order to maximise the savings of part lighting/dimming.  All Council lights would have to be changed which would incur additional costs.  Councillor Carver said that point 3.04 of the report which related to Town and Community Council Footway lighting was in conflict with 3.12 of the report which stated that unadopted lights on adopted roads should be adopted.

Councillor R.B. Jones asked for clarification on point 5.9 of the Policy in relation to part night installations as to which roads/areas would be affected.  He advised the Members of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment introduced the report which sought approval of a Street Lighting Policy. 

He explained that some Town and Community Council’s (T&CC’s) owned and maintained their own footway lighting columns with approximately half of the T&CC’s contracting the Council to carry out the necessary repairs and maintenance on their behalf.  The remaining Councils used private contractors or organisations to carry out their repairs and maintenance.

The Director of Environment explained that, where the Council maintains the lights for a Town & Community Council, it would capture its complete inventory electronically enabling the Council’s Contact Centre to receive and pass on fault requests to the Street Lighting Team.  This could also be done for Town & Community Councils not contracted with the Council for maintenance.  In this event, the Council’s Contact Centre would be able to pass on fault requests to the appropriate Town & Community Councils, which would simplify the process for residents.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the Council’s Street Lighting Policy be approved;

(b)       That the Council’s specification for Street Lighting and Illuminated Signs, as set out in the paper in the Members’ Library, be approved;

(c)        That approval be given to offer Town and Community Councils the opportunity to procure energy on a rechargeable basis through the Council based on the information in paragraph 3.04 of the report; and

(d)       That the adoption of all un-adopted street lights situated on adopted highways be approved.