Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received on behalf of Cllr Nathan.

There were no declarations.

The minutes were agreed.

The Environment Portfolio Holder to present scheduled reports for pre-decision scrutiny on matters where he is minded to make decisions.

Report ES15001

Following a review of parking charges across the borough in line with the Parking Strategy agreed in 2012, and benchmarked against inflation, changes to on and off-street parking fees were recommended, along with changes to the resident parking scheme.

Details of proposed changes to parking charges were outlined at Appendix 1 to Report ES15001.

In March 2012, parking permit charges were standardised in all but the following areas of the borough:

·  Bromley town centre Zone AB

·  Bromley town centre Zone AC

·  Camden Grove, Chislehurst

·  Farnborough Village

·  Ledrington

·  Burnt Ash Lane (G)

For these remaining areas, Report ES15001 recommended that residential permit charges be brought into line with other residential and business parking permits at £80 to reflect full-day enforcement.

As a concession, residents over age 60 were also entitled to apply for two free books of visitor vouchers per annum. However, as carer’s permits are provided at a discounted rate, the need for free vouchers is reduced. Parking Services staff also use discretion in dealing with short term issues. As such the PDS Parking Working Group recommended that the entitlement to free books of Visitor Vouchers for over 60s should cease from 1^st April 2015.

No other permit related price increase was proposed at the current time and a full list of permits with current and proposed charges was outlined at Appendix 2 to Report ES15001.

Further to introducing online permit applications/renewals and online purchase of visitor vouchers last year, it was proposed to introduce Virtual Permits from 1^st April 2015. Enforcement would be achievable without display of a windscreen ‘permit’, reliance instead being placed on use of the Vehicle Registration Mark.

Although no increase in permit charges was proposed at present, a full review of permit parking and financial analysis was recommended (including visitor vouchers) within 12 months, the findings being reported back to the Committee.  

Although it was difficult to assess whether the proposed increase in parking charges might affect the number of visitors to town centres, a decline in visitor numbers might be expected for the first one or two years of the new charges. It was suggested that the proposed increase represented a good balance; if raised higher, the increase could present further problems. The proposed charges compared well with high streets in neighbouring boroughs and other parking providers in the borough.

The Chairman highlighted the latest national projections for economic growth. The likelihood would be that the demand for parking in the borough’s high street would increase. The increase in charges should therefore meet the challenge for parking supply by maintaining a turnover in parking spaces rather than discourage visitors. The increase would not only cover inflation since before the financial downturn but would also take account of projected inflation to 2016/17. The increase would also help to meet costs for updating parking machines and signs. Charges had not increased since 2012. 

The Portfolio Holder also referred to the local economy indicating that the on-street charges had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39c

Report ES14094

Members considered a proposal to save £67k by closing Beckenham, Bromley, and West Wickham High Street public toilets (declaring the Beckenham property surplus to requirements) and introducing Community Toilet Schemes as alternative provision (six premises at Beckenham, eight premises at Bromley Town Centre, and five premises at West Wickham). Most of the agreements have no revenue cost implications, based upon the ‘Open London’ scheme or utilising other premises with no fee-paying requirements. The additional cost of new entrants to the scheme amounted to £2k pa; a list of the Community Toilet Scheme business partners being appended to Report ES14094.

Provisional results of public consultation on the toilet closures were tabled for the information of Members. These related to a total of 54 responses received between 18^th December 2014 and 12:00, 19^th January 2015.

Councillor Russell Mellor (Copers Cope) addressed the Committee.  Councillor Mellor had received a number of concerns, a principal one being that the consultation period started on 18^th December 2014, shortly before the Christmas/New Year holidays. He therefore welcomed an extension to the consultation period which was now set to close on 31^st January 2015. Councillor Mellor highlighted concern for the opening times of the community toilet schemes at Beckenham which some could find inconvenient. The opening times of the Costa Coffee facilities had been questioned and it was understood that the facilities at the Odeon Cinema would open at 2pm. The opening times of facilities at the Spa Leisure Centre and public halls opposite St George’s Church were also questionable. The facilities at Sainsbury’s were understood to comprise a single cubicle with poor cleansing.

Councillor Mellor also highlighted that some of the Community Scheme facilities were on the periphery of the town whereas the existing public facilities were located in the centre. A number of more elderly residents could be reluctant to visit the town centre if it were perceived there is a lack of facilities. Against savings that could be made from withdrawing the existing facilities it was necessary to consider the community benefit for residents. Councillor Mellor felt that this was not unreasonable. 

Councillor Mellor also highlighted recent investment to improve Beckenham Town Centre in order to encourage more visitors and shoppers. Should footfall increase, Councillor Mellor suggested that adequate facilities could be denied to visitors.

Should the Committee support the recommendations, the Chairman suggested it would be provisional subject to the outcome of consultation ending 31^st January 2015. There would be opportunity to give further scrutiny to the proposals at the Executive and Resources PDS Committee meeting on 4^th February 2015.

In looking to ensure that high standards of cleanliness and quality are consistently maintained in the community toilet schemes, particularly those provided from food outlets, officers would monitor the cleanliness of Community Toilet facilities. Residents had reported that they were concerned about cleanliness of the Sainsbury’s Open London provided facilities and officers would look to give a high priority to cleanliness ensuring the facilities were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40a

Inspector Dave Osborne (accompanied by PC Cath Linney, Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit, Catford), outlined work of the Metropolitan Police Roads and Transport Policing Command. This was a new Command combining traffic responsibilities with safer transport in London. It oversees policing on London’s road and transport network working in partnership with, and significantly funded by, Transport for London to tackle transport related crime, improve road safety, and reduce the number of traffic related injuries and deaths on London's roads.

A 20mph speed limit was being introduced on some roads in certain London Boroughs and a 20mph limit was also being piloted on some TfL roads. Following a relaxation of Department for Transport guidelines in 2013, sole reliance was now placed on signs to highlight a speed limit. Met Police only enforce a 20mph limit in specific problem areas and engineering solutions were suggested as a more general deterrent. 

Reference was made to Community Roadwatch, involving members of the public liaising with police officers to identify speeding motorists. Although there were currently difficulties training volunteers for the role, TfL were keen to take the initiative forward. 

“Operation Safeway”, aimed at improving cycle safety in the capital,was also highlighted. Started in November 2013 following a period of cycling fatalities that year, the operation provides high profile enforcement at key spots on the London road network, L B Bromley having three Safeway Hotspot junctions as follows:

·  the junction of Bromley High Street (or is this Kentish Way?) with Widmore Road;

• the junction of Station Road and Spur Road, Orpington; and
• the junction of A213 Croydon Road with High Street Penge.

Over 300 Fixed Penalty Notices had been issued at the junctions since last year, including some for cyclists for offences such as proceeding through red traffic lights. For drivers, offences included those using mobile phones when driving and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

In discussion, a number of questions were asked and observations made.

It was concerning that some motorists seemed increasingly willing to “jump” red traffic lights, the junction of Bromley Common with Hayes Lane and the junction at Bickley point both being highlighted for the offence. Inspector Osborne offered to pass the concern to the local MPS Safer Transport team.

To involve volunteers in Community Roadwatch, it was confirmed that funding was necessary to calibrate the speed guns and there were problems in meeting demand for the guns (they needed to be calibrated each year). TfL would be approached to explore whether funding could be provided to enable training. In the meantime, trained police officers would be available and volunteers could be briefed. Community Roadwatch did not need a lot of police resources and volunteers wanting to be involved would not be turned away at a location. A safer community ward contact was also available.

It was highlighted that a number of cyclists used roads in Darwin ward. Even though a narrow road could be blocked to motorists with up to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

Report ES15005

Members considered a post implementation review of the reconstruction of Chislehurst Road Bridge.

The structure of the original bridge (having been found to be weak) was replaced with a comparable steel structure, including provision of a fibre reinforced polymer enclosure to assist with future inspections and bridge maintenance; the enclosure effectively shielding the bridge from the elements and helping to maximise its service life. The enclosure enables inspection and maintenance of the bridge without the need to arrange costly rail possessions through Network Rail.

The project was delivered successfully, reinstating use of the section of the A208 at Chislehurst Road/Orpington Road for all users of the highway including HGVs and buses. It was delivered according to the contractual programme and within budget, with the road opening to traffic on 16^th November 2012, following a start on site on 7^th November 2011. The project outturn of £3.994m was within the original budget allocation of £4.114m. The project also found success in the Constructing Excellence Awards, winning the category for Outstanding Customer Satisfaction (London & South East Awards 2013).

Report ES15005 also outlined that a further, previously unknown, telecommunications cable was identified during utilities diversionary work. As a result, a change in procedure was subsequently considered necessary in respect of requests for Utility Searches received by the Council’s NRSWA team. Although information regarding all main utilities is routinely checked, should a search request be received, a procedural change to include all inactive utilities in the search results had now been implemented.

For future projects of a similar scale it was also recommended that the PDS Committee Chairman and/or local ward member be invited to join the project board.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Report ES15003

Members supported a special Environment Portfolio Holder meeting being convened on 18^th February 2015 to consider a proposal to revise the frequency of the kerbside paper collection service. Members of the Committee were welcome to attend the meeting to offer comment.

It was also agreed to change the date of the Committee’s next meeting from 11^th March 2015 to 17^th March 2015.  

RESOLVED that:

(1) the Committee’s work programme be agreed subject to the

date of the Committee’s next meeting being recorded as

17^th March 2015;

(2) progress related to previous Committee requests be noted; and

(3) a summary of contracts related to the Environment Portfolio be

noted.