Agenda item

Ed Plowden, Service Manager for Sustainable Transport presented Members with a set of slides along with the published report and appendices.  It was reiterated that the team had a wider capacity now it wasn’t focussed on RPZ and that the staffing issues were being addressed.  The following questions and comments were made during the discussion that ensued:

• Although there was recognition of the previous limited capacity, Members were critical of what they described as a lack of communication in the past.  They said that it reflected badly on them and the Council when responses to queries didn’t come.  It was asked if in future they could be notified when milestones had not been met or were going to be missed. 
• There was some disappointment expressed that the Traffic Choices webpages had now gone.  Members said that amongst other things it had provided the costings which had helped keep the discussions realistic. 
• Member expressed frustration that that the delays in the Cribbs Patchway New Neighbourhood (CPNN) housing development had in reality put a halt on all highways projects in the north of the city.

• Members did express some cynicism about the timescales laid out in the report i.e. January 2019. 

They also questioned the likelihood of a successful recruitment process in such a short time period given how long the team have been carrying four vacancies. 

• However, Members were generally very pleased with the processes that were being proposed by officers and said they particularly wished to see the new web-based process up and running as soon as possible.
• A Member suggested that bringing Sustrans into the frame now could help. 
• Officers reiterated that what was being presented was still a draft and work in progress.  It wasn’t the answer to everything but by bringing the internal processes together it did provide a way forward.
• It was asked if it was possible to look into whether Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) money could be used to pay for the drawing up of schemes in future ACTION: Officers to look in to this and report back.
• Officers said it would help if schemes could be bundled up in future.  A Member suggested having an annual event /workshop to identify schemes.
• The Chair said that things appeared to be improving and thanked the officers for their time and commitment.  Officers were asked to provide a progress update in January or February 2019, particularly  on:
  • How the recruitment was progressing
  • How web design process was progressing
  • How the process for Area Committees are progressing and whether they are on schedule

ACTION: Officers to provide an up-date in January 2019 on the above points

At this point it was highlighted that this meeting was Peter Mann’s (Director for Transport’s) last public meeting at the City Council before he moved on to a new job at West of England Combined Authority (WECA) into the position of Head of Strategic Transport Integration.  Members expressed their thanks to Peter for his hard work and commitment and wished him all the best for the future.