Issue - meetings

To consider the following Part I Decisions of the Executive taken on 9 October 2019.

Executive                                                                                                      Page No.

Agenda

Item

2          Minutes of the Executive - 11 September 2019                              3         

3          Minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny and Select Committees      13

4          Future Town, Future Transport: Adoption of a Transport             31

            Strategy for Stevenage

5          Domestic and Communal Gas Contracts                                    173

6          Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Joint         181

            Strategy

Notice of Decisions to follow

PLEASE BRING YOUR AGENDA AND REPORTS FOR THE EXECUTIVE

MEETING HELD ON 9 OCTOBER 2019

The Committee considered the decisions on the following matters arising from the Executive held on 9 October 2019.

Minutes of the Executive – 11 September 2019

Noted.

Minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny and Select Committees

The Interim Strategic Director undertook to provide Members of the Committee with an update on the latest position in respect of the re-provision of a Post Office in the High Street following the closure of Waitrose.

Future Town, Future Transport: Adoption of a Transport Strategy for Stevenage

In response to a query regarding consideration being given to a limitation on the speed of mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs in the Town Centre to 4mph, the Assistant Director (Planning & Regulatory) confirmed that this would be an aspirational objective achieved through signage and raised awareness of users, rather than through an enforcement regime.

It was further confirmed that the existing use of the Borough’s cycleways was limited to cycles and mopeds up to 49cc.  However, Hertfordshire County Council was investigating an expansion of use in the light of new National Rules on Electric bikes/scooters.

There was general support from the Committee to the imposition of a cycling ban in the Town Centre, although it was recognised that this may need to be achieved through the approval of a By-Law, and that consideration would need to be given to the resourcing of the enforcement of any ban.

The Assistant Director (Planning & Regulatory) stated that the Strategy would be a foundation document as part of any future bids for Stevenage to become a Sustainable Travel Town.  He added that Section 106 monies could be used to contribute towards the transport aspirations set out in the Strategy, provided the each required contribution was relevant to individual planning applications.

A Member commented that, legally, the speed limit on cycleways which ran parallel to major roads was the same limit as that which applied on those roads.  He questioned the safety for cyclists of mopeds and electronic bikes sharing cycleways with those speed limits in place.

A Member was not supportive of the Executive’s comment that the Council’s established approach was for a widening of the A1(M) rather than a SMART motorway, as he felt that this was contradictory to the whole thrust of the Transport Strategy.

A Member strongly endorsed the Executive’s comments regarding a desire for evening bus services to be re-instated in all areas of the town, along with the re-instatement of the circulatory route which served the Lister Hospital.

In terms of the idling of bus engines, the Assistant Director (Planning & Regulatory) explained that the problems had been alleviated over recent months due to the presence in the Bus Station of an operative from the bus company dedicated to minimising the idling of engines.

It was recognised that charging points for electric vehicles would be a future priority, and that appropriate sites should be found outside of the Town Centre.  As well as the possibility of these being installed in some garage block, a Member asked if consideration  ...  view the full decision text for item 3.