Agenda and minutes

The Chairman welcomed Members and officers to the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr S L Bray CC, Mr D M Gould BC and Mrs B Witherford BC.

The Chairman agreed to take an extra item under agenda item 12.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman agreed to bring forward agenda item 7.

A petition with 14 signatures from Mr & Mrs Thornton will be presented.  The petition requests parking on High Street, Earl Shilton.

We want the authorities to provide local car parking along High Street, Earl Shilton.  We want more effective measures implemented on High Street, Earl Shilton to control speeding drivers.

A petition with 14 signatures from Mr and Mrs Thornton will be presented.  The petition requests parking on High Street, Earl Shilton.

The Chairman asked Mrs J Richards CC to present the petition.

Mrs Richards explained that the petitioners were asking the County Council to consider removing the yellow lines in High Street, Earl Shilton.  This would provide local car parking in High Street.  Petitioners were also asking for effective measures to be introduced to control speeding drivers.

Mrs Richards asked if officers could meet her on site to discuss.

Mr Wright agreed to ask officers to contact Mrs Richards.  He also confirmed that the petition would be investigated with outcomes relayed back to the lead petitioner and local Member within the prescribed six month timescale.  A report would come to a future meeting of the forum.

Minutes of the previous meeting held on Tuesday 7th June 2011 were confirmed and signed as a true record of the meeting.

i)                    A5 strategy and update

ii)                  Flooding and drainage issues : Witherley

The Chairman confirmed that she had not received a reply to the letter she sent to the Highways Minister expressing the views of the Forum on the problems on the A5.

Mr D C Bill CC explained that he was unable to attend the A5 strategy meeting planned for Friday 30th September 2011, but he was pleased to see that Mr I D Ould CC and Mrs L A S Pendleton CC were attending.

He stressed the need for officers to meet with representatives of the Highways Agency to discuss the particular problems of congestion on Nutts Lane, especially the need to reduce traffic and heavy goods vehicles.

Ms Smith confirmed that Leicestershire County Council, Warwickshire County Council, Staffordshire County Council and Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council were involved in the strategy.  They were looking to develop a strategy inclusive of Member views on the A5.  The issue of problems at Stretton Bends and Nutts Lane can be raised at meetings as part of the strategy.

Mr B E Sutton BC was wary of how extensive the strategy was going to be.  Warwickshire/Staffordshire do not contain the mileage of the A5 that Leicestershire has.  Specific problems can be missed in looking at the A5 on a strategic basis.

On the second item in the update, Mr Ould stressed the concerns over the flooding issue on Mythe Lane, Witherley.  He emphasised the need for all the concerned parties to meet on site to discuss the problems.

Mrs Richards left the meeting at 6.45pm.

The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport on the 2011/12 maintenance and improvements programmes.  A copy of the report is filed with the minutes. 

Mr Grierson confirmed that this was a standard report and with the approval of the Chairman asked for questions.

Mr W J Crooks BC was surprised that the scheme to resurface the footway on Barlestone Road, Newbold Verdon had been postponed until 2012/13.  There seemed to be a lot of activity on site by officers.

In response, Mr Grierson confirmed that survey work had been undertaken to identify the extent of the drainage problem.  The survey indicated that the drainage problems were far greater than just a collapsed drain.  Officers were now looking at an alternative solution which would be more expensive.  The Chairman confirmed that the scheme was in her patch and that she had been campaigning for a scheme for several years.  She had been assured that work will be undertaken as soon as the appropriate funds are available.

Mr Grierson asked that Mr Ould contact him to discuss sites in his patch where surface dressing work has been undertaken which has left small depressions in the road surface which could pose a danger to motorcyclists.

Mr D A Sprason CC asked if officers, as part of the B582 Leicester Lane Desford scheme, could consider solid white lines as part of the scheme to alleviate the problems drivers encounter with visibility.

Mr D O Wright CC asked that the minutes reflect his thanks to officers for the thorough consultation undertaken with the Redmoor High cycle lanes scheme.  He confirmed that the Redmoor Primary School stated in the report was actually Richmond Primary School.  Mr Grierson asked Mr Crooks to let him know of sites in Earl Shilton that still had potholes.  He also agreed to contact Mr R G Allen BC  to discuss areas marked out for works in Earl Shilton.

Mr Grierson agreed to contact Mr K W Lynch CC to discuss the patching work Lynchgate Lane Burbage.

Officers were asked to contact Mr B E Sutton BC to discuss why hedges were covered in netting as part of the Sheepy Magna scheme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

i)          That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted;

ii)         that officers consider the inclusion of solid white lines in the road as part of the B582 Leicester Lane Desford scheme;

iii)        that Redmoor Primary School be changed in future reports to Richmond Primary School;

iv)        that officers discuss with Mr Allen areas marked out for work in Earl Shilton;

v)         that officers contact Mr Lynch to discuss patching work on Lynchgate Lane, Burbage; and

vi)        that officers contact Mr Sutton to discuss the Sheepy Magna scheme.

The Forum considered a report by the Director of Environment and Transport updating Members on the current position of the TRO programme.  The report was presented by Mr Wright with a copy filed with the minutes.

The Chairman asked Members if they had any questions on the report.

Mr Sprason congratulated officers on works carried out in Desford addressing lining issues.  He asked if officers could look at the problem of residents trying to get out at the junction Grace Road/Topsham/Peckleton Lane/Parkstone Road.  Mr Wright confirmed that, at present, officers were developing the traffic management policy under LTP3 guidelines.  He confirmed that this problem would be looked at and that a site meeting could be arranged with Mr Sprason.

Mr Wright agreed to ask officers to discuss with Mr Lynch a site visit on Hinckley Road /School Close, Burbage.

Mr Ould was pleased to see that TROs are in the programme for Sheepy Magna and Pinwall.  He asked if these could be progressed as soon as possible.

Mr Wright agreed to ask officers to discuss the Lutterworth Road Spar Development in Burbage with Mr D W Inman BC.

RECOMMENDATIONS

i)          That the report of the Director of Environment and Transport be noted;

ii)         that officers arrange a site visit with Mr Sprason to discuss issues at the junction Grace Road/Topsham/Peckleton Lane/Parkstone Road;

iii)        that officers meet with Mr Lynch to discuss the Hinckley Road/School Close Burbage scheme; and

iv)        that officers discuss the Lutterworth Road Spar scheme in Burbage with Mr Inman.

The Chairman confirmed that there were no outstanding on-going actions.

Will Members please submit these in writing to the officers prior to the meeting

There were no current items for future discussion at present.

The Chairman agreed to an urgent item raised by Mr Sprason.

Mr Sprason confirmed that petitions take up a lot of officer time.  Sometimes they contain very few signatures.  He asked whether the constitution committee could be asked to revisit the number of signatures required.  He suggested a minimum of fifty.

Mr Stevens confirmed that he was meeting all of the Forum Chairman early in December and this issue could be discussed.

11th January 6.30pm (Council Chamber)

8th May 6.30pm (Council Chamber)

20th September 6.30pm (venue tbc)

The Chairman confirmed the dates of the meetings arranged for 2012.  She asked if Members were agreeable to changing the start times of the meetings to 6.00pm.  This would bring the Hinckley and Bosworth Forum into line with the other Highway Forums in the county.

Members agreed to the new start time of 6.00pm

The Chairman thanked Members and officers for their attendance at the meeting.