Agenda and minutes

To confirm as a true record the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2020.

RESOLVED:

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 October 2020 be confirmed.

To invite Members to declare any interest they might have in the matters on the agenda.

Cllr Jones-Evans declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 4 as she was a Director of the Chamber of Commerce.

Questions must be delivered in writing or by electronic mail to Democratic Services (democratic.services@iow.gov.uk) no later than 5 pm on Tuesday, 5 January 2021. Each question must give the name and address of the questioner.

Members of the public are invited to make representations to the Committee regarding its workplan, under this item.

There were no public questions received.

To discuss the Council’s actions being taken in response to the Covid 19 pandemic for the service areas coming within the remit of this committee and in accordance with the recovery plan submitted to Cabinet on 10 September 2020.

The Chairman summarised the current position on the Isle of Wight relating to COVID-19, and reported that the Island had gone from Tier 1 to Tier 4 in a month. The vaccine was to be rolled out as appropriate, and work was ongoing with health partners to find suitable venues for vaccination centres.

The Council had been required to reactivate response arrangements, but was in a better position to do this than in the last lockdown.

Some actions in the recovery plan had been brought forward in November, including the Kickstart programme with the Department of Work and Pensions. Interventions had progressed in Newport, for example, the pop-up shop.

The Local Outbreak Engagement Board was having regular meetings and reporting to the Health and Wellbeing Board. Everything had been pushed back by several weeks whilst the council was dealing with the latest lockdown.

Concern was expressed regarding the interruption to children’s education, and the poorest may struggle due to lack of devices or adequate internet. The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education and Skills would be asked to provide some detail regarding the devices that were available, how many children did not currently have them and what was being done to address this.

Members wished to see a report on the response to the first phase of COVID, with some facts and figures, the current position and who was responsible for the outstanding items in the plan. The Director of Regeneration would provide a report to the Health and Wellbeing Board and would copy in the members of the Committee. The Director would also obtain figures from the Solent LEP regarding the funding to businesses, and circulate figures on the number of Island Gift cards sold to date.

RESOLVED:

a)    A more detailed action plan showing the actions completed together with the person responsible for delivery to be circulated to the Committee by the Director of Regeneration.

b)    The results of the island Gift card initiative be circulated to the Committee when this has been compiled.

To consider the draft strategy and action plan.

Members agreed that the strategy was very comprehensive and wished to see it broken down into practical steps with an action plan produced and responsibilities allocated.

The Strategic Manager for Waste and Environment confirmed that once members were happy with the draft details would be provided regarding taking it forward over the forthcoming year.

Practical suggestions were made which included obtaining funding for the Rights of Way Improvement Plan, exporting surplus solar energy to the mainland, government grants for heating for those in fuel poverty, and working with other partners such as the National Trust, CLA and Natural Enterprise to obtain grants.

It was confirmed that the Green Homes grant and Warm up Wight scheme providing free insultation were already available. The Green Impact Programme for businesses would be further promoted in the coming months.

Low carbon housing, solar panel policies and urban rewilding would be looked at as part of the Island Plan.

RESOLVED:

a)    The Strategy be recommended for approval by the Cabinet and subsequent endorsement by full Council.

b)    To support the inclusion of the strategy into the Island Plan.

c)     The final version of the action plan, including reference to the person responsible for implementing each action, be circulated to the Committee.

d)    The workplan to include a progress report on the delivery of actions in 12 months’ time.

To consider the report of the Task and Finish Group.

The Committee considered the report of the Task and Finish group into the possible introduction of 20mph speed limits on the island. There was overall support for reducing speed, especially in residential and school areas, but limits should be applied in a considered, evidence-based way.

There were various ways of reducing speed, including signage and painted lines, which were cheaper than physical traffic calming measures such as speed humps. It was accepted that the police had few resources with which to carry out enforcement and therefore they usually targeted known problem areas where there had been accidents.

It was noted that references to increased incidents in Apse Heath since the speed limit was reduced, whilst useful, was not relevant to the issue of 20mph. This would be reworded to provide clarification.

RESOLVED:

a)    THAT the experiences of other areas, such as Lancashire, Borders Council, Bath and North East Somerset, Sefton, Faversham and Portsmouth, in implementing 20mph speed limits/zones be looked at as part of the proposed review of speed limits.

b)    That the review of speed limits should include :-

                                     i.          An understanding of the potential environmental impacts of 20mph speeds on air quality and carbon emissions as well as noise;

                                    ii.          The potential enhancement of walking and cycling conditions’ which 20 mph speeds may bring, together with issues such as health benefits and increased sociability;

                                  iii.          Not be constrained by historical accident statistics in determining 20mph speed limits/zones if an otherwise strong case can be made for the introduction of such a restriction in a specific area;

                                  iv.          The ongoing improvements in car technology such as speed limiters.

c)     THAT the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure should ensure that funding is made available for the speed limit review to be undertaken during 2021/22.

d)    THAT a report be submitted to the Policy and Scrutiny Committee on the timeframe for the proposed review of all the relevant plans and strategies that will link into the new Local Transport Plan so that it can have the opportunity of providing input before they are finalised.

To consider progress with the delivery of the Council’s cycling and walking strategy which was the subject of a delegated decision taken by the Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure on 24 April 2020.

A delegated decision had been made in 2020 to approve the strategy. Funding received from the Department for Transport had allowed the council to proceed with implementing the strategy and some schemes were already underway. These were within the Newport and Ryde areas. A further bid would be made under stage 2 of the Active Travel scheme for improvements to the Newport to Ryde cycle way and also include other towns.

There was some good news reported that improvements to the Gunville Greenway had taken place adjacent to Christ the King College.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

The Cabinet, on 14 January 2021, will be considering a report on the outcome of the consultation undertaken by the Council in relation to the parking places order. There will be an opportunity for the Committee to make comments on this matter for submission to the Cabinet.

A report regarding revised parking charges on the Island was to be considered by Cabinet on 14 January 2021 The report outlined the saving suggestions which had been agreed in principle in the Medium Term Financial Plan and the process and results of the statutory consultation which followed. There had been 464 objections received. The majority of these related to proposed charging on Gurnard Esplanade.

Some comments made by members around the taking over of some free car parks by Town and Parish Councils would be dealt with under the Parking Delivery Plan which had been deferred to the Cabinet in February 2021.

RESOLVED:

The recommendations being proposed were noted and would be discussed further by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.

To consider an update on progress with the local parking strategy and delivery plan which was due to be discussed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 14 January 2021 but has now been deferred to a later date.

The Parking Delivery Plan had been deferred to the Cabinet meeting in February 2021. There would be a range of options and decisions to be made. Some of the items from the action plan had already been done, for example, the Residents’ Parking Zones. Members expressed concern that they had not seen the papers produced by Wight Young Green, which had recently been completed.

RESOLVED:

A copy of the local parking strategy would be circulated to the Committee in advance of it being considered by the Cabinet in February 2021.

To consider the proposals to be discussed by the Cabinet at its meeting on 14 January 2021.

An audit had taken place in 2019/20 on water safety. This made a recommendation that a framework and action plan be drawn up for the management of beaches within the ownership of the Council.. Some benchmarking had been carried out in relation to the marker buoys which had shown as ‘medium risk’. With regard to the provision of equipment there was no assurance that the right equipment was in the right places, and there was a requirement to demonstrate the best use of resources.

Clarification was given that the target date for an electronic inspection reporting system was April 2021.

The frequency of Lake beach cleaning was to be investigated and an officer would contact the local members to inform them of the potential cost to the parish council for this activity.

RESOLVED:

The Strategy was noted and its delivery would be monitored by the Committee and added to the workplan.

To be advised of the current situation regarding the delivery of the strategy and the key projects within this together with progress on the Heritage High Streets project.

The Director of Regeneration gave an overview of the regeneration programme and the progress being made. COVID-19 had impacted on delivery but it was important to move forward toward the recovery from the pandemic.

Work on the Branstone Farm site was progressing, with demolition to start within the next two weeks.

The tender for the design for Newport Heritage Action Zone had been issued.

The Newport Harbour Revision Order was expected within a few weeks. The plan would be implemented on a phased basis with a 15-year time frame. The council would continue to lobby the government for funding.

RESOLVED:

To note the progress with the delivery of the Regeneration Strategy.

To review the future workplan.

The workplan was noted.

A question must be submitted in writing or by electronic mail to Democratic Services no later than 5pm on Tuesday, 5 January 2021.

No Member’s questions were received.