To consider the call-in of the decision of the cabinet member – infrastructure and transport on the Hereford Transport Package and the South Wye Transport package dated 9 August.

The Committee considered the call-in of the decision of the cabinet member infrastructure and transport regarding the Hereford Transport Package (HTP) and the South Wye Transport package (SWTP).

The decision had been called in accordance with the Scrutiny Rules at part 4 section 5 of the constitution by the following twelve Councillors:  Councillors Shaw, Phillips, Swinglehurst, Johnson, Durkin, Millmore, Guthrie, James, Gandy, Polly Andrews, Symonds and Tillett.  The grounds for the call in were: that there has been inadequate consultation with stakeholders prior to the decision being made; that there was inadequate evidence on which to base a decision and that not all relevant matters were fully taken into account; that the decision is disproportionate to the desired outcome; that the decision-maker has failed to consult with and take professional advice from all relevant officers including the monitoring officer and the chief finance officer, as appropriate, or has failed to have sufficient regard to that advice; that the decision exceeds the powers or terms of reference of the decision-maker responsible for the decision; and/or that the access to information rules have not been adhered to.

The Chairman outlined the protocol for the conduct of the meeting a copy of which had been published as a supplement to the agenda papers.

Cabinet Member - summary of his decision.

Councillor Harrington – cabinet member – infrastructure and transport commented that the new administration formed after the election in May 2019 aimed to tackle Hereford’s congestion and free land for development using modern sustainable transport measures and an eastern link river crossing at Rotherwas.  It was therefore necessary to assess whether the current schemes provided value for money and solved the problems they were intended to solve.

Travel, transport and infrastructure development should reduce congestion, support the economy, improve health and wellbeing and make the county a better place.  Account also had to be taken of the council’s declaration of a climate emergency in reviewing existing schemes.

The report on which he had based his decision to pause and review the two transport packages had set out all the options and their implications. It was intended that a further decision would be taken shortly on the scope for the review of each package.

Presentation of Reasons for the Call-in

Councillor Phillips as the lead call in member spoke on the call-in followed by Councillors Shaw, Phillips, Swinglehurst, Johnson, Millmore, James, Gandy, Polly Andrews, and Tillett.  

The following principal points were made:

·        The transport packages were essential for the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of the county.

·        A pause in work would potentially have a disproportionate impact and make the packages undeliverable.  Highways England currently had the Hereford Transport Package as its second priority scheme for the west midlands. A pause risked losing that status. Work should therefore continue while the proposed reviews were undertaken.  This option had not been addressed within the report.

·        The southern link road was critical to the development of the Rotherwas Industrial Estate.

·        It was questioned whether the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16