To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor SP Anderson, A Johnson, A Warmington and SD Williams.

To receive details of members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a member of the committee.

Councillor PGH Cutter substituted for Councillor A Johnson, Councillor EPJ Harvey for Councillor A Warmington, Councillor J Johnson for Councillor SD Williams and Councillor PD Newman for Councillor Anderson.

To receive any declarations of interest by members.

Agenda item 6: Hereford Transport Package

The Monitoring Officer reported that Councillor TL Bowes, who had submitted a written statement on this item, had declared a schedule 1 interest.

To receive any written questions from members of the public.

Details of the scheme and related guidance are available here:

 https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200148/your_council/61/get_involved

Please submit questions to councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

The deadline for the receipt of questions is Thursday 12 July 2018 at 5.00 pm.

Accepted questions will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

A copy of the questions from members of the public and the answers together with a supplementary briefing on issues raised by those questions is attached at appendix 1.

A Member requested that their dissatisfaction with the approach adopted in responding to public questions be recorded.

To receive any written questions from members of the council.

Deadline for receipt of questions is 5.00 pm on Thursday 12 July 2018.

Accepted questions will be published as a supplement prior to the meeting.

Please submit questions to councillorservices@herefordshire.gov.uk

None.

To undertake pre-decision call in scrutiny of the Cabinet’s proposed decision to select a preferred route for Hereford bypass as part of the Hereford Transport package.

Note:  Please note that the appendices to the Cabinet report as listed below have been published individually as supplements.  They include some very large files that may take some time to download.  The screen may appear blank for a time during this process:

Appendix 1 - Hereford Transport Package Phase 2 Consultation report

Appendix 2 - Hereford Transport Package Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report

Appendix 3 - Hereford Transport Package Stage 2 Environmental Assessment Report

Appendix 4 - Hereford Transport Package Route Selection Report

Appendix 5 - Hereford Transport Package Preferred Route Report

Appendix 6 - Hereford Transport Package Active Travel Measures Report

Appendix 7 - Hereford Transport Package Equality Impact Assessment

The Committee undertook pre-decision call in scrutiny of the Cabinet’s proposed decision to select a preferred route for Hereford bypass as part of Hereford Transport Package.

The draft report for submission to Cabinet on 27 July was appended to the report.

Councillor PD Price, cabinet member – infrastructure, (CMI) made an opening statement. 

The principal points were:

·        The Hereford bypass was a key infrastructure project that was necessary to drive the economic growth of Hereford and the region. It was recognised as a priority project not only in the council’s Economic Vision, Local Plan Core Strategy (LPCS) and Local Transport Plan (LTP) but also within the Marches Strategic Economic Plan and Midlands Connect regional transport strategy.

·        The Hereford Transport Package would enable the delivery of essential future housing, employment and the new University. It would provide an alternative route for traffic which currently travels through the city reducing the current impact on air quality and noise within the city in particular in relation to homes and schools close to the existing A49 road. The bypass would provide a reliable and resilient route around the city which would have significant regional benefits. It would improve road safety in the city, enable significant improvements to the city’s public realm and encourage healthy lifestyles by helping more people to walk and cycle.

·        The consultation had a total of 4,351 responses. In their response 68% of people said they agreed that the HTP would help to address the transport problems in Hereford and enable growth. 59% believed a bypass should form part of the package of measures and 87% said that they agreed a package should include walking, cycling, bus and public realm measures.

·        Consultants had assessed the environmental, engineering, economic and traffic factors affecting the different routes and prepared detailed reports.  The recommendation was that the red route should be the preferred route for further development.

·        The red route would mean fewer homes were exposed to excessive noise; fewer homes would need to be demolished; a lower impact on Belmont Park and the setting of Belmont Abbey, a lower impact on ancient woodland and important trees and a lower impact on Yazor Brook which would mean a lower cost of mitigation.

·        Subject to cabinet’s decision consultants would carry out further work to develop detailed proposals for the design of the red route which would then be subject to a further public consultation later in the year. The results would inform a future cabinet decision to confirm the bypass scheme and associated package measures in early 2019.

·        Alongside scheme development, the Council continued to engage with relevant Government departments and agencies regarding the funding for the scheme.

The Head of Infrastructure Delivery (HID) presented the draft cabinet report.

A video showing the shortlist of possible bypass routes that had been used during the phase 2 consultation was shown.

The Project Director WSP (PDWSP) then gave a presentation a copy of which is attached to these minutes at Appendix 2.

Local ward members for wards  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The next scheduled meeting is 10 September 2018.

Monday 10 September 2018 at 10:15 am.