To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor JG Jarvis (Cabinet Member – Environment and Strategic Housing).

To receive details any details of Members nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of the Committee.

There were no named substitutes.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the Agenda.

Councillor MD Lloyd-Hayes, Personal, As a member of the Greenway Steering Group.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 26 November 2010.

In relation to Minute No 49 – Environmental Performance 2009 (GEM) it was requested that the following final bullet point be added:

• The Committee noted that in relation to NI175 (GEM TR1) there appeared to be a discrepancy between the National Indicator target of 91%, which a member claimed was undeliverable, and the LTP target to maintain buses to local centres.

RESOLVED: That subject to including the above additional wording the minutes of the meeting held 26 November 2010 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To consider suggestions from members of the public on issues the Committee could scrutinise in the future.

No suggested areas for scrutiny were received from the public.

To provide an update on progress and issues set out in the Public Rights of Way report considered by Environment Scrutiny Committee on 13^th July 2010.

The Committee received an update on progress and issues, set out in the Public Rights of Way (PROW) report considered by the Committee on 13 July 2010.

At its July 2010 meeting the Committee received a report on the PROW Service including an indication of the responsibilities of Amey and the Council following the transfer of the Service to Amey, and performance in relation to various aspects of its work, following which the Committee requested a further update.

The Chairman reported that questions had been received from Mr Everitt and Mr Lee relating to this agenda item and that copies had been circulated to members prior to the meeting.  The full questions have been appended to these minutes and a written response would be given. 

Responding to questions on the Service’s apparent lack of progress the Chairman agreed but appreciated the restricted level of resources available.  The Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation) shared the concerns but pointed out that systems had been streamlined and needed time to show improved results.  He emphasised that the Council had to prioritise its limited resources.

The Countryside and Leisure Development Manager presented the agenda report which set out a number of current issues and performance around Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMO), Public Path Orders and network maintenance.  The report also provided an update on a list of issues previously suggested for scrutiny.  He highlighted that since the July report the PROW Team were undertaking two new areas of work.  The first related to the researching of applications for amendments to the Council’s statutory List of Streets. The second involved implementing a solution to the Ordinance Survey’s Positional Accuracy Improvement (PIA) programme.  Both areas impacted on the work load of the DMMO team.  This impact and consequent change to outputshad been agreed by Amey anf Herefordshire Council and set out in the report.

During the course of scrutinising the report the Committee noted the following principal points:

• In the timescale of PROW work six months didn’t provide sufficient time to show significant improvement.
• The Countryside Commission used to provide funding for bridge installations. That funding had ceased and the County had a backlog of bridge maintenance works.  The PROW team were exploring whether alternative maintenance options were feasible e.g. working through the Ramblers Association or the Parish Councils.
• The Committee noted the position concerning the issues previously submitted by Mr P McKay as set out at appendix 1 to the report.   These had been considered and mostly fell into three categories of: dealt with; an operational matter or for Herefordshire Local Access Forum (LAF) to consider.
• In response to the Committee’s recommendation in July 2010 a meeting had been held with members of the local National Farmers Union.  The NFU had acknowledged their PROW responsibilities and were keen to work with the PROW team, particularly recognising the importance of tourism to the county.
• Herefordshire Local Access Forum had sought a meeting with the Minister and MP’s to discuss PROW issues.  Current indications were that this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

To inform the Committee on the number and condition of road over rail bridges, the responsibilities for maintenance, and the means of determining that maintenance.

The Committee were informed of the number and condition of road over rail bridges, the responsibilities for maintenance, and the means of determining that maintenance.

The Technical Director, Consulting Highways, Amey, presented the agenda report and highlighted the bridge number, type and responsibility indicated in the report. He emphasised that all bridges for which the Council were responsible were managed in accordance with national standards to determine their condition, to identify maintenance works and that they are safe for traffic.  Network Rail and British Rail Residuary Board state that their bridges were managed in accordance with their national standards.

He reported that four bridges were assessed as below full highway loading and these were further detailed in the report.

During the course of debate the following principal points were noted:

• The Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services, reminded Members that the report had been requested to ensure that the problems encountered with the Colwall railway bridge were not repeated and that potential issues were identified at an early stage.
• Noting that the report stated that there were no ongoing issues with Network Rail associated with land/fences at bridges …, concerns were raised regarding the state of the fences (public safety, site security and visual untidiness) at Newtown Road, Burcott Road College Road area of the City which the Committee wished to see addressed.  On a similar point a member of the Bartestree & Lugwardine Group Parish Council (Mr M Wilson) requested that the fencing at the Whitestone Lane Bridge also be attended to.
• It was clarified that Woodleigh Road Bridge was at Ledbury and went over the Town Trail.
• Noting that the Huntington Court, Hereford, bridge was being considered for safety improvements, a local Ward Member (Councillor PA Andrews) requested that attention be given to designing out any opportunity to fly tip, which was currently the case.
• Following the recent fatal accident at the former rail bridge at Belmont Road, Hereford, the Highway Network Manager assured the Committee that all necessary bridge height restrictions were in place.

RESOLVED: That

a)      the position set out in the report be noted ; and

b)     in view of the public safety, site security and visual untidiness the Committee recommend that the Executive, through the officers, investigate the various boundary ownership responsibilities in the Newtown Road, Burcott Road, College Road area of Hereford with a view to encouraging the owners to repair their fences and that the Chairman and V-Chairman be kept informed of progress and supplied with copies of the letters to the appropriate land owners within 21 days

 To:

Introduce the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in regard to the development of a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Herefordshire; and in particular the requirement for Herefordshire council as the Lead Local Flood Authority to prepare a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment.

To seek the Committee’s views on the modification of the indicative national assessment of flood risk in Herefordshire; and

To seek the Committee’s guidance on the local significance of the criteria used in the preparation of the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment Report, and in the subsequent development of Herefordshire’s Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The Committee were informed of the requirements of the Flood Risk Regulations 2009 and the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 in regard to the development of a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for Herefordshire; and in particular the requirement for Herefordshire Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority to prepare a Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA).  The Committee’s views were sought on the modification of the indicative national assessment of flood risk in Herefordshire; and the Committee’s guidance was sought on the local significance of the criteria used in the preparation of the Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment Report, and in the subsequent development of Herefordshire’s Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The Highway Network Manager reported that the deadline for the submission of the PFRA to the Environment Agency (EA) was 22 June 2011 following which the Agency would review the PFRA and publish it by 22 December 2011.  A consistent approach was required nationally for the assessment of flood risk and this was supported by detailed guidance. The Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) will identify if from local knowledge there were Flood Risk Areas within Herefordshire. The identification will be based on the identification of significant harmful consequences on human health, economic activity and the environment as defined by the guidance.  The indicative national flood risk map prepared by the Environment Agency provided a consistent assessment of flood risk across England and Wales. The indicative flood risk map identified nationally significant flood risk areas. Drawing on local knowledge of flood risk it had been determined that there were no nationally significant flood risk areas in Herefordshire.   The indicators and threshold values used to determine the indicative Flood Risk Areas were included in Appendix 1 to the report.

During consideration of the report the following principal points were noted:

·         The Assessment arose out of significant national /international flood events and while areas of Herefordshire were subject to flooding they were not of the scale covered by the guidance.  Significant resources would be needed to provide the evidence should the Authority wish to amend the indicative assessment of flood risk for Herefordshire.

·         While the methodology adopted by the EA was to inspect 1 km grid squares for local flood risk and to seek clusters of flood risk in order to identify nationally significant flood risk areas, outside of the Assessment process the EA had agreed to subdivide the grid squares for Hereford to give a more accurate assessment of those areas likely to flood.

·         Over the years a large volume of local knowledge had been amassed and this would be used to inform subsequent flood risk management and make substantiated financial bids for future flood alleviation schemes.

·         Questioned why the Council’s ‘County Wide Flood Alleviation Strategy Preliminary Assessment’ report by Brian Faulkner (April 2010) had still not been made publicly available the Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services confirmed that the report would be made available via the Council’s Website.

·         Responding to a question regarding the Council’s representation on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

To brief and provide information to the Committee on the Herefordshire Multi-Agency Flood Plan (MAFP) and the development of a Generic Reservoir Inundation Off-site Plan.  Furthermore, to draw the committee’s attention to the ongoing work programme that will enhance and develop our emergency preparedness for flooding; acknowledging the resources being committed by the Joint Emergency Planning Unit (JEPU).

The Committee were informed of the Herefordshire Multi-Agency Flood Plan (MAFP) and the development of a Generic Reservoir Inundation Off-site Plan and the ongoing work programme that would enhance and develop the County’s emergency preparedness for flooding.

The Assistant Director Public Health presented the agenda report and informed the Committee that the Pitt Review (December 2007) highlighted the need to improve reservoir emergency preparedness, recommending that reservoir flood inundation maps be prepared allowing local resilience forums to prepare generic emergency off-site plans and meet their duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.  The Herefordshire MAFP had been drawn up by the Joint Emergency Planning Unit in compliance with DEFRA guidance and had been peer reviewed by West Mercia Local Resilience Forum partner agencies (e.g. Police, Ambulance, Fire, EA) and considered “very satisfactory” when scored against the DEFRA MAFP Checklist.  The Reservoir Inundation Off-Site Plan provided a framework to facilitate a co-ordinated multi-agency response to the off-site consequence of a potential or actual dam breach at areservoir.  Although a generic response plan, it contained specific hazard mapping relating to Herefordshire.

The Committee noted that the MAFP had been validated at ‘Exercise UNITE’, in November 2010.  It will be further evaluated as a tactical tool during the national exercise ‘Watermark’ on 8 March 2011.  Responding to whether key Councillors had been informed of the exercises the Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services reported that UNITE had been a ‘table-top’ senior officer level meeting of the Herefordshire multi-agency flood group, but acknowledged that Members may wish to be informed that such exercises were taking place.

In relation to the reservoir flood inundation maps and the possibility of flooding from a major dam burst at the Elan Valley, Rhayader, the Committee were informed by the Mapping & Data Team Leader, Environment Agency, who was in attendance at the meeting, that flooding from such an event was unlikely to reach Herefordshire.

RESOLVED: That the Committee supported the work undertaken in the development of the Herefordshire Multi-Agency Flood Plan (MAFP) and the Generic Reservoir Inundation Off-Site Plan.

To update the Committee on progress in respect of the Transport Hub concept being explored by Hereford Futures in association with the redevelopment within the Edgar Street Grid area of Hereford.

The Committee received an update on progress in respect of the Transport Hub concept being explored by Hereford Futures in association with the redevelopment within the Edgar Street Grid area of Hereford.

The Transportation Manager reported that the Transport Hub is a concept for integrating access at Hereford Railway Station which formed part of a wider set of proposals for the Edgar Street Grid area.  The Transport Hub concept was being led by the Hereford Futures team and progress had been made in terms of discussions with Network Rail and Arriva Trains who own and manage the railway station and key areas of land to the front of the station forming the existing forecourt area.  Delivery of the Transport Hub concept was contingent on progress being made in re-developing the Edgar Street Grid and implementation of the link road.  A Regional Growth Fund bid had been submitted to government to secure funding to deliver the link road with the result anticipated by the end of April 2011.  Appendix 1 from the ESG Masterplan had been appended to the agenda report to indicate the relationship between the proposed hub and the alignment of the new link road.

During the course of debate the following principal points were noted:

• It was confirmed that progress with the transport Hub was dependent on the success of the Regional Growth Fund bid for the link road from Aylestone Hill to Edgar Street.
• Based on the assumption that the funding bid had been submitted to meet economic deprivation, the Committee requested a Member briefing note outlining to the background the bid, particularly in relation to the financial and job creation aspects and the level of business support.
• The Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services reported that the funding bid had received support at a sub-regional level as being a sound technical bid.
• Mr Pickles, Project Engineer, Hereford Futures, commented that Hereford Futures were working with the Chamber of Commerce to improve job creation and skills levels in Hereford.
• Noting the close geographical relationship between the railway station and the sorting office car park and the proposed link road and transport hub, concern was expressed that should Royal Mail Group (RMG) decide to relocate the sorting office as a result then, it was suggested, this could have a detrimental effect on postal deliveries in the County.  The Project Engineer, Hereford Futures commented that any re-location of the RMG operation from its current site was a matter for the RMG alone.
• The Member for  Central Ward (in attendance) commented that as there were no plans or stated principals for how the Transport Hub would interact with other modes of transport in the City, then it would be difficult for the Committee to scrutinise the proposal.  In response the Committee noted that plans on the proposal had been available for some time and consultation had been undertaken.  The Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services pointed out that the Transport Hub was still at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

To advise Scrutiny Committee on progress of the 2010/11 Environment Capital Programme within the overall context of the Council’s Capital Programme.

Councillor MD Lloyd-Hayes (in attendance) declared a personal interest as a member of the Greenway Steering Group.

The Committee considered progress of the 2010/2011 Environment Capital Programme within the overall context of the Council’s Capital Programme.

The Director of Resources representative presented the agenda report and highlighted that the total programme had increased to £18,749m from the figure of £17.998m previously reported and this, together with other variances, were set out in more detail in the report and Appendix 1.

The Committee noted that the final position on the Ross Flood Alleviation Scheme had been agreed and that full settlement was expected imminently from the Environment Agency.

The Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation) reported that the government had announced that finance would be available for the repair of potholes arising from the winter weather and he anticipated that a £1m bid would be made towards the £2m worth of damage incurred in the County.

Responding to questions on the Sustrans Connect 2 Greenway scheme the Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services reported that following the options appraisal stage a further (third) option had been identified and was being consulted on.  A report was available on the Council website.  He confirmed that the three options could still be delivered by spring 2013 which was a requirement of the Sustrans funding for this project.

RESOLVED: That the position set out in the Capital Budget report be noted.

To advise members of the Environment Committee of the financial position for the Environment budgets for the six months to 31^st December 2010. The report lists the variations against budget at this stage in the year and the projected outturn for the year.

The Committee considered the financial position for the Environment revenue budgets for the six months to 31 December 2010.

The Director of Resources representative presented the agenda report and highlighted that the total environment revenue budget for 2010/2011 had increased to £25,571k from the figure of £24,922k previously reported and this, together with other variances, were set out in more detail in the agenda report and appendix.  She reported that the current position projected an overspend of £1.096 million, mainly due to an overspend in highway winter maintenance (£1.582 million) reflecting the impact of the weather so far this winter.

The Committee noted that the reduction of £117k in revenue budgets for 2010/11 reflected the accounting adjustment required to contribute Growth Bid Revenue grant to the Outer Distributor Road Capital Scheme.

RESOLVED: That the position set out in the Revenue Budget report be noted.

To report on the current outturns and progress against the actions for key national performance indicator targets for Environment Scrutiny Committee up to December 2010.

The Committee considered the current outturns and progress against the actions for key national performance indicator targets for the period to 31 December 2010 as they relate to the Environment Scrutiny Committee.

The Assistant Director, Highways, Transport and Community Services, reported that in overall terms performance was on target. Those areas indicated as amber had action plans in place.

The Committee appreciated the improved position in relation to NI 195 (Improved Street cleanliness and environmental cleanliness) and NI196 (Improved Street cleanliness and environmental cleanliness – Fly tipping).

The Committee noted that NI 182 was at 76% being 10% above target, and therefore indicated as green however a Member commented that the 66% satisfaction target didn’t seem a very challenging target to aim for.

RESOLVED: That the position set out in the performance report be noted.

To consider the Committee work programme.

The Committee considered its work programme.

RESOLVED: That the work programme be noted and it be recommended to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee