Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair to the Panel for the remainder of the 2010/11 municipal year.

RESOLVED that Councillor Fitzgerald be appointed Chair of the Panel for the remainder of the 2010/11 municipal year.

To note any changes in membership of the Panel made in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4.3.

Apologies were received from Councillors Odgers and Willacy.

The Panel noted that in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 4.3 Councillor Fitzgerald replaced Councillor Ball as Chair of Scrutiny Panel A.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Inquiry Meeting held on 8th July 2010 and to deal with any matters arising, attached.

RESOLVEDthat the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th July 2010 be

approved and signed as a correct record. (Copy of the minutes circulated

with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

Report of the Head of Policy and Improvement, detailing information for the final meeting of the Inquiry on Highways’ approach to asset management, attached.

The Panel considered the report of the Head of Policy and Improvement requesting that the Panel discuss, amend and approve a final version of the draft recommendations which were tabled at the meeting, for inclusion in the final report to be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee. (Copy of the report circulated with the agenda and appended to the signed minutes).

RESOLVED

(i)  that, subject to the following amendments, the draft report and recommendations tabled at the meeting be agreed as the final version:-

(a)  recommendation 1 to be amended to read “The Cabinet Member, in conjunction with the Chair of the Inquiry Panel A to write to the Secretary of State, with cross-party support, to lobby for the Redbridge Road link from M271 to the docks to be adopted by the Highways Agency”; 

(b)  recommendation 5 to be amended to read “The Highways  Partnership Unit and Balfour Beatty work closely together to continue to develop mechanisms that ensure that ward members are consulted and kept informed of all major schemes across the City”

(c)  recommendation 8 to be removed, but a paragraph in support of recommendations relating to transport issues in the Night Time Economy Inquiry be added to the Introduction/Executive Summary of the final report;

(d)  overview – Paragraph 3 be amended to emphasise the lack of funding and to be added to the Executive Summary of the final report;  and

(e)  reference to London Road having won a national design award

as an example of best practice be added to the final report.

(ii)  that authority be delegated to the Head of Policy and Improvement,  following consultation with the Chair of Scrutiny Panel A, to amend the final report to enable comments made by Scrutiny Panel members at the meeting to be incorporated;

(iii)  that a final copy of the amended report and recommendations be circulated electronically to all Panel Members;  and

(iv)  that it be agreed that the Chair of Scrutiny Panel A or his delegated nominee would present the final report to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee at the 19^th August 2010 meeting.