Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Folkard (no substitute) and O’Connor (substitute: Councillor Hyde).

The following interests were declared at the meeting:-

(i) Councillor Cox – Minute No. 9 (Petition – Making Richmond Avenue a One Way Street and 20mph) – handed in the petition on behalf of residents when his daughter was a pupil at the school;

(ii) Councillor Hyde – Minute No. 7 (Petition – Average Speed Cameras on Eastern Avenue, from the Hamstel Road junction to the Sutton Road junction) – Is an allotment holder at the Eastern Avenue allotment site and has a key for the central reservation gate to access the site; and

(iii) Councillor Woodley – Minute No. 4 (West Leigh School Streets) – Has been pushing for the scheme to be made permanent at Thorpe Greenways.

Resolved:-

That the Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday, 20^th February, 2023 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.

The Working Party received a report of the Executive Director (Environment & Place) that presented the outcome of the consultation in respect of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) to introduce the Ronald Hill Grove (West Leigh School Street) scheme.

The report sought approval for the TRO to be confirmed as advertised and the scheme implemented, on the basis of the results of the “Your Say Southend” consultation exercise, where 86% (209) of the 244 respondents supported the implementation of the School Streets Scheme permanently and to overrule the 5 objections received in response to the statutory advertisement of the proposals.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet Committee be recommended:-

1. That, the 5 (five) objections received in response to the statutory advertisement be overruled in the light of the significant support for the scheme to be made permanent in the outcome of the “Your Say Southend” Consultation exercise.

2.  That the Executive Director (Environment and Place) be authorised to arrange for the TRO for the West Leigh School Street Scheme to be confirmed as advertised and arrange for the proposals to be implemented on a permanent basis.

The Working Party received a report of the Executive Director (Environment and Place) that sought approval of the commencement of the statutory consultation for the relevant Moving Traffic Regulation Order in respect of Southend-on-Sea High Street and the implementation of the scheme should the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) be made.

The Council’s Head of Civil Engineering undertook to provide written responses to the following matters:

•         The hours of operation of the prohibition of vehicles; and

•         The method of communication and contact with the control room to open the barriers.

The Working Party was informed that there was an existing pedestrianisation TRO in effect for the same sections of the High Street included within these proposals.  The restrictions imposed by the TRO could be amended to retain the pedestrianisation of the High Street within these sections whilst enabling the restrictions on vehicular movements proposed within the scheme to be incorporated.  Alternatively, the existing pedestrianisation TRO could be revoked and a new TRO introduced.

Resolved:-

That Cabinet Committee be recommended:-

1. That the Executive Director (Environment and Place) be authorised to undertake the statutory consultation and prepare the requisite traffic regulation order for the introduction of the Southend High Street Pedestrianisation Scheme set out in the report and, subject to there being no objections following statutory advertisement to confirm the appropriate traffic regulation order and implement the restrictions.

2. That, in the event any objections are received in response to the statutory consultation, the matter be referred to the Traffic Regulations Working Party and Cabinet Committee for determination.

The Working Party received a report of the Executive Director (Environment and Place) in respect of the petition requesting residential parking permits at Osborne Road and Windsor Road in Westcliff-on-Sea.  The petition had been referred to the Working Party and Cabinet Committee by the Council at its meeting held on 7^th September 2023 (Minute No. 59 refers).

The Working Party discussed the request in some detail and asked a number of questions which were responded to by officers. The Working Party was informed that the criteria for determining requests for such parking schemes had recently been reviewed and that criteria set to prioritise schemes into high, medium and low safety priority, to ensure that all parking schemes were being progressed in order of safety. This request for parking permits in Osborne Road and Windsor Road, has been through the initial safety review and has been scored as a low safety priority and accordingly, was not recommended to be progressed.

It was also noted that Windsor Road and Osborne Road were suffering from vehicle displacement due to the recently implemented Controlled Parking Zone in Milton West (Zone MW). This had been implemented as an Experimental Traffic Order (ETO) in November 2022 and made permanent in September 2023. A review of this scheme was to be undertaken imminently and any impact on these roads could be included as part of this review,

Resolved:-

1.  That Cabinet Committee be recommended that no further action be taken on the petition at the current time, but that any impact of displaced parking and parking problems in Windsor Road and Osborne Road be considered as part of the review of the Milton West Controlled Parking Scheme.

2.  That Cabinet be recommended to review the criteria for determining applications for Controlled Parking Zones/Schemes to enable each scheme to be determined on its own merits rather than on safety priority order.

The Working Party considered a petition requesting the installation of average speed cameras in the section Eastern Avenue, from its junction with Hamstel Road to its junction with Sutton Road.  The petition had been referred by Council at its meeting held om 23^rd March 2023 (Minute No. 803 refers).

The Working Party was informed that a similar matter had been considered by the Working Party and Cabinet Committee (Minute No. 504 of Cabinet Committee held on 2^nd November 2020 refers).

It was suggested that the possibility of including a pedestrian crossing in Bournemouth Park Road, close to its junction with Eastern Avenue be included in the report.

Resolved:-

That a report on the petition including appropriate recommendations be submitted to a meeting of the Working Party and Cabinet Committee to take place on 5^th December 2023.

The Working Party considered a petition requesting the installation of a zebra crossing on Royston Avenue by the gates of Temple Sutton Primary School.  The petition had been referred by Council at its meeting held on 13th July 2023 (Minute No. 34 refers).

Clarification was sought as to the precise location of the requested crossing.  This would be clarified in the report to be presented to the Working Party and Cabinet Committee.

Resolved:-

That a report on the petition including appropriate recommendations be submitted to a meeting of the Working Party and Cabinet Committee to take place on 5th December 2023.

The Working Party considered a petition requesting making Richmond Avenue a one way traffic flow from Caulfield Road to St Andrews Road with a 20mph speed limit.  The petition had been referred by Council at its meeting held on 23^rd March 2023 (Minute No. 802 refers).

Resolved:-

That a report on the petition including appropriate recommendations be submitted to a meeting of the Working Party and Cabinet Committee to take place on 5th December 2023.