Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Christopher Hayward, Alderman Alison Gowman, Alex Bain Stewart and the Reverend Dr Martin Dudley.

There were no declarations of interest.

To agree the public minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 October 2015 be approved.

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the list of Outstanding References be noted.

The Transportation and Public Realm Director advised that the report on motor cycle parking was scheduled for March 2016 but that he would seek to combine it with the road danger reduction report scheduled for February 2016.

(This item was brought forward on the Agenda).

Bank Junction

The Committee received a presentation regarding the future improvements for Bank junction.

The presentation looked at options and the objectives of the Bank Junction Improvements project as follows -

–      To reduce casualties by simplifying the junction and reducing conflict;

–      Reduce pedestrian crowding levels;

–      Improve air quality; and

–      Improve the perception of ‘place’ – as a place to spend time in rather than to pass through.

The Assistant Director, Local Transportation informed the Sub Committee that the options needed to be assessed more thoroughly to present the information for Gateway 3.  In addition, both the Cannon Street operation and the Monument Junction operation would be reviewed with Transport for London.

The Chairman thanked the Officers for their work so far on this project.

Holborn

Members were informed that the City of London Corporation was the Winner of the Highway’s magazine National Road Safety Scheme of the Year.

Chairman’s remarks

The Chairman expressed thanks to Victor Callister, Assistant Director of Environmental Enhancement who was leaving the Corporation.  The Chairman remarked on Mr Callister’s remarkable work and in helping to enhance 25% of the City’s streets.  The Sub Committee joined the Chairman in wishing Mr Callister every success in the future.

The Sub Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding phase 1 of the Fleet Buildings and Plumtree Court public realm enhancements.

RESOLVED – That,

a)    the budget setup and implementation of the 1 New Street Square highway works totalling £575,760 (fully funded by the developer), as outlined in paragraph 3 and Appendix 1 of the main report be authorised;

b)    authority be delegated to the Director of the Built Environment to adjust the budget between the 1 New Street Square project elements (works, fees and staff costs) as required to meet the project needs;

c)    the £216,000 budget for the Public Realm and Security Improvements (S278) scheme for the London Development to reach the next Gateway be approved;

d)    the project be renamed from “Fleet Buildings and Plumtree Court” to   

     “Shoe Lane Quarter Public Realm Enhancements”; and

e)    the outline phasing for the project, as detailed in the report which  

     reflected the emergence of forthcoming developments in the Shoe Lane

     Quarter be noted.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment which summarised the activities and outcome of the 20mph speed limit scheme that commenced on 20 July 2014.

Members noted that as a result, the measured average speeds were now 1.5mph lower than they were prior to the introduction of the 20mph speed limit. This reduction was greater than the1mph reduction in average speeds forecast by using the Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines for introducing 20mph speed limits.

Members noted further that the change requested by the Corporation to Transport for London to change the signal timings between junctions so that the “green wave” reflected someone travelling and 20mph and not 30mph did not take place, however this change would be pursued once again.

The Assistant Director (Local Transportation) talked about the key objective of the scheme which was to contribute to reversing the trend of the increase in traffic casualties in the City and the importance of improving the sustainability of the City.

The police representative suggested that 70% of the pedestrian casualties in the City were caused by inattention and it was agreed that this issue needed to be considered in future road danger reduction planning.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Report of the Town Clerk.

RESOLVED – That the following decision taken under Urgency procedures be noted-

Bart’s Close Public Realm Enhancement

Action approved under Urgency procedures:

(i)    the enhancement proposals be approved to be taken forward to Gateway 5 to be funded from the Section106 public realm works contribution from the Bartholomew Close development, subject to the receipt of funds from the developer;

(ii)   the Comptroller and City Solicitor be authorised to enter into Section 278 Agreements and a highway adoption agreement to secure the carrying out and funding of highway works required to facilitate the development and the construction and adoption of new highway, to the satisfaction of the Director of the Built Environment; and

(iii)  Staff costs and fees of £204,000 be approved to take the scheme to Gateway 5, funded from the Section106 public realm works contribution from the Bartholomew Close development (£159,000) and the Section 278 Agreement (£45,000).

There were no questions.

MOTION – That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

RESOLVED: That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

To agree the non-public Minutes of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED – That the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2015 be approved.

There were no non-public questions.

There were no items of urgent non-public business.