Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Deputy John Barker, Brian Harris, Deputy John Owen-Ward and Deputy Michael Welbank.

Marianne Fredericks declared a personal interest in respect of Item 4e due to being a Member of the Board of Governors of the City of London School.

To agree the public minutes and summary of the meeting held on 16 July 2012.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2012 were approved as a correct record subject to the following amendment: -

Item 3, paragraph 5 – “Furthermore, a £34k grant had been received from Marathon Trust to use for sport related activity in the City.”

MATTERS ARISING : -

Millennium Bridge (Item 3) – The Chairman of the Grand Committee provided an update on the review of the Project Approval Procedure and advised that a report would be submitted in due course around the issue of how schemes funded from for example S106, S278, CIL or TfL funds would be dealt with in future.  Further to this, the Chairman suggested that once procedures were agreed, the Projects Approval diagram should be amended to include a further column to explain how hese projects were handled.

London Bridge Planter Boxes (Item 3) - Members were informed Officers would be initiating discussions with Transport for London (TfL) around options for removal/upgrading/maintenance of the planters on TfL roads in the City and a further update would be provided to a future meeting. Interim maintenance work had been done on the London Bridge planter boxes.  It was noted that the planters are owned and maintained by TfL.  With regard to the interim maintenance of the planter boxes, the Deputy Chairman agreed to raise this matter at the next London Councils meeting.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of the Built Environment which was a Combined Options Appraisal to Start Work report as agreed with the Town Clerk’s department in respect of Riverside Walk.

The Assistant Director (Environmental Enhancement) provided a brief presentation to the Committee.

During discussion, reference was made to the need for a general upgrade of the area around the platform at the top of the steps from the Riverside Walk to nearby connecting spaces and use of appropriate signage at the junction of the highway and other key locations to deter cycling on the Walkway.

One Member congratulated Officers on their work and commented on the atmosphere of the area during the Olympic and Paralympic period.

RESOLVED

That the project be approved at an estimated cost of £150,000, funded by Transport for London.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of the Built Environment concerning the Angel Lane Environmental Enhancement Scheme which was approved by Members in January 2010.

The Assistant Director (Environmental Enhancement) provided a brief presentation to the Committee.

During discussion, reference was made to the use of granite paving and expressed concern regarding the associated environmental costs from importing this type of material from China.  Members were advised that the cost of importing granite from Europe could be up to five times more expensive.  Officers did comment that recycled granite was already in use.  Officers agreed to consider these concerns as part of a future report.

Reference was also made to the closure of the pedestrian crossing at Swan Lane which the Deputy Chairman agreed to raise at the next London Councils meeting.

Members thanked Officers for the scheme which they were pleased to be informed was delivered under budget.

RECEIVED.

N.B: Jeremy Simons declared a personal interest in respect of this item as a Member of the Barbican Centre Board.

The Assistant Director (Environmental Enhancement) provided a brief presentation to the Committee.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of the Built Environment regarding enhancements to Silk Street and the Silk Street and Beech Street Junction, taking forward the delivery of the Barbican Streets and Walkways Enhancement Strategy, in which both projects were ranked as high priorities.

A copy of the Road Safety Audit was requested by one Member.  Reference was made to the 153 Bus Stop, and the fact that some Members were concerned about noise made by idling buses.  Officers undertook to remind TfL that the City was an idle free zone.

The detailed design and security would be discussed further with the Barbican Centre and the Police would be consulted on security considerations to ensure any necessary measures were addressed now, so that expensive retrofitting would be necessary.

Members were advised that following concerns raised that the consultation processes to date had not resulted in adequate recent resident consultation, the report required an amendment to include a revised recommendation, being that : -

“Members approved the progression of Option 1 at a cost of £45,000 to be funded from the On Street Parking Reserve; the decision to proceed to Gateway 5 (Authority to Start Works) being subject to Delegated Authority exercised by the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee, in light of further consultation with residents and stakeholders”.

Should the results of the public consultation demonstrate no significant issues, Members agreed that the progression to Gateway 5 under Delegated Authority would be taken as set out above.  However should the public consultation highlight any significant issues

The resolution from the Policy and Resources Committee (5 July 2012) in respect of Millennium Bridge Area Enhancement Project was RECEIVED.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of the Built Environment which was a Gateway 3/4 Options appraisal that followed the ‘Streamlined’ process, as agreed with the Town Clerks Department.

The Assistant Director (Environmental Enhancement) provided a brief presentation to the Committee.

Members strongly felt that the full paving option should be pursued immediately, and that cleaning and repairs would be insufficient.  Members commented on the high quality of the environment around the Cathedral and along the Riverside and felt that the connecting area should be of a similarly high quality and therefore proposed an amendment to recommendation 2 in the report as follows : -

“Approve an amended Option 1 at a cost of £475,000, including £350,000 for replacement paving on Millennium Bridge Approach AND approve Option 2a (Paul’s Walk) at a cost of £918,805 (excluding the installation of the play/sports equipment), at a combined estimated cost of £1,393,805 to be funded through the 20 Fenchurch Street, Watermark Place and Riverbank House Section 106 contributions (£1,263,805) and the On-Street Parking Reserve (£130,000), subject to approval of the Authority to Start Work report at gateway 5.”

Members expressed concern regarding recommendation 4 in the report –

“Approve that additional staff costs of £10,292 incurred to date be funded from the Riverbank House S106 Agreement.”

Members were informed that the additional staffing costs had been incurred as a result of reports being re-submitted through Gateway 3/4 which required additional work.  There was also additional work around flood risk mapping and advice from the Environment Agency. It was estimated that around half of the additional costs had arisen from each of these two reasons. Members questioned whether the additional costs related to the re-submission of the report should be met from Section 106 monies. 

Members approved that the decision as

Blackfriars Junction – A query was raised in respect of Blackfriars Junction.  Officers advised Members that following the installation by TfL of signs which prohibited vehicles from entering the lanes leading towards the Embankment for traffic from New Bridge Street and Queen Victoria Street, a team of Officers visited the site and observations around safety had been submitted to TfL.  Furthermore, accidents were being monitored closely and a report on the matter would be provided to a future meeting which would include information around the potential removal of the signs, a safety audit and the enforceability of the bus lane.

There were no items of urgent business.

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 as follows:-

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 meeting held on the 16 July 2012.

The non-public minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2012 were received.

There were no questions.

There were no items of urgent business.