Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member of Environment & Transport and the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment & Transport on the proposals to amend fees and charges for 2016/17.

1.            The Interim Deputy Director Highways Transportation and Waste, Mr Loosemore, introduced a report on the proposed changes to fees and charges for the 2016/17 financial year for certain highways elements where a charge was made for the provision of services. He advised that no review was undertaken or changes were made for 2015/16.  It was proposed to increase fees in line with recent council tax increases, unless fees were not covering reasonable cost where a further increase had been proposed.  As there was no increase in 2015/16 the general increase has been at 3.98%reflecting two years council tax increases at 1.99% each year.  The effective date for agreed changes to fees and charges, as set out in appendix 1 of the report, was April 2016.

2.            Mr Loosemore responded to questions by Members as follows:

a)    Mr Loosemore agreed to discuss; the questions on Third party signing inc. Tourism and the differing charges for emergency road closures and temporary road closures with Mr Baldock outside the meeting.

b)    Members were advised that Road Closures were made by the Traffic Regulation rules and a notice was published in the press.

c)    Mr Loosemore advised that emergency road closures were carried out by notice only which was why the cost of the fee was lower

d)    The access to technical information was cheaper for a three year history of crashes at a location was cheaper that a five year history as this was calculated on the average officer’s time, some cases were longer, some were shorter which meant that it was not always the same cost.

e)    Mr Loosemore advised that there were no charges for “A” boards on the pavements. The Pavement License referred to seating facilities with table and chairs on the highway.

f)     Mr Loosemore explained that the Technical data on crashes at a location was for developers and not the general public. 

g)    Mr Loosemore agreed to discuss Mr Caller’s comments regarding the headings “Traffic Count data” in the table at appendix 1 with him outside the meeting.

h)   Mr Loosemore noted the request by a Member to make the form for a temporary road closure user friendly.  Mr Loose added that the general advice regarding community road closure for the queen’s 90^th Birthday celebrations this year was available on KCC’s website. There would need to be signage on the roads regarding the closure and public liability insurance.

3.            RESOLVED that:-

(a)  the responses to questions by Members be noted; and

(b)  the Cabinet Committee endorsed the recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport on the proposed amendments to fees and charges for 2016/17 as attached at appendix 1 and 2 of the report.