To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport, the Cabinet Member for Community Services and the Corporate Director for Growth, Environment & Transport on the following:
· Waste strategy
· Operation Stack
· Littering
· Socially necessary bus services
· Stop the Scammers project
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member for Community Services, Mr Hill made the following comment;
a. Stop the Scammers; a ground breaking initiative from Trading Standards intended to assist vulnerable victims of scams such as those targeted by scam phone calls and scam emails. This project has worked in partnership with Community Wardens and 70 of them have now been trained in this role. Their work has included monitoring these situations and working with banks and post offices to prevent fraudulent standing orders and cheques. They have also been installing phone devices that filter 98% of nuisance calls for the victims. Stop the Scammers has had significant success in prosecuting scammers. The Community Wardens have been awarded the Hero Award for their work by Trading Standards and the Stop the Scammers scheme was a finalist in the 2015 Local Government Services awards.
The Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, Mr Balfour, made the following comments and announcements;
a. An Active Travel Strategy was being developed and would come before this Cabinet Committee before a consultation would be undertaken.
b. That there were problems regarding the Paramount development concerning the methodology by which planning permission was granted. Mr Balfour explained that the proposers of the park were not coming forward with reasonable solutions to the obvious problems that would emerge with Paramount. He has now been appointed to the planning committee of Ebbsfleet Development Corporation.
c. Roger Wilkin and his team were developing a new Waste Strategy. This would be coming before Environment and Transport Cabinet Committee in coming months and is expected to appear in the September meeting.
d. In regards to littering, the district councils had agreed to mutual support at a recent Kent Resource Partnership meeting. This should allow districts that are responding better to littering to be able to influence those Districts that are falling behind to improve in this area.
e. Two problems caused by Operation Stack were brought to the Committee’s attention. Firstly, overnight parking and the littering that follows that. Secondly, the ferry disruption. Shepway District Council has made Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to enforce stopping lorries parking in certain roads.
f. A paper on Operation Stack would be compiled in conjunction with the Gateway Group which includes KCC, Shepway District Council, Ashford Borough Council, Dover District Council, ferry companies, the Port of Dover, the Channel Tunnel, haulage organisations and lorry park operators. He confirmed it was not proving easy to acquire an agreement from the group that could be used to speak to Ministers on this issue. Because of this, speaking to Ministers had been put back to September. It had also been difficult to acquire a proposal from Highways England as to what they would suggest doing on this and how much it would cost. The Gateway Group was hoping that when a problem is emerging either with the ferries or in the tunnel the operators should inform the authorities immediately, which had not happened in the past, and that this intelligence should be used to forewarn the appropriate industries to stay out of Kent whilst this is happening. The intention would also be to develop plans for large lorry storage which cannot be like a lorry park. He also stated he would be grateful for support in terms of persuading MPs and others to support KCC on this matter.
g. Lastly, that Phil Lightowler’s team was reviewing all KCC contracts in regards to bus services to persuade operators’ to take over certain services that were currently subsidised by KCC.
The Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport, Mrs Barbara Cooper, made the following comment:
a. Whilst Operation Stack had been in place the Emergency Planning Team, Community Wardens and Highway Stewards of KCC have been hard at work. They were still on standby to assist and respond to the welfare needs that arise during Operation Stack. Mrs Cooper paid tribute to their significant efforts in responding to these challenges.
The following comments were made by members of the committee and Cabinet Members:
1. That perhaps KCC’s voluntary wardens should undertake the flood warden training so they could carry out this role as well.
2. Clamping in Ashford, whilst successful, had unfortunately redirected disruption into neighbouring areas and concern was raised that the new Shepway TROs would simply redirect disruption elsewhere.
3. A concern was raised about disruption in Cobham where up to 32 lorries had been parked overnight.
4. In regards to socially necessary buses, it was asked that bus services going to hospitals be considered as a priority.
5. The warning sign to inform drivers of when the motorway was closed due to Operation Stack, that had been placed by the Maidstone Hilton, was complimented as a positive step in responding to the challenges faced by drivers.
6. Further information on the Active Travel Strategy was requested.
7. It was suggested that smaller buses such as those seen in London could be of use in Kent.
8. Members expressed support for Mr Balfour in putting pressure on our MPs in regards to Operation Stack.
9. Comments were made that a previous project on Taxi Tokens be investigated.
10. Questions were raised about the use of the rail network to transport cargo to decrease the amount of lorries required.
The following comments were made by Cabinet Members and officers in response to questions raised by members of the committee:
1. It was accepted that simply redirecting the traffic would not resolve this disruption. The Council was aware just moving lorries would be unhelpful and that there was insufficient parking nationwide. It was confirmed that Mr Balfour would like to discuss the stretch of road in Cobham with Highways. It was also emphasised that rail featured in plans to decrease the amount of lorries on motorways and would contribute in the long term solution to Operation Stack. In response to concerns about bus services to hospitals it was emphasised that they would be looking at those buses that are socially necessary.
2. Barbara Cooper confirmed that the Active Travel Strategy is a combined strategy involving Highways, Sports Team, Public Health and the Countryside Team.