Agenda item

Report number: OAS/WS/21/019

The Committee received report number: OAS/WS/21/019, which updated members on the current status of its rolling work programme of items for scrutiny during 2021 to 2022 (Appendix 1), including working groups, and two work programme suggestion forms submitted by Councillor Diane Hind (Appendix 2 and 3).

At its meeting on 8 July 2021, Councillor Diane Hind agreed to complete a work programme suggestion form for the Committee’s consideration at its September 2021 meeting focusing on anti-idling.  Attached at Appendix 2 to the report was the competed work programme suggestion form proposing that a review be undertaken to introduce “fines for idling”.

On 27 July 2021, Councillor Diane Hind approached the Chair of the Committee about a potential scrutiny topic relating to possibly carrying out a review of 20 mile per hour zones and their signage and possibly requesting that Suffolk County Council arrange for 20 mile per hour zones (or limits) to be extended, adequately signed, and enforced.  Councillor Diane Hind had prepared a suggestion form, (Appendix 3) to undertake a review. 

Councillors Diane Hind and Julia Wakelam presented their suggestions and drew relevant points to the Committees attention and referred to the public participation which the Committee had heard earlier in the meeting.

The Committee considered in detail each work programme suggestion and officers provided comprehensive information to questions raised to enable members to reach a decision as to whether to include the suggestions into its forward work programme for 2021 - 2022. 

In relation to Appendix 2 (fines for idling) Councillor Diane Hind acknowledged the various pieces of work being undertaken by the Council in the Environment Action Plan in relation to air quality and suggested, instead that it receives a progress report on the various initiatives.  Councillor Diane Hind further suggested that Parking Services be asked to start educating and asking drivers as soon as possible, when idling, to switch off their engines, as this would not require any contractual changes to be made.  Members suggested more education was needed for drivers, and having more proactive campaigns, for example, targeted advertising at petrol stations with literature on pumps about anti-idling. 

In relation to Appendix 3 (20mph zones and signage) Councillor Diane Hind advised that a number of local authorities were introducing 20mph limits as part of a safe system approach.  However, zones would need to be accompanied with traffic calming measures.  In response, officers advised that the current process to implement 20mph zones was the responsibility of SCC.  The Council would need to be very clear about what it wanted to achieve by carrying out a review, which would be a significant piece of work and resource intensive.  Officers suggested the Council could work with communities where an interest had been identified by supporting them through the set process with SCC.

Members supported 20mph limits in the right areas, but felt it needed to be promoted more to make it easier for councillors and their residents to pursue further in their localities with their Suffolk County Councillor.  However, any 20mph limits need to be enforced by the police which was costly.

At the conclusion of the discussions, the Committee noted the current status of topics currently scheduled in its rolling work programme for 2021, attached at Appendix 1.

It was then proposed by Councillor Julia Wakelam, duly seconded by Councillor Diane Hind, and with the vote being unanimous, it was:

Resolved:

That a progress report on the various pieces of work on anti-idling be brought to a future meeting of the Committee, subject to Parking Services being asked to start educating and asking drivers as soon as possible, when idling, to switch off their engines.

It was then proposed by Councillor Julia Wakelam, duly seconded by Councillor Diane Hind, and with the vote being 11 for and 1 against, it was:

Resolved:

That a review of 20mph zones and signage be included into the Committee’s forward work programme, by specifically looking at the desire of West Suffolk Councillors in their localities to see if it was necessary to promote and make it easier for councillors and their residents to pursue introducing 20mph limits with their Suffolk County Councillor, through the Suffolk County Council set process.