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MINUTES
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Transportation Committee
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1
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The Minute of
Meeting of 21 March 2006 was approved.
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HITRANS
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2
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The Minute of
Meeting of HITRANS of 31 March 2006 was approved.
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Highlands and Islands
Transport Partnership
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3
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Highlands and Islands
Transport Partnership of 31 March 2006 was approved.
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Highlands and Islands
Transport Partnership
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4
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Highlands and Islands
Transport Partnership of 5 May 2006 was approved.
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Highlands and Islands
Transport Partnership
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5
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Highlands and Islands
Transport Partnership of 2 June 2006 was approved.
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Stornoway Town Centre
Permit Sub Committee
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6
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Stornoway Town Centre Permit Sub Committee of 3 April 2006 was
approved.
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Mr Malcolm J
Graham declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of
items 7 and 8.
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Taxi/Private Hire Car Licensing Panel
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7
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Taxi/Private Hire Car Licensing Panel of 12 April 2006 was approved.
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Taxi/Private Hire Car Licensing Panel
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8
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The Minute of
Meeting of the Taxi/Private Hire Car Licensing Panel of 18 May 2006 was approved.
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Declaration of Interest
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9
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The Chairman
declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of item 18.
Mr Malcolm J
Graham declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of
items 7 and 8.
Mr Alex A
MacDonald declared an interest and left the meeting during consideration of
item 29.
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FINANCE
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General Fund Revenue Outturn 2005/06
PR110.08
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10
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A Report was
submitted by the Director of Finance informing Members of the Comhairle’s
revenue outturn for 2005/06 and seeking approval for departmental carry
forwards. The Report indicated an
overall unaudited deficit for 2005/06 of £811K and identified budgetary
pressures and challenges for future years.
It was agreed to recommend, insofar as the interests
of the Committee were concerned, that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the Report; and
(2)
approve the carry forward of budgets detailed in Appendix D.
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General Fund Fourth Quarter Capital
Monitoring
PR110.01
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11
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A Report was
submitted by the Director of Finance regarding a summary of the overall funding position for 2005/06 and the
revised position for the subsequent two years are shown in Appendix 1. Appendices 2 and 3 summarise the income and
expenditure by Committee for 2005/06 and the revised Programme incorporating
slippage and acceleration for the subsequent 2 years. Appendix 4 detailed the status of the PERs
and Appendix 5 showed the expenditure approved for funding by Prudential
Borrowing and CFCR. A more detailed analysis of income and expenditure, including
slippage and acceleration for each Committee, would be available in the June
Information Bulletin.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle
approve the recommendations in the Report insofar as the Committee’s
interests were concerned.
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Repairs and Maintenance Revenue Programme
2005/06
PR33.01.12
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12
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report detailing expenditure on the repair
and maintenance of properties held on the Transportation account for
2005/2006.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report.
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Winter Maintenance: 2005/06
T08.05.04
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13
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With reference
to item 13 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report detailing expenditure on winter
maintenance for the 2005/06 financial year.
The Report stated that the annual expenditure on winter maintenance
was £1,367K, which was an overspend of £8K.
The overspend would be transferred from the winter maintenance reserve
fund.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report.
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Transportation Revenue Funding
T08.01
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14
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With reference
to item 11 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report detailing the expenditure on road
maintenance over the previous ten financial years. The Report stated that the figures clearly
indicated a continual downward trend in revenue funding for all road
maintenance works. Although the total
roads revenue budget for 2006/07 had increased in actual terms by some 9%,
the actual buying power had reduced by over 50% affording less opportunity to
surface roads and requiring an increased expenditure on ad hoc repairs.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the decline in expenditure on road maintenance works over the past decade and
agree that a further Report be brought to the next meeting of the Committee
providing more detail on this expenditure.
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HITRANS Funding: 2006/07
T01.08.22
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15
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report indicating that the Scottish
Executive had channelled funding for public transport projects through the
Regional Transport Partnerships, with allocations based on the populations
within each Partnership area. The
Report stated that HITRANS had been awarded just over £3.5million for both
2006/07 and 2007/08. HITRANS had
agreed funding for major projects which had released ERDF funding, including
a £375K contribution to the Habost to Kershader improvement in South Lochs. The balance of HITRANS funding would be
available for the Public Transport Network Development Programme. The Report further stated that funding had
previously been agreed for a new waiting room at Leverburgh and a range of
options for the remaining expenditure was detailed in the Report.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle
approve:
(1)
the allocation of £30,000 to improve bus changeover/turning areas;
and
(2)
in principle, the use of £93,000 for low floor buses and that the
Integrated Bus Services Sub-Committee evaluate the most appropriate way
forward and report back to the August 2006 series of meetings.
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TRANSPORT
STRATEGY
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National Transport Strategy Consultation
T03.01
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16
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to the Scottish
Executive's consultation document on a National Transport Strategy. The Strategy would set the framework for a
Regional Transport Strategy and the context for the Executive's Strategic
Projects Review. A draft response to the
consultation document was detailed.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle
authorise the Director of Technical Services, in consultation with the
Chairman of the Committee, to respond to the Scottish Executive’s
consultation on the National Transport Strategy on the basis of the comments
detailed in the Appendix to the Report, as amended by Members, and taking
account of any views expressed by Members prior to 4 July 2006.
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AIR
SERVICES
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of item 17 on the grounds that exempt information as defined in
Paragraph 6 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would
be disclosed, namely, information relating to the financial or business
affairs of any particular person (other than the Comhairle).
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Inter Island
Air Service Contracts: Update
T04.02.03A
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17*
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With reference
to item 7 of the Minute of Meeting of 31 January 2006 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to the tendering of the
Inter Island Air Service PSOs. The
Report stated that the Comhairle had approved the award of the Stornoway -
Benbecula and the Benbecula - Barra inter island air service contracts for
the three year period to March 2009 but that the acceptable tender for the
Benbecula - Barra Service was conditional on the operator also being awarded
the Glasgow - Barra Service.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle,
subject to the approval of the European Union, approve the continued short
term award of the Inter-Island Air Services to the existing operators at the
new tender rates until the Scottish Executive were able to confirm their
acceptance of the Glasgow to Barra PSO contract.
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PIERS
AND FERRY SERVICES
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The Chairman
declared an interest and left the Meeting during consideration of the following
item.
The
Vice-Chairman took the chair for the following item.
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It was agreed
that the public, including the press, be excluded from the meeting during
consideration of item 18 on the grounds that exempt information as defined in
Paragraph 6 of Schedule 7A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 would
be disclosed, namely, information relating to the financial or business
affairs of any particular person (other than the Comhairle).
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Eoligarry Jetty – Lease
T07.02
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18
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With reference
to item 19 of the Minute of Meeting of 21 March 2006 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to the lease of a plot of
land at Eoligarry Jetty. The Report
indicated that Business Plans had been received from two parties in relation
to the lease of the area of land. The
Report recommended that the lease should be offered to Western Isles Inter
Fauna and Flora, subject to agreement that a suitable access was maintained
for other users of the slipway and for the maintenance of lighting and slipway
cleaning.
It was agreed to recommend that:
(1)
following consideration of Business Plans submitted by interested
parties to the Director of Ionmhas, the Comhairle agree to lease of an area
of land of 231m2 or thereby
at Eoligarry Jetty to Western Isles Inter Fauna and Flora; and
(2)
the Comhairle authorise the Director of Corporate Services to
enter into a lease with Western Isles Inter Fauna and Flora on such terms and
conditions as the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the
Director of Technical Services, shall deem appropriate including without
prejudice to foregoing generality such clauses as are necessary to protect a
public pedestrian access to the jetty and that would also serve for the
purpose of maintenance of lighting and jetty cleaning.
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ROADS
INFRASTRUCTURE
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Programme and Progress
T08.01
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19
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a programme and progress Report in respect of
Road Schemes.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report.
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Western Isles Spinal Route
T12
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20
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to the Western Isles
Spinal Route. Strengthening of the Spinal Route by
providing double track carriageways and vehicular ferry crossings with
associated infrastructure had been a major objective of the Comhairle over
the previous 25 - 30 years. The Report
stated that the estimated costs of upgrading the remaining sections of the
Spinal Route was £80m - £100m and the initial steps in the development of
what would be a significant programme of improvements was the prioritisation
of projects by scoring against criteria based on national, regional and local
transport objectives.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
approve the scoring criteria and weightings for future route
infrastructure projects with the criteria at paragraph 6.2 of the Report
being amended so that Road Safety (National and Regional Objectives) and
Traffic Volumes (Local Issues) would have a weighting of 3;
(2)
note the issues highlighted relating to development control and
the acquisition of land for future route infrastructure projects; and
(3)
request that the Director for Sustainable Communities, in
consultation with the Director of Technical Services, take into account the
content of the Report when making forthcoming modifications to the finalised
Western Isles Local Plan.
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Storm Damage Response Programme
PR100.01
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21
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report giving information on the progress
made in relation to the repair and betterment work undertaken following the
January 2005 storm. In particular the
Report gave details of the works undertaken at the North Ford Causeway and
coast protection projects. It was
further intimated that applications for funding assistance for a number of
coast protection schemes had been submitted to the Scottish Executive and
that further representations had been made to the Scottish Ministers
regarding those projects which remained unfunded including the establishment
of escape routes at several locations in Benbecula and South Uist.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the progress with regard to the delivery of the approved
programme of repairs and improvements; and
(2)
approve that future reporting of matters relating to the Storm
Damage Response Programme be to the respective Service Committees.
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The Chairman
left the Meeting and the Vice-Chairman chaired the Meeting for the remaining
items.
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Amenity and Carriageway Lighting
Programme 2004 – 2008 Progress Update
T12.63
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22
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report detailing progress with the
Comhairle's prioritised programme of amenity and carriageway public lighting
schemes being delivered as part of the 2004 - 2008 Capital Programme. The Report stated that it had been agreed
in September 2004 that approximately 67% of the allocated programme be
committed for delivery in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 financial years. Approval was sought for the schemes which
were to the next highest priorities as per the lists approved by
Transportation Committee in September 2004.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the progress achieved with public lighting schemes to date;
and
(2)
approve the inclusion of the remaining schemes identified in
Appendices 1 and 2 of the Report for completion by the end of March 2008.
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Minor Road Safety Improvements
T08.05.06
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23
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With reference
to item 8 of the Minute of Meeting of 2 September 2004 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to the proposed road safety
scheme at Garrabost blind summit which had been included in the Minor Road
Safety Programme. The Report stated
that individual schemes in the programme were subject to an upper limit of
£50k. The Report further stated that
the Garrabost blind summit scheme was considerably larger, at an estimated
cost of £150k, than the size of scheme that was being proposed for the Minor
Road Safety Improvement Programme and may be better considered as a single
scheme in the next appropriate Capital Programme.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle agree
that:
(1)
the scheme for Garrabost Blind Summit not be included in the
Scheme of Minor Road Safety Improvements at this time but the impact of
including the project would be considered in the Report at recommendation
(2); and
(2)
Members should advise the Director of Technical Services of any
changes to vehicle/pedestrian movements for existing projects on the Minor Road Safety
Programme to enable an updated priority list to be considered by the
Committee in October 2006.
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Newton Sea Wall
T08.01
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24
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With reference
to item 14 of the Minute of Meeting of 30 January 2002 the Director of
Technical Services submitted a Report detailing the results of the ongoing
monitoring of Newton Sea Wall. The
Report stated that several visual examinations had taken place together with
a series of level monitoring services and it had been determined that only
minimal spaling of the mortar on the sea side of the wall had occurred since
the surveys first began in 2002.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the most recent findings in relation to Newton Sea Wall survey; and
(2)
approve that future surveys be carried out annually and following
any significant event which could impact on the condition of the wall.
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Asset Management for Roads
T08.01
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25
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report detailing progress with the SCOTS
Efficient Government Bid for Funding to enable all authorities to develop
asset management plans for their road infrastructure. The Report stated that further work was
required to identify the current position of each authority in developing
asset management plans and consulting engineers had been appointed to assist
with this work which was essential to the preparation of the business case to
be submitted with the Efficient Government Fund bid. The Report further stated that, on
completion of this assessment, potential costs for each authority could be
quantified and funding support sought to reduce the cost to each authority
through the Efficient Government Fund.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report and agree that a further Report would be brought forward later in
the year with details of the potential costs of preparing an Asset Management
Plan for the Comhairle’s transportation infrastructure.
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ROAD
SERVICES AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
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Bus Contracts: Review of Current Fares
T05.01
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26
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report in relation to the review of the
maximum fares increase to be applied to all bus contracts. The Report stated that bus contract
conditions included an annual inflation increase based on the harmonised
index of consumer prices which was subsequently replaced by the consumer
prices index. The Report further
stated that, over the previous year, there had been a significant increase in
fuel pump prices which, together with the withdrawal of the BP Fuel Card had
had a material effect on the operation of all transport services.
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The Report
proposed that operators be permitted to increase fares by up to 15% to
provide additional revenue to compensate for the significant increases in
fuel costs.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle
approve an additional increase to be added to the appropriate inflationary
rise, giving a 15% increase in the maximum bus fares which could be charged
by operators, on all bus contracts, with the increase becoming effective from
1 July 2006.
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20mph Speed Limits at Schools
T05.14
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27
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The Director
of Technical Services submitted a Report detailing progress with the
installation of 20mph speed limits signs outside schools throughout the
Western Isles. The Report stated that
funding for 2006/07 and 2007/08 had been confirmed by the Scottish Executive
and would enable the Comhairle to continue delivering those road safety
projects in accordance with the previously approved priority list.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report.
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PERFORMANCE
MONITORING
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Reports Outstanding
PR33.01.12
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28
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The Director
of Corporate Services submitted a Report detailing Reports outstanding
arising from decisions of the Committee.
It was agreed to recommend that the Comhairle note
the Report.
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ADDITIONAL
ITEM
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Mr Alex A
Macdonald declared an interest and left the Meeting during consideration of
the following item.
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The Chairman
ruled that, in accordance with the provisions of Section 50 (B)4 of the Local
Government (Scotland)
Act 1973 as amended, that the following item be considered as a matter of
urgency in order to allow the Comhairle to take a view on the matter.
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Business Plans
PR33.01.04
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29
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The Chief
Executive submitted a Report concerning the performance of the Comhairle's
Departments in relation to their Business Plans for 2005/06. The Report gave a summary of performance
from each Director, highlighting the key performance issues for their
Department and also indicated that the information provided would be included
in the preparation of the annual performance Report which would be published
in the Autumn of 2006.
It was agreed to recommend, insofar as the interests
of the Committee were concerned, that the Comhairle:
(1)
note the performance of departments in relation to their
Departmental Business Plans; and
(2)
agree that, where tasks were uncompleted, further monitoring
information would be provided as part of the 2006/07 process.
Arising from consideration of this item it was
agreed that the Director of Technical Services would submit a Report to the
next meeting on the discounted ferry fares scheme run in Shetland and Orkney.
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