Agenda item - Items referred from Council

Item referred from the last meeting of Full Council of 26 March 2015:

(a)          Petitions

(i)            Zebra Crossing for Nevill Avenue

(ii)          Pedestrian Crossing for Freshfield Road

(iii)         Save the Mazda Fountain

(iv)         Brighton & Hove’s Live Music Venues

(a)      Minute extract from Full Council held on 26 March 2015

(b)      Officer report outlining establishment of a Policy Panel

(c)       Overview & Scrutiny and Policy Panel Terms of Reference

(a)          Petitions

(i)            One way system around the Windmill at the top of Holmes Avenue- Nigel Jenner

6.1         The Committee considered a petition referred from the meeting of Full Council on 26 March 2015 and signed by 156 people requesting the council install a one way system around the Windmill at the top end of Holmes Avenue.

6.2         The Chair provided the following response:

“I would like to thank Mr Jenner for his petition presented on behalf of residents in the Holmes Avenue area.

I am pleased to report that the council’s Road Safety Manager has investigated the traffic management issues in the roads passing each side of the windmill and improvement measures were implemented in April.

At the present time it is not considered that necessary to implement a one-way system that may have the adverse effect of speeding up traffic.  Records indicate 1 slight collision reported to police in the last 5 years.

However, the Road Safety Manager will be pleased to meet with any residents that have continuing concerns about traffic management in that area”.

6.3         RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

(ii)          Pedestrian crossing for Freshfield Road- Faye Bridgewater

6.4         The Committee considered a petition referred from the meeting of Full Council on 26 March 2015 signed by 1369 people requesting the council install a pedestrian crossing point on Freshfield Road.

6.5         The Chair provided the following response:

“Thank you for your petition and congratulations on getting a large number of signatures.

As I have outlined to the previous petitioner for a crossing, there is a commitment to road safety in the city and we have a methodology for assessing the sites requested for crossings.

I have asked the council’s Road Safety Manager to add this location to that programme, the outcome of which will be posted on the council’s website. Your local ward councillors will also be informed. I know that Councillor Morris has been supportive of your request”.

6.6         RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

(iii)         Save the Mazda fountain- Sarah Brooker

6.7         The Committee considered a petition referred from the meeting of Full Council on 26 March 2015 and signed by 1055 people that requested the council retain the Mazda Fountain in its current position in Victoria Gardens.

6.8         The Chair provided the following response:

“Thank you for your petition and for getting so many signatures. 

The design work for the gardens is at a preliminary stage and not yet at the detailed design stage.  Any abortive design that relies on the fountains’ inclusion or exclusion will be avoided. This means a final design will work with or without the fountain in its current location.

As a Labour Administration we are keen for the fountain to stay in its current location and the size of your petition reflects the fact that many people hold a similar view.

The final designs will be brought to committee for debate and a final decision”

6.9         Councillor Theobald asked if a final decision on the design of the Valley Gardens scheme would be taken by this Committee.

6.10      The Chair stated that she understood that would be the case as only the contractual aspects of the scheme would need to be agreed by Policy & Resources Committee.

6.11      The Head of Transport stated that it was intended to submit the final designs for the gardens and highways and contractual matters in one report to Policy & Resources Committee.

6.12      Councillor Theobald stated that he was very concerned by that proposal as he had always believed that the final design should be decided by this committee.

6.13      The Executive Director Environment, Development & Housing stated that officers would look again and the timeframe for the scheme and an Urgency Committee could be convened if necessary in order for Members of this committee to approve the scheme.

6.14      Councillor West stated that a decision had already been taken on the removal of the fountain by this committee when it had agreed the concept design.

6.15      The Chair stated that the a decision on the scheme would be taken by this committee that would provide two design proposals- one incorporating the Mazda Fountain and one with the Fountain removed.

6.16      RESOLVED- That the petition be noted.

(iv)         Brighton & Hove’s Live Music Venues- Mark Stack

6.17      The Committee considered a petition referred from the meeting of Full Council held on 26 March 2015 and signed by 4698 people requesting the council to review its procedures and protocols in respect of noise abatement notices served on live music venues in the city. The petition had been debated by Full Council in March and a recommendation had been passed to the committee that it considers the establishment of a Policy Panel to review the issues raised in the petition.

6.18      The Chair provided the following response:

“Thank you for your petition and may I congratulate you on getting a large amount of signatures.

As Members will be aware, the committee was requested by Full Council to consider the establishment of a Policy Panel to review the issues raised in the petition.

Members will note that the Terms of Reference for the Policy Panel are set out in pages 31-40 in the agenda.

I would like to propose that the committee notes the petition and agrees to the establishment of a Policy Panel”

6.19      Councillor West stated that the Terms of Reference were not directly relevant to a Policy Panel on this issue.

6.20      The Chair replied that the Terms of Reference would allow scope for the Panel to agree its work and remit as Scrutiny Panels had done previously.

6.21      RESOLVED- That the Committee notes the petition and agrees to the establishment of a Policy Panel to review the issues raised in the petition.