Agenda and minutes

Councillor Frances Taylor advised that she would be late joining the meeting. Councillor Malcolm Lane sent his apologies and was being substituted by Councillor Paul Pavia.

None received.

Select Committee Public Open Forum ~ Guidance

Our Select Committee meetings are live streamed and a link to the live stream will be available on the meeting page of the Monmouthshire County Council website

If you would like to share your thoughts on any proposals being discussed by Select Committees, you can submit your representation via this form

·      Please share your views by uploading a video or audio file (maximum of 4 minutes) or;

·      Please submit a written representation (via Microsoft Word, maximum of 500 words)

You will need to register for a My Monmouthshire account in order to submit the representation or use your log in, if you have registered previously.

The deadline for submitting representations to the Council is 5pm three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

If representations received exceed 30 minutes, a selection of these based on theme will be shared at the Select Committee meeting.  All representations received will be made available to councillors prior to the meeting.

If you would like to suggest future topics for scrutiny by one of our Select Committees, please do so by emailing Scrutiny@monmouthshire.gov.uk

Town and Community Councillors were in attendance but did not wish to speak under the Public Open Forum.

The Chair invitedIan Thompson, Programme Development and Stakeholder Relations Manager at National Highways and Jonathon Hill (Route Manager at National Highways) to introduce themselves. They delivered a verbal presentation by way of introduction.

Ian provided background on National Highways, a government-owned corporation responsible for operating, maintaining, and improving England's strategic road network.  He detailed the scope of the network, including 4,500 miles of motorway and trunk roads, and the specific area covered by the Southwest operation.

Ian also discussed the M48 bridge, its design, and the increase in traffic since the tolls were lifted in December 2018, explaining the inspection regime for the bridge cables, noting rust and deterioration found during inspections.  The decision to remove HGVs over 7.5 tonnes from the bridge was made to prevent further deterioration and ensure safety.

Ian outlined the engagement and briefing exercise conducted with stakeholders and the public after the decision was made. He mentioned ongoing work with various authorities to mitigate impacts and improve traffic flow, as well as future plans to strengthen the bridge cables.

Deb Hill-Howells, the interim Chief officer for infrastructure, explained the Council’s response since being notified by National Highways. She mentioned ongoing collaboration with National Highways, Welsh Government, and other relevant bodies to address the impact on Junction 23A and local roads.  Efforts are being made to resolve issues at the roundabout and resurface the road before changes take effect.

Deb advised that weekly meetings are held with National Highways to mitigate the impact of the changes and that the Council is lobbying Welsh Government for a new link road from the M4 to the B4245 to reduce traffic on Junction 23A and are awaiting responses from Transport for Wales and Welsh Government regarding the impact on the High Beech roundabout work. She confirmed that the Council continues to liaise, lobby, and work with National Highways to mitigate the impact on residents and businesses.

Cabinet Member, Councillor Catrin Maby, expressed concern about the difficult situation around Chepstow and the junction near Magor due to the changes.  She highlighted the impact on the logistics hub at New House Farm and the local economy. She emphasised the need for data on how HGV drivers might react to using the other bridge, including traffic flow data around the area. She also mentioned the importance of understanding the intricacies of road interactions and the existing congestion and traffic flow issues. She noted the potential positive aspect of working more closely with National Highways and other agencies to solve these issues.

The Chair asked Members for their questions, which were answered by Ian and Jonathon.

Key Questions raised by Members:?

• ?Councillor Rooke asked about managing tachographs for deliveries to Chepstow, considering the additional 40-minute journey each way.

Ian Thompson from National Highways explained that they have liaised closely with the haulage industry and provided early notification to allow hauliers time to consider their logistics and manage the impact on drivers' hours and tachographs.

• Councillor Rookeenquired about mitigating the impact of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Minutes were agreed as a true and accurate record of the meeting held.

The committee noted the Committee’s forward work programme.  The chair advised that efforts continued to secure a date for a future meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner to discuss the CSP’s priorities for Monmouthshire, how the strategic assessment led to the development of the plans and also the new Police, Crime and Justice Plan and what this will deliver for the county.  

Noted.

Monday 7th July 2025 at 10.00am.