Minutes:
We were joined by Mr Sutherland, a Woodside resident who was keen to be updated on traffic safety issues he had raised at previous Strong Communities Select Committee meetings.
Mr Sutherland criticized the minutes as he stated that although he was attending the meeting in a solo capacity he represented 19 houses in the Woodside area and wanted the minutes to reflect this in future.
He also claimed that the minutes inferred that he only had an interest in the Woodside area of the County and wanted it recorded that he has a countywide interest in road safety.
He felt that Brookside had two unique issues which he was keen to highlight. Firstly Mr Nixon, a disabled resident who faces extreme danger crossing the road outside his property along with Mrs Nixon his wife and carer who due to failing eyesight relies on hearing the cars and she is unable to see them anymore. Mr Sutherland asked that the Council to look at their obligations under the Equalities Act 2011 which picks up the Disabilities Discrimination Act of 1985 and all its implications.
Secondly in regard to Woodside Mr Sutherland was upset that the minutes referred to a funding issue when the council was aware of a generous offer of funding made at a previous meeting from a local resident.
Mr Sutherland also asked for an update on the task and finish group were made available and that if the council did not intend to respond to the generous offer made by the resident in terms of funding that he was made aware of this in writing before deciding what next steps to take.
The Chair confirmed that the task and finish group have met and are keen to push issues through as soon as possible and the minutes of the meeting will be made available. Although the issues are complex in setting the strategy, the group have made contact with other authorities within England and Wales for advice and insight of their strategies. The Chair also advised that the group would be looking at test cases and that Woodside may be used as an example.
In regard to funding the Head of Operations advised that he has been in the meeting when the resident had offered to fund an average speed system. After researching the systems and whether it would work in this instance it was felt by the officer that there may be challenges but if the funding could be offered in regard to broader schemes it is certainly something that the council could look at. It was felt that the Head of Operations needed to sit down with Mr Sutherland and the resident offering the funding to discuss options.
A question was asked about the flashing speed sign in Woodside which had been taken down County Councillor V. Smith confirmed that the sign was still absent.
Mr Sutherland summed up by saying that he could not prejudge what the resident’s view would be as to how that money should be spent. He reflected that this had been on the agenda for 4-6months and that it takes the constant attendance of one member of the public to actually get a meeting to take place and hoped that this would now happen within the next month.