Issue - items at meetings - WRITTEN QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILLORS

(copy attached).

58.1               The Cabinet Member reported that two written questions had been received and that both were from Councillor Davis.

58.2               Councillor Davis asked the following question:

“I understand residents have been advised that the Council has a statutory obligation to investigate the legal status of Cambridge Grove if asked, could the Cabinet member acknowledge that Cambridge Grove (off The Drive) is a public unrestricted thoroughfare.”

58.3               The Cabinet Member gave the following response:

“Officers have checked the records held by the Council and I can confirm that Cambridge Grove is not a public highway maintainable at the Council’s expense. There is also no record of the road being subject to public rights of way of any kind, therefore I have to conclude that Cambridge Grove is a private road.”

58.4               Councillor Davis asked the following supplementary question:

“Residents will be very disappointed to hear your conclusion; are you prepared to look into it further?”

58.5               The Cabinet Member gave the following response:

“I would have thought that home owners would have been informed by their solicitor about the situation when they bought their house. Unfortunately it is a private road.”

58.6               At the Cabinet Member’s request, the Lawyer to the meeting further explained that the council would be willing to consider the matter further if residents submitted evidence of usage of the road over a number of years. She also suggested that an explanation of why the road was deemed to be private be provided to residents to assist their understanding.

58.7               Councillor Davis asked the following question:

“Could Goldsmid Ward be prioritised for funding for a 20mph zone once the transport budget is known?”

58.8               The Cabinet Member gave the following response:

“The priority for implementation of any measures will be strongly linked to road safety, including collision data and existing traffic speed. The City-wide Speed Limit Review will divide the City into clusters to be identified and assessed in terms of key influences, including factors such as schools, colleges, medical, community, retail etc. It is unlikely that the cluster areas will follow ward boundaries. I would also add that subject to funding, any proposal for 20mph limits/zones may be included within the future Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3). There will be an opportunity for residents to express their views on this through the forthcoming LTP3 survey.”

58.9               Councillor Davis asked the following supplementary question:

“Can you give me an assurance that Goldsmid will be prioritized?”

58.10          The Cabinet Member gave the following response:

“It would be very difficult to prioritise one ward over others, as all councillors will want their ward to be prioritised. Also, the cluster areas won’t necessarily be confined to individual wards so that would make prioritization by ward difficult.”