Agenda and minutes

The minutes of the meeting held on 2 July 2021 were approved.

To select appropriate items from the Cabinet agenda for pre-decision scrutiny (reports enclosed for Scrutiny Members)

The Committee scrutinised the following Cabinet Board items:

Welsh Government proposed 20mph default speed limit across Wales

Members were advised of the current position regarding the Welsh Government proposed 20mph default speed limit for Wales.

A discussion took place regarding the financial impacts of this scheme; it was asked if Officers will be lobbying for increased funding for speed cushions and physical restrictions that will slow motorists down, as it was recognised that there was not enough resources within the Police to enforce this across the whole of the County Borough. 

Officers explained that the intention from the blanket order was that hard engineering measures weren’t planned as part of the wider default 20mph limit; and to move away from the extensive number of speed cushions that would be required as part of this scheme, due to the costs that Local Authorities would be facing across the whole of Wales. It was added that there could be money available for entry features into communities, forewarning people that they were entering a built up area from a strategic route.

Members were informed that Welsh Government were undertaking pilots across eight Local Authorities; Neath Port Talbot was included in this pilot, with specific reference to the Cilfrew community.

It was confirmed that Officers had been raising the issue of funding with Welsh Government, and the circulated report set out a number of areas which were in discussion including undertaking a review of their maps.

The Committee noted that there would be significant costs in terms of the quantum of signage that may be required, and any changes to the legislative orders. An example of a change in legislative order would include if the Council decided that some of the main roads or strategic routes, where bus services running, would be best kept at 30mph; the Council would have to advertise to request that the road becomes 30mph, as in the proposals from Welsh Government, all roads will be defaulted to 20mph.

The circulated report stated that the financial impacts were currently unknown, and it was confirmed this was due to this being such an extensive piece of work; Officers were lobbying Welsh Government, and were being assured that funding will be available. It was mentioned that there would be significant work in terms of supporting the roads that were felt should be maintained at 30mph.

Officers explained that there was a meeting scheduled with the Deputy Minister, Leaders of Councils across Wales and relevant Cabinet Members; at this meeting, all concerns will be raised, particularly the financial implications of this scheme.

It was noted that an All Member Seminar had been arranged for Monday 27 September 2021 to brief Members on the Welsh Government proposed 20mph default speed limit across Wales. Officers were also going to be providing Members with a draft to the Welsh Government consultation that had been prepared from an Authority perspective; Members were asked to review this document before the Seminar. It was added that a lot of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Members noted the Streetscene and Engineering Scrutiny Forward Work Programme for 2021/22.

It was stated that the Streetscene and Engineering Scrutiny Forward Work Programme Workshop was scheduled for 14 October 2021.