Holding the executive to account

Part of the role of a County Councillor is to scrutinise the activities of the executive. This is carried out through 5 scrutiny committees which are comprised of members from all parties. In fact they perform much the same way that commons select committees do in Parliament. They are public meetings which you may attend. It is normal for the senior officer to be present together with the cabinet member. They are asked questions and pressed for detail.

Where an in depth review of a subject is required a member led review takes place. This is normally 3 or 4 members who carry out detailed scrutiny over a period of between  3 – 6 months. A report is written which would normally contain a number of recommendations for improvement. The report goes before cabinet who have to reply either accepting or rejecting the recommendations. Most recommendations are accepted and put in place by an agreed date.

The reports finally end up at full council.

Fen Ditton April parish report

Guided Busway

The County continue to hold the contractor BNL to its obligations under the design  and build contract for the guided busway. Unfortunately, this will result in a delay in bringing it into service.  The northern section is substantially complete bu t has six significant defects that the county require the contractor to put right before we accept it into service. If we accept it before the defects are sorted out the long term liability is likely to move to the county, which no one wants. A summary of the situation is as follows:

• Key defects need to be rectified
• CCC will not takeover until they are
• BNL are refusing that these items are defects effectively paralysing the process
• CCC can’t terminate the contract on this basis
• Need to continue seeking rectification of these issues

This is very frustrating and likely to end up in expensive legal action against the contractor but is necessary.

Potholes

I have been asked, by one parish, how priorities are set for repairing  potholes.

There are two main areas which are considered as part of an assessment of a pothole:

*         Firstly, its general location and size and whether it is in an urban or rural setting

*         Secondly, where it is on the carriage, i.e. on the edge or in a wheel track

These are placed through the prioritization system and then categorised as an emergency or 7 days etc. according to the counties policy.

Transport Innovation Fund

This fund has been scrapped. This means we lose the £500m promised but are now free of the threat of congestion charging which  has also been scrapped. A new fund which we may qualify for has been set up.

Cycle way now under construction

Test holes a have been dug last week and the first sod cut today.  Horningsea to A14 12 weeks.

A14 to existing footpath another 4 weeks. A crossing will be going in at the school and traffic lights on the off ramp on the A14.