Agenda item

(Officers from the Finance and the Environment and Economy Directorates will give a presentation and report on the budget proposals for 2017/18.  The comments of this Committee will be passed to the Executive for consideration at their meeting on 7 February 2017)

(Note: Councillors M G Allan, K J Clarke and A H Turner MBE left the meeting during this item)

The Committee received a report in connection with the budget proposals arising from the Provisional Local Government Settlement, announced on 15 December 2016 and its implications for Highways and Transport Services. The Committee's views were sought and their comments passed to the Executive meeting on 7 February 2017.

Comments by the Committee and the response of officers included the following:-

·    Was the additional funding of £3m awarded by the Department for Transport from the productivity fund to be spent in the financial year 2017/18? Officers explained how the additional funding would be spent and that, ideally, it should be spent in the financial year 2017/18.

·    Alternative street lights should only be switched off; people working shifts needed the street lights on; in some cases residents had been advised by the Police to lock their property because of the poor lighting; older versions of CCTV did not operate in the dark but newer versions used infra-red which was able to see in the dark; there had been an increase in burglaries and footpaths should be lit. The Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT stated that the cost of reinstating street lighting would be too expensive to undertake with the Council needing to save £100m in this financial year. He added that the Police had stated that there had not been increase in crime, that North Yorkshire and Worcestershire County Councils had already adopted a similar reduction in street lighting and crime had gone down.  He stated that the majority of areas in Lincolnshire did not have street lighting with street lighting provided where there was an night time economy and where there were high numbers of frail elderly people.

·    With regard to the proposal to reduce amenity grass cutting the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT reiterated his previous comments on the need for the Council to save £100m this financial year. The Council had communicated with local communities, including Parish Councils, about the proposals to reduce amenity grass cutting and that safety cuts would be carried out if required. The Committee welcomed the offer of 20% funding to Parish and Town Councils to continue with the amenity cuts on a self-service basis. 

·    Officers stated the Council would save £1.7m a year by reducing street lighting and that the Council would get back £35m from the Government for its 2017/18 net capital programme.

·    Officers asked Councillor R A Renshaw to let them have the details of a street light located on a playing field footpath which he raised at the meeting.

·         The reduction in gully emptying and drainage cleansing to less than one cycle per annum and emergencies was highlighted as an area of concern. There was concern about the impact on the public and the increased risk of localised flooding and complaints. Officers highlighted the impact would be minimal as the cleansing would be targeted to those areas that needed it more.

A motion by Councillor Mrs A M Newton that the Executive should be asked to reconsider the recommendation to reduce the Highway Asset Maintenance budget in connection with street lighting as detailed in the report, because of safety concerns, was not seconded and therefore was not carried. It was agreed to pass Councillor Mrs A M Newton's comments to the Executive on 7 February 2017.

RESOLVED

That the comments made by the Committee on the Revenue and Capital Budget proposals 2017/18 be passed to the Executive on 7 February 2017.