Agenda and draft minutes

To note any changes to the membership.  Councillor Iain Bott will replace Councillor Karen Scarborough at the meeting.

1.1      Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Louise Hyams and Karen Scarborough.  Councillor Gotz Mohindra replaced Councillor Hyams and Councillor Iain Bott replaced Councillor Scarborough.

1.2      The Chairman welcomed Councillors Paul Dimoldenberg and Jacqui Wilkinson who had recently been appointed as permanent Members of the Committee.  He also welcomed Councillors Bott and Mohindra.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.

2.1                  Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg declared in respect of the Baker Street Two Way Project agenda item that he lives on the corner of Marylebone Road and Lisson Grove.  He did not consider this to be a prejudicial interest that would require him to withdraw from the meeting for this item. Councillor Adnan Mohammed declared that he lives on the corner of Seymour Place and Crawford Street and Councillor Audrey Lewis declared that she lives on the corner of Upper Montague Street and York Street and also that for over a decade she had worked in Baker Street.

To sign the minutes (open) of the meeting held on Monday 13 April 2015.

3.1       RESOLVED: That the minutes (open) of the meeting held on Monday 13 April 2015 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record of proceedings.

Report of Executive Director Growth, Planning and Housing

4.1      The Committee considered a report on the Project.  The Committee had discussed at the April meeting that this item particularly lent itself to Members walking along the route to examine the impact of the proposals first hand.  This took place immediately prior to the meeting being held at the University of Westminster Campus in Marylebone Road.

4.2      The report was introduced by Graham King, Head of Strategic Transport Planning & Public Realm.  He had addressed the Committee in September 2014 on a two way traffic schemes report.  At that meeting he had agreed to keep the Committee informed of any progress regarding the Baker Street Two Way Scheme, including in the event of the commencement of the public consultation.  The Project was also included on the Committee’s Work Programme. A public consultation on the Project had now commenced on 28 May 2015 and would continue for a period of ten weeks until 31 July 2015.  Mr King advised that the ten week period of consultation was longer than was typically the case for public consultations due to the complexity of the Scheme and the degree of interest that it was expected to generate.  It was being jointly funded by private sources and Transport for London (‘TfL’).  He explained that the Council was the lead authority for the Project, working closely with TfL in respect of the Strategic Road Network (‘SRN’).  Matters to take into account included cycling initiatives, the operation of traffic signals and the operation of buses.  A TfL consultation on the bus services, laybys and frequencies was expected to begin in the very near future.

4.3      Mr King emphasised that this was a consultation exercise and a huge amount of technical analysis had been carried out by officers and consultants.  The acid test of the proposals was to put them before residents and businesses and to see what feedback would be received.  There was no prior determination on the City Council’s part with the consultation exercise forming a vital element.  Any matters raised would be taken back to the agencies responsible with a view to making changes to the Scheme according to the individual policies of the Council and TfL.

4.4      Mr King stated that another scheme due to be consulted upon was the Mayor’s proposal for Cycle Superhighway 11.  This exercise was due to take place later in the summer.  At one time it had been intended that this would go through Baker Street and Gloucester Place.  It was now proposed that it would enter Regents Park effectively from St John’s Wood, use the Outer Circle and exit at Portman Place.  He added that to date in respect of the Baker Street Two Way Project consultation over 130 responses had been received since 28 May and many more were expected.  Approximately 13,000 leaflets had been distributed by the Council in total.  Officers were anticipating that they would be liaising closely with the organisations acting as witnesses at the current meeting, St Marylebone Society, Marylebone  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Question and answer session with the Cabinet Member for City Management and the Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Parking.

Updates from the Cabinet Member for the Built Environment and the Cabinet Member for City Management – to follow

5.1       The Committee received written updates from the Cabinet Member for the Built Environment, the Cabinet Member for City Management and the Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Parking on significant matters within their portfolios.  

5.2       The Chairman welcomed Councillor Heather Acton, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Parking and Councillor Richard Beddoe, Cabinet Member for City Management to the meeting.  The Committee initially put questions to and received responses from Councillor Acton on the following matters that were relevant to the Sustainability and Parking portfolio:     

5.3      Sustainability - Councillor Wilkinson asked Councillor Acton what she perceived to be the biggest issues in terms of promoting sustainability.  She replied that the biggest issue was air quality.  There was also modal shift from motorised vehicles to cycling and walking.  This was linked to the parking aspect of her portfolio.  Other major issues were energy and biodiversity.           

5.4      Junction of Horseferry Road and Millbank - Councillor Dimoldenberg asked if there was an update on a suggested scheme to improve the junction of Horseferry Road and Millbank following the death of a cyclist in the vicinity.  This had been referred to at the previous meeting of the Committee in April.  Councillor Acton advised that she had written to TfL, offering to work with them to make the junction safer but as yet had not received a reply.  She confirmed to Councillor Dimoldenberg that her letter had been copied to the Mayor.  She would be writing again to TfL and Martin Low, City Transport Advisor, would again be contacting them in order to progress this matter.

5.5      Vehicle Idling – Councillor Williams enquired whether any fixed penalty notices had been issued by Marshals in relation to stationary vehicles parked by the roadside with their engines idling.  The formal enforcement of the idling legislation had commenced on 1 June 2015.  Councillor Acton stated that none had been issued to date.  Only two motorists so far had not responded on the occasions Marshals had requested drivers to switch off their engines when their vehicles were stationary.  Councillor Acton provided Members with the leaflets informing motorists of the benefits of not leaving their engines running in these circumstances.

5.6      Operation Neon – Councillor Crockett wished to be advised where the hotspots were where the multi-agency, high visibility enforcement operations were taking place to deter illegal cab activity.  Did these include Dover Street or close to the Royal Opera House where he believed there were particular issues?  Councillor Acton confirmed that Dover Street, Langham Street and Berkeley Street were included as locations where enforcement operations had taken place.  Operation Neon had proven to be a success so far and further operations would be planned throughout the year.  She did not believe that Floral Street where the Royal Opera House is situated had been included as one of the locations and she would investigate adding it to the list.

5.7      Pedicabs - Councillor Thomson asked whether Operation Neon could be extended to pedicabs.  The Cabinet Member replied that the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Committee to consider whether it wishes to issue any press releases in relation to its work

6.1      The Committee decided not to produce a press release in relation to the items on the agenda at this time.

Report of the Scrutiny Manager.

7.1      It was agreed that an update on the Baker Street Two Way Project would be scheduled in the Work Programme for the Committee meeting on 9 November 2015.  It was noted that Councillor Williams had requested at the previous meeting of the Committee that Members consider a follow-up item on air quality (following the agenda item in March 2015).  This would be provisionally scheduled for the next meeting of the Committee on 8 September 2015.

7.2      The Chairman made the point that the external meeting had been well attended and it had been helpful in terms of Members undertaking the guided walking tour prior to the meeting and being able to examine the proposals in the Baker Street locality itself.  There was the opportunity to visit other specific Westminster locations when applicable to the items on the agenda and potentially hold meetings externally rather than at City Hall. 

7.3      RESOLVED: That the Work Programme be updated as set out in paragraph 7.1.

8.1      There was no additional business for the Committee to consider.

To sign the confidential minutes of the meeting held on Monday 13 April 2015.

9.1       RESOLVED: That the confidential minutes of the meeting held on Monday 13 April 2015 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record of proceedings.