To receive any apologies for absence.

An apology for absence was received from Councillor Sullivan.

Members are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or personal and prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests relating to items on this agenda and/or indicate if S106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.   

There were no declarations of interests.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chair decides should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business for the Committee to consider.

To determine any items on the agenda, if any, where the public are to be excluded from the meeting.

There were no private or confidential items for the Committee to consider.

The Chair advised that there were no representatives from Greater Manchester Police in attendance at the meeting. However Members of the Committee had a number of issues that they wished to bring to the attention of the Police:

a.            The Police’s continued presence at Rochdale Township meetings be requested to discuss with members strategic policing issues that affect the Township as a whole. The Leader of the Council advised that he was due to meet Greater Manchester Police’s regional commander, Chief Superintendent Evans, within a few days of this Township Committee meeting, and he undertook to raise the Township’s concerns at the Police’s recent attendance record with him at that meeting. 

b.            Members of the Township Committee expressed their concern at the high levels of car crime across the Township and were further concerned that the Police did not appear to be treating this with the seriousness they felt it warranted, unless the act of criminality resulted in an injury.

Decision:

(1) Representatives of Greater Manchester Police continue to be requested to attend future meetings of Rochdale Township Committee;

            (2) Greater Manchester Police be advised of the Township Committee’s concerns at the high levels of vehicle related crime and the Police’s perceived response to these crimes.

There were no issues raised in the Committee’s Open Forum session.

To consider the minutes of the Rochdale Township Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 6^th December 2017

Decision:

That the minutes of the meeting of Rochdale Township Committee, held 6^th December 2017, be approved as a correct record.

To note the minutes of the Rochdale Township Action & Resources Sub-Committee meeting held on 11^th January 2018.

Decision:

That the minutes of the meeting of Rochdale Township Action and Resources Sub-Committee held, 11^th January 2018, be noted.

The Township Committee considered a report of the Director of Neighbourhoods, the purpose of which was to afford Members the opportunity to consider the 2018 - 2020 highways and structures capital programme, insofar as it affected Rochdale Township.

The Committee expressed their concerns at the way in which the highways maintenance contract across the Borough was being managed by Balfour Beatty, the contractor undertaking highways maintenance work on behalf of the Council. It was suggested that the Communities, Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to establish a scrutiny study group to examine this matter in more detail and, if necessary, make appropriate recommendations to the Cabinet thereon.

Alternatives considered:

The alternative to carrying out this programme would to maintain the assets (as detailed in the submitted report) on a ‘worst first’ basis. This approach was considered to be more expensive than carrying out preventative maintenance and was deemed, by the Department for Transport, as being inefficient and as such could lead to Rochdale Borough Council getting a reduction in funding from the Department for Transport.

Decision:

1.    The Committee approves the 2018 - 2020 Highways and Structures Capital Programme insofar as it affects the area covered by Rochdale Township.

2.    Where events that arise which are external to the Council and require a rapid response, or agreement in principle, the Township Committee authorises the Council’s Head of Highways to vary the programme, insofar as it affects the area covered by the Rochdale Township, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Housing and the Chair of Rochdale Township Committee.

3.    The Communities, Regeneration and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to establish a scrutiny study group to examine the operation of the Highways Maintenance Contract for the Rochdale Borough, especially in relation to the performance of Balfour Beatty Limited and, if necessary, make appropriate recommendations to the Cabinet thereon.

Reason for the decisions:

The programme which was detailed in the submitted report was put together based on network condition data, engineer site visits and guidance issued by the Department for Transport. The programme aimed to maximise the improvement to the network by carrying out the most efficient and cost effective engineering works to the asset. The programme had been produced to ensure maximum efficiency and cost benefit which should satisfy the relevant element of the Department for Transport’s self-assessment questionnaire which would enable Rochdale Borough Council to receive the maximum budget allocation available from the Department for Transport.

Eligible for Call-in: No.