Minutes of North Area Panel 20 September 2006

NORTH AREA PANEL


Meeting held 20th September, 2006
at Dungworth Village Hall, Dungworth

PRESENT:		Councillors Trevor Bagshaw (Chair), David Baker, Kathleen Chadwick, Alan Hooper and Vickie Priestley.

		Representatives of Panel Partners
		Councillor Jack Clarkson	-	Stocksbridge Town Council
		Councillor Mike Bancroft	-	Bradfield Parish Council
		Elise Gilwhite	-	Sheffield West Primary Care Trust
		Councillor Lynette Jackson	-	Bradfield Parish Council
		Councillor Arthur Dunworth	-	Sheffield City Council
		Ruth Labetz		Bradfield Parish Council

		City Council Officers:-
		Anne Blantern	-	Area Co-ordinator
		John Charlton	-	Lead Manager, North Area and Director of Street Force
		Matthew Rush	-	Area Action Officer
		David Hill	-	Street Force
		Paul Pitts	-	Street Force
		Jason Dietsch	-	Committee Secretariat

		Approximately 16 members of the public, including representatives of Panel Partners, attended the meeting.

…………………..

1.	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
	Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Patricia Fox and Graham Oxley.

2.	PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
	A member of the public asked a question in relation to highways and this was deferred until later in the agenda, when rural highways would be considered.

3.	RURAL HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE UPDATE
	Officers from Street Force gave a presentation in relation to highway maintenance in Sheffield. David Hill, Network Manager and Paul Pitts, Assistant Head of Highway Operations.
	In relation to adopted highway, the aim of the Council was to maintain and carry out repairs to roads, footpaths, highway drainage systems, street markings and street furniture and to make sure that people and vehicles could move freely and safely. This was done by a combination of routine maintenance, emergency work and programmed maintenance.

	Routine Maintenance and Emergency Works
	Routine maintenance and emergency works were carried out to make sure that roads and footpaths were kept in a safe condition. Roads and footpaths were inspected monthly, six monthly or annually depending upon their location and how busy they were. Defects more than 40mm deep would be made safe within 24 hours and other defects, more than 20mm deep, should be repaired within 20 days. The budget for routine and reactive maintenance was currently £1.78m, £1.3m of which was allocated for roads and footways. This equated to £395 per kilometre of highway and approximately £162 per kilometre of footway each year. The remaining budget was spent on emergency works and minor repairs to fences and verges.

	Programmed Maintenance
	This type of maintenance was where all or part of the surface of a road or footpath was renewed and approximately 2% of the highway network was resurfaced. The budget for the City was £3.5m distributed between the various categories of roads and footpaths.
	Roads or footpaths in the poorest condition were chosen for renewal or resurfacing. The two main reasons for undertaking work were that the surface had become polished or slippery and needed a new surface to prevent vehicles from skidding and that the road or footpath had deteriorated to such an extent that there were a large number of defects and it was unsafe to walk or drive on. Different types of treatments were used depending on the type of problem. These might range from surface treatments, where the surface of the highway was beginning to wear away, or reconstruction, where the whole road or footway construction had failed and needed replacing.
	The criteria for selecting roads for resurfacing treatment were outlined and the criteria for prioritising sites which would be treated were given.
	A summary of works completed in the last year or proposed for the forthcoming year in relation to carriageway surfacing and footway surfacing was outlined.

	Highway Drainage
	In relation to routine cleaning, the Panel were informed that the aim was to attend and clear all gullies at least once each year and that certain locations known to be liable to flooding were cleaned more frequently, usually every three months. Where individual problems of blocked gullies were reported, the aim was to attend and clear those within four weeks.
	A number of locations were considered for drainage improvement works particularly where flooding was affecting property; when there was a risk of water flowing onto the highway and freezing during winter; and when the flooding regularly resulted in closure of the road. Over the last year, 18 sites were improved and 86,000 gullies cleaned.
	A summary of works completed in the last year or proposed for the forthcoming year in relation to drainage improvements was given which included Green Street, St. Margaret’s Avenue, Townend Lane, St. Helen’s Road, Newhall Lane and Manchester Road (outside Methodist Church and outside Corus Steelworks).

	Street Lighting
	The City Council maintained over 67,000 street lights. If one or two lights on a street were not working then, following a report of a fault,the street light would be checked usually within a couple of days to ensure there was live electricity supply and the fuse light and photocell were working and these are replaced if faulty. 75% to 80% of faults were repaired at the stage of the first visit.
	If three or more street lights on a street were out then these were checked within 24 hours. If the fault was an electricity supply problem, the supplier would be asked to attend with an initial response within 24 hours. Faults on underground cables could take up to six weeks to repair. Overall, 70% of faults were cleared within five working days.
	John Charlton, Director of Street Force, stated that Private Finance Initiative (PFI) bids had been submitted to the Government and were currently at the stage of an expression of interest for street lighting, which, if successful, would commence in 2008 and for highways the results of the bid for which would be known in December/January. The highways bid totalled £300m.
	John Charlton stated that the above presentation showed what was currently possible in relation to rural highways to ensure they were fit for purpose and took account of other needs, including conservation issues such as ensuring that activities such as grass cutting had a minimal effect on nesting birds.
	Members of the public and the Panel asked questions in relation to the presentation.

	Q. A member of the public presented a list of highways of concern and particularly the junction of More Hall Lane and Manchester Road and Councillor Jack Clarkson, Stocksbridge Town Council, found that several complaints had been received in relation to this junction, which was considered dangerous due to the restricted sightline on the approach to the junction.

	A. Councillor Trevor Bagshaw stated that there was a distinction between the role of Street Force and that of the City Council’s Highways Officers and it was confirmed that these concerns would be passed onto relevant officers.

	The questioner expressed thanks to Street Force for their work as a whole.

	Q. A member of the public expressed concern at the number of potholes on highways and that waste extracted from gully cleaning was not removed.

	Q. The questioner informed the Panel that equipment had been left from works undertaken on Rails Road.

	Q. Why was Nether Gate was being surfaced for a second time?

	A. Paul Pitts stated that in relation to the resurfacing work at Nether Gate, the binding had failed when the road was resurfaced and the contractor had been requested to remedy work which was taking place, at no additional cost to the Council.

	Q. Councillor Jack Clarkson, Stocksbridge Town Council, requested that, in the list of priorities presented as part of the presentation, a distinction be made as to works that had been completed and those proposed. He also requested a breakdown of money spent in the north area relating to highways and, in particular, the proportion of this spent in Stocksbridge.

	A. John Charlton stated that highway maintenance was considered in relation to standards, rather than levels of expenditure. If the Private Finance Initiative were to be successful then works would be undertaken on the basis of a planned programme. All works were carried out in the context of budget.

	The Chair, Councillor Trevor Bagshaw, requested that the future year’s planned maintenance programme be made available to members of the Panel.

	A. Paul Pitts responded that there was a three year rolling programme of maintenance works, although this was subject to change to account for emergency works.

	Q. Councillor Mike Bancroft, Bradfield Parish Council, expressed concern that excess water on highways such as Kirk Edge Road had damaged the surface of the highway and although this road had been resurfaced it was still subject to damage by buses.

	Q. A member of the public commented that Riggs High Road was eroding at the edges to a greater extent each year. He also commented street lighting in Bradfield had been out for approximately one month.

	Q. A member of the public commented that, in relation to gully cleaning, material cleaned from the gully was removed onto the banks/verges and they also pointed to the height of hedges.

	A. In response, John Charlton stated that the Council was aware of a backlog of works required due to limited resources, the majority of which came from central Government. The application for funding through the PFI was considered an alternative method of increasing the level of resources although the outcome of the PFI bid had not been confirmed.

	The primary issue in relation to street lighting was the structural integrity of existing lighting columns and it might be that street lighting was inefficient and contributed to light pollution, including backlight, on surrounding properties.
	Councillor Arthur Dunworth expressed concern at the length of time it would take to complete works to street lighting and highways if the bid for PFI resources was in fact successful and felt that it would be some time before other, for example, rural areas benefited from improvement. In response, John Charlton stated that construction and improvement works would need to be spread around the City to enable traffic flow. It had been estimated that it would take five years to address the backlog in relation to street lighting and seven years in relation to highways. He assured members of the Panel and public that each Area Panel area would receive their share of such improvement work.
	It was agreed to note the presentations now received together with the comments thereon and request that information in relation to current local schemes relating to highway maintenance be made available to the public.

4.	UPDATE ON MIDDLEWOOD POLYCLINIC AND CHANGES TO THE SHEFFIELD WEST PRIMARY CARE TRUST
	Elise Gilwhite, Sheffield West Primary Care Trust, gave a presentation to the Panel in relation to the services that the Middlewood Polyclinic could offer the community, public health and the future of Sheffield Primary Care Trust.

	Middlewood Polyclinic
	Elise Gilwhite stated that the Polyclinic hosted a number of different services including consulting rooms, theatres for simple surgery and endoscopy and a recovery suite. The Polyclinic officially opened in September, 2005, primarily for residents in the west of Sheffield. The Polyclinic currently offered Sheffield Macmillan lymphoedema service, mental health team and chronic fatigue syndrome and ME (myalgic encephalopathy) service for South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire. An orthopaedic screening service would shortly be in place. There were also plans for an NHS dental surgery in 2007. The new Sheffield Primary Care Trusts would be working with secondary care to determine what services were needed at the Polyclinic following consultation with local residents and, in addition, the Winn Gardens project was working with the estate.

	Sheffield Primary Care Trusts
	The four primary Care Trusts would merge to one in October, 2006 and the boundaries for the new PCT would align with those of Sheffield City Council.
	The new Chief Executive of the Yorkshire and Humber Strategic Health Authority was Margaret Edwards and this had been established on 1st July, 2006. The new Chief Executive of the Sheffield Primary Care Trust was Jan Sobieraj. Sheffield West Primary Care Trust had been the lead for a number of health matters, including for coronary heart disease, learning and physical disabilities and smoking cessation. These functions, together with those of the other Primary Care Trusts in the City would merge and the process would take until approximately summer 2007.

	Public Health in Sheffield
	The Health Communities objective in relation to public health was to reduce health inequalities by 10% by 2010 thereby increasing life expectancy for men to 78.6 years and women to 82.5 years.
	Objectives for public health in the new Primary Care Trust related to food and nutrition, physical activity and obesity, CHD and diabetes. Other objectives related to tobacco control, sexual health, substance and alcohol misuse, cancer, provision for older people and mortality rates from heart disease, strokes and cancers which had fallen faster than those for the national average. There were also targeted enhanced public health programmes which would continue to be locally based.
	, 60; In Stocksbridge and Deepcar there would be continued Primary Care Trust input into these and surrounding areas. The Primary Care Trust would work with partners on resubmitting a bid to the Big Lottery Fund for the Active Stocksbridge programme.
	A bid would also be made through the reaching communities initiative to bring real and long term improvements to the lives of people and involve them in the design and delivery of the project.
	A health needs assessment of Stocksbridge and High Green was currently taking place and there would be continued PCT input into Stocksbridge Community Health Forum and Stocksbridge Community Care Group.
	A number of questions and issues were raised in relation to the presentation, as follows:

	· Issues of access to the Polyclinic based in Middlewood, particularly for people travelling from the rural areas and places such as High Green.

	· Whether local GPs referred patients to the clinic.

	· Provision for children’s services at the Polyclinic.

	· Whether all services, such as the provision of batteries for hearing aids, had to be provided at the clinic.

	In response to some of the issues raised, the Panel and public were informed that referrals were made to the Clinic for orthopaedic services, minor surgery and primary care. GPs surgeries did not have to provide all services. It was unclear whether the Polyclinic would be able to offer specialist children’s services. Blood tests would also be made available and the Fairlawns Polyclinic.
	It was agreed to note presentation now made, together with comments thereon.

5.	PARISH COUNCIL MATTERS
	Councillor Alan Hooper informed the Panel of the success of rural areas in Sheffield in the Yorkshire in Bloom competition. The results of the competition for the north area were as follows:

	Small Village Category: Bolsterstone (Silver), Bradfield (Bronze)
	Large Village Category: Grenoside (Silver), Oughtibridge (Silver Gilt)
	Urban Category: Stannington (Silver)
	Small Town: Chapeltown (Achievement) and Stocksbridge (Silver).

	It was also reported that Bolsterstone had won the Yorkshire Water Environmental Awareness Award. The Chair, Councillor Trevor Bagshaw, expressed thanks to all those involved in the success of the north area in relation to the In Bloom Competition. John Charlton added that early in November, a meeting would be held in relation to new groups wishing to participate in Yorkshire in Bloom. He stated that 21 awards had been achieved across the City and it was intended to enter Yorkshire in Bloom as a large city again in 2007. He expressed thanks to everyone in the community who became involved with the initiative.

6.	MINUTES
	The minutes of the meeting held on 19th July, 2006 were agreed as a true record and arising therefrom it was reported that the “No Right Hand Turn” sign in Chapeltown in the vicinity of the Asda Store referred to at the previous meeting had been cleared of obstruction.

7.	DATE OF NEXT MEETING
	It was noted that the next meeting of the Area Panel would be held on Wednesday, 18th October, 2006 at 2.00 p.m. at Stocksbridge High School, Stocksbridge.

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