Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest made.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting dated 06 April 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting dated 11 May 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

It was confirmed that all items on the agenda were marked as Part 1 and would therefore be heard in public.

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the item noting that the Committee was coming to the closing stages of its major review into attaining best practice and value for the Council’s Highways Resurfacing Programme. The bulk of the review had consisted of witness sessions with stakeholders including contractors and internal officers, and a site visit to observe a reactive maintenance road repair. The Committee were invited to discuss their findings from the review and to finalise the recommendations arising that would be taken forward to Cabinet through the Committee’s final report, which would be due to come to a Select Committee meeting in the coming months. It was also noted that this item had been deferred from the Committee’s previous meeting as Councillors Chapman and Money were unable to attend the previous meeting, and as key Members of the Committee throughout the review, it was felt that their presence would be beneficial to putting together the Committee’s findings.

The Committee’s attention was drawn to page 11 of agenda pack A where a list of initial areas for potential recommendations arising from the review based on the Committee’s discussions and debate throughout had been appended to the report. The Committee were asked whether they were in agreement that the listed ideas should be taken forward into their final report top Cabinet. Members were generally in agreement that the ideas listed should be taken forward as recommendations and particular attention was given to proposed recommendation regarding engagement and communication with residents and ward councillors.

The Chairman highlighted the good work that had gone into the review so far however noted that the report should mention the Committee’s disappointment that the Council’s Rhino Patch reactive roadway maintenance machines had come to the end of their working life, with just one machine in a usable state, which was to be replaced as replacement parts for the machine were no longer being manufactured leading to the machine’s impending obsolescence. The Corporate Director for Place confirmed that replacement technologies had been explored by officers and Cabinet Member agreement had been obtained to purchase replacement reactive maintenance roadway resurfacing machines. The Committee expressed an interest in receiving information on the newly purchased resurfacing technologies with the prospect of organising a site visit to observe the new machines. Officers confirmed that the new machines were expected to be delivered in July, and that operatives would be commencing training throughout August and September, it was suggested that the Committee’s site visit could be scheduled for September or October 2023.

The Committee took the opportunity to query whether some of the new resurfacing materials discussed throughout the review had gone into regular use following trials within the Borough. Officers confirmed that the new resurfacing materials, including Warm Mixed Asphalt, had been trialled in a small number of locations throughout the Borough, and officers were currently monitoring the performance of the roadways before expanding implementation of the new product.

With regard to the resurfacing of footways, the Committee sought some additional information  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Perry Scott, the Corporate Director for Place, was present for this item and gave the Committee an overview of the two Hayes Estate Regeneration Projects, the Hayes Town Centre Estate and Avondale Drive Estate, so far and an update on the project’s progress. The Committee were informed about the extensive amount of resident engagement that took place prior to the development regarding what challenges there were on the estates and what the objectives of the new developments should be. A high level brief was drawn up and a ballot took place asking residents if they would like the Council to go ahead and regenerate the estates, the results of which were overwhelmingly positive. The Council was now in a place where there was a construction partner on board with the project, Higgins, who had started work in September 2022 with final delivery of the homes expected to be summer 2025.

Members were encouraged to see the high levels of resident engagement with the schemes and the positive feedback received, it was noted how important this project was in terms of the Council’s offer of high-quality social housing stock in the Borough. The Committee sought information regarding the transition process for residents in terms of moving out of the estate during construction and moving back once the units were finished. Officers informed the Committee that there multiple phases to what was called the ‘decanting’ process and officers liaised with each family on the estate to take up alternative properties across the Borough where they have the right to either return to the regenerated Hayes Town estates once the project had completed or to stay in their alternative accommodation. This had resulted in a good mix of those who sought to return to the newly built estates and those who were happy with their alternative accommodation.

The Committee queried what key performance indicators had been given to the chosen contractor, Higgins, with regard to utilising and supporting local workers and businesses. Members were informed that the Council had a whole raft of performance indicators and service level agreements within the contract with Higgins that held them to account regarding where their supply chains are, the number of jobs they create and their use of apprenticeship schemes; a significant facet of the key performance indicators related to social value.

More information was sought with regard to the strategic partnership between the Council and Higgins to which officers explained that there was a direct contract with Higgins to deliver the two Hayes Estate regeneration projects; secondly, there was a strategic partnership contract with Higgins enabling the Council to identify additional prospective regeneration schemes in the future and under the same contract. This could circumvent for future regeneration projects, what was a lengthy and expensive process in getting a partner on board. Equally, it was noted that the Council was not obliged to proceed with Higgins should any further projects be identified, this gave the Council a degree of flexibility.

Members queried to what extent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

The Chairman introduced the Cabinet Forward Plan and discussed the Committee’s interest in the Civic Centre Transformation Project which would be noted further within the Committee’s own work programme.

Members noted the Electric Vehicle Strategy item and discussed the consultation process that could have taken place beyond the draft strategy which came to the Committee in April 2023. The Committee noted that there was now an annual Electric Vehicle Infrastructure report which was scheduled to come to the Select Committee in early 2024, where the Committee could probe officers on the consultation process.

RESOLVED: That the Property, Highways and Transport Select Committee noted the Cabinet Forward Plan.

The Chairman introduced the item noting that the draft report for the Committee’s major review into Highways Resurfacing was due to come to a forthcoming meeting. It was also noted that the Committee may be interested in conducting a site visit to see the progress made on the Yiewsley and West Drayton Leisure Centre; the Committee were due to receive an update on this project at the following meeting and would discuss the prospect of a site visit then.

With regard to the Civic Centre Transformation Project Update, the Committee queried when would be the ideal time to hear this item; it was confirmed that discussions with officers would take place to ascertain the most appropriate time for this report to come to the Committee. Members also sought to bring forward the topic selection of their next major review to the July meeting.

RESOLVED: That the Property, Highways and Transport Select Committee noted the Committee Work Programme.