West Herts Liberal Democrats - Working for Hertfordshire, for Britain and for You!

At the Hertfordhire County Council Meeting on the 16th July, 2019, Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who represents Central Watford & Oxhey and is the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Herts County Council submitted the following written question to Cllr Bibby, the Executive Member for Highways and the Environment:

"Given the expected and continued high growth of EV (electric vehicles) there is recognition that highway authorities should facilitate the infrastructure and charging platforms required for these. The Mayor of London has an EV infrastructure delivery plan. Given the above will the Executive Member now consider and bring forward to a future panel meeting a report on how the county, as the Highway Authority, can assist and enable, especially in new developments, on-road highways charging points and plan a futureproofed sustainable environment in conjunction with the districts and boroughs?"

Cllr Bibby replied:

"A strategy to help guide the County Council and the District and Boroughs is in development and has been supported by several round table officer discussions with the Districts and Boroughs to help shape the work. I will bring a report to a future Panel advising how we will support a sustainable collaborative approach to on-road EV charging.
The work is seeking to:

1. Review the trends and a range of forecast for uptake, vehicle sales, new models coming onto the market by vehicle type
2. Review of where the market is heading in the short, medium and long term - future charge point technologies (types, charging rates, layouts/formats etc), charging locations (identify if there is a push by the large providers to develop dedicated charging stations) and availability/accessibility of charge facilities for residents - Hertfordshire and adjacent area specific - national overview
3. Review how local authorities can manage risk associated with installation, operation and maintenance of on-street and off-street charging equipment. How can local authorities protect themselves against rapidly evolving EV charging technology and not be left with responsibility to remove/uninstall outdated technology.
4. Identify (based on readily available data) an approximate proportion of residents reliant on on-street parking in Hertfordshire (as granular as possible)
5. Develop local uptake forecast rates by vehicle type/locations, including existing requests
6. Recommendations on how to promote/facilitate EV uptake amongst those reliant on on-street parking
7. Review how a model based on centralised rapid charging hubs including destination charging, similar to the current 'filling station' model, might meet the long-term charging needs of Hertfordshire.

This will need to consider the impact of any new charging infrastructure on the capacity of electricity network.

Outcome - from this work/evidence we want to present options and a preferred scenarios to define our position for on-street charging infrastructure and form the basis to identify our role to overcome the barriers to EV adoption in the county. There is an option to take it to a Member Advisory Group in advance of Panel after the commissioned work is complete and provides an evidence base."

At the Hertfordshire County Council Meeting on 16th July 2019, County Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who represents Central Watford & Oxhey and is the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Herts County Council proposed a motion calling on HCC to review its use of surface dressing as highway maintenance for urban roads.

At the end of May 2019, North Herts Liberal Democrat councillors agreed an administrative arrangement with the Labour Party to run North Herts District Council over the succeeding twelve months.

This arrangement will allow them to pursue the agenda they campaigned on during the 2019 District Council Elections and deliver positive changes for residents.

At the Hertfordshire County Council Meeting on 16th July County Councillor, Steve Jarvis, who represents Royston West & Rural - and is also the North Herts District Councillor for Weston & Sandon - proposed a motion calling on HCC to bring forward proposals to manage highway maintenance in ways that improve bio-diversity.

His motion was seconded by County Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who represents Central Watford & Oxhey and is the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Herts County Council.

The Liberal Democrat Group on Herts County Council is active in leading on matters of general concern as well as specific local problems.

At the Meeting of 16th July they were able to ensure that the delays and uncertainty regarding the Authority's funding for 2020/21 were debated. But preparation is usually the key to success and by engaging constructively in dialogue with the Conservative Majority Group beforehand the two parties were able to agree a motion which both could support.

A jointly supported motion focussing in a dispassionate way on the real problems and dangers for the delivery of services to the people of Hertfordshire always carries more weight with Whitehall than a one-sided political protest.

The following motion proposed by Cllr Paul Zukowskyj and duly seconded by Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who accepted an amendment by Cllrs Ralph Sangster and David Williams, and the amended motion as set out below was CARRIED:

"Hertfordshire County Council notes that:

a) The Financial Outlook Report, presented to all cabinet panels, sets out the challenging financial position that the Council faces due to continuing uncertainty about the future level and sources of funding for services for the people of Hertfordshire at a time when demographic change is increasing demand for these services

b) The scope for further savings without seriously impacting services provided to the people of Hertfordshire is limited

c) The uncertainty about future funding caused by the delay in the government's spending review and fair funding review, a lack of clarity about the future allowed level of council tax rises and a continued failure to publish the Adult Social Care Green Paper is adversely impacting the Council's budget

This Council welcomes the decision at Resources & Performance Cabinet Panel that the Chairman of the Panel write to all Hertfordshire MPs setting out these concerns and challenges, and believes all means possible should be taken to bring these issues to the attention of Government.

The Council therefore requests that the Leader of the Council in his new role as Chairman of the County Councils Network ensures that the CCN's advocacy, including meeting with Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ministers, reflects the Council's concerns over the challenges this Council faces in delivering adequate services with the current level of funding and also explains how the ongoing uncertainty over local government funding is causing even more difficulty in the budget setting process.

This Council believes that the vital services delivered by local government should be properly resourced by a combination of locally and nationally raised funds, with clarity on funding levels set on a rolling basis over a four-year period."

At the Herts County Council Meeting on 16th July, Mr S Czarnawski-Iliev, a member of the public and a resident of Royston, asked Cllr T Douris, Executive Member for Education, Libraries and Localism the following question:

"Would the Councillor lend his support in principle to the provision of a safe pedestrian/cycle route to enable Royston teenagers to have safe, cheap and independent transport for accessing education, leisure, parttime employment, friends, family and all the things that make up normal life, but might happen to be a mile or two over the county border?"

Cllr Douris replied:

"Thank you for your question which I note is similar in vein to that asked by Mr Nash to my colleague Councillor Derrick Ashley. I am also aware of questions posed by Mr Meadows and Mr Taylor at the November 2018 Council meeting.

"From an educational perspective, we would always encourage pupils of all ages to walk or cycle to school, where it is safe for them to do so. Indeed, we regularly review opportunities to create or enhance safe routes to schools within Hertfordshire recognising the health, environmental and financial benefits of walking and cycling in keeping with the Local Transport Plan 4 ambitions.

We want our young people to be able to engage in local leisure activities.

I believe that we are all of a similar view that such a route would be of benefit and indeed I am aware that Councillor Ashley wrote on 19th June this year to the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Authority and to the Leader of the Combined Authority requesting their support for a cycle link over the A505 thus providing a continuous route and it is my understanding that we have had positive responses from Cambridgeshire.

Indeed, North Herts District Council and Herts County Council have been working with the local Parish Council and reviewing planning applications to secure developer contributions and other potential funding where appropriate. Herts County Council is also working on proposals as part of the North Central Growth & Transport Plan to help routes connect to the bridge and consider the wider cycle infrastructure in the town."

Mr R Nash, another member of the public and resident of Royston, asked Cllr Derek Ashley, Executive Member for Growth, Infrastructure, Planning and the Economy, the following question:

"Could Councillor Ashley please give us an update on work within the Council on the planned pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A505 north of Royston - particularly with reference to the Council's recent application to the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership for funding for the bridge and also engagement with officers from Cambridge County Council and the Greater Cambridge Partnership on their Melbourn Greenways proposal?"

Cllr Ashley replied:

"Thank you for your question. First of all I apologise if the answer overlaps some of the answer to the previous question because of course they are related to the same topic. Just to repeat my colleagues report, I did write to Mayor James Palmer (Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority), Cllr Steve Count (Leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, Combined Authority Board Member), and Cllr Lewis Herbert (Leader, Cambridge City Council, Greater Cambridge Partnership Board Chairman) who are the key decision makers in the Cambridge & Peterborough Combined Authority and also members of Cambridge County Council and City Council.

Prior to the development of the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership there was an understanding between Hers County Council and Cambs County Council that the project to deliver the Cycle Link and Bridge over the A505 completing the route from Cambridge via Melbourne to Royston would be developed jointly, to help link communities to key services and employment areas - as per the Melbourn Greenway Review Report which says 'the Melbourn to Royston route is partly in Hertfordshire and is dependent for its success on a new bridge over the A505 on the edge of Royston'. This clearly recognises the need for co-operation between the authorities to bring forward the project.

As part of this commitment Herts County Council took a lead role in producing the feasibility study for the bridge with a commitment to maintaining the bridge once constructed. It was agreed that the construction of the route connections and bridge itself should be the joint responsibility of both authorities to fund and deliver. It was understood that there was agreement in principal that the Local Enterprise Partnerships for both areas were supportive of the project. Herts County Council sought funding to support the scheme, submitting a Local Enterprise Partnership bid in the November 2018 Open Call which unfortunately was unsuccessful due to match funding not being secured and concern over delivery timescales.

North Herts District Council and Herts County Council have been working with the local Parish Council and reviewing planning applications to secure developer contributions and other potential funding where appropriate. Herts County Council are also working on proposals as part of the North Central Growth and Transport Plan to help routes connect to the bridge and consider the wider cycle infrastructure in the town.

Following an officers' meeting towards the end of 2018, Herts County Council were informed that whilst the Greater Cambridgeshire Partnership still have similar aspirations to Herts County Council in implementing the project, support from the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority remained unclear and no decision had been made on committing funding to support the project.

Hertfordshire remains keen to work with the Partnership to promote the project and I have asked officers to re-establish links with the Project leads in the Partnership as the bridge is a vital component of the overall Cambridge, Melbourn and Royston Route. Unfortunately, I understand that the last two meetings have been cancelled. However, a new date for July has been proposed and I hope that it can be achieved to help discussions recommence. We hope that Cambridgeshire County Council and the Combined Authority recognise the value to South Cambridgeshire residents of a sustainable link to the employment opportunities offered by Royston; people do travel in from that route."

Mr R Nash then asked Cllr Ashley a supplementary question:

"I wondered if Councillor Ashley was aware of the latest accident on the A505/A10 roundabout, involving a cyclist a couple of weeks ago. Fire, ambulance and police were in attendance. Luckily, no serious injury; but just to underline the importance of trying to get this key bit of infrastructure in place."

Cllr Ashley replied:

"Thank you very much, I was aware of this accident and it just highlights the importance of trying to make progress and complete this project. I think it is very important that we keep up our dialogue with Cambridgeshire, and we are working closely with local Elected Members just across the border to try and bring this to fruition. Hopefully we can make some progress soon."

Nick Hollinghurst, Herts County Councillor for Tring & the Villages commented later:

"The LEPs (Local Enterprise Partnerships) are mainly made up of business representatives and have huge sums of government money at their disposal. Unfortunately, apart from a minority of local authoritee appointees, there is little or no democratic oversight of their decision-making. My firm view is that this is a serious defect of the system and the LEPs are neglecting some of the smaller schemes like this bridge, which are so important to local communities."

Not for the first time have the Liberal Democrat members on Hertfordshire County Council questioned the appropriateness of outsourcing so much of the council's service provision to external contractors.

The county's experience with highway maintenance has not been happy, particularly with the simpler, more routine tasks. As contractors have adopted more rigid management practices, particularly with first-line supervisory management, these have resulted in more and more instances of inefficiencies: -

Last month on 16th July, proposed by the Conservative Leader David Williams and seconded by Liberal Democrat Leader Stephen Giles-Medhurst with Labour Party support, Hertfordhire County Council unanimously passed a motion declaring a "Climate Emergency".

The motion also called upon the Government to fund the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as set out in the Government's own Policy Paper "A Green Future" and committed the County Council to develop and implement an overarching Sustainable Hertfordshire Strategy to achieve these locally.

The full text of the all-party motion is as follows:

"In January 2018, HM Government published "A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment". On 12th June 2019, the Prime Minister heralded the end the UK's contribution to climate change by setting a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. At its recent conference in Bournemouth, the Local Government Association (LGA) agreed a motion that:

On the third Tuesday of each month we have our Supper Club here in Berkhamsted.

We discuss politics and anything else we choose to talk about.

It gives us the chance to get to know each other and to put the world to rights.

We welcome all Lib Dem members - and anyone of a similar mindset - who would like to join us.

The main item of the first Full Council since the May Local Elections was a Motion declaring a Climate Emergency IN DACORUM.

Dacorum is now committed to act significantly on the Climate; the Motion directs the Council organisation to put together a Strategy and Action Plan to reduce Carbon Dioxide generation, preserve bio-diversity, improve Air Quality and reduce plastic pollution, across all the functions of the Council, and to lead the local population in each individual doing their bit.