Agenda item

To consider the attached report of Kent County Council Highways and Transportation.

Members received the report on highway works scheduled for completion in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Councillor Bates read out a statement on behalf of the chairman of St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe Parish Council, raising concerns about the number of road closures planned at Bay Hill at St Margaret’s Bay from 13 January through to 4 April.  The parish council was disappointed at the delays in communication from KCC regarding the closures and particularly from its Highways Manager. Despite requesting further information in September, this had only been forthcoming in late November – and only after an intervention by the KCC Leader’s office.  These delays had limited the parish council’s ability to engage constructively about the closures and therefore potentially lessen their impact on the community.   It was evident that KCC’s lack of coordination and proactive communication had hampered the management of disruption caused by the works.  Finally, an invitation issued to Councillor Neil Baker, KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, to have a meeting with the parish council in December had gone unanswered. 

The Dover District Manager (DDM) emphasised that it was KCC’s Street Works team that was responsible for managing roadworks whilst he and his team were solely responsible for reactive highway works.  He noted that the parish council had written to the Street Works team but had not received a response so he would follow it up.  Whilst he was happy to attend a meeting with the chairman and clerk of the parish council, it was for the Street Works team to deal with the matter.  He suggested that the invitation to Councillor Baker should be followed up with his office.   Councillor E A Biggs requested that the information aired at the meeting should be passed on to Councillor Baker. 

In response to queries from Councillor Beaney, the DDM advised that engineers would be meeting shortly to look at a solution for Barville Road which was subject to frequent flooding.   Although the soakaway had been cleaned out recently, it was almost at capacity so flooding had recurred.  It was a difficult site to work at as the road had to be closed which was not popular with businesses on the industrial estate for obvious reasons.  In relation to the road between Kearsney Abbey and Chilton Avenue, he advised that the road had been flagged up for surface dressing or micro-surfacing treatment in 2025/26.  An engineer would be visiting the site, but it was possible that the road was in such poor condition that a complete resurface would be required.  Once clarified, the item would go back into the report and he would update Councillor Beaney.

Members were advised that there was no lighting at Tilmanstone roundabout as a result of a road traffic accident where a vehicle had crashed into a feeder pillar.  A replacement had been ordered but would take some time to arrive.  In respect of developer-funded works, Councillor S S Chandler referred to the state of the road following construction of a development at the former Summerfield Nursery site in Staple.  Staple Parish Council had complained that the developer had now left the site without reinstating the road to its former condition.  The DDM advised that it was difficult to pin down whether such remedial work should be conditioned as part of the planning permission or the subject of a Section 278 agreement between the developer and KCC.  He undertook to check with Dover District Council whether the repair of the road had been included as a planning condition.  In response to Councillor Chandler who questioned why such works could not be included in the Local Transport Plan, the DDM advised that there was no appetite from KCC to do so given that it was only a consultee on planning applications.   

Councillor Bates referred to the closing date of end January for Community Transport Grant applications.  He requested that the date be extended to the end of February as none of the parish clerks to whom he had circulated information were aware of it and the Christmas break was fast approaching.  The FDM offered to make the request to Dan Bruce at KCC who led on the matter.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.