Report by the Director of Community Resources.
6
There was submitted a report by the Director of Community Resources relative to the consultation exercise undertaken by Transport Scotland in connection with the term management and maintenance contracts for the Scottish trunk road network. Renfrewshire Council had submitted a draft response, to meet the timescales of the consultation exercise, and indicated that the response was subject to approval by this Board.
The Consultation document, issued in July 2015, was in the form of an information overview for Scottish trunk roads. Information was provided in relation to how the network was managed and the level of funding involved. The consultation had asked specific questions in respect of the geographical areas to be covered by future contracts and the scope of services to be included. A copy of the consultation questions and the Council’s draft response were appended to the report. The draft response highlighted that there was a wider agenda which required to be considered, in particular, City Deal and the collaborative opportunities which existed across the member Councils. The unique opportunity provided by these initiatives to review the management and maintenance of trunk roads was also highlighted, together with the potential efficiencies and operational advantages to taking a more radical approach than implied by the set consultation questions. The formal consultation document had not provided scope to make this point within the set questions but the Council’s response had reiterated the potential benefits of engaging with City Deal partners in the development of options prior to progressing to the fifth generation of trunk road contracts.
The report advised that Glasgow City Council had written to Transport Scotland on behalf of the City Deal member authorities proposing that the consultation be deferred to facilitate discussions between City Deal member Councils and Transport Scotland.
Councillor E Devine, seconded by Councillor Gilmour, moved that the draft Consultation response submitted to Transport Scotland, a copy of which was appended to the report, be approved as Renfrewshire Council’s response to the Scottish Government consultation on development of the term management and maintenance contracts for the Scottish trunk road network.
Councillor Nicolson, seconded by Councillor McGurk, moved as an amendment that the Board reject this report and instruct the Head of Amenity Services to bring back a detailed report into the proposals contained within the consultation response document.
On the roll being called, the following members voted for the amendment: Councillors McGurk, Audrey Doig, K MacLaren and Nicolson.
The following members voted for the motion: Councillors M Devine, E Devine, I McMillan, Caldwell, Bibby, Gilmour, Provost Hall and J MacLaren.
Four members having voted for the amendment and eight members having voted for the motion, the motion was accordingly declared carried.
DECIDED: That the draft Consultation response submitted to Transport Scotland, a copy of which was appended to the report, be approved as Renfrewshire Council’s response to the Scottish Government consultation on development of the term management and maintenance contracts for the Scottish trunk road network.