Venue: Civic Suite, Pathfinder House, St Mary's Street, Huntingdon PE29 3TN
Contact: Ms C Deller, Democratic Services Manager, Tel No 01480 388007/e-mail: Christine.Deller@huntingdonshire.gov.uk
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PRAYER Minutes: The Reverend A Milton, Vicar of All Saints and St. Mary’s, Huntingdon opened the meeting with prayer. |
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CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS Minutes: The Chairman thanked Members for their kind thoughts and support to him during his recent ill-health. Special thanks were reserved for the Vice-Chairman, Councillor P L E Bucknell who had undertaken civic functions on his behalf.
Having received an account of the events that both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman had attended on the Council’s behalf since the last meeting, Members noted details of the Carol Service to be held at 7pm on 8th December in All Saints Church, Huntingdon and later in December, an evening with the USAF Swing Band at the Burgess Hall. |
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To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 24th September 2014. Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 24th September 2014 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
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MEMBERS' INTERESTS To receive from Members, declarations as to disclosable pecuniary or other interests in relation to any Agenda item. See Notes below. Minutes: Councillor M F Shellens declared a non-statutory disclosable interest in Minute No. 46 as a Member of the Huntingdon Freemasons’ Trust. It was understood that the Trust held an interest in the Black Cat Roundabout on the A1. |
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To consider a report by the Corporate Team Manager. Minutes: By way of a report by the Corporate Team Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Council was reminded that they had agreed to introduce titles of Honorary Aldermen and Honorary Alderwomen for current and future Members of the Council who cumulatively had served a minimum of 12 years’ service as an elected Councillor on the District Council.
Following tributes by the Executive Leader, Councillor J D Ablewhite and Leaders of the Opposition Groups, Councillor M G Baker and I Curtis for the contribution each nominee had made to public life and the community of Huntingdonshire, it was moved by the Chairman, Councillor A J Mackender-Lawrence and seconded by the Executive Leader, Councillor J D Ablewhite and
RESOLVED
that in sincere appreciation of distinguished public service to the District and people of Huntingdonshire and to the wards of Yaxley and Farcet, Buckden, Brampton and Elton and Folksworth, the titles of Honorary Alderwoman and Alderman be conferred upon former Councillors Mrs Madhabi Banerjee, William Clough, Peter Downes and Nicholas Guyatt in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Having each been presented with a scroll and brooch/badge in recognition of their new titles, Mrs Banerjee and Messrs Clough, Downes and Guyatt expressed their appreciation to the Council for the warmth of their reception and the honour which had been granted to them. |
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MOTION ON NOTICE Councillor Mrs B E Boddington to move
“This Council notes that:
The A428 is a route of significant national importance as well as a key strategic route in Cambridgeshire.
The A428 is experiencing some of the highest traffic growth in the country, and further significant growth is planned along the length of the corridor.
At peak time there are often long delays which lead to ‘rat running’ on to local roads with associated negative impacts.
There are concerns that without improvements, the A428 will not be able to cope with the growth planned from Bedfordshire, through to St Neots and onto Cambridge where some 20,000 homes are planned to 2031. Some 10,000 homes alone are planned on the corridor, with significant growth planned for Cambourne and Bourn.
The average number of vehicles using the single carriageway section per day is 18,000 rising to 25,000 on the dual carriageway between the A1198 at Caxton and the A1303 at Madingley.
This Council believes:
Early commitment is needed from Government for an improvement scheme on the A428 between A1 Black Cat roundabout and the Caxton Gibbet roundabout. This section of the A428 is the only remaining single carriageway part of this important east west route. It lacks the capacity to support current travel demands, and with planned growth it won’t be able to function effectively as a strategic link without a comprehensive improvement scheme.
A comprehensive approach is needed as piecemeal improvement schemes which only deal with congestion problems at key hotspots run the risk of relocating the congestion to the next pinch point on the route and would not offer a satisfactory solution.
Given the strategic nature and volume of traffic, modelling work carried out for the Draft Cambridgeshire Long Term Transport Strategy is showing that additional new capacity is needed to facilitate growth.
It is important that improvements on this section of the A428 are brought forward as soon as possible so that the route does not act as a barrier to the future growth and prosperity of the area.
Therefore, this Council calls on the Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Planning & Housing Strategy to work with their fellow Members to:
¿ seek a commitment from Government and the Highways Agency that comprehensive improvements will be prioritised for the A428 to enable it to perform effectively as a strategic east west link; and ¿ develop an A428 alliance to work with our key partners including neighboring authorities, the Highways Agency and local Members of Parliament to lobby government for early investment and improvements on the A428 to support the continued growth and prosperity of this area.”
Minutes: Before proceeding to the Motion on the Agenda, the Chairman announced his intention to invoke the discretion awarded to him under paragraph 9.5 (iii) of the Council Procedure Rules and to rule that the Motion submitted by Councillor Mrs B E Boddington on being moved and seconded will be dealt with at the meeting in the interests of the convenient and conducive despatch of the Council’s business.
Accordingly, it was moved by Councillor Mrs B E Boddington and duly seconded that –
“This Council notes that:
The A428 is a route of significant national importance as well as a key strategic route in Cambridgeshire.
The A428 is experiencing some of the highest traffic growth in the country, and further significant growth is planned along the length of the corridor.
At peak time there are often long delays which lead to ‘rat running’ on to local roads with associated negative impacts.
There are concerns that without improvements, the A428 will not be able to cope with the growth planned from Bedfordshire, through to St Neots and onto Cambridge where some 20,000 homes are planned to 2031. Some 10,000 homes alone are planned on the corridor, with significant growth planned for Cambourne and Bourn.
The average number of vehicles using the single carriageway section per day is 18,000 rising to 25,000 on the dual carriageway between the A1198 at Caxton and the A1303 at Madingley.
This Council believes:
Early commitment is needed from Government for an improvement scheme on the A428 between A1 Black Cat roundabout and the Caxton Gibbet roundabout. This section of the A428 is the only remaining single carriageway part of this important east west route. It lacks the capacity to support current travel demands, and with planned growth it won’t be able to function effectively as a strategic link without a comprehensive improvement scheme.
A comprehensive approach is needed as piecemeal improvement schemes which only deal with congestion problems at key hotspots run the risk of relocating the congestion to the next pinch point on the route and would not offer a satisfactory solution.
Given the strategic nature and volume of traffic, modelling work carried out for the Draft Cambridgeshire Long Term Transport Strategy is showing that additional new capacity is needed to facilitate growth.
It is important that improvements on this section of the A428 are brought forward as soon as possible so that the route does not act as a barrier to the future growth and prosperity of the area.
Therefore, this Council calls on the Executive Leader and Executive Councillor for Planning & Housing Strategy to work with their fellow Members to:
¿ seek a commitment from Government and the Highways Agency that comprehensive improvements will be prioritised for the A428 to enable it to perform effectively as a strategic east west link; and ¿ develop an A428 alliance to work with our key partners including neighboring authorities, the Highways Agency and local Members of Parliament to lobby government for early investment and improvements on ... view the full minutes text for item 46. |