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22 Cambridge City Centre Accessibility Study PDF 93 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Councillor Hipkin addressed the committee and made the following remarks:
i.
Concerned about the theme
‘people with disability’ and suggested this matter applied to all people using
Cambridge.
ii.
Suggested that some
actions in the plan would take time to deliver and that initially it might be
useful to address the quick wins. For example: removal of ‘A’ boards.
iii.
Improved engagement with
the County Council to address the spread of tables and chairs into the street.
iv.
Congratulated all
concerned for recent successes in addressing punt touts and securing the
removal of sail type advertising signs.
v.
Street signage should be
reviewed as soon as possible.
vi.
The Cambridge BID could
be encouraged to take on such matters.
vii.
The City was becoming an unconvivial and difficult place to visit. This was
encouraging local people to go elsewhere.
Matter for
Decision
In 2014 a review was commissioned to gain a fuller understanding of the issues affecting ease of access in and around the city centre for a range of users but particularly pedestrians, disabled and wheelchair users. The review was completed recently and the final draft report was attached for consideration.
Decision
of Executive Councillor for City Centre and Public Places
The Executive
Councillor resolved:
i.
to
agree the findings of the city centre accessibility review and to note the
recommendations for further action set out in the study at Appendix A; and
ii.
to agree the
development of a detailed action plan to be brought back to Scrutiny Committee
at its next cycle for consideration.
Reason for the Decision
As set out in the Officer’s report.
Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected
Not applicable.
Scrutiny
Considerations
The Committee received a report from the Head of Planning regarding the Cambridge City Centre Accessibility
Study.
The Committee made the following comments in response to the report:
i.
Welcomed the report and suggested that it was
needed.
ii.
Suggested that the pictures were very useful at
highlighting the problems.
iii.
Suggested that access was not just an issue for
those with mobility issues and had an impact on the all user of the City Centre.
iv.
Suggested this was an opportunity to raise wider
disability issues.
v.
A greater problem would be enforcement.
vi.
Welcomed the involvement of College Bursars.
Head of Tourism & City Centre Management added clarity to
the legal position of A boards which were not
permitted on the highway. However, she added that the County Council did not
have the resources or staff to enforce this. A joint approach was planned for
the future. An officer group had been formed recently to develop more effective
partnership working between the City, and County Councils, Police and Cambridge
BID on City Centre operational issues such as illegal street trading, anti-social
busking and punting. This group will meet meeting monthly throughout the year
to ensure that this joined up approach continues throughout the busy summer
months.
The Head of Planning stated that the Local Plan included a Public Realm
Strategy and sections on visual pollution. Once the plan was in place, these
could be used to protect the City Centre.
The Committee resolved unanimously to endorse the recommendation.
The Executive Councillor approved the recommendation.
Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted)
No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor.