Issue - meetings

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.