Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were recorded on behalf of Mr J Ozog (KCC), and Dartford Borough Councillors E H Ben Moussa (Substitute Cllr. V Oguntope), Mrs. J A Ozog and R J Wells.

The Vice-Chairman welcomed Mr Kevin Gore (KCC Area Manager) to his first meeting of the Dartford JTB and advised that Mr Shane Hymers (Fastrack Manager) was expected to attend at some stage. The Council’s Principal Transport Planner was also in attendance.

To receive declarations of interest from Members including the terms(s) of the Grant of Dispensation (if any).

There were no declarations of pecuniary or prejudicial interest made.

For the record, Councillor Butterfill (DBC) advised the Board that she was a Trustee of Woodland Academy Trust which governed Knockhall Primary School, and that she had made representations to KCC for school bus road markings to be put in place.

A Chairman to be nominated and elected from within the KCC Members represented on the Board, together with confirmation of the Vice-Chairman from the DBC Members represented on the Board, for the ensuing 2022-23 municipal cycle.

In accordance with the JTB agreement, the Vice-Chairman sought nominations for Chairman of the Board from the KCC representatives present, for the ensuing 2022-23 municipal cycle. Mr Jeremy Kite was duly nominated, seconded and elected to the position.

Mr Kite thanked his fellow KCC representatives for their support and expression of confidence and assumed the chairmanship of the meeting.

He confirmed that Cllr. Brian Garden would be Vice-Chairman for the 2022-23 municipal cycle and act as Chairman in his absence. He looked forward to working closely with Cllr. Garden during the coming year and to continue the excellent working relationships Cllr. Garden had established with both KCC and DBC officers during his office as Chairman in the previous municipal cycle.

That the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Transportation Board held on 8 March 2022 be confirmed as an accurate record of those discussions, corrected to record Mr Sandhu as a KCC representative rather than a DBC Councillor.

The incoming Chairman will announce his/her decision as to whether there are any urgent items to be addressed by Members and their position on the agenda.

The Chairman confirmed that there were no urgent items for the Board to consider.

There are no references from other Committees for Members to consider at present.

The Chairman confirmed that there were no references from other Committees for the Board to consider.

This report advises Members on the progress of matters arising at previous meetings of the Board, as set out in the Rolling Work Plan (Appendix A attached).

The Vice-Chairman advised the Board that the proposed action to be taken by commercial bus operators regarding service 477 had been put into effect [Min. No. 65 of 8 March 2022 final bullet point refers]. Proposed changes to the 474 and 475 services were also underway.

The Chairman thanked Cllr. Garden for his bus services update prior to addressing the updated Rolling Work Plan document [Appendix A] circulated at the meeting. He proposed that going forward, only items of strategic importance to KCC and local Dartford issues which held strategic implications for KCC to solve/action/implement, be included in the Work Plan.

All other parochial issues regarding individual streets in Dartford should be taken forward bilaterally by the relevant Ward Member with individual DBC/KCC Officer(s), and only brought to the Board’s attention when issues remained out-standing in the long-term. On that basis he proposed that WP items 14, 15, 17 and 21-32 be removed from the current iteration of the Work Plan and pursued on a bi-lateral basis off-line. 

The Vice-Chairman advised that he had instituted the Work Plan document during his term as chairman as a mechanism to record Members’ concerns, and ensure that matters were not ‘lost’ between meetings. However, he accepted the Chairman’s point and would explore recording/tracking options with the Board Clerk prior to the September Board meeting.

Highway Improvements at Junctions 1a, 1b and 2 of M25: The Council’s Principal Transport Planner (PTP) informed the Board that work was on track with a traffic survey (July) and a modelling study of traffic options (August) already funded from Section 106 revenue, with those outcomes and proposals to be presented to the Board in early 2023. However, the £Ms of core funding for actual implementation of any identified proposals would be subject to consideration by National Highways and its contractors, with those proposals yet to be identified.

Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) Update [WP item 10 and Agenda item 13 refer]: The PTP advised the Board of a 5^th consultation regarding ‘Local Refinements’. Residents could contribute to that process until 20 June 2022 at Dartford Library in the Town Centre. The outcome of that consultation would be considered by National Highways as part of the recorded process of proper consultation with all affected parties and communities. It is not expected that the Development Consent Order (DCO) application version 2 will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate before autumn or even later in 2022.

The Chairman expressed his frustration with that continued and varied consultation process, given that the key decision for, and location of, a Lower Thames Crossing had already been made by Government. He hoped that agreement to the 1^st construction phase would begin as soon as possible.  

Maintenance of Street Planters [WP item 16 refers]: The KCC Area Manager advised the Board that he had a budget for the work as part of the ‘Soft Landscape Scheme’. However, he needed to consult further within KCC ‘off-line’ over the public liability aspect of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To receive a verbal update from the Fastrack Manager Mr Hymers (KCC).

In the eventual absence of the Fastrack Manager this item was deferred until the next meeting in September.

Taken under matters arising [Min. no. 7 refers].

Follow-Up following JTB held on 8 March 2022 [Min. No. 70 refers]

·         Ingress Park:Update from Cllrs. Butterfill, Harman and Mote;

·         Common Lane: Cllr. Sandhu to update Members;

·         Whitehead Close Wilmington: Cllrs. Garden and Sandhu to update the Board.

In addition - Members have the opportunity to raise further questions/concerns on the following: -

·         Questions in relation to capital and revenue funded works programmes;

·         Suggestions for future traffic regulation orders or street management proposals;

·         Questions on policies, plans and strategies related to highways, road traffic and public transport;

·         Suggestion of a future agenda item (subject to the Chairman’s approval).

Follow-up on existing items for Ingress Park, Common Lane and Whitehead Close, plus any new local issues, to be pursued bi-laterally by Ward Member(s) direct with relevant KCC/DCB Officers off-line.

No new issues concerning the following strategic/policy areas were raised:

·       Questions in relation to capital and revenue funded works programmes;

·       Suggestions for future traffic regulation orders or street management proposals;

·       Questions on policies, plans and strategies related to highways, road traffic and public transport;

·       Suggestion of a future agenda item (subject to the Chairman’s approval).

The KCC District Manager advised the Board that ongoing funding constrictions meant that no new works were planned, only maintenance of existing roads, with repair works due to be undertaken in Princes Road.

In response to a specific question from the Chairman, the Principal Transport Planner (PTP) advised that funding remained a key issue for the Borough, and dictated that only a maximum of two (2) new parking schemes could be financed each year by the Council. A further key challenge was maintaining a collaborative approach with KCC and National Highways (NH) to secure core funding for the implementation of major projects and works of a significant impact and benefit to Dartford. He noted in this context, that action remained outstanding from NH to sign-off the agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) associated with the work of the Steering Group in relation to A282 J1a/A206 improvements.

To receive an update from Mr Agboola, Principal Transport Planner (DBC).

Taken under ‘Matters Arising’ [Min. No. 7 refers].

The following documents have been attached for Members’ information:

§    Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee Minutes for 18 January 2022, 18 February 2022 and 17 March 2022.

NB: If a Member wishes to discuss any of these items at the meeting, please advise the Member Services Section (01322) 343251 prior to the meeting.

The Board noted the contents of the minutes of the KCC Environment & Transport Cabinet Committee meetings held on 18 January, 18 February and 17 March 2022.