00 230310 ASSJC Minute Final Draft
North Ayrshire Council · 19 May 2023
Back to Ayrshire Shared Services Committee — 19 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Ayrshire Shared Services Joint Committee 10 March 2023 At a Meeting of Ayrshire Shared Services Joint Committee at 10.00 a.m. involving a combination of participation by remote electronic means and physical attendance within the Council Chambers, East Ayrshire Council Headquarters, Kilmarnock Present (Physical Participation) Councillors Douglas Reid and Neal Ingram (East Ayrshire Council); and Councillor Philip Saxton (South Ayrshire Council). Present (Remote Electronic Participation) Councillors Barry Douglas and Neil Watts (East Ayrshire Council) and William Grant and Bob Pollock (South Ayrshire Council). In Attendance (Physical Participation) K. Braidwood, Head of Roads, C. Knape, Strategic Manager Network and Transportation and T. Mackin, Strategic Manager Business Support (Ayrshire Roads Alliance); P. Whip, Group Finance Manager and ICT and S. Nelson, Committee Services Officer (East Ayrshire Council); and M. Anderson, Senior Manager (Committee and Member Services) (North Ayrshire Council). In Attendance (Remote Electronic Participation) K. Kelly, Depute Chief Executive (East Ayrshire Council). Chair Councillor Douglas Reid in the Chair. Apologies Councillors Marie Burns, Joe Cullinane, Scott Davidson and Tom Marshall (North Ayrshire Council) and Alec Clark (South Ayrshire Council). 1. Introductory Remarks In the absence of the Chair, and given that there were no items of business on the agenda for which North Ayrshire Council Elected Members were required to attend, Councillor Douglas Reid was appointed to chair the meeting. 2. Declarations of Interest There were no declarations of interest in terms of Standing Order 11 and Section 5 of the Councillors' Code of Conduct.
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3. Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders The Committee received a presentation by the Head of Roads and the Strategic Manager Business Support (Ayrshire Roads Alliance) on a new digital platform developed by the ARA with True View Visuals for processing requests for Traffic Regulation Orders and Notices. The presentation highlighted: • the benefits of this unique online system in terms of streamlining processes, generating public notices and mapping, and tracking the status of requests; • other potential applications of the platform, such as skip permits; • potential income generation arising from marketing the system to other agencies; and • the ARA’s success in being named as finalists in the APSE Highway Maintenance Innovation category Members asked questions, and received clarification, on the following: • anticipated changes in the role of local newspapers, with a trend towards titles moving online; • the scope to develop the platform for use with other types of permit; • the current status of the platform, which went ‘live’ in November 2022; and • planned refinements to the mapping tool, to take account of one-way systems when setting diversions and allow for the identification of secondary diversions. Noted. 4. Ayrshire Roads Alliance – Revenue Financial Monitoring Report Submitted report by the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Financial and ICT on the Ayrshire Roads Alliance revenue budget monitoring position for the year to 31 December 2022. Appendices 1 and 2 to the report provided the split between strategic and local service delivery and the financial monitoring report, respectively. Members asked questions, and received clarification, on the following; • whether additional funding identified in East Ayrshire Council’s recent budget- setting had been taken into account, or if this would be reflected in future reporting; • anticipated changes in respect of contract costs; and • the COSLA position in terms of parking fine levels; It was agreed (a) to note the financial management position of the Ayrshire Roads Alliance; (b) to request a further financial update at the next meeting of the Joint Committee; and (c) otherwise, to note the content of the report.
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5. Ayrshire Roads Alliance – Risk Report and Register Submitted report by the Head of Roads (Ayrshire Roads Alliance) on the management of risk associated with the Ayrshire Roads Alliance. The risk Scoring Matrix and Ayrshire Roads Alliance Risk Register were set out at Appendices 1 and 2 to the report, respectively. It was agreed (a) to note the risk register presented at Appendix 2 to the report; (b) to continue to receive updates on progress; and (c) otherwise, to note the content of the report. The risk scoring matrix and Ayrshire Roads Alliance Risk Register were set out at Appendices 1 and 2 to the report, respectively. 6. Ayrshire Roads Alliance – Improvement Action Plan Submitted report by the Head of Roads (Ayrshire Roads Alliance) on the management of the Improvement Action Plan with the Ayrshire Roads Alliance. The Improvement Action Plan was set out at Appendix 1 to the report. Members asked questions, and received clarification, on the following: • whether the support of Transport Scotland could be sought for the Bellfield Interchange and Active Travel Prestwick projects, which had received positive feedback from the Scottish Government and could the subject of bids to the next cycle of Levelling Up funding, but which had not been successful under STPR2; • the position with regard to the A70 and A71, which were designated as local routes, notwithstanding their strategic importance to Ayrshire; • recent discussion at the Ayrshire Regional Economic Joint Committee on the importance of transportation and infrastructure to economic strategy; and • the value of the three Ayrshire authorities working together to look at transport links (including roads, ports and rail) and present a business case for Ayrshire Growth Deal support The Head of Roads (Ayrshire Roads Alliance) undertook to write to Transport Scotland on behalf of the Committee in support of the Bellfield Interchange and Active Travel Prestwick projects. It was agreed (a) to note the Improvement Action Plan set out at Appendix 1 to the report; (b) to continue to receive updates on progress; and (c) otherwise, to note the content of the report.
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7. Roadworks Programme 2022/23 Submitted report by the Head of Roads (Ayrshire Roads Alliance) on the progress of work through the roads improvement programmes within East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire for the financial year 2022/23. The South and East Ayrshire Council Programmes of Works 2022/23 were set out at Appendices 1 and 2 to the report, respectively. Appendix 3 provided information on EV Infrastructure. Members asked questions, and received clarification, on the following; • the impact of budget constraints on road improvements/repairs and the need for reassurance that project which had been delayed in previous years would be progressed as a priority; and • work to identify more effective materials for use in patch repairs and the challenges around this, in terms of the overall condition of roads It was agreed (a) to note the Ayrshire Roads Alliance works completed in 2022/23 as set out in the report and its appendices; and (b) otherwise, to note the content of the report. 8. Ayrshire Roads Alliance – Update on Performance Scorecard Submitted report by the Head of Roads (Ayrshire Roads Alliance) on the progress made to date against the Performance Scorecard. The detailed Performance Scorecard monitoring report was set out at Appendix 1 to the report. A Member referred to the discount scheme recently introduced by South Ayrshire Council to promote the early payment of invoices and received clarification that work was underway to explore the scope for the ARA to introduce a similar scheme. It was agreed (a) to note the Performance Scorecard information presented in the report and its appendix; (b) to continue to receive the Performance Scorecard updates; and (c) otherwise, to note the content of the report. 9. Date of Next Meeting The Senior Manager (Committee and Member Services) (North Ayrshire Council) invited the Committee to consider rescheduling the next meeting due to take place on 28 April 2023, in order to accommodate a meeting of the COSLA Leaders. The Committee agreed that the next meeting be re-scheduled to take place at 10.00 a.m. on Friday 19 May 2023. The Meeting ended at 11.10 a.m.