Notes from latest Highways, Rights of Way & Parking Committee Meeting

Meeting of 21st August

1. Confirmation of the required Speed Indicator Decide (SID) pole diameter- due to the addition of a solar panel- is still awaited. When this is confirmed, the Committee will know the cost of replacing the poles for the SID. A price for the additional SID and solar panel brackets for each of the 5 locations has been obtained and both of these costs will be considered again at September's meeting. The Committee are conscious of the fact that the new SID is not currently being used and it may be some time before the correct poles are up and it can be running.

2. The Committee supported residents' requests for a dropped kerb near the bridge at Station Road, a hedgehog sign at Brook Lane and a concealed entrance sign near Segrave Place. Each of these now requires the support- and financial backing- of the County Councillor before Suffolk County Council will then consider the works.

3. Sadly, Suffolk County Council has confirmed that it will not be proceeding with the visual chicane traffic-calming proposals in Framlingham but thanked the Town Council for its work on this. The Committee Chair pointed out that red road markings are used successfully for busy bus lanes at Gatwick airport and would like SCC's response to this.

4. There were lengthy discussions on the state of the town and how the Town Council can work with residents and Suffolk County Council to ensure that Framlingham looks its best. SCC are carrying out far less routine maintenance and vegetation is encroaching pavements across the town, weeds are growing up between roads and pavements and signs are dirty etc. Volunteers are carrying out informal work parties to clear roads and pavements around the town centre. The Town Council could get involved in these work parties through SCC's Community Self-Help Scheme with risk assessments, a trained volunteer on site and a licence. This issue will be looked at again by the Lands Committee in autumn when the G&P contract is reconsidered. The Town Council is trying to see if it can help dispose of the collected waste.

With no meeting in July, it was interesting to see how the bi-monthly meeting for this Committee worked. Despite the longer gap since the last meeting, it was still finished within the 2 hour limit.

These are informal notes on some of the items that were discussed at the meeting. The draft minutes of the meeting will be available online in advance of the next monthly Committee meeting to be held at the Town Council Office, and checked for accuracy and approved at the next meeting.

See the Town Council Meetings Calendar on the framlingham.com website for the time and date of meetings.

All the committee minutes can be found at www.framlingham.com/council-business