Issue - meetings

A report that seeks approval for a policy to manage future deployment of Vehicle Activated Signs and potential removal of non-operational, non-beneficial VAS.

Cabinet Portfolio Holder – Councillor Wallace Redford

Councillor Wallace Redford (Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning) informed Cabinet that there were almost 400 Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) in the county and it was necessary to seek to implement a strategy that would target their deployment at sites where there was a real road safety risk so that the council’s resources were focussed on maintaining signs which had an impact on road safety.   In cases where local communities were not happy with the removal of or refusal for installations based on the proposed criteria, they would have the ability to pay to fund the signs going forward, which the council would then manage on their behalf.

Councillor Tim Sinclair commented on the cost of repair and replacement which he had had the opportunity to discuss with officers and expressed his view that the costs involved may not be as high as detailed in the paper.   He considered that the proposed criteria for the provision of new signs required a common-sense approach and the fears and concerns of residents should be factored into decisions.  He noted the perception that VAS created positive road safety results and this was valued by residents.  Councillor Sinclair considered that the spirit of discussion at the Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting had been to repair existing signs and only remove them in extreme circumstances. 

Councillor Peter Butlin commented on the proliferation of VAS and the budgetary impact.  He considered that the proposals in the report were consistent with the Council Plan and he considered that the proposed criteria was sensible, ensured best value and he welcomed the proposed provisions for local communities to fund VAS themselves.  These comments were echoed by Councillor Andy Crump who thanked Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee for its input.  He welcomed the flexibility in the report for local communities to fund VAS.

Councillor Sinclair requested that, if Cabinet was minded to approve the policy, that an update to Overview and Scrutiny be provided on how many signs had been removed and how many new signs had been installed.  He agreed to Councillor Redford’s suggestion that this would be best provided after 18 months’ to give time for the scheme to establish and data to be collated and provided.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:

1.     Notes the comments and resolutions made at Communities Overview and Scrutiny in June 2022 and the policy as proposed in the report;

2.     approves the policy for the installation, maintenance and removal of vehicle activated signs (VAS) proposed in Section 2 of and Appendix A to the report;

3.     authorises the Strategic Director for Communities to prepare and publish a statement of the approved policy;

4.     authorises the Strategic Director for Communities, acting in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, to install, maintain or replace a vehicle activated sign which does not meet the requirements of the approved policy where he considers that to be justified by very special circumstances in an individual case.