Issues affecting the Parish of St. Clement and meeting with the Parish officials

1240/5(2538)

WRITTEN QUESTIONS TO THE PRESIDENT OF

THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICES COMMITTEE BY DEPUTY G.C.L. BAUDAINS OF ST. CLEMENT

ANSWERS TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 7th JUNE 2005 Question 1

Would the President explain, in relation to the following issues affecting the Parish of St. Clement -

1. when the Committee intends meeting with Parish residents to discuss the Westhill-type' road alterations that have beensanctionedforRuedeJambart?
2. whether he will withdraw the answerhe gave in response to an oral questionaboutthose alterations; and,
3. why a query by Senator L. Norman two months ago relating to the abovementioned answer being incompatible with the Parish'spositionhas not yet been answered?

Answer

"1.(a) I am meeting with the Connétable and a member of the Parish Roads Committee this lunchtime,

(Tuesday 7th June 2005), to discuss this matter further.

1.(b) F or the benefit of members, I believe the Deputy is referring to part (a) of his question of 5th April

2005, which asked –

W  hether the Committee intended to meet with the Parish of St. Clement to discuss its plans for Rue de Jambart'

M y   r es ponse was –

T h e proposals for La Rue de Jambart, a States main road, have been discussed and developed with

the Parish of St Clement. When the detailed proposals are drawn up, further discussions will take place with the Parish.

T h is   re mains the case.

T h e C ommittee has already adopted the modifications suggested by the Parish Roads Committee to

create a one-way system.

It i s s t ill the Committee's view that Rue de Jambart needs to be made safer for pedestrians and I intend to

agree with the Connétable and the Parish Roads Committee an appropriate form of traffic calming.

N o t es :

1 . D eputy Baudains attended the Planning Sub-Committee on 22nd October 2003, as a member of a

delegation lead by the Connétable . They tabled modifications to the new road system showing a one- way system.

2 . A   meeting took place on 17th November 2003, between the Parish Roads Committee, the Planning

Officer and Highway Engineer to discuss the proposed modifications. At the meeting, the idea of traffic calming Rue de Jambart was also discussed, similar to that of West Hill, but without the speed humps.

3 . T he Committee subsequently adopted the one way system for the new road. The principle of traffic

calming Rue de Jambart was also agreed by Committee and details have now to be worked up with the Parish.

1.(c) I n response to Senator Norman's particular query I apologise to the Senator for not responding to his

e-mail and have made arrangements for him to have the necessary correspondence. I had assumed he may have been kept up-to-date from the Parish Hall .

T h e traffic calming will not begin until a satisfactory scheme has been drawn up and as I mentioned

earlier, I am meeting with the Connétable this lunchtime on this very matter.

Question 2

Why, following a request by the Parish for plans of the application to redevelop St. Lukes shops at the corner of Green Road so that the Parish could make comment if necessary, the plans did not arrive until 26th April 2005, coinciding with the same day the Committee approved the development?

Answer

The most recent application for St. Luke's Parade was approved by the Environment and Public Services Committee on 4th May 2005, (and not 26th April as stated by the Deputy ). The access for this proposed development is on to Green Road, St. Clement, a road which falls under the jurisdiction of the Public Services Department, rather than the Parish of St. Clement. Notwithstanding this, the Parish was consulted on 10th December 2004. The Parish's reply, received on 24th December 2004, stated No comments to make'.

During discussions with the applicant, it was decided to revise the design of the proposed development. No changes were made to the highway arrangements. The Parish was again consulted, (although it is conceded that this may not have been necessary), on 25th April 2005. The Committee approved the development, without receiving a further response from the Parish, on 4th May 2005.

Question 3

Whether, recent Committee decisions not to send a Committee member or Departmental officer to attend Parish meetings called especially to discuss particular developments is now policy, and, if so, would he further explain how parishioners are expected to be fully informed of all issues pertaining to planned developments if this continues in view of the existing acrimonious feelings among some parishioners regarding planning issues?

Answer

It is the policy of the Environment and Public Services Committee to send a representative of the Committee and the Department to public meetings, whenever possible. This is not always possible to achieve when these events are arranged at short notice or clash with other prior engagements. However, the Committee maintains an open position in relation to development proposals and is proactive in its dealings with the public, to the extent that States members and parishioners are frequently invited to address the Committee during the decision-making process. If invited, I would be happy to attend another public meeting.