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Councillor Paine Priorities for 2013/14

This year will be challenging, but it is essential that we complete and submit a number of strategic documents – including the Local Plan and ITS. In addition to these difficult documents, I want to conclude some of the successful pieces of work that I started last year.

Whilst the spotlight will always be on the “big ticket” items, I am determined to continue working away on a number of smaller, but no less significant, projects within my brief.

I have attached a self-review of last year, which I hope members find helpful. I have also bullet-pointed a number of key targets I have set myself for this year. This is certainly an ambitious list – but I hope it demonstrates the broad scope of work in which scrutiny members could get involved in due course!

1. Spatial Planning / Local Plan

¨ SHLAA process completed

¨ SHMA process completed

¨ Housing target clarified by the autumn (constraints identified).

¨ SEDLAA process completed and employment vision clarified

¨ Blue and Green Infrastructure Strategy agreed

¨ Town centre policies agreed

¨ Landscape policies agreed

¨ Improved Communications Strategy in effect

¨ Greater emphasis/support for Neighbourhood planning

¨ Effective consultation events

¨ Submission by June 2014

2. Development Control

¨ New (additional) staff in post to help manage workload

¨ Better sharing of expertise with neighbouring authorities

¨ Better measurement of planning performance (e.g. using median rather than mean to measure the time it takes to decide an application)

¨ Longer term planning applications (>9 months) reduced

3. Transport

¨ Deliver an improved ITS to accompany the Local Plan

¨ Continue to support and develop the Quality Bus Partnership. Seek to replicate its success with other local bus providers

¨ Continue to work with the Mall, Sainsburys and KCC to deliver further improvements and modernisation to the bus station

¨ Promote further investment in hybrid buses and other green public transport technologies – building on last year’s successes

¨ Re-tender Park and Ride, looking for creative solutions to an ongoing revenue problem. Tender should fit with revised ITS

¨ Continue work with the Highways Agency to deliver improvements to J5, J6 and J7 of the M20

¨ Work with KCC to improve the borough’s rail connectivity to London, and inter-station connectivity in Maidstone

¨ Work with Cllr Greer to bring forward a new train station at Maidstone East

¨ Deliver small but significant road improvements such as a new merge at Sheals Crescent, and a new filter lane off Farleigh Hill to serve Tovil Tip

¨ Lobby KCC for improvements in pedestrian and cycle environments

¨ Delivery of Maidstone’s first public Electric Car Charging Point

¨ Revise and begin delivering elements of the Cycle Strategy

¨ Expanding shared parking services to other authorities, where savings can be delivered and service standards improved.

¨ Review motorcycle facilities, speak with user groups and KCC, and seek out improvements where possible and deliverable

¨ Review bridleway provision across the Borough, speak with user groups and KCC, and seek out improvements where possible and deliverable.