The decision to approve a road widening scheme to help tackle the Marton Crawl is to face fresh questions amid claims scores of residents objections were missed out.
Middlesbrough Council’s Executive last month approved recommendations to rejig the ‘Southern Cross’ junction at Dixons Bank and Stainton Way, as part of a wider scheme to ease traffic flow across the town.
Council officers had recommended proposals to create two lanes on the northbound and eastbound approaches to the junction.
But the decision to approve the A172 Dixons Bank/Stainton Way Highway Improvement Scheme has now been ‘called-in’ by Nunthorpe and Marton West ward councillors who think the decision needs to be looked at again.
Independent member for Nunthorpe, Jon Rathmell, and Conservative members for Marton West, Cllrs Chris and John Hobson, formally raised concerns about the decision.
They are not only questioning the accuracy of data showing the amount of vehicles using the stretch but claim 87 responses from residents were not included in a report put to the decision-making committee.
Among the points raised, and considered valid for consideration by the council’s monitoring officer, are that public consultation was inadequate and that the information provided the Executive based its decision on was lacking.
A report noting the council’s public consultation exercise over the scheme said: “Of the 42 responses received from the occupiers consulted, two were in favour of the proposed scheme, with 39 against.”
But the call-in document says this was “not accurate and extremely misleading”.
It continues: “The highways officer is aware that a further 87 responses were received December 2017 but not included by the council in this report, this has been discussed with him by residents and members of the community council.
“These responses were submitted before the deadline and therefore the information should have been included.”
The call-in also questions council figures about traffic flow through which said in 2008 that there were “around 25,000 vehicle passes per weekday” – a figure which remained the same ten years later.
The call-in document says: “Insufficient information and/or evidence has been provided to ensure that the decision makers have the evidence and information available to them to make an informed decision.
“There is no evidence contained within the report to demonstrate that traffic figures have increased or the problem has worsened.”
Concluding the reasons for the call-in, it says: “The purpose of a call in is to challenge a decision where the decision makers have not been provided all of the information or have not been provided with sufficient detail in order to make an informed decision.
“It is clear from the points raised above that this has happened on a number of occasions and therefore to not allow this matter to be scrutinised would be reckless and contrary to the democratic process and principles of scrutiny.”
The arguments will now be considered by the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board on August 2 when they will discuss whether the decision should be sent back to the Executive to be reconsidered.
Cllr Lewis Young, the executive member for economic development and infrastructure and a number of council officers will be present at the August 2 meeting.
The executive member and officers will be asked to explain the reasons and rationale behind their report and the decision that was made.
Article originally appeared on Teesside Gazette
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