Agenda item

To enable the Committee to consider the report prepared by the Task and Finish Group on the Tendring Road Rally.

Minutes:

The Committee had before it a report of the Head of Leadership Support and Community which sought to ask it to consider and agree the final report for submission to Cabinet.

 

Members of the public who attended the meeting were invited by the Chairman to voice any concerns held regarding the Tendring Road Rally; the following issues were raised

 

·         Marshals – it was discussed that the training of the marshals for the 2018 rally appeared to have been inadequate; during this Road Rally the marshals appeared to have little authority when it came to moving members of the public into safe viewing areas. It was also noted that the marshals took no notice of children and families dangerously crossing over roads and fields in between cars, nor did they act on instances where drivers were seen to be driving without a safety helmet. With regards to the suggested 2019 Rally, the routes have been extended from the previous event – this will mean that the marshals will not have a clear line of sight to one another and poses a safety issue.

·         Wildlife – the 2018 Rally occurred during peak breeding season, with no consideration as to the safety of the wildlife on this day.

·         Insurance issues – it was stated that an insurance company has claimed, if the Tendring Road Rally was a one-off occurrence this would not affect the insurance policy. However, if the rally were to become a regular occurrence, then it would have to be taken into consideration with the insurance policy.

·         Pollution – the pollution level created by the 2018 event was described as dreadful, and claimed that it caused one member of the public to suffer with a cough for around one week. It was also noted to have caused high levels of noise pollution.

·         Speed Levels – residents have stated that since the 2018 Tendring Road Rally, there has been an increase in cars and motor bikes speeding through the area.

Councillor Scott, who was present in the public gallery and spoke with the permission of the Chairman, raised the issue of those who owned and rode horses in the area had voiced their concerns over the dangerous speed of vehicles. Those concerns had also been raised by those who owned cattle, thereby arguing that the speed levels should be restricted.

 

Councillor Bucke circulated an email from himself to members of the Committee, which raised concerns and queries over the location of the rally, the consultation with local residents, comments from Parish Councils, the perceived limitations and proposals of the 2019 rally, the duties and power of the marshals, health and safety issues, lessons learned from other rallies that had occurred throughout the UK, availability of the cost/benefit data, and the charitable donations of the 2018 rally.

 

One member of the public requested that Officers provide more information on the complaints that had been received – how were those complaints received? And how many of the complaints were submitted by those who lived on the route or in the surrounding area?

 

The Committee deliberated on the report.

 

It was discussed that Tendring District Council had no statutory powers to stop the event from occurring, and it currently appeared to many as though Tendring Council were involved within the organisation of the event, which was not the case. It was felt that there should be a decision made as to whether Tendring Council  would continue to act as a consulting body, or whether it should become a joint partner. It was also stated that it  was critical to ensure that the 2019 rally  would be a safe event, if it was to go ahead, and that more information regarding the marshals was needed – for instance, how many there would be and what it was exactly that they were responsible for.

 

Following the receipt of advice from Officers, it was RESOLVED that:-

 

a)    The Committee thanks the Task and Finish Group for  its report;.

b)    Recommended to Cabinet that they decide whether Tendring District Council should become a Joint Partner, or continue to act as a Consulting Partner or oversight body in respect of the 2019 Road Rally;

c)    c) the Cabinet be requested in its decision making to take into account the recommendations of the Task and Finish Review; and

d)    d) the Cabinet be also requested to pay particular close attention to the health and safety issues around this event.

 

Supporting documents: