Follow up of FOI003373
Further to my previous Freedom of Information/Environmental Information Regulations request concerning the transfer of highway and amenity verge maintenance responsibilities to Wraysbury Parish Council, I would like to request information specifically concerning the scope of vegetation clearance and associated maintenance responsibilities arising from that devolution arrangement.
My previous request addressed the agreements, schedules, maps and identification of the verges covered by the arrangement. This request is intended to establish what the respective responsibilities of RBWM and Wraysbury Parish Council are in practice in relation to vegetation clearance and associated maintenance.
I would therefore be grateful for the following information:
1. Scope of vegetation clearance responsibilities
Please provide copies of any documents defining or describing the vegetation-related works that Wraysbury Parish Council is responsible for undertaking under the Parish Devolution Scheme.
This should include, where held:
- grass cutting;
- cutting back vegetation encroaching onto footways;
- cutting back vegetation affecting highway visibility;
- hedge and shrub maintenance;
- clearance around road signs, street furniture and other highway assets;
- clearance around drainage infrastructure;
- removal of vegetation obstructing or narrowing footways;
- vegetation clearance affecting public rights of way;
- removal of fallen or overgrown vegetation; and
- any other routine vegetation management undertaken as part of the devolved responsibilities.
2. Responsibilities retained by RBWM
Please provide any documentation identifying circumstances in which RBWM remains responsible for vegetation clearance or associated maintenance within Wraysbury, notwithstanding the devolution of verge maintenance to the Parish Council.
In particular, please identify whether RBWM retains responsibility for vegetation where it:
- affects highway safety;
- obstructs or narrows a footway;
- obstructs visibility at a junction or access;
- obscures or interferes with road signs;
- affects street lighting or other highway infrastructure;
- affects drainage or highway drainage infrastructure;
- originates from land outside the area maintained by the Parish Council; or
- requires specialist or emergency intervention.
3. Maintenance standards and frequency
Please provide copies of any specifications, schedules, service standards, maintenance standards, instructions or guidance supplied to Wraysbury Parish Council concerning the standard and frequency of vegetation clearance.
Where applicable, please provide the required cutting/clearance frequency and any measurements or standards relating to:
- minimum footway clearance;
- visibility splays;
- clearance around signs;
- clearance around street furniture;
- verge cutting heights;
- hedge/shrub maintenance; and
- clearance of vegetation from drainage infrastructure.
4. Identification and reporting of work
Please provide any documents setting out how vegetation requiring clearance is identified and who has responsibility for arranging the work.
In particular:
- Who is responsible for inspecting areas subject to the devolution arrangement?
- Is RBWM expected to identify or report vegetation issues to Wraysbury Parish Council?
- Is Wraysbury Parish Council responsible for identifying such work itself?
- What is the procedure where a member of the public reports vegetation obstructing a highway or footway?
- Are there defined response times for safety-related or obstruction-related vegetation issues?
5. Highway safety and statutory responsibilities
Please provide any documents, guidance or correspondence setting out how responsibility for vegetation clearance is dealt with where vegetation creates a highway safety issue or obstruction.
I would particularly like to establish whether the transfer of routine verge maintenance also transferred responsibility for vegetation which encroaches onto the highway or footway, or whether such matters remain the responsibility of RBWM.
6. Maps and responsibility boundaries
In addition to the verge maps requested in my previous FOI/EIR request, please provide any maps, plans, GIS layers or other records held by RBWM which identify:
- areas where vegetation clearance is the responsibility of Wraysbury Parish Council;
- areas where vegetation clearance remains the responsibility of RBWM; and
- any areas where responsibility is shared or depends upon the nature of the work required.
7. Funding and consideration of additional works
Please provide any information held by RBWM concerning whether the funding provided to Wraysbury Parish Council under the devolution arrangement is intended to cover all routine vegetation clearance, or only specified verge maintenance activities.
Please also provide any documentation concerning how responsibility is dealt with where vegetation clearance is required that falls outside the routine works or specification funded through the devolution arrangement.
8. Changes since 1 April 2012
Please provide any records showing changes since 1 April 2012 to the respective responsibilities of RBWM and Wraysbury Parish Council concerning vegetation clearance and associated highway maintenance.
This should include any updated guidance, specifications, correspondence, amendments, reviews or decisions which altered the scope of the Parish Council's responsibilities.
9. Complaints, enforcement and unresolved responsibility
Please provide copies of any policies, procedures or guidance explaining how RBWM deals with situations where vegetation within Wraysbury has not been cleared and there is uncertainty or disagreement as to whether responsibility lies with RBWM, Wraysbury Parish Council or a third party.
I am particularly interested in any records or procedures concerning vegetation causing highway obstruction, pedestrian obstruction or visibility/safety concerns.
10. Current position
Finally, please provide any document currently held by RBWM which sets out, in practical terms, the current division of responsibility between RBWM and Wraysbury Parish Council for vegetation clearance within Wraysbury.
If no single document exists, please provide the relevant documents which together establish the current position.