Agenda item

The Highways and Streetscene Contract report, detailing the early termination of the Highways and Streetscene Contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP), and the alternative arrangements for service delivery being put in place, will be considered by Cabinet on 10 November 2015. In advance of this, the Highways and Streetscene Task Group considered the report at its meeting on 15 October 2015.

A report detailing the conclusions and recommendations of the Task Group will be published prior to the Committee meeting. The Highways and Streetscene Contract report will be attached as an appendix to the Task Group report; the exempt information will be contained in a separate report circulated in Part II.

The Task Group report will be presented to the Committee by the Chairman of the Highways and Streetscene Task Group.

The Committee is asked to endorse the conclusions and recommendations of the Highways and Streetscene Task Group.

Cllr Jeff Osborn, Chairman of the Task Group, explained that the Highways and Streetscene Contract had been terminated by mutual agreement. It was highlighted that the Audit reports had been made available after the Task Group meeting and the Chairman of the Task Group recommended closer working between Scrutiny and Audit in the future. 

The Chairman of the Highways and Streetscene Task Group drew attention to the recommendations in the Task Group report and commended them to the Committee.

The Cabinet member for Highways and Transport drew attention to Recommendation 1 of the Task Group report and echoed the positive nature of scrutiny, the executive, and officers working in partnership. It was confirmed that the report proposed an extraordinary meeting of the Environment Select Committee in January in order to obtain the input of scrutiny before the new contract was taken to Cabinet in January. It was also clarified that Recommendation 5 of the Task Group report aimed to reflect the fact that highways issues were a priority for the public.

It was clarified that a Wiltshire Council lawyer had been involved in the drawing up of the Highways and Streetscene contract and had been a member of the project team throughout the process.  It was also noted that the Legal Team was involved in all contracts entered into at Wiltshire Council. Some members requested a summary of key clauses in the Highways and Streetscene Contract for the next Committee meeting. The Chairman of the Task Group highlighted that issues of communication were dealt with under Recommendation 6 of the Task Group report.  

It was confirmed that the quality assessment questionnaire had been sent out and that the European and UK Procurement Regulations were being followed. It was anticipated that the shortlist would be announced in mid-November; this would be followed by the tendering process.

Resolved:

To endorse the recommendations from Task Group report:

1.         To welcome the positive and open engagement with overview and scrutiny shown by the executive and officers in bringing reports to the Task Group and Environment Select Committee for discussion pre-Cabinet and the further opportunities for O&S involvement outlined in Recommendation 2.

2.         Highways and Streetscene Task Group to meet in December 2015 and monitor the development of the tendering process and Environment Select Committee to hold an extraordinary meeting in January 2016 to consider the proposed contract decision.

3.         To welcome the inclusion of Parish Stewards within the new Highways contracts.

4.         To welcome the move away from an integrated model and towards more separated contracts for highways and amenities functions when they are retendered.

5.         To note that the 2016/17 budget setting process will allow a considered and robust debate around what funding levels are needed to provide highways and amenities that meet expectations, particularly in service areas considered a priority by the public.

6.         Arrangements for the delivery of highways and amenities services, both until and after new contracts commence in April 2016, are clearly communicated in order to maximise awareness amongst councillors, affected employees and the public.

7.         Environment Select Committee and the Highways and Streetscene Task Group to be involved in the HMEP Strategic Peer Review to be held in the coming months.

8.         O&S Management Committee to determine overview and scrutiny’s involvement in the development of the My Wiltshire app as it becomes an increasingly important conduit through which residents can report a range of issues to the council.