Agenda item

The new highway contract with Ringway Infrastructure Services started in April 2016. A number of sub-contracts were have been transferred to the Council following the early end of the previous highway contract, the performance of these contractors will continue to be monitored.

An Annual Review of Service has been prepared for the Committee in Appendix 3.

Information has been prepared for each Area Board and is included in this agenda under Appendix 1. An indicative list of priority sites for treatment has been developed for 2017/18 and is included in Appendix 2.

In October 2013 Cabinet agreed to increase highway maintenance funding to £21 million for six years. This was subsequently included in the Council’s future budget, and forms the basis of the ‘Local Highways Investment Fund 2014 – 2020’. The increased investment in highways maintenance has enabled a large number of schemes to be progressed to improve the condition of the network and its infrastructure.

The previous Highways and Streetscene Contract was with Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) and started in June 2013. In July 2015 Cabinet agreed to the early termination of the contract following a review of the potential benefits for the Council. The progress on terminating the previous contract and the procurement of the new contract was regularly reported to the Environment Select Committee. Arrangements were made for the Council to take over some of the existing sub-contracts between BBLP and specialist suppliers in key service areas, including grass cutting, litter picking and major road resurfacing. A procurement exercise was undertaken for a new Wiltshire Highways Contract for the other services, which was awarded to Ringway Infrastructure Services earlier this year and started in April 2016.

Councillor John Thomson, Deputy Leader of the Council, and Peter Binley, Head of Highways Assets and Commissioning, presented a report on the annual review of the Highways Service. Details of highways maintenance in each community area were provided, along with an indicative list of maintenance schemes for 2017/18 and other statistics as detailed in the agenda. It was stated the performance of contractors had been very good since the early termination of the previous contract.

The Committee discussed the report, seeking details of the allocation of the £21 million highways investment, which included some funding from central government. Queries were raised on the proposed schemes for 2014/18, and in respect of the A350 proposals, it was stated the route was the busiest under the council’s responsibility in Wiltshire, and that funding for further dualling of the route was being sought from the Local Enterprise Partnership.

The Committee was informed Area Boards would be consulted on the proposed list of maintenance to be undertaken in the next year, and it was confirmed that Community Area Transport Groups could propose additional schemes, although this would mean other schemes could not be addressed, and it would be beneficial to list the schemes by priority, though some members raised examples of high priority schemes that had been left undone across several years. Other topics raised included identifying the need for traffic signalling prior to upgrading the network, working closely with parish councils to monitor need for work, customer reporting and emphasising pedestrian and cycling improvements to reduce pressure on Highways.

At the conclusion of discussion, it was,

Resolved

To note the following:

(i)            Good progress has been made on implementing the ‘Local Highways Investment Fund 2014 – 2020’, and there has been a substantial improvement in road conditions in Wiltshire.

(ii)          The performance of all of the contractors currently delivering the highways service is good, and the transition to the new highways contract with Ringway Infrastructure Services has gone smoothly.

(iii)         The new Parish Steward Scheme has been launched. The operation of the scheme will be monitored and reported to this Committee next year.

(iv)         The Highways Consultancy contract was awarded to Atkins in December 2012. Performance has been good and they are being awarded an 18 month extension in accordance with the provisions of the contract. Performance will continue to be monitored and will be reviewed again next year regarding a further six month extension of the contract.

(v)          A Performance Management Framework has been developed to help monitor future performance of the highways service and support good asset management.

(vi)         An annual review of the highway service will be undertaken and reported to this Committee next year, which will include reporting on progress on implementing the ‘Local Highways Investment Fund 2014 – 2020’, and on the introduction of the Parish Steward Scheme.