To approve the annual plan 2022/23 for the public realm services contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places.

The annual plan has been developed by Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) with council officers based on instruction by the council to ensure that it meets the council’s objectives for the public realm (highways and related services) within the assigned budgets. The service manager’s acceptance of the annual plan has ensured that the annual plan complies with the terms of the public realm services contract. Cabinet member approval of the plan provides final confirmation of this acceptance and in doing so ensures that the plan provides a sound basis for performance and contract management during the forthcoming financial year. The council has confirmed that the necessary contractual requirements have been complied with in regard to the annual plan.

That: (a) the Annual Plan for public realm services, as outlined at Appendix 1 of this report be approved as the basis for service delivery during 2022/23 with an overall budget of up to £18,775,046; made up of £5,908,046 revenue and £12,867,000 capital budgets as detailed in paragraph 44 below;

(b) the Interim Service Director Transport and Highways be authorised to agree, through the BBLP contract governance arrangements, final adjustments to the programme (including any recommendations from the Strategic Partnering Board) and budget allocation to each of the Annexes and any in-year adjustments to the plan, within the overall budget; and

(c) the interim Service Director Transport and Highways be authorised to take all necessary operational decisions in relation to the in-house provision of Public Rights of Way and Traffic Management services and the directly delivered projects identified in paragraph 21 of this report.

1. Not to approve the Annual Plan. This is not recommended as operating without an approved Annual Plan may put the management of budgets, performance and contract management arrangements at risk.

2. If in year changes to the service as detailed in this Annual Plan are required, then these can be best managed, from the baseline position established in the Annual Plan, through the change management processes that are in the Public Realm Services contract and managed through the council’s contract management team.

3. To approve an alternative Annual Plan for 2022/23; this option is not recommended as the development of the Annual Plan has gone through a robust process with BBLP and the council’s representatives to ensure effective prioritisation and asset management have been applied within the overall budgets available