To confirm the Annual Plan 2023/24 for the Public Realm Services contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places.

To confirm the approval of the Annual Plan 2023/24 for the Public Realm Services contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places.

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 2023/24 with an overall budget of up to £18,668,796; made up of £5,832,587 revenue and £12,867,000 capital budgets as detailed in paragraph 35 below;

(b)  the Interim Service Director Transport and Highways be authorised to agree, through the  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 34 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 following instruction for the appropriate commissioner.

3.          To approve an alternative Annual Plan for 2023/24; this option is not recommended as the development of the Annual Plan has gone through a robust process with BBLP and the council’s commissioners and Contract Management Team to ensure effective prioritisation and asset management have been applied within the overall budgets available.