To review the performance of the public realm service contract to enable the committee to make reports or recommendations to the executive with respect to the discharge of a function which is the responsibility of the executive.

The Committee was invited to review the performance of the public realm service contract to enable the committee to make reports or recommendations to the executive with respect to the discharge of a function which is the responsibility of the executive.

The Assistant Director Environment and Place (ADEP) introduced the report.  The Head of Highways and Community Services (HHCS) then gave a presentation as appended.  This had been updated since the presentation published with the agenda papers.  Mr A MacDonald (AMCD) presented the section on the 2018/19 Annual Plan.

Mrs C Bucknell, Clerk to Wellington Parish Council, and Mr P Russell, Clerk to Leominster Town Council and Weobley Parish Council had been invited to the meeting. 

Mrs Bucknell praised the work of the contractor and in particular commented favourably on the role of the locality steward in working with the local community and community engagement by the contractor in general.

Mr Russell also complimented the work of the locality stewards.  He considered it unfortunate that the council was ceasing funding of the lengthsman scheme.  Finance generally was an issue and non-statutory functions would become increasingly difficult to deliver unless these were taken on by Town or Parish Councils.  Communication with them by Herefordshire Council would be welcomed.  He noted, however, the difference in the scale of resources available to a Town Council compared with a Parish Council.

In discussion the following principal points were made:

·        It was suggested that the response to winter conditions in the City had been superior to that in the rural areas with an issue there being the availability and provision of salt and the ability to spread it.

AMCD commented that all the required targets had been met.  Grit bins had been filled at the start of the year and refilled as requested. The winter service plan provided for 15 priority routes to be treated.  This represented about 30% of the highway network.  Additional funding would be required to increase that coverage.  He outlined arrangements to collaborate with others, such as the highways agency which secured further resilience through access to additional salt stocks; the role played by snow contractors and training provided to them, and provided a general overview of the operation of the winter maintenance service.  He considered that the response had been successful in the face of challenging circumstances.  It had taken longer than he would have liked to turn to the secondary routes but the possibility of moving onto that network from the primary network had been reviewed hourly. To date it had not been identified that anything could have been done differently but this would be reviewed as part of a lessons learned exercise at the end of the season.

The HCCS confirmed a lessons learned exercise would inform the annual review of the winter service plan.  He added that the plan did provide the facility for Parishes to apply for salt to store themselves if they had suitable storage. 

A member noted that one of their parishes had not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64