To consider the Task and Finish Group’s report on highways maintenance – pothole repairs.

The Committee was invited to consider the report of the task and finish group it had commissioned to examine highways maintenance – pothole repairs.

The Chairperson introduced the report and invited the committee to indicate if there were any other matters, having regard to the scope of the review, that members thought should be considered.

No additional matters were identified.  Members of the task and finish group present thanked officers and Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) for their support to the review and complimented BBLP on their work.

The cabinet member – transport and regulatory services thanked the task and finish group and praised the work of highways officers and BBLP.  He observed that some of the recommendations were already in train, some were soon to be delivered and others would receive consideration, confirming that the executive response would be made after the elections in May.  He highlighted the recent publication of a leaflet on riparian responsibilities.  This was to be communicated to all parish councils as they would have the closest links with landowners.

He supported the circulation of the report to all parish councils recognising the responses received from them and that the report answered several questions that were regularly asked of the service whilst also making clear the constraints under which the service operated.

The acting director – economy and place (AD) commented that the service was always keen to see how it could improve. It was to be hoped that the report would also help in explaining how services were delivered.  The council worked with BBLP in a shared team effort to make the best use of the finite resources available to the benefit of the county.

The contracts operation manager BBLP was invited to comment on steps being taken to address poor driver behaviour involving motorists ignoring road closures and in doing so presenting a safety hazard.  He stated that this was an issue that they were seeking to address through hard barriers where practicable and use of cameras to enable evidence to be supplied to the police.

It was suggested with regard to recommendation 11 proposing that parish councils should have a designated person to scrutinise highways works that there may be a number of issues including safety considerations of which account would need to be taken if that were to be pursued.

The question of a template for the locality steward reports to make them more consistent with one another was raised.  The AD and cabinet member suggested in response that in some ways the individual character of the reports might be considered to have some merit.

In relation to funding for highway maintenance, reference was made to the recommendations for the provision of additional funding that the Committee had made in considering the public realm contract in January 2018.  The AD commented that this was a matter for council in setting the budget and the outcome in relation to the resolution of outstanding issues with the previous contractor.

RESOLVED: 

That      (a)     the findings of the task and finish group report at appendix 1 be agreed and submitted to the executive; and

              (b)     it be recommended that the report be circulated to all parish councils and all members of the council.

Chairperson’s Closing Remarks

In closing the meeting the Chairperson thanked the members of the committee for their work and officers for their support to the Committee and wished everyone well for the future.