Agenda item
HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE POLICIES FOR UNCLASSIFIED ROADS
To consider a report by the Highways Asset and Risk Manager (copy attached) which presents to the committee the Council’s policy for maintaining unclassified roads along with the criteria and formula that will be applied for allocating and spending the additional funding allocated towards highways in the county.
10.10 – 11.00 a.m.
Minutes:
The Chair adjourned
the meeting for two minutes to allow officers and Lead Members to join the
meeting.
The Head of Highways and
Environmental Services (HHES) guided members through the report (previously circulated).
It was stressed to members that 44% of the road network observed in the
authority was unclassified roads. Members were reminded that officers had
continued to stress the need to invest more in
the highways network. The HHES emphasised the key principle had always been to
ensure that there was at least one good quality road serving any community.
Members heard that at times other roads servicing a community may not be
prioritised for improvement. Members were guided to the extracts from the Denbighshire
Highways Code of Practice, detailing the criteria and approach to works.
The HHES stated there was two
aspects to the highways work. He provided members with details of each, the
first was the Capital Programme which was funds to repair to agreed roads in
the authority. It was confirmed a report was to be presented to all MAG to
agree the programme of works. The second aspect was the revenue funded in-house
highways maintenance. Further context was provided to members on the resource
available for the in-house maintenance team. In the authority there was 14
highways operatives employed, this number had reduced from previous years.
The Lead
Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment felt the highways funding was
extremely important and should be included within the Corporate Plan. It was
the opinion of the Lead Member that the department was in a more positive
position than at the start of the term.
The Chair thanked
the Lead Member and the officers for the report, he also noted the pressures on
officers due to the difficult work. He stressed highway maintenance had been an
increasing issue to try and resolve.
In response to Committee members’ questions
the following details were provided by officers and the Lead Member:
·
Out of
the allocated budget of £2.5mil for 2021/22, £800,000 had been allocated for
surface dressing. Officers stated that the majority of the surface dressing had
taken place on A and B road network. Re-surfacing on B roads was scheduled.
Officers stated that 50% of the budget was allocated to 80% of the network.
Officers stressed that the department was managing risk and busier roads
carried a higher risk and required priority if needing repair.
·
£900k
additional funding had been provided. An allocation of £450k had been made for
rural roads. The works had been listed on the reserve list that officers had
previously circulated to Member Area Groups (MAG’s).
·
Members
heard that the inspection frequencies had changed. Town centres were done
monthly; the remaining network was inspected every 4 months with rural roads
inspected every 6 months. Once a pothole was identified to officers there was a
policy to repair it within 10 days. In response to members questions the
maximum time for a pothole to be repaired would therefore be six months and ten
days. However, if the pothole had been
reported by a councillor, member of staff or the public ahead of the programmed
inspection it would be repaired within 10 days of being reported. Hence the importance of everybody reporting
potholes as and when they came across one.
·
The
HHES stated officers were always grateful and hopeful for extra funding. If
funding was awarded for specific purposes it would have to be used for that
reason. If funding was received it would be applied in year and the authority’s
funding would be carried forward to the following year.
·
It was
promoted that officers from the service or other areas of the council, reported
any issues observed in their day to day jobs.
·
Officers
confirmed if layby’s formed part of the adopted highway they should be
maintained to the same standard as the highway.
·
Every
rural road was inspected twice a year. Reference was made to a scanner, which
was an external contract which used lasers to consider road condition. All A, B
and half of C roads were inspected using this system.
·
Officers
noted the significant issue of water on roads. Officers stressed the importance
of clearing water to aid maintenance of the condition of the road.
·
It was
confirmed that a small budget had been allocated to footways. Officers stated a
low number of complaints had been received regarding the condition of
footpaths.
·
Officers
confirmed they would address members concerns in relation to matters within
individual wards with members outside the meeting.
The Chair thanked
the officers for the detailed responses to members concerns and questions. It
was noted that highways maintenance was a difficult subject matter for all
concerned.
The Committee:
Resolved: - subject to regard being given to the
above observations and comments, that
(i)
it
was satisfied that the correct approach to highway maintenance was being
applied, insofar that the best alignment between the risk to users and the
utilisation of available funding was being achieved;
(ii)
efforts
should be made to encourage all councillors and employees to adopt and foster a
‘One Council’ corporate approach towards reporting problems or matters relating
to the highways network; and
(iii)
an
information report be circulated to Committee members on the condition and
maintenance plans for laybys adjacent to the County’s highways network.
Supporting documents: