Agenda item

(A report by Vincent VanDoninck, Policy and Strategic Asset Manager, in connection with a proposed amended Plan and seeks the Executive Councillor for HighwaYS, Transport and IT to approve the draft Plan)

 The Committee received a report in connection with a proposed amended Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Plan and that the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT be recommended to approve the draft Plan subject to the consideration of any comments made by this Committee.

Officers emphasised the importance of the Plan in helping the Council to obtain Band 3 status and to obtain maximum funding from the Department of Transport for highways maintenance.

Officers outlined the changes made to the Plan, the primary one being the introduction of a risk based approach to hierarchies for repairs to the highway and changes to inspection response times

Comments by the Committee and the responses of officers, where appropriate, included:-

·         How would the new proposed hierarchies improve on the current arrangements for the repair of roads, for example, it was sometimes necessary to use a "B" road because an "A" road was closed?  Officers stated that by further splitting the hierarchies this would help to identify roads better.

·         Officers stated that the road between Pennell's roundabout and Carholme roundabout (A46) was the responsibility of the Highways Agency.

·         Had local people been involved in the in the preparation of the Plan because they might have specific knowledge which highways were unaware? Officers stated that local knowledge was important and that the Highways Managers were aware of this.

·         Concern was expressed about the response times to repair raised and sunken covers owned by the utility companies particularly in rural areas. Officers stated that the new Permit Scheme to regulate the digging up of the highway by utility companies would help with response times. Officers agreed to provide details of response times in the next report on the Permit Scheme to the Committee.

·         Would the proposed extension of the hierarchies be different for rural and urban areas? Officers stated that there would be a difference in dealing with rural and urban areas and it was possible, for example, for the Highways Officer to escalate a repair if numerous complaints were received. 

·         In response to issues about reporting problems with the highway by both members and the public, officers stated that a report on communications and on "Fix my Street" would be considered at a future meeting.

·         Footways for school children were an issue in some areas. Officers stated that local knowledge was important and identifying hierarchies for footways was taken into consideration.

·         The revised Plan if approved by the Executive Councillor should be circulated to all Members for reference purposes and that the Overview Scrutiny Management Board should be informed that the style of the report should be adopted by other Council departments. This request was supported.

·         How would the changes proposed protect the people of Lincolnshire? Officers stated that by adopting the Plan this would provide evidence if a problem escalated. Officers stated that the Commissioning Team would ensure that the necessary changes were made to risk management and training would be provided.

·         Was there any provision to re-categorise roads or lanes prior to the preparation of the Plan? Officers stated that there was a process in place to re-categorise roads and lanes prior to the preparation of the Plan with Local Highway Managers making the final decision.

·         In response to an enquiry about road signs being obscured and problems caused by tree roots damaging footways, officers stated that these issues should be reported to the Council to investigate.

·         In response to a request for the document to be reviewed, officers stated that the Plan would be reviewed by the Committee in April 2019, before the start of the financial year.

The Plan was unanimously supported by the Committee.

RESOLVED

1. That the Committee supports the recommendation to the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT, that he should approve the Plan in the form of the draft dated July 2018 detailed in Appendix A to the report.

2. That the comments by the Committee and the responses of officers be passed to the Executive Councillor for Highways, Transport and IT.