Agenda item

­­­­(To receive a report from Tom Gifford, Client and Contract Manager, Highways, which sets out the performance of the highways service including the Major Highway Schemes Update, Lincolnshire Highways Performance Report and Transport Complaints Report)

Consideration was given to a report from Tom Gifford, Client and Contract Manager, updating the Committee on the performance of the Highways Service including the Major Highway Schemes Update, Lincolnshire Highways Performance Report and Transport Complaints Report. Members were advised that the Council had three major highways schemes Grantham Southern Relief Road, Spalding Western Relief Road and North Hykeham Relief Road. An overview of contract performance for Balfour Beatty, WSP, and Colas was offered, with an overall improvement highlighted. During quarter two, 12,078 faults were fixed, including potholes, gully grates, slabs, and gully pots. Community Maintenance Gang were awarded additional funding of £3.9 million to make improvements throughout communities and the roads linking them. WSP continued to support council officers from the Technical Services Partnership (TSP). 95.9 per cent of traffic signal emergency faults were addressed within a two-hour window and 100 per cent of standard faults were addressed within the appropriate time scale. A number of traffic signal capital works were completed in quarter two. The number of complaints received saw a decrease of four per cent from the previous quarter. Throughout the three main partners, five apprentices were currently in place with a further two graduates employed.

Councillor Brookes departed the meeting at this point.

The Committee considered the report, and during the discussion the following comments were noted:-

• Noting that kerbing jobs were not subject to a performance measure, Members asked what the average wait time was. The Client and Contract Manager noted that the overall effectiveness of deadline satisfaction was assessed through performance measures, the data on kerbing jobs specifically wasn’t immediately available. He offered to provide this data outside of the meeting.
• Referencing the delay seen in the North Hykeham Relief Road, Members asked if any changes in process would be implemented in the future to increase efficiency. Furthermore, Members felt that more frequent and detailed updates would have been of benefit to Local Members.The Client and Contract Manager stated that a significant exercise was undertaken with Anglian Water to identify why they were delayed in attending to leaks. Further detail would be provided to the Committee.
• Members asked if a traffic flow improvement had been apparent as a result of the North Hykeham Relief Road. Moreover, some Members shared experiences of improved flow on North Hykeham. The Client and Contract Manager explained that the data to identify a change in traffic activity wasn’t yet available.
• While stressing their appreciation of the functionality offered by the Highways App, Members noted that it suffered from a number of bugs and glitches. Furthermore, Members, noting that the pins weren’t removed after a completed job, asked if this was to be updated in the future. The Client and Contract Manager explained that bugs and glitches resulting from the Highways App had been noted relayed to the app developers. IOS devices appeared to be most affected by any difficulties. The app offered a filter option to remove completed works from its display.
• In encounters with gangs present to fill in potholes, Members noted that they were only brief to fill in a pre-reported set of potholes and were unable to fill in ones identified by the Member. The Client and Contract Manager agreed that it was a more pragmatic approach to fill in all potholes on arrival at a location, however the nature of the potholes on networks made it difficult to effectively fill them in. Furthermore, the Council had to prioritise by its statutory obligations.
• Some Members felt that it was reasonable to suggest the number of apprentices employed by partners could be higher. Furthermore, Members sought clarity on the qualification the apprenticeships would ultimately offer. The Client and Contract Manager didn’t have details on the specific qualifications worked towards through the apprenticeships, however offered to circulate it subsequently. The number of apprentices reduced to five this year as a previous apprenticeship ended resulting in an employment opportunity in Belfour Beatty.
• Members stressed their appreciation that a line of communication was in place been to support apprenticeships for looked after children.
• Referencing the volunteering days scheme mentioned in the report, Members asked if a timeline was available to identify when they would be able to take part. Furthermore, Members, understanding that some schemes would result in a cost to affected parish councils, asked if some detailed feedback identifying costs to local groups could be made available. The Client and Contract Manager explained that site visits were currently underway for all the sites that had been suggested, subsequently, a programme would be complied and costed before being open to Members. 
• Members stressed their appreciation of the completed A17/A15 Holdingham Roundabout works, adding that the overall process was carried out effectively, timely and to and effective standard. In a subsequent comment, Members noted that there was a view from the local community to introduce planting onto Holdingham Roundabout and asked if any formal planting arrangements were expected by the Council. The Client and Contract Manager offered to seek further detail and advise the Committee.
• Some Members were disappointed in the dedicated lane allocation on the approach to the Holdingham Roundabout, adding that the Peterborough Lane was particularly underused when compared to the Newark Lane. The Client and Contract Manager offered to respond to Members after investigation into this issue.
• Referencing the single carriageway design of the North Hykeham relief road, Members felt that the south-west side of Lincoln could be severely advisedly affected. They asked if the existing bypass was likely to be changed to dual carriage way. The Client and Contract Manager explained stressed that the section of bypass in question was maintained by Highways England rather than the Council. He noted Members’ comments and would come back to them in the future.
• Members sought detail of budgetary arrangements for tree works. The Client and Contract Manager explained that tree works came out of the overall highways budget, but dependant on the works carried out, different streams would be used. For example, emergency tree works would come out of the emergency fund, whereas scheduled non-emergency works were supported through a separate fund.
• Noted the staged complaints process, Members asked what the process was for determining if a complaint progressed to stage two. The Client and Contract Manager that the complaints process followed the wider corporate complaints procedure administered by business support colleagues who, after liaising with highways officers, endeavoured to resolve directly with the complainant. If the complainant wasn’t satisfied with the resolution, they were offered the opportunity to progress the complaint. Upon complaint progression, an external colleague took an assessment to determine, to what, if any, extent the complaint was upheld.
• Members sought further information of the proposed business case for the Heckington land dualling. The Client and Contract Manager advised that officers were awaiting the completion of feasibility studies, due early 2022, before business case progression could be considered.

RESOLVED

That the report and comments be noted.