Agenda and minutes

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules and suggests that the Panel should adopt them for the purpose of conducting the review.

The Panel are requested to formally adopt the Scrutiny Review Panel Rules for the purpose of conducting the review.

Officer Contact: David Clee on 0161 474 3137 or email: david.clee@stockport.gov.uk

The Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules and suggesting that the Panel should adopt them for the purpose of conducting the review.

 RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Review Panel Procedure Rules be adopted as outlined in the report.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration

The report outlines the proposed scope and brief for the review. The area to be reviewed by the Scrutiny Review Panel is the repair of potholes and other defects on the adopted highway. Both the process and quality of repair will be considered. This work is generally covered by the reactive/routine maintenance service which is revenue funded.

The Panel is requested to determine the scope of the review and outline any areas which they wish to scrutinise further.

Officer Contacts: Andrew Suggett /Johanna Smith on 0161 474 2425/4869 or email: andrew.suggett@stockport.gov.uk/johanna.smith@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the proposed scope and brief for the review. The area to be reviewed by the Scrutiny Review Panel was the repair of potholes and other defects on the adopted highway. Both the process and quality of repairs would be considered. The work was generally covered by the reactive/routine maintenance service which was revenue funded.

The following comments were made/issue raised:-

·         The Lead Member referred Members to the Transport Asset Management Strategy which was to be considered by the Environment and Economy Scrutiny Committee on 24 September 2015 and its importance as a background document for this review.

·         Members noted the business case for Public Realm and Solutions SK as part of the Investing in Stockport Programme Executive Proposals for 2016/17 in which it was proposed that 13 f.t.e Public Realm Inspectors and Highway Safety Inspectors may transfer to Solutions SK. Members would be advised at the next meeting of the Panel whether or not this was likely to take place.

·         The end to end process for repairing potholes was being ‘mapped out’ and would be submitted to the next meeting of the Panel.

·         The sub-contracting aspect of the system for the repair of potholes was important.

·         Approximately 75%/76% of potholes and other highway defects were reported to Solutions SK by the Highways Safety Inspectors via planned inspections. The remaining were reported by the Public Realm Inspectors who responded to enquiries from members of the public and councillors.

·         Members requested information about the specific location of potholes that needed to be regularly repaired.

·         The quality of reinstatement works carried out by utility companies was not always of the highest quality and the Panel needed to understand how this was inspected and monitored by Council Officers, and whether the highway had be reinstated to its previous condition. This would be included in a report to a future meeting of the Panel.

·         Performance monitoring information from the Council (the client) and productivity information from Solutions SK (the contractor) would be submitted to a future meeting of the Panel.

RESOLVED – (1) That the proposed scope and brief for the Scrutiny Review be approved.

(2) That Members of the Panel be provided with information on the number of potholes reported by Ward and the specific location of potholes that needed to be repaired on a regular basis.

(3) That Members of the Panel be provided with a flow chart demonstrating the process after potholes are reported.

(4) That Members of the Panel be provided with information with regard to how the reinstatement works carried out by the utility companies were inspected and monitored, the Council Officers who were employed for this purpose, and recharging and sub-contracting arrangements.

(5) That Solutions SK be invited to the meeting of the Panel to be held on 9 December 2015 in connection with the review of the quality of reactive maintenance (potholes and other defects on the highway).

To agree dates of future meetings and timescales for undertaking the review.

RESOLVED – That future meetings of the Panel be held as follows:-

Aspect 1: Review of the repair process (potholes and other defects on the highway) including the ‘back office’ process to help determine if there are opportunities for changes and/or efficiency – Wednesday 4 November 2015 (6.00pm)

Aspect 2: Review of the quality of reactive maintenance repair (potholes and other defects on the highway) – Wednesday 9 December 2015 (6.00pm)

Aspect 3: Review of the Council’s Safety Inspection & Repair Policy and Plan – Wednesday 3 February 2016 (6.00pm)

Conclusion: Agree Final Report and Recommendations – Wednesday 23 March 2016 (6.00pm)