Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing)

This report presents the amended Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan (Appendix 1) which has been changed in response to recommendation in the reactive maintenance review 2016; specifically Finding 7 – Categorising Defects

The reactive maintenance review final report 2016 recommendation seven – categorising defects proposed the implementation of a new five category system to replace the current categorisations adopted by the council in 2011. This has been further developed in consultation with SSK and insurers to the proposed 7 category system in the report.

It is believed the new categories will improve claim defensibility because it will improve the efficiency the client and contractor to deliver a repair within the agreed timeframe. Categories 1, 4 and 5 are the same as those identified in the previous categorisation system. A full comparison table for the different response times can be seen in Appendix 2.

The Executive is invited to give approval to undertake a 12 month trial (starting June 2017) of the new categories with the aim to review the impact of the changes as part of the final implementation of the reviewed strategy which will be put in place to meet the 2016 Well-Maintained Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson, 0161-474-4351, sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Executive Councillor (Communities & Housing) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) inviting the Executive to approve a revision to the Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan to take account of the recommendations of the Highways Reactive Maintenance Review in 2016 and the Scrutiny Review ‘Repairing Potholes’. It was proposed that the implementation of a new categorisation system for repairs be undertaken for a trial period of 12 months during which time councillors and the public were encouraged to give feedback on the new process.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to undertake a 12 month trial (starting June 2017) of new categories for response and repair times of highway defects with the aim to review the impact of the changes as part of the final implementation of the reviewed strategy which will be put in place to meet the 2016 Well-Maintained Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice.

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

The report presents the amended Highway Safety Inspection And Repairs Plan which had been changed in response to a recommendation in the reactive maintenance review 2016: specifically Finding 7 – Categorising Defects. In addition, it is proposed further amendments will be made to the overall process to Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs in response to the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice 2016. This code of Practice requires that the Council moves to a detailed risk based approach to highways maintenance which will require a more fundamental review of the policy.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk

The Corporate Director for Place Management and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting the amended Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan which had been changed in response to a recommendation in the reactive maintenance review 2016: specifically Finding 7 – Categorising Defects.

The reactive maintenance review final report 2016 recommendation 7 – Categorising Defects proposed the implementation of a new five category system to replace the current categorisations adopted by the Council in 2011. This had been further developed in consultation with Solutions SK and insurers.

It was believed that the new categories would improve claim defensibility because it would improve the efficiency for the client and contractor to deliver a repair within the agreed timeframe. Categories 1,4 and 5 were the same as those identified in the previous categorisation.

The Executive Councillor (Communities and Housing) (Councillor Sheila Bailey) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The report would be considered by the Executive at its meeting to be held on 14 March 2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         the ability of temporary repairs to highways had been overstated in the past and the number of permanent repairs should be maximised.

·         now Officers had the use of GPS technology the data on outstanding repairs could be ‘mapped’ on the Council’s website making it easier for people to track individual repairs and receive automatic updates.

·         it made sense to repair highway defects of less severity in an area when, for example, operatives were repairing a severe highway defect.

RESOLVED – That the Executive Meeting be recommended to give approval to undertake a twelve months’ trial (starting June 2017) of the new categories with the aim to review the impact of the changes as part of the final implementation of the reviewed strategy which would be put in place to meet the 2016 Well-Maintained Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice.