Agenda item

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

The report provides the opportunity for comments to be made on the following documents:-

·         Skid Resistance Policy Statement

·         Street Lighting and other Illuminated Infrastructure Policy Statement

·         Winter Services Policy

·         Winter Services Plan

·         Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Policy Statement

·         Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan

·         Public Rights of Way Inspection and Repair Plan

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on the above documents to deliver asset management in line with the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice and support the approval of the documents by the Cabinet.

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) setting out the following suite of policies and measures in response to the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice (WMHI) published in 2016 but that would come into full effect at the end of October 2018:-

• Skid Resistance Policy Statement
• Street Lighting and other illuminated Infrastructure Policy Statement
• Winter Services Policy
• Winter Services Plan
• Highway Safety Inspection and Repairs Policy Statement
• Highways Safety Inspection and Repairs Plan
• Public Right of Way Inspection and Repair Plan.

The Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice (WMHI) came into full effect at the end of October when the Well-Maintained Highways, Management of Highways Structures and Well-lit Highways Codes of Practice ceased to be recognised. Historically the Council had relied on meeting the standards of the old codes to defend the quality of its maintenance processes, and this had been accepted in court when defending highways related claims. The WMHI contained no prescriptive or minimum standards for maintenance purposes. It advised the Council that it be used, in conjunction with the Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Guidance, as the starting point against which to develop, review and formally approve highway infrastructure maintenance policy. It would be these policies that were now relied on for the defence of claims against the Council to show that it had applied the WMHI.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration (Councillor Kate Butler) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

• With regard to the Street Lighting and other Illuminated Policy Statement, the Council was dependent on the performance of its contractors and sub-contractors. In addition, the frequency of the re-inspection of the street lighting columns was dependent on the risk of failure of the columns.
• It was acknowledged that the report had taken a long time to be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee, but this was a result of the complexity and amount of work that had gone into the preparation of the documents.
• With regard to the Skid Resistance Policy Statement, the guidelines set out the speed of vehicles at which the measurements were taken. When fatal or serious accidents occurred and skid resistance may be a contributory factor, the surface condition and historical data would be assessed. The Council would analyse the data if requested to do by the Police and respond to any questions or requests for further information.
• With regard to the Winter Services Policy and Plan, Officers would endeavour to provide grit bins for locations where it was imperative that they were in place.
• A Member requested that all the documents be placed on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet be advised that this Scrutiny Committee supports the Council’s response to the Well-Managed Highways Infrastructure Code of Practice and the adoption of the policies and plans which had been developed.