Agenda item

This report will be considered by the Planning and Transportation Committee on 11 November 2014.

The Sub Committee received a report of the Director of the Built Environment which outlined the current funding situation regarding highway maintenance in the City, with a particular focus on road surfacing, where local risk budgets had considerably reduced in real terms over time, and where these further proposed savings would be most likely to impact.

The Assistant Director, Highways advised that part of the Department for Transport’s funding for highway repairs was due to become incentive based, and that this was supplemented through monies from Transport for London.

It was agreed to circulate the formula for the condition index (Appendix 1 - UKPMS Carriageway condition survey 2012/13 and 2013/14) to Members and organise a briefing session to provide some context to the methodology for formulas.

The Sub Committee noted the City’s responsibility for maintaining streets, footways and walkways, including inspecting them for defects, undertaking repairs and resurfacing, changing or enhancing streets through major projects, maintaining signs, bollards, street nameplates and drainage, and looking after all the powered & illuminated street furniture in the City, from road signs to street lights.

The Sub Committee specifically discussed the tracking of accurate survey data for highway condition, and the requirement from CIPFA to calculate the value of the highway and the backlog of work.  The Sub Committee noted this had assisted Officers in their understanding of what funding might be required to reach a ‘steady state’.

A general discussion took place regarding funding and the possibilities of obtaining other sources of revenue in the future.  In addition, Members were informed that the developer was responsible for funding initial repairs of the highway caused by building site activities.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.