Meeting documents

EEC/10/158/HQ

South Hams Highways and Traffic Orders Committee

30 July 2010

Stokenham Pilot Project version 2

Report of the Area Engineer (South)

Please note that the following recommendation is subject to consideration and

determination by the Committee before taking effect.

Recommendation: that the report be noted.

1. Summary

In the autumn of 2009 Stokenham Parish Council undertook a 6 month pilot over the winter

months, following liaison and agreement with South Hams District Council and Devon

County Council, to extend the original pilot scheme agreed with South Hams in 2008. Under

the extended pilot scheme, the Parish undertook routine maintenance services themselves

under delegated authority from the District and County Councils who also allocated them

budget.

The district work represented approximately 80% by value, and included sweeping and litter

picking, toilet cleaning and grass cutting (including some urban county highway verge).

The county work represented approximately 20% by value, and was mainly the cleaning of

buddle-holes, grips and easements, and some cleaning and trimming around signs on roads

other than A roads which are more difficult to work on due to speed and volume of traffic.

The sum allocated by the County for 6 months was 3,050, based on a proportional share of

the budget for this type of work when discussions about the pilot began in 2008.

In February 2010 funding allocated for this type of work was halved as part of the overall

budget reallocations. So if the pilot continues for a second winter the allocation to

Stokenham would be less than half to allow for storms. The parish were informed in early

2010 and reminded of this recently.

2. Results of Pilot - County Work

The parish considered the county work they did over the winter a success. There were no

reports of blocked buddle-holes whereas previously there were some.

The parish employed a local man who took ownership working as a mobile lengthsman as

needed. He updated plans adding owners' names and got some landowners to do their

ditches on insides of their hedges. A random check indicated he was doing a thorough job.

DCC still have to attend major flooding and wash type incidents following major storms.

There were no significant flooding or wash incidents during the pilot period.

All operatives employed by the parish to work in highway areas must have training and pass

an assessment to demonstrate they are competent to place the correct road signs and

barriers when working. This is known as "Chapter 8" training.

Also at least one and preferably two parish representatives must have a Chapter 8

qualification, as they are responsible for setting their employees to work, so need to

understand and be able to direct how that is done safely.

3. District Position

A consultation was undertaken by the Devon Association of Parish Councils with all the

South Hams Parishes as to whether they wished to see the pilot rolled out to their parishes.

There were not sufficient parishes in the South Hams who supported the service being

delegated and the budget devolved to them. This applied to both District and County work.

South Hams District Council concluded following careful consideration that it would not be

cost effective to devolve part of the service to parishes and retain part with the district.

Therefore their pilot with Stokenham will end in October.

4. Conclusions

Whilst a pilot with a single large coastal parish appears to have been successful for the

County elements of the work so far, if this were rolled out to all parishes it is likely that:

DCC would need to retain more of the budget to deal with storms expected across the

County and A road cleaning, and the share to parishes would be further reduced. (So the

pilot had a good start in Stokenham, DCC minimised the budget retained for these works).

Other parishes are likely to receive less from the County than Stokenham which is one of the

larger rural parishes. Towns would receive little as they have few buddle-holes.

With operatives employed by parishes, the ability of DCC's main contractor to respond to

localised emergencies requiring a number of men could be reduced. There are health and

safety and supervision issues to combine operatives employed by a range of parishes. This

would need further consideration with the main DCC contractor before rolling out to parishes.

If operatives employed by parishes changed every year, a significant part of their budget

would be used training new ones each year to Chapter 8 standard. If operatives changed

part way through a year, parishes may not be able to provide their service till a suitable

course could be arranged for any new employee without the correct Chapter 8 qualification.

Not enough South Hams parishes indicated support when consulted to extend the

arrangement to all parishes, and it is unlikely to be cost effective to have two approaches.

Discussion with Stokenham continues to see if they wish to pilot the county work for one

more winter, to establish what service can be achieved with the lower level of funding.

Based on feedback from all parishes it is not currently planned to devolve this service

further.

Brian George

County Electoral Division: Kingsbridge Rural

District Council Ward: Stokenham

Local Government Act 1972: List of Background Papers

Contact for enquiries: Jim Morrison

Tel No: (01752) 898203

Background Paper Date File Ref.

Nil

bg230710sha

sc/stokenham pilot

3 230710