Agenda item

Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/20) on the County Road Highway Maintenance Capital Budget, outlining progress on the 2017/2018 Schemes and the proposals for 2018/2019, attached.

(Councillors Atkinson, Biederman, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade and Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste (HIW/18/20) on the County Road Highway Maintenance Capital Budget circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. The Report updated on the progress with Schemes for 2017/2018 and outlined proposals for the 2018/2019.

This Report provided an update on delivery of the 2017/18 Highways Capital programme and presented high-level performance information based on the 2016 Cabinet approved Highway Infrastructure Asset Management Policy, Strategy and Plan (HIAMP). It further sought agreement of the programme for investment of the Government’s grant for highway capital maintenance in 2018-19.

The Cabinet Member for Highway Management further highlighted that Devon had been successful in securing almost £16.5 million in Challenge Fund monies since 2015-16 and was currently in its second year as a Band 3 authority, the highest level within the Incentive Fund banding and attracting the highest level of funding.

Additionally, funding for 2018-19 included an award of £2.2 million for the third year of the Pothole Action Fund part of which would be targeted towards addressing the maintenance backlog on the minor road network.

The Report presented carriageways data showing that the A and B Road network was in a relatively good state with only 3 % in need of treatment soon. The C and unclassified network was not doing as well, hence the additional funding.

Government had determined its formulae for the allocation of highway capital maintenance funds, which included a Needs Allocation, an Incentive Fund, a Challenge Fund, a Pothole Action Fund and the allocations to Devon were outlined in the Report. It further detailed the proposals for capital funding of highway maintenance programmes and schemes in 2018/19 which included capital maintenance of carriageways, footways, cycleways, drainage systems, road restraint systems, street lighting, bridges and other highway structures.

The Report sought approval of the schemes and programmes and Cabinet noted that they were in accordance with the requirements of Financial Regulations.

A copy of an updated overview of the Budget 2018-19 Equality Impact Assessment for all service areas had been previously circulated separately and was available to all Members of the Council at:https://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/published/budget-impact-assessment-201819/

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability, carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Chief Officer’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

It was MOVED by Councillor Hughes SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the progress on 2017/18 capital funded highway maintenance schemes, as detailed in Appendices I and II to the Report be noted;

(b) that approval be given to the capital funded highway maintenance programmes for 2018/19, as set out in Appendices III and IV;

(c) that the detailed allocation of the available budget be determined by the Chief Officer for Highways, Infrastructure Development and Waste on the basis of the Highways Infrastructure Asset Management Plan, and within the limits of the approved budget; and

(d) that the 2018/19 Highways, Infrastructure, Development and Waste capital programme be increased by £2,237,308, funded by external grants, which is additional Pothole Action Fund Grant awarded by the Department for Transport in February 2018.

[NB: The Impact Assessment referred to above may be viewed at: http://new.devon.gov.uk/impact/].