Agenda item

Report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

7.1 The Contracts Manager (Head of Service, Highways) introduced the report. The report notes the additional funding secured as a result of the Scrutiny Review and updates the action plan which responds to the recommendations of the Review. Investment in drainage protects the structural integrity of the road network and the significant investment in roads that has taken place over recent years.

7.2 The Contracts Manager outlined that the department has made significant progress compared with the position a year ago, but there are some challenges especially where further investigation and surveys are required to solve drainage problems. A programme of work using capital and revenue funding has been devised to deliver changes to the highway drainage network. Work to date has included:

·          Better information derived from routine gulley maintenance operations, including information on individual gulleys.

·          An improvement in the investigation process of drainage issues and better record keeping for drainage incidents.

·          The routine gulley maintenance programme has identified 2,700 blockages, where further investigation work is required. The department will work through these issues over the next 2 years as part of the drainage infrastructure maintenance programme.

·          A ‘fence to fence’ design approach which examines the drainage when carrying out capital programme footway and carriageway works. This approach aims to address drainage issues and known flooding ‘hot spots’ before undertaking any major highways works.

·          There is a programme to carry out maintenance work on 25% of the ditch network each year to improve the condition of the ditch network. However, this has run into some challenges where ditches needed to be reconstructed, or were not found to be located in the position the records indicated they would be in.

·          Opportunities have been taken to improve knowledge of the drainage asset and the department has been working closely with Town and Parish councils. This has also been helpful when working on known drainage problems where it is necessary to identify private landowners.

·          The department is working with District and Borough Councils on new developments and has taken a co-ordinated approach with partners in tackling long standing highway flooding issues.

7.3 The Committee asked if there had been a reduction in revenue and capital funding since the start of the Scrutiny Review into highway drainage. The Contracts Manager replied that there has been a reduction in the revenue budget over the last two years, but the capital programme allocation had been enhanced.

7.4 The Committee enquired if the new highways contract has delivered an improvement in keeping all gulleys clear. The Contracts Manager responded that the new contract has an improved approached to dealing with gulley problems, but the Council may not have seen full benefit of these improvements yet. The Assistant Director, Operations added that there has been an improvement in the efficiency of gulley emptying, achieved by adopting an intelligent approach and moving away from emptying all gulleys on the same frequency. The highways contractor is meeting all the Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) that have been set.

7.5 The Committee asked if there was a measurable improvement in the condition of the drainage network. The Assistant Director, Operations explained that the department had not had a lot of time to implement planned improvement programme from the time the new capital allocation became available in April 2017. A programme of works has been identified to take place through the coming year and the commencement of some of the improvement work is imminent (e.g. the contract for ditching work has been let and is about to start work). The Contracts Manager added that the department has been gathering better information since last May. The removal of tree roots and jetting work to unblock gulleys is taking place, and more detailed investigation work has started where this is necessary.

7.6 The Assistant Director, Operations commented that before 1974 the maintenance of the highway drainage network was part of the responsibility of the water companies/boards along with public sewers. Since then highways drainage systems have not had the same level of investment as has been made in the sewer system. There is also an issue around the capacity of the highway drainage system to deal with the increased water volumes, and the intensity of weather events, as a result of climate change. Consequently, some of the challenges being faced are not solely around maintenance problems.

7.7 The Committee asked if it would be more cost effective to take enforcement action against private landowners, where they are responsible for drainage problems. The Assistant Director, Operations explained that it was expensive to take enforcement action. However, where necessary the department does pursue private landowners, but tries to work with them and through organisations like the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the Countryside Landowners Association (CLA) to resolve problems.

7.8 The Lead Member for Transport and Environment commented that he understood the urgency in seeing a physical improvement. However, the change from reactive maintenance to an asset management approach does work, and the Council is on the brink of seeing an operational improvement. He considered the right approach and policy are being taken to bring about an improvement.

7.9       The Committee RESOLVED to note the report and to have a further update on the implementation of the Scrutiny Review’s recommendations at the 22 November 2017 committee meeting.