Agenda and minutes

Cllr E Carter

None.

RESOLVED– that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 April 2022 be confirmed and signed by the chair.

To approve the Committee’s Terms of Reference for the municipal year 2022 to 2023.

The Lead Lawyer: Children & Adult, presented the Terms of Reference for the municipal year 2022/2023 to the Committee. Members heard that this was part of the constitution that was approved at Full Council on 3 March 2022.

RESOLVED - that the amended Terms of Reference set out at Appendix A be approved.

To agree the Committee’s work programme for the municipal year 2022 to 2023.

The Lead Lawyer: Children & Adult, presented the Communities Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2022/23.

The Committee heard that the work programme had been presented at Scrutiny Management Board and Scrutiny Assembly. It was discussed that the items have been suggested from Councillors, Cabinet and Senior Management Team. The Lead Lawyer: Children & Adults mentioned that discussions over the work programme will be continued during keeping in touch meetings with the Chair. Members were informed that the document presented was a working document and any alterations would be communicated to Members. 

RESOLVED - the work programme for the 2022/2023 municipal year was to be approved.

The Director: Neighbourhood & Enforcement Services, and the Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineer & Project Delivery provided a brief overview of the Highways update presentation and the information presented to members in the update report. It was explained that the information in the presentation was an overview of the work done up to the time of the meeting.

The Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineering & Project Delivery explained that the team were responsible for, namely, highway maintenance and strategic planning and network maintenance. The team’s policy management for highways set out the vision for both the team and for the local Authority. The vision was to keep Telford Moving through the delivery of safe and accessible highways for residents as well as promoting new jobs, technology and promoting Telford as an innovative town.

Members heard that the grant funding for Highways Maintenance from Government income streams had been reduced in recent years. However, the partnership with Balfour Beatty since 2018 has had continued significant benefits. The benefits included, getting things right on the first time, social value, and innovation. The Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineering & Project Delivery explained that there had been improvement to communication and engagement with the public.

Members heard that highways maintenance and improvements are funded through Council capital investment and grant allocations from the Department for Transport. Since 2019 there had been £27 million from Council Capital Investment, £21 million in Government grants and a further investment of over £50 million was expected by the end of 2023/24. Since 2020/2021, Government grants have been reduced by 21%. Members were informed that Cabinet Member Cllr Carter, and then Cabinet Member Cllr Wright, wrote to the Transport Secretary and the Government for more funding. In April of this year a response received outlined a three year settlement but at a lower level of grant funding.

The Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineering & Project Delivery explained to the Committee that social value was a key element of the highways partnership with Balfour Beatty and that this commitment will continue for the duration of the team’s partnership. Some examples were given such as the creation of the Town Park Veterans Trail, donation of 15 laptops to Home Start as well as improved access to facilities like Donnington Boxing Club.

The Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineering & Project Delivery explained to Members that since 2019 there have been over 800 improvement schemes delivered and 12,000 potholes repaired. It was quoted that 96% of maintenance works were completed on time, including maintenance on drainage and other essential highways maintenance.  The team along with Balfour Beatty take a risk based approach to the maintenance of highways. Assessing the need for the work and the impact on residents to prioritise what required more urgent maintenance work. The Committee were informed that from public satisfaction surveys, the highways maintenance teams have received good feedback and scored highly. The Service Delivery Manager: Highways, Engineering & Project Delivery summarised that the team gritted the streets 50 times due to a milder winter, there  ...  view the full minutes text for item COMSC52

Members will be kept up to date with developments for the scrutiny committee by the Democratic Services officer.

That the next meeting of the committee is on the 14th September 2022.