To receive an update on the Highways and Environment Term Maintenance Contract.

Report to Follow

28.1    Members considered the report of the Highways, Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager which gave an update on the Highways and Environment Term Maintenance Contract (HETMC).

28.2    The Highways Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager reminded Members that the HETMC had been awarded to Ringway in 2012 for a 6 year term with the opportunity to extend the contract for a maximum of a further four years.  He advised the meeting that it had been mutually agreed by both Ringway and the Council that the contract would expire at the end of the six year period at 31 March 2018, which was its original intended period.

28.3    The Highways Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager advised Members that the value of the contract was approximately £25 million per annum and covered services such as highways maintenance, street scene and grounds maintenance, vehicle maintenance, street lighting, structures and bridges, civil works, emergency and extreme weather responses, signs and lines and winter maintenance.  He added that an engineering consultancy contract had been awarded to Mouchel in April 2015.

28.4    The Highways Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager informed Members that since the inception of the contract, efficiencies and savings in the region of £1,000,000.00 had been identified, which were made up of savings achieved when the contract was re-tendered, and from savings from joint procurement, service efficiencies and some redundancies.

28.5    A Member commented that he had some concerns regarding communication with Town and Parish Councils in that often Councils were not advised of reasons why work was not done.  The Highways Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager commented that there was a draft  Communications Strategy currently out for consultation (following Cabinet approval) but  accepted that improvements could always be made.  He agreed to discuss the matter further with the Member concerned outside the meeting.

28.6    In response to a query the Highways Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager confirmed that the Engineering Consultancy Contract was for three years.  The Operations Manager informed Members that the contract covered all design work, engineering solutions and research work and traffic flow modelling.

28.7    In response to a query regarding minor patching the Operations Manager confirmed that there was a move to carrying out increased numbers of permanent fix for repairing potholes rather than temporary repairs.

28.8    In response to a query regarding the changes to Ringway’s employment terms and conditions the Area Manager reminded the meeting that staff were employed on a number of different terms and conditions and that the terms and conditions would be standardised in future.  He confirmed that the process would not start until after the winter period.

28.9 The Environment, Transport and Environmental Commissioning Manager, confirmed that assurances from Ringway (via formal letter, minutes of formal meetings, and personal discussions) had been requested and received on numerous occasions by Shropshire Council from Ringway in relation to Winter Maintenance services in particular the provision of staff and other resources. This was confirmed by the Ringway Senior Management present.

28.10  The Chairman thanked Officers for attending the meeting and also Ringway staff for the opportunity to look at the winter treatment equipment.

28.11 RESOLVED:

i.   That the robust arrangements for Winter Maintenance Services be noted.

ii.  That the Highways Transport and Environment Commissioning Manager meet with Councillor Walpole to look at ways of improving communications with town and parish councils.