Agenda item

Report from the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:-

1. Agree the strategic approach to the management and maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways and approve the Indicative Highway Repair programme.
   
   
2. Agree that a delegation be provided to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment to approve - in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy - any further amendments required to the Indicative Highway Repair programme.
   
   
3. Agree that for any additional in year funding provided to deliver highways repairs, the Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy, may utilise that funding in accordance with the strategic approach to the Management and Maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways as laid out in this report.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed the current strategy for the management and maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways and the positive impact the recent Council funding had had on the highway network. The report also described the current performance, both in terms of the condition of Rotherham’s highways and in terms of the delivery of highways maintenance services.

The additional investment in Rotherham’s roads was making a real improvement to the highway network. This was evidenced by the improvement in the condition of the estate roads and classified network and a continued reduction in the number of potholes reported and highway claims received against the Council.

Prior to the meeting an updated version of Appendix 1, the Rotherham Highway Repair Programme 2025-26, had been circulated. During the meeting, the Assistant Director of Community Safety and Street Scene highlighted the positive impact of the investment in the highway network. The previous additional investment in the maintenance of unclassified roads

had seen the condition of the unclassified network improve to better than

National Average. The Department for Transport’s current published National Average condition for unclassified roads showed 17% required repair in March 2024 (most current). In the same month Rotherham’s unclassified road Network was reported as 12.69% requiring repair. The Council’s unclassified network was over 770km long and the percentage of the unclassified network that required repair was currently measured at

11.1% (December 2024).

Members had been invited to provide their suggestions regarding which

unclassified roads in their wards they would like to see repaired. Nominations

received by 31 March 2025 had been assessed against the matrix criteria

and those meeting the criteria were included on the Indicative Highway Repair

Programme.

The Leader noted that significant investment and resulting progress on this matter.

Resolved:

That Cabinet:-

1.    Agree the strategic approach to the management and maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways and approve the Indicative Highway Repair programme.

2.    Agree that a delegation be provided to the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment to approve - in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy - any further amendments required to the Indicative Highway Repair programme.

3.    Agree that for any additional in year funding provided to deliver highways repairs, the Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy, may utilise that funding in accordance with the strategic approach to the Management and Maintenance of Rotherham’s Highways as laid out in this report.