Agenda item

To receive an update report on highways maintenance and the Council’s approach to inspecting and assessing highways.

Consideration was given to a report providing an update in terms of progress with the implementation and details of Highway Maintenance performance data, customer satisfaction survey data and relevant internal audit reports.

In discussion, Members requested details regarding puddling of LED street lighting. The response noted that very few complaints had been received, the light level was above the code of practice for street lighting. It had been done that the team met with residents at midnight to look at light levels where there had been concerns. The lights could not be turned up. They have to be swapped for a different bulb head.

More information was also requested regarding the provision of training, mentorships, and apprenticeships during the pandemic. Apprenticeships are encouraged, but the training had had challenged this year. Any new starter is always put with an experienced staff member to learn from them.

Clarification was requested as to the difference between adopted and unadopted highways, and how members of the public could be aware of the difference. The response from officers noted that some members of the public do inquire from time to time about particular roads. In the broadest sense, a road that is unadopted is maintained at the public expense. The team have detailed records of all the roads and footpaths that are the team’s to maintain. If the team becomes aware of a stretch of road that is unadopted, they reach out to street manager, that is, often the owner of the property fronting that road to encourage them to take responsibility for the maintenance to reduce the Council’s liability.

Further details were requested regarding graffiti on road signage or obscured road signage. The inspection policy looks at all things on the highway, if there is graffiti, that will be removed graffiti, and if signs are obscured by trees or brush, the property owner is requested to clear the obstruction or, if it’s Council hedges, etc, the grounds team are asked to carry out the necessary work.

Further details were requested regarding the renewal of street works qualification training for highway inspectors after the five years have elapsed. The response affirmed that the Council sponsors that training to be renewed so that all inspectors have up-to-date training and qualifications.

With regard to the site reference block headings on page 77 of the agenda pack, clarification was offered outside the meeting.

A public thanks was noted by Members for the teams preparedness and response to recent weather events.

Members requested clarification of what rate of response the team receives as far as the surveys that are returned following works, and how has COVID affected the collection of feedback. It was confirmed that the survey is conducted on paper. With a preliminary answer of about 20-30% which has been the return rate in the past, a definitive up-to-date answer was offered outside the meeting.

Members requested assurances that the street plans will be conducted on time in addition to the weather-related urgent repairs. The highway inspectors identify the vast majority of defects. We have two standard teams, and in the winter we increase that to three, and sometimes to four. So that there are enough teams to meet the need. The response noted that the team conducting street works according to plans are not the same staff who respond to emergent weather events. The MET office signalled the team early enough4000 sandbags were deployed to residents, and the pumps at Catcliffe were utilised, the Thurcroft pumps were also used. No internal flooding was experienced.,  Colleagues in Neighborhoods, Grounds, Cleansing, etc. all responded to the recent event and prevented a potential flood.

Some of the dykes came into the roads, and it was noted that six roads had been temporarily closed during the response. Regional partners and colleagues reported that they had more awareness of proactive actions through their engagement with the Council prevented a lot of electrical equipment being damaged, therefore they were able to bring their services back online faster. One of the advantages to the virtual meetings was that some of the officers were out onsite and could show the group in the meeting the real-time live situation on the sites. Coordinating information being passed through from customers, technician engineers out on site, officers in the office making decisions, and strategic decisions were possible based on live, real-time information which was the first time that had been possible. There were regular Member’ briefings and engagement from Members about their local communities.The high levels of engagement  made what would have been a serious flood into a near miss.

If there is a peak what means we are having to deal with the emergencies instead of the planned work, could this be fed back to members and to the committee. If the situation arises, officers will take the first opportunity to

There are lessons learned, through neighbourhood colleagues. Officers noted that when weather happens the maintenance that was scheduled for that day cannot be performed that day. The maintenance schedules have time built in for weather interruptions. What can be noted is that the allocated moneys are spent each year to deliver the maintenance programme on time and to budget. It is also something that Members can trust officers to be honest about if there are interruptions that are going to shift that programme. That information will be fed back to Members if so.

Members noted that many constituents do not know the difference between a pothole and a scrape. Details were requested about potholes that have to be re-filled. The performance data was referenced in the response regarding the pothole data, wherein the repair to a percentage of potholes are re-inspected. A few can fail due to a number of reasons. The conditions for repairing potholes are sometimes not optimal, but the repair has to be carried out anyway, because it is imperative to make the road safe. 

Further information was also requested around pathways and materials such as flagstones, where contractors have previously damaged the pathway surfaces years ago. Tarmac footways are installed as a practice, unless there is a particular material on the particular estate, for example. In that case, an in-kind material is used for replacement to maintain the aesthetic. All contractors have to guarantee their work for two years after completion, unless it is a deep work which is guaranteed for three years following the work.

Based on the high repudiation rates, members inquired if there were common misconceptions which complainants report because they are believed to be a breach when they actually are not. These kinds of questions are often answered by having robust inspection policy based on the national code of practice, and the service provides that information. Often the questions do not proceed to court. Sometimes there are misconceptions around what constitutes a defect, and it comes down to the “reasonableness” that the court finds on that day. The service finds that most of the cases come out in the Council’s favour which is reassuring because there are lessons to be learned if not. This is because of the robust inspection and maintenance programme that is routinely carried out.

The numbers do not currently indicate that there is a problem in Rotherham.

If the repudiation rates started to tailor away and the performance dropped, then improvement measures would be put into place. The data is reported on a regular basis and monitored closely. The reason for the dropping number of claims in the past year could be owing to COVID with few people using the roads. As the pothole numbers and the claims come down, repudiation numbers also come down. Often when people make contact initially, they are satisfied with the answer they receive because they can be reassured that there is a robust system in place.

Members also asked about the cleaning of grates and drains on the roadsides. The response clarified that the drainage team inspect the drains and 46,000 gullies, some more than once a year especially if they are in the high-speed, high-risk locations. The team carries out about between 60,000 and 70,000 visits per year to inspect the gullies. That data is collected in the telematics, and if gullies can be cleared by the inspection team, that is completed at that point; or, if further work is required, that is passed to the maintenance team for unearthing and clearing.

Members also asked for advice around how to escalate the issue about contractors that have created disruption and damage through recent works. The response was twofold, to first let the Highways service know, and to complain to City Fibre. The contractor has not performed as well as CityFibre would like, it was agreed that a leaflet would be distributed to let people know about upcoming works at the site. Introductory information is also delivered by signs on phone poles. City Fibre are therefore now taking action to address that, in order to improve performance by the contractor.

Regarding the replacement light columns, Members requested additional information regarding plans in place to replace the heavy concrete light columns in certain areas.

Further information was requested about the maintenance or replacement of concrete columns, footpaths and street signs which may be in need of restoration. The response from officers noted that the ten-year programme to replace the at-risk columns came to an end a year or so ago, and an independent survey was subsequently performed to help guarantee the safety of the remaining columns. All the ones that were potentially hazardous were immediately taken down and repaired. Currently there was a programme in place and a capital bid for 2021-22 to replace the ones on the main routes that require work. That bid will soon be presented to Full Council as part of the wider Capital Programme. The plan after that is for a further inspection about a year to two years later with a proposal to look at the remaining further 3 or 4 thousand columns and request the funds for any necessary replacement of those columns.

Regarding the footpaths, there is a programme of footway works. It was noted that the teams always ensure that these are kept safe, even if the teams are not able to do all of the work that they would like to do. There is flexibility for inspectors to increase the safety inspections where they have concerns, to ensure that these are kept safe.

Regarding the filling of gullies by contractors, if any Member sees this happen,  the service would like those to be reported immediately to help the team identify these blockages right away, and to help recover any costs that the local authority would incur in making those gullies serviceable again. Regarding the maintenance of street signs and name plates, there is a limited budget for that. If the team receive a report and find that there is a plate that cannot be read any longer, the team do endeavour to have that street name plate replaced. Officers further noted that every single thank you is received by the team members who perform the work, often in difficult conditions. It does matter to them to get the positive feedback.

Members noted that the feedback has been very favourable, and that the number of reported potholes has come down dramatically. Members also noted their thanks for the rapid responses. The response from officers indicated that the engagement from Members and residents help shape the work programme to influence how works are prioritised based on what is important to them.

Members asked about an abiding issue with a recent road resurfacing. The response from officers indicated that in delivering the sheer volume of work that the team does, in the rare instance that work could not be completed to the standard that the team and residents would like, the important thing is how the team responds in that instance. Therefore, it was offered that the specific location mentioned would be picked up outside the meeting.

Members requested more insight into how the team has responded to the three recent snow events in the Borough this year. It was noted that it had been a very busy time and that the team leaders were empowered to make the judgement call to being salting the footpaths as soon as there is a whiteout. A recent video posted of the gritting efforts got 5000 hits. The priorities and procedures are in place for gritting, and all the bus routes and 50% of the roads will be gritted, but if things get really bad, we have a plan to reinforce the gritting on the main roadways. Then, as the weather improves, the gritters begin to work on the roadways into the neighbourhoods. People can see when the gritters are scheduled to go past. The feedback has been very supportive on social media and that has been well-received the by teams. It was also noted that the team are very hard working—it was stated that the previous night a gritter had overturned, and the driver who was bruised, went out gritting again to ensure that the roads are passable for people. This is the brilliant work that the teams do in the current circumstances which still includes the COVID pandemic.

Members asked to be informed if there was any way that they could contribute to the compilation of the Highways work programme for the coming year. In response, input from Members was invited to make suggestions for your ward to be included in the work programme, with the aim to add one item for each member. The indicative work programme had been submitted to Cabinet to be presented in March.

Members requested assurances that there were backup gritters in case a gritter goes down as it did recently. The response from officers provided assurances that there is resilience built into the service response. Occasionally gritters do break down as well, going out in all weathers. In the most recent case, signoffs were in place and a replacement gritter was in action within 24 hours.

Members also asked for clarification around the recent event in which members of the public reportedly had to step in to help push a hearse which was not otherwise able to climb the hill to the crematorium. The response from officers was to express gratitude to the citizens who helped that funeral to be able to take place, and the family had also been in touch to express their gratitude. It was noted that the snowfall was hugely challenging for the service. the previous night there had been very heavy rain, which did not stop, and when temperatures dropped, that turned immediately to snow. It is not possible to grit when it is raining, because the rain washes the grit away. After the snow began to settle, the team had begun to grit on the road as it was prioritised, it was needed to have vehicles to move on the snow and remove the snow so that the grit could start working. The place has been gritted three times over the night.

Members also requested more information regarding state roads in Wickersley. The response indicated that, regarding the 10 million pounds and 4 million pounds, these are specifically designed to target estate roads. All local authorities are required to collect data through mechanical surveys on the condition of their roads which the government then publishes. Rotherham’s main roads are above the national average, but the estate roads are adrift from the national average, so the service had asked for additional funding to address this. If there are any potholes or other safety issues, the team would like to be informed of these so that they can keep these roads safe until more funding is available to launch a more substantial scheme.

Resolved:-

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That the next update be presented in 12 months’ time.