Agenda item

Councillor Keith Henson (Cabinet Member for Highways and Environmental Services and Carbon Management) presented an update on the high-level strategic direction for the Highways Asset Management Plan 2025-2030 (HAMP). The report set out a 5-year plan on how Ceredigion County Council would manage and maintain the highway asset. It would replace the HAMP 2020-25 approved by Cabinet on 9 June 2020. The report formed the strategy behind how Highways Services would discharge its Local Highway Authority duties within the resources (human and fiscal) available. An overview of the background as outlined in the report was provided.

Councillor Keith Henson explained that the HAMP document presented to the Committee had been reviewed in line with current best practice, resource availability and need. The operational contents of the HAMP and recommended investment in the highway asset was intended to fulfil the statutory duties placed on the Council by the Highways Act 1980 acting as the Local Highway Authority whilst meeting the goals of the Corporate Strategy. During the life of the HAMP, the Highways Service would provide an Asset Status and Options Report (ASOR) annually to show the condition of the highway asset and how the investment was performing against the baseline set by this HAMP. The ASORs would recommend options each year on the investment required to meet the performance criteria set out in the HAMP. It was intended that the ASORS would be available to Members prior to the budget-setting process for the following financial year. In addition, the key performance indicators presented in the ASORS would be benchmarked nationally through the County Surveyors Society Wales and reported to the Welsh Government (WG) as part of the State of Nation Asset report.

Phil Jones, Corporate Manager provided an overview of the HAMP document. He explained that to an extent, the HAMP was a baseline policy document that sat in the background. He noted that the current budget was insufficient for the work that was required to be carried out.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions which were answered by Officers and Councillor Keith Henson. The main points raised were as follows:

•        An additional £4.6m of Local Government Borrowing Initiative (LGBI) funding had been allocated by WG, on the condition the current spend on highway maintenance remained the same. 60% of the funding would be received this year, with the remaining 40% the following year. Officers explained that they would rather receive additional funding on an annual basis, rather than a sum of money every so often. Planned maintenance provided better value for money than reactive maintenance. Once the funding and the list of works were confirmed, further details would be shared with Members.

•        Concerns were raised with the networks’ drainage systems. Some Members felt investment was needed in this area sooner than 2030 as was currently the case. Officers noted that weather conditions and runoff from adjacent private land impacted on the condition of roads and that they were limited to the extent of the works that could be undertaken due to budgetary constraints.

•        It was noted that the service, using WDM undertook condition surveys of the highway network, and that. WG were currently trialling other packages alongside WDM, but to date, the data was not as robust. The data collected yearly by WDM for the local authority provided a measurement of skid resistance and the condition of the roads and in conjunction with highway inspections indicated where work and investment needed to be prioritised. Whether a road had a complete resurface or surface dressing was an operational decision based on risk.

•        Members felt many elements of the HAMP were irrelevant to rural areas, such as bus connectivity. Officers clarified that the document followed best practice and considered national policies.

•        It was noted that a newer version of Insight, a system used by the local authority to manage enquiries and work on the network was due to be launched, therefore it was key to ensure the system met the needs of the service in moving forward. 

Councillor Keith Henson thanked everyone involved with the development of the document, and for securing additional funding from WG to implement the work. He reminded Members and the public to complete the consultation on the Mid Wales Regional Transport Plan.

It was AGREED to note the contents and strategies presented in the HAMP for the period 2025-2030 and to recommend to Cabinet for approval.