Decision details

1.    Do Nothing

The continuous strive for improvement and value for money in the services delivered by the Council means that doing nothing is not an option.  The cuts to the Council’s budget require all services to identify efficiency savings including outsourced services such as highway maintenance.

Councils’ are constantly challenged to be innovative. Services cannot remain unaffected by budgetary constraints but where possible, technological innovations are being introduced. Some of the proposed changes have been generated by joint working between AHHL and the Council.  Doing nothing in the current budgetary climate is not a viable option.

2.    Include Alternative Communication and Consultation Performance Requirements

The Communication and Consultation Performance Requirements in the Contract include a requirement for AHHL to write to all residents on any road that are likely to be affected by Streets Ahead works at least two weeks in advance of the works on that particular road starting.

In addition to complying with this requirement, AHHL have always placed signage on roads affected by their works in order to inform and update residents and other road users that works are due to commence. The signage also contains information about the duration of the works and contact details to assist anyone wishing to obtain more information about the works.

The practices outlined above are in excess of the notifications used by most local authorities when undertaking highway maintenance works.

AHHL have proposed changes to this approach in return for a reduction in the Annual Unitary Charge. The proposals were to remove the requirement to write to all residents on any roads likely to be affected by Streets Ahead works in advance of the works starting. Instead, it was proposed that on street signage would be utilised alongside an enhancement to the information on the Council’s website about impending highway maintenance works.

In June/July 2019, a proposal was trialled in order to assess the impact on the public and on the number of contact/complaints received as a consequence.

The trial highlighted several scenarios that had not been envisaged and as discussions around this proposal continued to be developed it became clear that the aspirations of the Council in keeping the public and businesses informed of works likely to affect them would not be met by this approach as it was proving impossible to identify a set of criteria that could be effectively monitored to check compliance with the contract.

As a result, following further discussions it was decide not to pursue this option at this time.