Archived decisions

Contact: Chris Lait, tel 01329 824485

1. Summary

1.1 This report covers the following issues:

(i)Blueprint Progress, including Progress in Districts/Areas;

(ii)Traffic Management; and

(iii)Development Control and Searches.

2. Blueprint Progress

Progress in Districts/Areas

2.1 During 1999/00 the County Surveyor undertook a pathfinder review of the Highway Network Management Service. The review followed Best Value principles and included a public consultation exercise conducted by MORI. The main findings of the review formed the basis of the Highway Network Management Blueprint which set out a framework for improving the management and delivery of the Highway Network Management service in Hampshire. The following paragraphs summarise progress with the implementation of the Blueprint.

2.2 Highways Unit West

Test Valley and New Forest fall within the area managed by Highways Unit West. Agency arrangements for highway maintenance in Andover ceased on 1 May 2002. No staff transferred from the Borough Council and the County Council has appointed staff to those posts. The target date for ending agency arrangements in New Forest is 1 January 2003, or sooner, depending on discussions with New Forest District Council. Staff will transfer to the County Council on the agreed date

2.3 Highways Unit North

The target date for ending agency arrangements in Basingstoke is 1 October 2002, at which time staff will transfer from the Borough Council to the County Council. Arrangements with Rushmoor Borough Council are still to be finalised; a transfer date of April 2003 is expected. Highway maintenance in Hart will continue to be provided by the County Council as has been the case historically.

2.4 Highways Unit East

Agency arrangements in Winchester ceased on 1 May 2002 and staff transferred from the City Council to the County Council on that date. However, the Term Maintenance Contract in Winchester will not take effect until spring 2003. As with Hart, highway maintenance in East Hampshire will continue to be provided by the County Council. The target date for ending agency arrangements in Eastleigh is 1 October 2002 at which time staff will transfer from the Borough Council to the County Council.

2.5 Highways Unit South

On 1 May 2002 23 staff transferred from Fareham, Gosport and Havant Borough Councils to Hampshire County Council to form the nucleus of staff in the newly created Hampshire Highways South. In total there are 35 posts within the establishment; an organisation chart is attached as Appendix 1 which indicates the split between the three offices in Fareham, Gosport and Havant.

Management Arrangements within Highways Unit South

2.6 The process of `slotting-in' and selection for the existing staff has followed an agreed protocol with the Unions to place staff in the best position according to their experience and location. The positions of Chief Engineer, three Assistant Chief Engineers and Administration Manager have been filled, completing the Management Team for the south. However, there are still eight vacancies within the organisation for which the recruitment process has commenced. It is, therefore, likely to take a number of months before the organisation can operate at its optimum efficiency.

2.7 All three offices, badged `Hampshire Highways' followed by Gosport, Fareham or Havant, will be staffed to deliver the day to day highways management functions. These include:

(i)routine maintenance - pot-holes, minor repairs, gullies and drainage, etc;

(ii)special maintenance - planned larger maintenance works and resurfacing;

(iii)safety inspections;

(iv)maintenance of signs and lines;

(v)utility coordination and sample inspections;

(vi)licensing - skips, scaffold, road openings, banners, temporary signs, etc;

(vii)notices - overhanging vegetation, unauthorised signs, etc;

(viii)status enquiries;

(ix)vehicle crossings; and

(x)public and local Member contact.

2.8 At Fareham additional strategic functions will be carried out. These include:

(i)detailed highway and utility inspections;

(ii)street lighting;

(iii)winter maintenance and emergency works coordination;

(iv)financial/administrative support and management; and

(v)Member contact.

2.9 The three offices will work in an integrated way sharing resources and operating across boundaries to deliver priorities. In this regard Assistant Chief Engineers, in addition to their district or borough responsibilities, have strategic functions across the whole of the area.

Gosport Office

2.10 The Hampshire Highways Gosport office is on the third floor of the Town Hall, conveniently located adjacent to the Traffic Management Section retained by Gosport Borough Council. The office was created from three separate rooms and the conversion works, undertaken by the Borough Council, necessitated decorating and carpeting works.

2.11 Unfortunately the office is very restrictive for nine staff and it was necessary for Hampshire County Council IT Services to provide `thin screen' technology to maximise on the working space available. Further considerations as to the office layout and risk assessments are being undertaken to ensure that any potential health and safety concerns are addressed.

3. Traffic Management

3.1 The offer has been made to district councils to enter into an agreement on the delivery of the Traffic Management function which would be in accordance with the existing arrangements in the full agency districts. The agreement will include reference to the County Council for reserved matters (see attached schedule - Appendix 2) and issues on County interest roads (see attached map - Appendix 3), together with the agreement of local County Councillors for all traffic management matters (see attached flowchart - Appendix 4).

3.2 A number of districts have indicated support for this arrangement in principle, subject to considering the details of a new legal agreement; from some a response is still awaited.

3.3 In the case of Gosport, the Borough Council has indicated a wish in principle to continue to deal with traffic management on a partnership basis, subject to the satisfactory resolution of some detailed issues. It is therefore essential that a coordinated approach is adopted for the delivery of this function and regular liaison meetings have already been established with appropriate officers.

4. Development Control and Searches

4.1 An internal service review using Best Value principles is presently under way for the activities that are undertaken as part of the Highway Development Control function. The review will cover the main aspects of work, including Land Charge Searches, Major Planning Applications, Minor Planning Applications, Agreements for Highway Works and Contributions, Section 38 Agreements and the Advance Payments Code.

4.2 The work that is being undertaken may ultimately form part of a corporate Development Control Review which could commence in 2003. A Review Group was set up, comprising engineering and planning representatives from the County Council, New Forest District Council, Hart District Council, Havant Borough Council, Fareham Borough Council and Winchester City Council. The group also had links to the Hampshire Chief Engineers' Group (HCEG) and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chief Planning Officers' Group (HIPOG). The group is also linked into a Bench Marking Group from other counties in the South of England.

4.3 The first stage of the review was the preparation of scoping papers covering the various topic areas. These were then the subject of a Challenge Day, involving a range of stakeholders, including Councillors representing County and District Councils, developers, consultants, housing associations, district council representatives and design engineers. Following the Challenge Day the scoping papers were then modified to reflect the issues that emerged.

4.4 The Review Group has now been reconstituted to consider the options for delivery of the various activities and to provide enhanced links to both the HCEG and HIPOG. Its membership has been reviewed and now includes the Chief Engineers from Test Valley and Eastleigh, replacing those from Hart and New Forest, together with the Head of Development Control from New Forest District Council.

4.5 The second stage work is under way considering various options for delivery and the strengthening of links to the stakeholders. The Executive Member for Environment has asked that this work be completed by September.

4.6 The ongoing work is being reported to both the HCEG and HIPOG. On completion reports will be submitted to the County Council's Environment Policy Review Committee and the Executive Member for Environment.

Recommendation

That the report be noted.

7263/CL