Archived decisions

Contact: Chris Lait, tel: 01329 824485

1. Summary

1.1 This report details progress with implementation of:

(i) the Environment Department management structure;

(ii) the Highway Network Management Blueprint; and

(iii) Hampshire Highways South management arrangements.

2. Environment Department Management Structure

2.1 When the Panel met on 8 November 2002 the operational activities of the former County Surveyor's and Planning Departments had been restructured into four broad operational areas and three of the five posts forming the Environment Department Management Board were in the process of selection.

2.2 At that point only the former Deputy County Surveyor, David Tarrant had been appointed to the post of Deputy Director of Environment, with responsibility for Strategy and Resources.

2.3 Appointments have been made to the Assistant Director posts, as follows:

(i) Alan Mills - Management;

(ii) Stuart Reynolds - Design and Implementation; and

(iii) Merrick Denton-Thompson - Performance and Innovation.

The revised structure, broken down by function, is shown in Appendix 1.

2.4 Minor restructuring of some operational branches and teams will be required but the new management arrangements for the delivery of the network management and highway maintenance service will remain unchanged.

3. Highway Network Management Blueprint

3.1 As previously reported, the County Council commenced implementation of the Highway Network Management Blueprint in May 2002. The new arrangements have involved the transfer of highways maintenance staff from district and borough councils to the County Council. Currently, only Rushmoor Borough Council continues to deliver the highways maintenance service within its administrative area under a highway agency agreement. This agreement will cease on 31 March 2003, at which time the new arrangements will have been implemented in full and the service will be delivered in a consistent fashion county-wide under `Hampshire Highways'.

3.2 The draft traffic management agreement including clauses to permit capital works design and environmental maintenance have been forwarded to Havant Borough Council for consideration. However, it is not expected that the full legal agreement will be signed and in place by March 2003. In order to ensure continuity of service a further letter of extension to the existing agency arrangements has been issued.

3.3 Consultation on the review of Development Control Services is still on-going. District Councils had requested an extension to the period for response to enable full member consultation to be carried out. The County Council has therefore extended the period for responses and on conclusion will report to future meetings of the Environment Policy Review Committee and the Executive Member for Environment.

4. Hampshire Highways South

4.1 An updated establishment chart for Hampshire Highways South is attached as Appendix 2. In addition a detail of staff and their main duties within Hampshire Highways Havant, together with useful contact telephone numbers, is attached in Appendix 3.

Recommendation

That this report be noted.

7905/CL

APPENDIX 3

Principal Duties of Hampshire Highways Havant Staff

Peter Mitchell (Assistant Chief Engineer) Overall management of Havant local office, area wide coordination of streetworks regulation, highway emergencies and winter maintenance, county wide responsibilities for quality management and weather emergencies.

Andy Wood (Principal Engineer) Delivery of maintenance works programmes, including budgetary control, and general overseeing and advice on day to day work.

Gavin Cole (Highway Engineer) Coordination of streetworks, road opening notices, private service licences, temporary traffic signals and winter maintenance and implementation of special maintenance and resurfacing schemes.

Routine highway maintenance, including inspections and general enquiries, in Havant is dealt with by three Assistant Highway Engineers:

Ian Dummer looks after North Hazleton (part of Horndean Parish, in East Hants District) and the Havant wards of Cowplain, Hart Plain, Waterloo and Stakes, plus those parts of Purbrook Ward north of and including Ladybridge Road / Stakes Road / Purbrook Way and Barncroft Ward west and north of and including Hulbert Road (A3(M) to Purbrook Way) and Purbrook Way (A3(M) to Hulbert Road).

Richard Acton looks after the wards of Purbrook and Barncroft (except as shown above), the wards of Warren Park, Battins and Bondfields, plus those parts of Bedhampton Ward north of and including Portsdown Hill Road / Bedhampton Road / New Road and St Faith's Ward west and north of the railway and east of Park Road North.

Steve Helm looks after the wards of Bedhampton and St Faith's (except as shown above) and the wards of Emsworth, Hayling East and Hayling West.

Paul Clift (Assistant Highway Engineer) deals with maintenance of road markings and traffic signs, construction of vehicle crossings and pram crossings and implementation of special maintenance and resurfacing schemes.

Rachel Hayward (Technician) deals with weed control, gully cleansing, highway status and boundary enquiries and implementation of special maintenance and resurfacing schemes.

Mandy Ellis, Vera Keen and Christina Stoner (maternity cover for Louise Acton) provide general administrative support and deal with vehicle crossing applications, licences for skips, scaffolding and building materials on the highway, claims against the highway authority, street lighting, beacons, bollards and illuminated signs and licences for decorative (Christmas) lighting.

All officers can be contacted by telephone on 023 9244 6466 (fax 023 9244 6211)

office hours 09.00 - 17.00 (16.30 Friday )

or email at [email protected]

Out of Hours calls for highway emergencies are handled by the police call centre:

0845 045 45 45