Contact: Jim Pendrey, tel 02392 624779 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report details the performance of the street lighting maintenance contract and outlines the early results of co-locating client staff with the contractor. A further performance report will be presented to the Committee in July 2006.

2. Corporate Strategy

2.1 This report supports Aim 5 of the Corporate Strategy (Improving Services) by providing performance monitoring information to the Committee for scrutiny.

3. Performance

3.1 Contract performance is measured by five Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Performance in KPI 2 has improved considerably and the remaining KPIs are at or very close to the contract requirements.

(i) KPI 1 - Reactive Maintenance

The requirement is for 99% of this category of defect to be resolved within three working days. Problems with the new computer system "DeadSure" have prevented an accurate measurement being available. However, periodic `spot' measurements have been made which indicate performance to be within the 98-99% bracket.

Performance is being hindered by the continuing failure of some items of equipment within certain street lighting lanterns. Once these problems have been resolved the performance target of 99% should be achieved.

(ii) KPI 2 - Ordered Works

The requirement is for 90% of this category of defect to be resolved within either 8 or 20 working days dependent upon the nature of the work. Again only operational reports are available from DeadSure and these are also not yet accurate. Prior to the integration of County Council and Southern Electric Contracting Limited staff this KPI was running between 60-70%. Manual calculations now indicate that this process is operating very close to the target KPI so a significant improvement has been realised in this area. It was not unusual to find some 100 plus orders over time; this is now been reduced to 15-20 on any given day. The benefits of more efficient working practices derived from the implementation of Construction Lean Improvement Processing (CLIP) have been significant, and work orders are now being turned around in approximately 5-8 days for 8 day orders and 8-10 days for 20 day orders.

(iii) Planned Maintenance

The requirement is for 90% of all works to be completed by the programmed date and for 20% of these programmed maintenance rounds to be audited for quality. The KPI is being achieved. Southern Electric is currently three to four weeks ahead of schedule and the quality of works remains high.

(iv) Night-time Scouting Efficiency

The requirement is for night-time defect location reporting (scouting) efficiency of the contractor to be not less than 85%. Assessments have only just commenced and again the performance report is not yet available from DeadSure.

(v) Repeat Visits

The requirement is for the contractor to not exceed 5% returns to the same unit within 25 working days. The performance report is not available. The resolution of the failures to electronic ballasts and 26 watt SOX-E lamps will have an impact on this KPI. Continuous improvements from the CLIP programme will also be directed at this area. Repeat visits for `day burning' reports are being closely monitored.

(vi) Percentage of Lights On

This was not included in the contract as a KPI but is a very important service indicator. The daily percentage of lights on is approximately 99.5 % from a lighting stock of approximately 147,000 lighting units. Approximately 99.5% has been regularly achieved over the term of the contract.

(vii) Column Replacement Programme

The programme is currently on schedule and the quality of works is to the required standard.

4. Background

4.1 The `Working Together' arrangements which came into force on 1 March 2005 required four County Council street lighting staff to be co-located at the contractor's main operating depot in Cosham, and another engineer co-located at the contractor's satellite depot in Basingstoke. An administrative coordinator was recruited to the Cosham staff in May 2005. The County Council and the contractor staff quickly settled into the new `Working Together' arrangements.

4.2 A replacement street lighting maintenance management computer, DeadSure, was brought on line in February 2005 to replace the existing system SLIM, which was a mainframe operated management system and therefore would no longer be available from 31 March 2005. New working procedures were identified and implemented.

4.3 Technical problems with the system software have to date prevented DeadSure from operating to its full specification. These software faults are being systematically resolved by DeadSure engineers. Once this has been achieved DeadSure will provide an excellent operational and management tool for street lighting maintenance for many years to come.

4.4 The current contract expires in May 2007. It is not currently anticipated that Southern Electric will seek an extension to the current contract. There will be an opportunity for Members to review KPIs as part of the process of letting a new contract.

5. Impact Assessments

5.1 The service will not compromise the County Council's policy on race and equalities.

Recommendation

That Members comment on the Street Lighting Contract performance.

519/JP