Archived decisions

Decision Maker:

Executive Member - Environment

Date of Decision:

30 April 2009

Decision Title:

Parish Lengthsmen

Decision Reference:

703

Report From:

Director of Environment

Contact name:

Colin Taylor

Tel:

01730 263 631

Email:

[email protected]

1) The Decision:

1.1. That two trials be undertaken for the introduction of a modern equivalent to the `parish lengthsman' to undertake routine minor scale highway maintenance work within rural parishes for a given number of days each year.

1.2. That one trial allocate funding to 10 parishes in the Meon Valley area to engage a resource themselves; the resource to be managed and run by the parish councils.

1.3. That the second trial engage a resource through the County Council's highway maintenance contractor for dedicated work within 10 trial parishes for a given number of days each year

1.4. That the Director of Environment be granted delegated authority, in consultation with the Executive Member for Environment, to determine the parishes to be included in the second trial.

2) Reasons for the decision

2.1 The introduction of the trial will:

(i) provide parishes with a resource to undertake local minor scale maintenance priorities;

(ii) improve perception of the service;

(iii) encourage self-help by the parish;

(iv) help deliver the highway maintenance service in the heart of the rural community; and

(v) assist in delivery and encourage a sense of pride within villages/parishes.

3) Other options considered and rejected:

3.1. Option 1: Do nothing

This option was considered and would allow the status quo to remain.

The volume of service requests from the public, parishes and Members has increased over the years. The introduction of Hantsdirect has seen further increase in the volume of requests. Hence, maintenance works need to be prioritised and the County Council has not been able to deliver everything requested by the parishes, particularly the low level 'housekeeping` type maintenance work. Although this is justified in Highway Maintenance terms, this does cause a reduction in satisfaction levels. Doing nothing would not improve this perception of the service and although Hampshire scored above the national average in a benchmarking exercise, satisfaction levels with highway maintenance are not very high anywhere. Although this may be because the public expects a higher standard of maintenance, the way the function is carried out may also impact on perception.

4) Conflicts of Interest:

4.1. Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker:

None

4.2. Conflicts of interest declared by other Executive Members consulted:

None

5) Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee:

None

6) Any reasons for the matter being dealt with if urgent :

None

7) Statement from the Decision Maker:

Approved by:

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Date:

30 April 2009

Executive Member for Environment

Councillor M J Kendal