Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Decision Report

1. Executive Summary

1.1. The Cabinet in September will be considering a report on the use of corporate underspendings of £5.1 million in 2008/09. The purpose of this paper is to agree priorities for additional funding for highways.

1.2. Public support for comprehensive speed management initiatives in Hampshire Villages has led to greater demand for Village 30 speed limits and £300,000 funding would enable completion of those villages which meet the criteria and have requested a 30 mph limit. Currently there are 22 villages to be considered in this extended programme.

1.3. The Square in Winchester linking through to the Cathedral has been highlighted as the next phase of the city centre enhancements which should follow the repaving of the High Street, and is considered an important aspect of improving the environment within the city centre. The allocation proposed is £400,000 to put towards a scheme to be agreed with Winchester City Council, subject to future public consultation. Funding for this project has already been identified by the Cabinet.

1.4. Two wet summers and the worst winter for 18 years have taken a heavy toll on Hampshire's roads and created a need for greater maintenance of the roads and highway drainage. Preparing the drainage to better cope with periods of heavy rain is an essential element of adaptation to climate change.

1.5. These areas of the Council's service have been a key focus of public attention and early investment will clearly assist in addressing residents' priorities.

2. Contextual information

2.1. The County Council currently invests £58 million per annum into maintenance of the public highway. Significant weather impacts, increased use of heavy vehicles and use of unsuitable roads by such vehicles has led to an increased deterioration of the network. The Pot Hole busters campaign had a significant impact in repairing a large number of highway defects but in order to reduce the occurrence of potholes it is necessary to increase the level of highway resurfacing, especially on the `C' Road and unclassified network. This is a large element (2,000 kilometres) of the county's 8,500 kilometres of network. An injection of around £2 million, on top of the existing investment, in this network for resurfacing will assist tackling some of the problems, but it is clear that to prevent potholes from forming will take a sustained investment over a number of years. Although in this area the Council performs well in comparison with others, this area of the network is perceived as being unsatisfactory by the residents of Hampshire. It is considered that priority for this funding should be those minor roads that have been identified with the greatest need and propensity for pothole formation in order to prevent further deterioration.

2.2. The Village 30 speed limit initiative has proved very attractive to parishes in Hampshire and early results from the monitoring surveys have been encouraging, with reductions in traffic speeds of 9% overall being close to the target of a 10% reduction. Enforcement is only just beginning in these villages and a further reduction in speeds may be expected. To date 120 villages have received attention and a further 22 have asked to be added to the list. This was a key priority for Cabinet and the addition of these further villages will help enforce the culture of slower speeds in villages in order to assist in improving the local environment.

2.3. Highway drainage is a key element in reducing deterioration of the highway and alleviating flooding of the highway and adjacent property. Recent changes in weather patterns, with greater intensity of rainfall, has highlighted the need for good highway drainage. Blocked gullies, pipework and ditches have been identified as a potential problem. Within the routine highway maintenance budget £500,000 per annum has already been reallocated to improve drainage systems but as this is a key issue for many communities in high risk areas of Hampshire, a further injection of £300,000 will assist in reducing flood risk and further damage to the public highway by improving the serviceability of drainage systems. .

2.4. Improvements to The Square, Winchester were identified during the development of the High Street re-paving scheme. This is a key area for tourists, visitors and shoppers providing access to the Cathedral and the local shops, bars and restaurants. Its current poor appearance was recognised and also the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles passing through.

Agreement has been reached with the City Council to part fund an improvement at an estimated cost of £500,000. The County Council's Cabinet has already identified funding for this project, (to be delivered in 2010/11) of £400,000, the remainder to be funded by the City Council.

3. Finance

3.1. The Cabinet earmarked £0.4 million from corporate underspendings in 2008/09 for additional one-off capital investment which can be utilised for improvements to The Square, Winchester. The scheme would commence in October 2010 to follow completion of the High Street works due to start in September 2009.

3.2. In September Cabinet will be considering a report on the use of the £5.1 million underspend in 2008/09. A further £2.6 million injection of funding towards Highways and Transport would enable a number of works to be progressed during 2009/10. It is recommended that the remaining underspending of £2.5 million be retained in balances to reduce the increase in Council Tax in 2011/12.

4. Performance

4.1. Comparison with other authorities in England on the National Indicators for road condition show that overall Hampshire has achieved above average performance, particularly on the C and unclassified network. Overall, Hampshire roads show far greater consistency across all categories compared to other counties, where there is a far greater difference between the average condition of their minor roads and their A and B roads. Although condition indicators for minor roads are above average, public satisfaction surveys do indicate some dissatisfaction with the quality of these roads. Focusing the extra investment on the `C' and unclassified networks should raise the satisfaction levels, but a more sustained level of investment is likely to be required to meet public expectations given the extent of the minor road network.

5. Future direction

5.1. Maintaining the highway will continue to be a primary function of the County Council, and faces many challenges as traffic growth, climate change and an expectation of better quality environments place growing demands on this service. In the future, if the condition of C and unclassified roads is to be improved, further funding is likely to be required. Through the current Term Highways Contract the contractor is expected to deliver greater efficiency

which will assist in providing better value for money. However the cost index does generally exceed the general inflation index used by the Council for budgeting purposes. Earlier investment in preventative maintenance should also realise some saving in reactive repairs in the future, but to make significant improvements in the overall highway network would, however, require a sustained higher level of funding.

6. Recommendations

6.1. That the Cabinet be recommended to agree:

a) the following priorities for additional spending of £2.6 million on highways in 2009/10:

(i) Highway drainage improvements - £300,000;

(ii) Village 30 speed limits - £300,000; and

(iii) Highway Maintenance £2,000,000; and

b) that the remaining 2008/09 underspend of £2.5 million be retained in balances to reduce the Council Tax increase in 2011/12.

CORPORATE OR LEGAL INFORMATION:

Links to the Corporate Strategy

IMPACT ASSESSMENTS:

1. Equalities Impact Assessment:

1.1. Works to repair the environment in Winchester and replace worn out surfaces are especially beneficial to the partially sighted and those in wheelchairs whilst continuation of the Village 30 initiative supports the safety and wellbeing of all.

2. Impact on Crime and Disorder:

2.1. The proposals have no impact on crime and disorder.

3. Climate Change:

a) How does what is being proposed impact on our carbon footprint / energy consumption?

The Environment Department is developing a methodology for measuring the impact of improvements on our carbon footprint.

b) How does what is being proposed consider the need to adapt to climate change, and be resilient to its longer term impacts?

Two wet summers and the worst winter for 18 years have taken a heavy toll on Hampshire's roads and created a need for greater maintenance of the roads and highway drainage. Climate change is a real issue in this area and preparing the drainage to better cope with periods of heavy rain is an essential element of adaptation to climate change.