Issue - meetings

That the Committee notes the content of the report and acknowledges the statutory framework and duties on the Council as Highway Authority in relation to utility works carried out on the Highway Network. 

TThe Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) introduced a report to provide an overview of the statutory requirements of the Council to manage and inspect the Highway Network during roadworks undertaken by Public Utilities and other organisations.  He provided background information and reported on the main considerations as outlined in the report.

The Chief Officer advised that the Council facilitated quarterly co-ordination meetings with all the utility companies that operated in the County.  The purpose of the meetings was to explore opportunities for all works promoters to share long term plans for asset upgrades and major maintenance projects and promote opportunities for trench, site sharing, and long term strategic road space booking.  Each time a utility carried out roadworks on the highway their subsequent reinstatement was guaranteed for a period of 2 years.  If defects were identified within the 2 years the utility were responsible for any remedial works, following this period the burden fell on the Council.  Under section 72 of the New Roads and Street Works Act the Highway Authority were empowered to carry out investigatory works to check whether or not a utility had complied with the duties placed on it in respect of reinstatement of the street.  To ensure the burden of remedial costs do not fall onto the Council, Flintshire inspect a far higher percentage than required.  In addition to the visual inspection, in April 2019, the Council introduced a core sampling programme on completed reinstatements.

The Council issued a roadworks bulletin to all stakeholders on a weekly basis which included details of all planned works for the following week.  The Council used the ‘One Network’ mapping platform which detailed road works on the network in real-time.

The Chair commended the Chief Officer and his team on the work undertaken by the Council as Highway Authority in relation to utility works carried out on the Highway Network.

The recommendation was moved by Councillor Paul Shotton and seconded by Councillor Andy Dunbobbin.

RESOLVED:

hat the Committee notes the content of the report and acknowledges the statutory framework and duties on the Council as Highway Authority in relation to utility works carried out on the Highway Network.