Issue - meetings

(a)       That approval of the updated HAMP Improvement Plan be recommended;

(b)       That the reallocation of funding across the Highway Asset Group as dictated by the risk based approach detailed in the report be recommended; and

(c)        That the Committee recommend that a further report be presented to Cabinet for approval with the details of the individual annual asset allocations each year following the risk workshop.  

Prior to consideration of the report, the Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) provided Members with a detailed update about the review that had been undertaken within the service.  He explained that three senior managers had been appointed and would take up their posts from 1 July 2015.  He gave a commitment that he would send all Members the contact details of the managers and would provide details of the services that each manager was responsible for.  He introduced Barry Wilkinson who was one of the newly appointed Service Managers.   

                        Councillor Clive Carver expressed his frustration that details of senior managers who no longer worked for the Council were displayed on the website and it was therefore difficult to know who to contact if they needed to raise an issue.  Councillor Cindy Hinds echoed the concerns.  The Deputy Leader reiterated the assurance provided by the Chief Officer that full contact details would be made available to Members as soon as possible after the completion of the restructure.  He also reminded Members that they could raise any concerns with himself, the Chief Officer or the Service Manager.  The Chief Officer also referred to the Contact Centre in Alltami and reminded Members that he had extended an invitation for them to visit once the restructure had been completed.

                        Councillors Joe Johnson and Ann Minshull expressed their support for the work undertaken by the Area supervisors for their wards and this was echoed by the Chair and Councillor Chris Dolphin. 

Following a comment from the Chair about the directory on the Council’s telephones, the Deputy Leader agreed to contact IT to discuss the problem. 

Councillor Paul Shotton indicated that the Area supervisor for his area regularly attended meetings of Connah’s Quay Town Council to discuss issues of concern.  The Chief Officer indicated that all Area supervisors should attend Town and Community Council meetings for their areas as this formed part of their contract. 

The Chief Officer introduced a report to update the Committee on the progress made on the Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP).  The report also sought a recommendation for the targeted allocation of both revenue and capital funding to the most appropriate asset on the network, utilising the principles of the HAMP to guide the outcome.                            

                        He detailed the background to the report and explained that the highway network was the highest valued infrastructure asset owned by the Council with the carriageway and footways asset alone being valued in excess of £1 billion.  The HAMP, which was approved by the Council’s Executive in 2012, set out how the Council responded to its statutory duty to maintain the highway.  It also set out how asset management principles would be applied to the management of the individual assets that made up the highway network in Flintshire.  Appendix 1 showed the HAMP Improvement Plan milestones and the Annual Status and Options report 2013/14 were reported in Appendix 2.  In 2012 the Authority had been able to secure funding of £8.4m from Welsh Government (WG)  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11