Agenda item

To consider the North Tyneside Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP) Annual Report 2021.

Cabinet received the North Tyneside Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP) 2017-2032 Annual Information Report 2021 which summarised the work undertaken to demonstrate progress against delivery of performance of the Highway Management Plan during the past 12 months, future planned work activities and other items of relevant interest.

The Authority was responsible for an extensive highway network and feedback from residents had consistently told the Authority that the maintenance of roads and footpaths was a top priority.  The report had a particular emphasis around the condition of the network and the resources required to maintain it effectively.

In September 2017, Cabinet had adopted a new HAMP 2017- 2032, setting out the Authority’s approach to maintaining North Tyneside’s highways and responding to the Elected Mayor and Cabinet’s policy direction which included providing a greater emphasis on footways.  The HAMP included a commitment to provide Cabinet with an annual information report outlining progress and key issues associated with the maintenance of the Authority’s public highway network.   

Currently the highway maintenance activities delivered through the HAMP were funded through a number of funding streams.  Capital work was funded by the annual Local Transport Plan Maintenance Block.  For a number of years additional funding had been invested directly by the Authority and a commitment had been made within the Our North Tyneside Plan to continue to do so.

The HAMP Annual Information Report 2021 would be used as the basis for ongoing consideration around the challenges of maintaining the highway network. The report was aimed at supporting those considerations so that any decisions about potential changes in highway maintenance priorities and resources could be made in an informed manner.

Following the Cabinet meeting, all ward Councillors would be invited to view the HAMP Annual Information Report via the member intranet.  The report would also be published on the Authority’s website so it could be viewed by the public.

The key highlights from the annual report were as follows:

•      The highway network was the most valuable asset in the Authority’s ownership. 

•      The current total value of highway assets was £1,840,000,000 (£1.84 billion).

•      The successful implementation of the HAMP policy and investment strategy was demonstrating that the ongoing application of highway asset management principles by the Authority had so far achieved a generally steady state in the condition of the road network but maintaining that position continued to be challenging.

•      The continued additional capital investment being funded directly by the Authority in highway maintenance was gradually improving the overall condition of the network in line with HAMP principles, as illustrated by the current “Road Condition Indicator” calculation results set out in the Information Report.  However, latest condition modelling would indicate that it may be a challenge to sustain this in the future.

•      The new risk-based gully cleaning regime, supported by specialist information technology introduced last year, was now fully embedded and had improved the Authority’s gully cleansing services over the last 12 months.

•      The Technical Services Partnership continued to achieve and exceed its KPI targets and through its Annual Service Plan was identifying innovative ways of working, service improvements which was evident in the report.

•      How the Authority spent its allocated funding needed to be carefully balanced across the Authority’s highway network.

•      Continued customer engagement was providing better intelligence concerning resident satisfaction and new initiatives were being developed to improve the customer experience.

•      The Authority had delivered all programmed highway asset improvement schemes to date.

During the last 18 months the Highways Service had had to operate within the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.  Last year it was reported that following a series of risk assessments and the introduction of new safe working procedures, the Highways Services was able to resume full operations in June 2020.  Since then, the Service had continued to function normally and was providing the same level of service as it did pre-pandemic. 

There were no decision options set out for Cabinet’s consideration as the report was for information purposes only.

Resolved that the content of the North Tyneside Highway Asset Management Plan Annual Information Report 2021 attached at Appendix 1 to the report, be noted.