On 24^th January 2020, the Liverpool City region Combined Authority (LCRCA) set aside a sum of £5.5 million for the Key Route Network (KRN) and Wirral has now been allocated £1,069,425 of this for its KRN highway surfacing works.

The attached report sets out a proposed programme of surfacing works for the Wirral KRN (Appendix 1). This Member Decision will allow for contractor engagement and detailed design to commence, enabling the works to be completed in 2020/21.

In addition, LCRCA has received confirmation of a further award of £5 million in respect of a regional Highways Maintenance Challenge Fund bid, submitted to the Department for Transport in October 2019. Wirral will receive £500,000 from this funding for a specific maintenance project at A5088 - Poulton Bridge Road, carriageway and surface water drainage improvement.

The Member Decision also approves acceptance of this Challenge bid funding.

All funding will support the delivery of the Wirral Council Plan 2025, in particular the priority themes of ‘Working for an Inclusive Economy: Wirral residents have access to great jobs and good quality, affordable housing’ and ‘Working for a Sustainable Environment: Wirral residents live in a cleaner, greener Wirral’.

The maintenance of highways is a statutory duty for the Council under the Highways Act 1980 (as amended).

Resolved – That

(1)  acceptance of the £1,069,425 Key Route Network Funding from the Combined Authority, together with the proposed programme of surfacing works set out in Appendix 1, be approved;

(2)  acceptance of £500,000 Local Highway Maintenance Challenge Funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) be approved;

(3)  the Director for Neighbourhood Services be delegated responsibility, in consultation with the Cabinet member, to make amendments to the programme having regard for available resources and risk-based prioritisation of locations selected for treatment.

Highways Communications Strategy - This strategy was updated earlier this year and is the basis of all highways works/programmes, and may be found here:

https://www.wirral.gov.uk/sites/default/files/all/Parking,%20roads%20and%20travel/road%20maintenance/HIAM%20Communications%20Strategy%202020.pdf

In accordance with the Council’s Highway Asset Management Strategy and KRN priorities, the programme has been developed using a risk-based approach.  Prioritisation of sites for allocating the funding available against condition and risk assessment criteria is considered the most appropriate option.

Do nothing is not an option as funding has been specifically allocated to the KRN with a risk of reputational damage to the Council should it not be fully utlised.