Issue - meetings

Street Lighting - Maintenance and Improvement Update

Meeting: 05/07/2017 - Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 9)

9 Street Lighting - Maintenance and Improvement Update pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Minutes:

Simon Fox,  Interim Commissioned Services Manager (Highways and Traffic) introduced the report of the Strategic Commissioner Environment that provided an update on the current position with respect to the maintenance and improvement of the Council’s street lighting stock within the Borough.

 

The report informed that Wirral has approximately 37,500 street lights on the adopted highway network and that at the end of March 2017, approximately 2,000 lights (less than 6%) were identified as not working. As with many Council service areas, the street lighting service in Wirral had seen a reduction in resources over the last few years, reducing revenue budget (excluding staffing) by 21% and capital budget provision for life-expired stock (excluding capital programme and LED funding) by 80% since 2008. Dedicated street lighting staffing support had also reduced from eight full time equivalents (FTE) in 2009 to two FTE. 

 

The report further informed that street lighting operational service provision in Wirral was delivered by external suppliers. The service was now managed within the Commissioning Support Unit (CSU) in Business Services. Routine and reactive maintenance was supplied by BAM Nuttall Ltd (BAMN) under the Highway Services Contract (HSC), which expires in March 2018 but was potentially extendable by a further two years subject to performance. Other contracts were delivered by suppliers appointed following competitive tender in accordance with the Council’s procurement rules.

 

The Committee was informed of the key performance indicators on the contract, expected outcomes, current plans for routine and reactive maintenance, and proposals to deal with a current backlog of works. Members noted the existence of a potential total value of £950k in failed equipment, including lanterns, lighting columns and underground cable supplies, and that the work must be prioritised to make best use of currently available financial resources. The Committee was apprised that a contract was being drafted to deliver some of this work from a total budget of £500,000 provided through the Council’s Capital Programme.

 

Members questioned the Interim Commissioned Services Manager (Highways and Traffic) on a number of matters and provided examples based on their past experiences. Members further suggested the use of intelligence gathering to help prevent future damage to street lighting arising from vandalism and road traffic collisions in specific locations. Members also reiterated their previous concerns with regard to the report logging system used and potential for loss of data if not closely monitored.

 

Resolved – That the report be noted.