Decision to approve the allocation of LTP grant funding and Council Capital Programme funding, and to approve the programme of maintenance schemes.

The Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation introduced a report by the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment on the highway maintenance funding and structural maintenance programme for 2014/15. On 13 January 2011, Cabinet had endorsed the maintenance allocation within the Local Transport Plan (LTP) Capital Programme for 2011/15 (minute 285 refers). The reported funding figures at that time were indicative but the Programme for 2014/15 for the Highway Maintenance Block amounted to the original reported figure of £2.699 million. 

The Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 5 December, 2012 announced an additional, dedicated fund to provide for essential maintenance to renew, repair and extend the life of the highway network in England.  Wirral had been allocated £0.279m from that fund in 2014/15.

The report presented the proposed breakdown of that highway maintenance funding between the Bridges, Lighting and Roads/Footway elements of the network and the proposed Highway Structural Maintenance Programme 2014/15, for approval. The maintenance of highways was a statutory duty for the Council under the Highways Act 1980 (as amended). 

He welcomed the fact that Wirral’s Classified Principal (A) roads were amongst some of the best in the country on the Single Data List item measurement (replacement for the former national indicator) despite scathing Government cuts in Council budgets.

The Leader of the Council congratulated the work of officers in improving the condition of principal ‘A’ roads especially in the context of current financial constraints.

RESOLVED: That

Cabinet approves:

(i)  the proposed allocation of Local Transport Plan Capital Programme 2014/15 Maintenance Block between Street Lighting, Bridges and Roads/Footways;

(ii)  the Highway Structural Maintenance Programme for 2014/15 (as detailed in section 2 of the report) and;

(iii)  that the Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment; in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation and Party Spokespersons; be able to make necessary adjustments to the priorities within the programme should the need arise, due to financial, condition or other factors;

(iv)  that the additional highways maintenance funding referred to in section 2.3 of the report be expended on those highway schemes specifically referred to in Appendix 1 of the report.