The Director of Neighbourhood Services introduced the report which requested approval for the disbursement of grant funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) for 2023/24 into Wirral Council’s Capital Programme for Highways Structural Maintenance and Bridge Maintenance. The report also requested approval for the disbursement of the indicative funding for years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 in the same programme. The report contained a recommendation of acceptance of an indicative highway condition matrix that will be used to inform future programme investment decisions.

The schemes recommended to be delivered under the programme included Plan and inlay with hot-rolled-asphalt, surface treatments, footway reconstruction and bridge maintenance.

In response to Member queries, the Senior Highway Maintenance Manager reported that where possible, materials were replaced like for like and consultation had been undertaken with vulnerable groups through the active travel forum. It was reported that the funding provided long term planning abilities and things such as dividing wards into 12 zones and tackling en bloc was something that would be considered in the future.

The Senior Highway Maintenance Manager informed Members that when roads were resurfaced, the markings could be reassessed to support any traffic calming or active travel measures in place in coordination with the network team.

Resolved – That

(1)  the proposed programme of works for Wirral’s Carriageways, Footway Improvements and Bridge Maintenance for 2023/24, using grant funding allocated to Wirral Council by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) in the 2023/24 City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Combined Authority Transport Plan Programme (Highways Structural Maintenance), as set out in Appendix 2 to this report be approved.

(2)  the indicative RAG-rated highway network condition matrix as set out in Appendix 3 to this report, be approved to be used by the Director of Neighbourhood Services as one of the decision tools when developing highway structural maintenance programmes.

(3)  the Director of Neighbourhood Services be authorised to:
(a) accept the grant funding and any subsequent additional grant allocated to the council in the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Combined Authority Transport Plan programme (Highways Structural Maintenance)
(b) in consultation with the Chair and Party Spokespersons of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee, to revise or amend the delivery or implementation of the work programmes, as deemed necessary, having due regard for the available resources and applicable risk-based prioritisation of locations selected for intervention and treatment.

(4)  the Director of Law and Governance be authorised to negotiate and finalise any grant funding agreements on behalf of the council, amongst the relevant subject areas over the next 4 years, as set out in Appendix 1 to this report.