The Assistant Director for Highways & Infrastructure introduced the report of

the Director of Neighbourhood Services which requested Committee approval for the disbursement of grant funding from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s (LCRCA) City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement

(CRSTS) for 2024/25 into the Council’s Capital Programme for Highways Structural Maintenance and Bridge Maintenance, alongside indicative highway condition matrix that will be used to inform future programme investment decisions. It was reported that the programme covered works on the highway network to maintain and improve the structural condition using various planned interventions which included resurfacing, surface treatments, footway reconstructions and bridge maintenance.

Members discussed the network condition matrix in Appendix C where the Assistant Director for Highways and Infrastructure reported that the most recent 2023 condition data was still being processed by officers, and once assessed the matrix would be revised and will help inform future programmes of work. In response to queries relating to the use of pavement condition data to inform future programmes of work and funding, the Assistant Director confirmed that data related to footway pavements would be included in future Committee performance management reports. The Highways, Maintenance and Street Lighting Manager reported that an independent survey of footway condition in the borough had been commissioned and completed which would form a substantial part of footway construction work in future. 

Members also discussed the monitoring of the success of road treatments and resurfacing after works had been completed by contractors. The Assistant Director reported that in instances where work had failed suppliers were contractually obliged to replace the work and this was enforced.

Members further thanked officers for the substantial work undertaken to produce the programme of works for the forthcoming year.

Resolved – That

1.  The proposed programme of works for Wirral’s Carriageways, Footway Improvements and Bridge Maintenance for 2024/25, using any relevant grant funding allocated to the Council by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement - Highways Structural Maintenance allocation, and the spending of the associated grant funding on these works once accepted by the Council’s Section 151 Officer, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved;

2.  The indicative Red, Amber, Green rated highway network condition matrix as set out in Appendix 3 to the report, to be used by the Director of Neighbourhood Services as one of the decision tools when developing the Council’s highway structural maintenance programmes, be approved;

3.  the Director of Neighbourhood Services be authorised 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, in consultation with the Chair and Party Spokespersons of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport Committee; and

4.  the Director of Law and Corporate Services be authorised to negotiate and finalise any grant funding agreements on behalf of the council, amongst the relevant subject areas over the next 3 years, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report and for any additional grant funding received during this period relevant to the subject area.