The Cabinet considered the report of the Interim Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment which indicated that the Council needed to make arrangements for the delivery of highway services beyond the end of the current contract, from 1^st April 2014, and as requested by Cabinet, the interim Director of Technical Services had carried out an options appraisal for consideration by Cabinet.

Councillor H. Smith, Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transportation introduced the report which indicated that the options appraisal had been prepared with the assistance of a consultant, Atkins, appointed for that purpose, and their report was provided in Appendix 1 to the report.  Part of the consultants’ report related to the commercial considerations of the options appraisal, and which were exempt from public disclosure in accordance with paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and have been redacted from the consultants’ report presented in Appendix 1.

Cabinet are asked to consider the findings of the options appraisal and recommendations made, and to reach a decision on the way forward.

The maintenance of highways is a statutory duty imposed on the Council as Highway Authority.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the decision to appoint a consultant under Contract Procedure Rule 21.1.1(iii) be noted;

(2)  the report and its accompanying appendix be noted, the preferred option be approved, and the Strategic Director for Regeneration and Environment be requested to proceed with the development and procurement of a single strategic contract for highway services to be effective from 1^st April 2014; complying with procurement legislation; and

(3)  the Strategic Director of Regeneration and Environment be requested to undertake a full assessment of the workforce issues described in the report and provide regular reports to Cabinet regarding the programme and progress in delivering the proposed procurement of a new contract for highway services.