Minutes:
8.1 Councillor John Brunt – Cabinet Portfolio Holder: Highways and Transport
a. Highways, Transport and Recycling Service – the service operates from 12 main bases and there are 500 full time equivalent employees. At the current time most work is undertaken by operatives employed by Powys
b. Services – the service provides highway maintenance street lighting, grass cutting, cleansing and street cleaning (there is also a sign shop)
c. Street Lighting – the annual energy bill alone (including illuminated sigs) is in the region of £330k per annum. An LED bulb replacement project which had recently been approved would reduce the energy bill over the longer term. A programme of bulb replacement would commence in November
d. Highways Technical Services – the service undertakes design work, traffic/highway development control, road safety, manages the highway network, supports utility companies, oversees car parking services, manages public transport and oversees flood risk management and alleviation schemes amongst other services
e. Highway Asset/Condition– the Powys Highway Asset has been valued to be in the region of £4.4 billion. Due to the number of C roads and their condition the condition of the highway network had been ranked as poor overall, however, the condition of A and B routes is very good and they are well maintained
f. Car Parks/Enforcement – the Council operates 75 car parks, of which 35 are pay and display, there are plans to introduce charges at a further 10 parks and possibly others in due course
g. Fleet Management – the Authority operates its own vehicle fleet which comprises of 536 vehicles which are maintained using three workshop sites. The annual fuel bill is in the region of £1.4 million. There are proposals to work with the Fire Authority to operate a workshop that will maintain vehicles for both organisations to reduce costs, provide a better facility and make best use of combined resource
h. Public/School Transport – the service provides home to school transport under contract to the education service at a cost of in the region of £42k per day. Members were asked to encourage older residents that would qualify for free bus passes to apply because the Welsh Government use that information to provide some funding to Councils. Members were reminded that young people are able to use public transport and to travel anywhere in Powys for £1 per trip as part of a local scheme to encourage use of public transport
i. Commissioning of Services – most services would be considered for the commissioning approach and it is likely that works would be undertaken by firms working under contract with Powys to provide services
j. Rail Links – a member reported that he had concerns regarding the reliability of rail links and quoted having attempted to board a number of trains when services had been cancelled. The member was encouraged to raise the issues with the Transport and Traffic Manager (Tony Caine)
k. Verge Maintenance/Grass Cutting – the Authority had entered into a contract with a local provider for grass cutting/verge maintenance. There had been some teething issues and positions are being monitored. During the second year of the contract (next year) it’s expected that there would be an improved service with the contractor having learnt from the first year of operation
l. Berriew – the local member reported that because the ward was sited in between Newtown and Welshpool there had been differing views on who should undertake works within the ward. The member would be advised in relation to the most appropriate link for matters within his ward
m. Newtown (Turner Lane) – it was reported that the condition of some parts of Newtown, and in particular Turner Lane, were littered and in a poor state. The Portfolio Holder advised that local operatives should be contacted regarding maters, however, he reminded members that Council approved significant budget savings for the service and that the same levels of service would not be able to be provided given the reductions in funding. Engaging with communities to consider community delivery arrangements could be a way to retain services
Members wished to express their sincere thanks to Andrew Collins, Contracts and Programmes Engineer for his approach and helpful nature. Members thanked the Portfolio Holder for his update. The presentation would be made available for members to access.