Purpose

Update following implementation on 1 Apr
2023

Content

This report summarised
and reviewed the progress made by Buckinghamshire Highways in its
first 12 months since its inception on 1st April 2023.
Buckinghamshire Highways launched on 1st April 2023. The
first year of the new arrangements had seen a completely new
delivery model, from a wholly out-sourced Highways service to an
Alliance partnership, consisting of a much larger client team
working alongside and managing a suite of 14 contracts to cover all
aspects of Highways Maintenance.
 
The new delivery model involved
the TUPE transfer of 200 staff into three separate organisations,
Balfour Beatty Living Places (the appointed Term Maintenance
Contractor), AtkinsRéalis (the
appointed Term Consultant Contractor) and Buckinghamshire Council
(the Client), with inductions, training and culture change all part
of the transition process. The change
also necessitated entirely new systems of work, processes and new
operational IT systems for all aspects of the business, from
inspections, through works ordering, design and to delivery on the
ground.
 
These changes meant the Council
now had far greater control of programmes, finance, policies and
works ordering through the Highways Client team, directly
instructing the Alliance delivery partners Balfour Beatty Living
Places, AtkinsRéalis and the
specialist framework contractors.
 
The start of the new contract
coincided with the aftermath of one of the most damaging winters
for road surfaces ever seen and followed recently by one of the
most relentlessly wet and stormy winters on record – all
bringing extensive challenges for the service. The impact of the
challenging winter resulted in the highest recorded levels of
demand for the service.
 
Despite
these challenges, there have been significant achievements,
including: -
 

·      
Successfully delivering a £42 million capital
programme including 209 improvement projects for carriageways and
footways;

·      
Despite the tripling of defects being repaired, the
revenue programme remained within budgets, proving the benefit of
the new delivery mechanisms in driving increased productivity and
value for money;

·      
Fixing over 34,000 potholes;

·      
Attending every one of the 85,000 gullies across the
county;

·      
Dealing with 3,209 emergency call-outs, responding
24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

·      
Making significant progress to address the
outstanding defects from the previous contract
arrangements;

·      
Upgrading 3,136 streetlights to LED which means that
99% of Street Lights are now LED delivering the associated energy
savings and environmental benefits.
 
It should be borne in mind that
although a record numbers of defects repairs were made, the number
of defects reported would always be far greater than the resources
available to repair them. There was a robust Highways Safety
Inspection Policy ensuring that the highest priority defects
reported were identified and repaired.
 
RESOLVED
 
That the review of
Buckinghamshire Highways’ activities, progress and key issues
in its first 12 months of operation be
noted.