The Streets and Environment Scrutiny Subcommittee met on Monday 23 March 2026 to discuss the highways maintenance contract, environmental enforcement, and financial performance. Key decisions included the approval of a one-year extension to the highways maintenance contract with FM Conway, subject to further negotiations on savings and performance improvements, and a commitment to enhancing public information on gully cleansing programmes. The subcommittee also reviewed the council's strengthened approach to environmental crime, noting improvements in data intelligence and enforcement capacity.

Highways Maintenance Contract Update

The subcommittee received an update on the current highways maintenance contract with FM Conway, which began in 2018 and was due to expire in September 2026. Councillors were informed that a proposal was being made to extend the contract for a further year, until September 2027. This extension is conditional on negotiating further improvements with FM Conway, particularly regarding budgetary savings and financial consequences for performance failures. The extension would also allow sufficient time for member engagement in detailed service specification work before a new procurement process, planned for later in 2026.

Concerns were raised about the quality of pothole repairs, with councillors seeking assurance that repairs were not just timely but also durable. Officers explained that while temporary repairs might be made initially on busy roads, a permanent reinstatement specification was in place, and contractors were obligated to return and rectify any sub-standard work. The quality of materials used was also checked by highways inspectors.

Discussions also covered the maintenance of gullies, with councillors inquiring about planned programmes, accurate mapping, and data capturing software. It was explained that a two-yearly road survey captures gully conditions, which are then used to prioritise maintenance. Challenges were noted regarding access due to parked cars, and the council is exploring new ways to improve gully cleansing, such as combining it with road resurfacing. The potential for lifting vehicles to access blocked gullies was also discussed as a measure to prevent flooding.

Regarding the procurement strategy, councillors questioned the reasoning behind the one-year extension. Officers explained that it was to allow sufficient time for a proper procurement process, avoiding the summer period when contractor availability is lower. They also highlighted potential budgetary savings and the de-risking of procurement and mobilisation of a new contractor. The possibility of innovation and new technologies within the extended contract was also raised, with officers noting that while some efficiencies would be gained, contractors might hold back on significant innovations to maintain a competitive advantage in the future procurement.

The subcommittee also discussed the penalties for contract underperformance. While the contract is designed for partnership, rectification notices can be issued for unsatisfactory work, with default notices and fines (ranging from £250 to £1,800) applicable if problems are not rectified within a specified timeframe. However, it was noted that the current fines might be too low to be a significant deterrent for a contractor of FM Conway's size, and the total annual penalty cap of £50,000 was considered insufficient. Future procurement would consider stronger penalties and potentially step-in clauses.

Tangible benefits for residents from the contract extension and future procurement were highlighted, including a find and fix initiative for potholes, where contractors would proactively identify and repair potholes without waiting for resident reports, aiming to significantly reduce the number of potholes needing to be reported.

Contract management improvements were also detailed, including increased regular meetings between council officers and FM Conway management, culminating in quarterly governance meetings with senior leadership.

Streets and Environment Enforcement Update

The subcommittee received an update on the council's strengthened approach to environmental crime, which aims to tackle issues such as fly-tipping, littering, and unmanaged waste. Councillor Scott Roche, Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment, emphasised the administration's zero tolerance approach, highlighting the direct impact of environmental crime on residents' quality of life and neighbourhood perception.

Significant progress has been made over the past year, including strengthening enforcement capacity, introducing a Community Compliance Team, improving data intelligence, and ensuring a more targeted and consistent response to resident reports. The council is moving away from a reactive model, with Community Compliance Officers using Love Clean Streets data daily to inform patrol locations and identify hotspots.

The report detailed the council's efforts to combat fly-tipping, noting that while Croydon has a high number of reported incidents, the council is effective at clearing them. The Love Clean Streets app is integrated with Veolia, the service provider, allowing for direct instruction of crews to clear fly-tips. Data cleansing and the removal of duplicate reports are ongoing, with AI technology being implemented to help identify similar reports.

Enforcement activity has increased, with over 310 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued for various environmental offences between April 2025 and February 2026. This includes FPNs for household duty of care breaches, littering, trade waste compliance, and highways offences. The council is also increasing its use of CCTV, with 19 cameras deployed on housing estates and five mobile deployable CCTV cameras in hotspot locations, with plans to procure an additional five.

The council is also taking a broader approach to preventing environmental crime through initiatives like mobile pop-up recycling centres and proactive engagement with businesses on waste compliance. A new environmental enforcement webpage, tentatively named Dump Busters, is being developed to publicise enforcement outcomes and seek public assistance in identifying offenders.

Discussions also touched on the challenges of fly-tipping on private land, with the council's approach being to work with landowners to ensure clearance and secure the premises, with the ability to recharge landowners. The use of unmarked CCTV vans and the potential for covert surveillance were discussed, with officers explaining compliance with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act and the use of local inquiries and public appeals to identify offenders.

The subcommittee also discussed trade waste compliance, particularly concerning flats above shops, and the introduction of designated coloured sacks for recycling and general waste to distinguish them from general refuse. Plans are in place to establish designated collection points with clear signage and schedules.

Regarding working with housing and estates teams, efforts are underway to address fly-tipping in bin sheds and on estates, including redesigning bin locations and providing dedicated bulky waste crews. Abandoned vehicles on estates are also being addressed through collaboration between waste services and housing teams.

The effectiveness of FPNs was debated, with concerns raised about the low payment rate and the need for stronger deterrents. Officers explained that the process is moving towards prosecution for non-payment and that the council seeks to recover costs in court. The cost-effectiveness of enforcement was also discussed, with the understanding that reducing fly-tipping can lead to cost savings in contract management.

The subcommittee recommended increased public information on gully cleansing programmes and further education for residents on waste transfer licences and notices. Conclusions noted the procurement of additional CCTV cameras, AI improvements to Love Clean Streets, the need to deduplicate fly-tipping reports for DEFRA, and the development of a new website to publicise enforcement activity.

Period 8 Financial Performance Report

The subcommittee reviewed the Period 8 Financial Performance Report for the Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery (SCRER) Directorate. It was noted that the directorate was forecasting an overall net underspend of £600,000, with £400,000 of this relating specifically to street and environment services. This underspend was attributed, in part, to savings from street lighting costs, including a reduction in electricity consumption due to the change to LED lanterns and extended periods of reduced light brightness.

The report also highlighted that the council was on track to deliver a saving by the end of the financial year, despite unexpected challenges. The main stabilisation plan for the directorate was around parking, with a target of a £1 million increase in income, which stood at £1.3 million at Period 8. The council remained confident in achieving this target by the end of the financial year.

The subcommittee concluded that the council was on track to deliver a saving by the end of the year, despite unexpected challenges, which was encouraging.

Cabinet Response to Scrutiny Recommendations

The subcommittee noted the report detailing Cabinet's responses to recommendations previously made by the subcommittee. The Chair noted the positive responses to the subcommittee's past recommendations.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2025-26

The subcommittee noted the completed work programme for 2025-26 and considered items for the 2026-27 Work Programme. The discussion highlighted the ongoing iteration and continuous improvement of the Love Clean Streets app and the importance of data integration.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers for their contributions.