Agenda item

Annual Portfolio Report – Improving our Roads and Highways

This is the Annual Report from the Cabinet Member for Improving our Roads and Highways. The Report contains issues that set the context for delivery of the Portfolio. It highlights achievements over the past year and, outlines the areas of focus for the coming year (see pages 23-30).

Annual Portfolio Report – Improving our Roads and Highways

The Annual Report from the Cabinet Member for Improving our Roads and Highways contained issues that set the context for delivery of the Portfolio. It highlighted achievements over the past year and outlined the areas of focus for the coming year.

The Chair advised members that he would be limited members to ten minutes for questions and one question per member on the report.

Councillor Riddle introduced his report which covered work for the past year. During this year, there had been considerable inflationary pressures but the service had tried to innovate and secure value for money as much as possible. The Local Transport Plan programme totalled £23.4m and there had been some challenges to deal with in the past year. Much of the investment was steered by the Transport Asset Management Plan and that had been refreshed this year. Some new back office systems had also been implemented. He highlighted some of the other key points of the report and thanked all of the staff for their hard work.

Councillor Dickinson welcomed the report. He asked whether future portfolio holder reports would detail some of the challenges which the services had faced as staff had done a tremendous job to deliver what they had with limited resources. He asked whether the economic impact work of dualling the A1 which had been done some time ago needed to be refreshed, bearing in mind the recent Government announcement about a further delay to the dualling of the A1.

The Leader responded that this matter was not in the report but the Council would work together to maintain the campaign and to encourage the DoT to spend as much money as other Government departments had done in Northumberland to ensure the work would begin next year.

Councillor Kennedy felt the A1 needed to feature in the report as part of the strategic vision for the County. There was much to celebrate in the Portfolio Holder’s report but he asked if the A1 could feature in a Local Transport Plan because of the significance of this route through the County.

The Leader responded that this was not possible because the A1 was not the responsibility of the County Council. The role for the Council was to remain positive, to work together and to demonstrate to Government that the significant funding coming into the Council should also be spread across the A1.

Councillor Reid asked that future reports include the challenges within the portfolio. Councillor Riddle commented that the report reflected the good work which had gone on in the service and there were other avenues available to raise the challenges. The purpose of the report was to inform members about achievements and he was proud of it.

Councillor Swinburn welcomed the FixMyStreet initiative which provided a direct link for both members and residents to report issues. He asked if there would be some performance data available in the future. Councillor Riddle replied that there would and acknowledged that there had been some teething problems, but the reporting back was getting much better after the initial spike of reports.

Councillor Foster commented on the lack of cycleways in her ward and the designated cyclist/pedestrian routes were leading to some cyclists believing they could cycle on the path. This was causing impacts with pedestrians and sometimes conflict. She asked what would be done to make cyclists aware that they couldn’t cycle on every path and how could pedestrians be kept safe.

Councillor Riddle responded that more emphasis would have to be put on cycleways as part of the next budget round. There could be a need for refreshed marking and the Cycling and Walking Board had a role to play in educating the public.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.