Highways, Planning & Energy Cabinet Member – Minutes – 11 March 2011
117 (24) ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE – The Director of Infrastructure Services submitted a report seeking approval the pursuit of an offer of additional funding for highway related maintenance from the Department for Transport.The decision was urgent as the deadline for acceptance of the offer was 16 March 2011.
North Lincolnshire experienced a prolonged period of severe adverse weather during November and December 2010.The Met Office advised that December 2010 was the coldest December for 100 years. This unprecedented weather had a detrimental impact on the highway network, in particular, extensive potholes were now evident throughout the area.
Essential work was already underway in effecting repairs to potholes and other immediate defects, via existing revenue monies. These funds were already under some pressure and this was enhanced as a result of these emerging issues. Other areas of the country faced similar issues, with widespread degradation of the highway infrastructure being evident. The costs to address this nationally were massive and came at a time of significant pressure on public finances.
The Department for Transport had written to local highway authorities on 23 February 2011 advising that they had made available “at least £100m of extra resource funding in aggregate to local highway authorities in England from its 2010/11 budget”. This was similar to that provided by the previous government in 2009/10, of which £432,200 was subsequently allocated to North Lincolnshire Council.
Resolved – (a) That relevant officers be authorised to accept the Department for Transport’s offer of supplementary funding for highways maintenance.
Where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.