HEREFORDSHIRE Council is ready to pump money into parishes plugging their own potholes.

A cabinet level decision extends the existing parish lengthsman scheme to take in a greater range of road repairs.

This extension, as agreed by cabinet member for transport and roads Cllr Paul Rone, sees the council’s public realm contractor Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) working with town and parish councils C (classified) and U (unclassified) roads to cut repair costs.

The council cites evidence from pilot schemes running between July and September in support of the initiative. It represents one of the biggest shifts yet in devolving specific cuts-stricken services to parish level.

Lengthsmen have been around since 2002 servicing classified and unclassified parish roads with works such as drainage and minor maintenance.

At present, the budget for the scheme is £209,000 with 99 parish/town councils taking part.

Parish councils are paid by kilometre  - £110 per km for first three years and £90 thereafter.

Currently, 85% of parish councils in the  scheme are paid £90 per kilometre.

The council’s public realm  services contract with BBLP offered an opportunity review the scheme.

Since June, five successful pilots have been running to establish the feasibility of appropriately trained lengthsmen filling the smaller potholes in addition to their other repair roles.

On the evidence from these pilots, the scheme will be extended to all 134 town and parish councils taking part over 2015/16.

Financed from within Herefordshire Council’s overall highways budget, funding for the scheme will be available  at £120 per km to a total budget requirement  of £315,000 a year  if all 134 take part.

It is further proposed to increase this base figure by up to  £100 per km - to a total cost of £262,000 - subject to match funded by the relevant authority.

If all parish and town councils match fund to the maximum amount then the total cost of the scheme to the council will be £580,000 a year.

Funding will be found through the existing highways budget allowing BBLP to focus on A and B roads.

The council is the highway authority for all roads in Herefordshire, with the exception of Trunk Roads like the A49 and motorways, which are the responsibility of the Highways Agency.

As with the existing lengthsman scheme, the Local Government Act 1972 allows delegation of some highway works to parish councils.

In turn, parish councils are able to use the delegated budgets to employ a local person, or contractor familiar with the area.

Under the Lengthsman Scheme a parish council is required to take out public liability  insurance for works undertaken.

Little over a year ago, all  parish councils were sent a questionnaire on the existing lengthsman scheme with the responses being used to prepare the pilot schemes.

Regular meetings between BBLP and parish councils have gone on over the year.

BACKGROUND – THE NEW LENGTHSMAN SCHEME 2015/16

The new scheme will be open to all parish and town councils.

Funding will be based on 1631 miles (2624.6 kilometres) of C (classified) and U (unclassified) roads.

Those parish councils in the current scheme will have to re-apply to the new scheme.

The scheme will be based on an annual maintenance plan (AMP), agreed between the parish council and BBLP - acting for the council - at the beginning of each budget year.

This will cover C and U roads, some B roads, public footpaths and other relevant highway maintenance.

The AMP will identify those contractors that are best placed to do the work - not all the work in the plan may be carried out by the lengthsman.

Other options may include BBLP, volunteers and, where appropriate, specialist contractors.

The new scheme will require a new contract between participating parish councils and the council.

FUNDING AND PAYMENT

Funding of the scheme is based on the lengths of C and U roads in each parish  council area, even though some parish councils will commission work in partnership with BBLP on some B roads, or by agreement across other parts of the public realm.

C and U road length is used to establish funding levels as typically the length of these roads in each parish is representative of the extent of the public realm that exists in each parish.

The proposed base budget for the new scheme is £120 per kilometre (total road length 2624.60km) to a total sum of  £315,000 if all 134 parish and town councils take part.

It is proposed that an additional £100 per kilometre will be funded (an additional maximum of £262,000) subject to this sum being matched on an equal basis by parish and town councils using their own funds.

If the scheme is fully subscribed, the council will be investing £577,000 over 2015/16 and parish/town councils £262,000 or 31.25% of the total expenditure.

It is proposed that payment terms will change from the present upfront pre-payments to payment in arrears on satisfactory completion of the scheduled work.

PILOT CASE STUDY – FOXLEY GROUP

FOXLEY group parish council has 15.51 kilometres of C and U roads.

Base Budget - 15.51 kilometres at £120 per kilometre = £1861.20.

Annual plan agreed by the parish council and BBLP requires additional budget of £1240.80.

Herefordshire Council will match fund with £620.40.

Parish Council will increase precept by £620.40 to match fund council contribution.

Total Lengthsman budget for Foxley Group becomes £3102.00.

OR

Foxley group parish council has 15.51 kilometres of C and U roads.

Base budget - 15.51kilometres at £120 per kilometre = £1861.20

Annual plan agreed by parish council and BBLP requires additional budget of £3102.00

Herefordshire Council will match fund with £1551.00 (maximum allowance at £100 per km)

Parish council will increase precept by £1551.00 to match fund council contribution.

Total Lengthsman budget for Foxley Group becomes £4653.00

The new contract has no allocation for administration of the scheme by the parish council clerk.

In the pilot, one parish council increased the hours of the clerk to  cover time spent administering the scheme.

Training costs and materials supplied by BBLP will be charged at cost into the Herefordshire Council contribution.

Payment for work done by the lengthsmen will be claimed on the basis of submitted, approved invoices submitted either monthly or quarterly.