Purpose

This report is being presented to Cabinet to seek approval of the 2026/27 annual highway maintenance programme. The proposals are as follows:

•  Approve the proposed list of schemes planned for 2026-27, deliver these schemes making use of funding approved at Cabinet on 17 February 2026, using the Council Highways Framework Contractors.

•  Accept Department of Transport (DfT) funding of £0.932m initially and incentive fund of £0.569m (or any other amounts received), making use of it as outlined in Appendix A, in line with the guidance set by the DfT on its use.

•  Accept £0.314m Transport for London (TfL) funding and approve its use, comprising £0.069m towards LIP-funded resurfacing schemes on the Principal Road Network and £0.245m towards highway structures

Decision

For the reasons set out in this report and its appendices, Cabinet RESOLVED to Agree:

i)  To approve the proposed list of schemes planned for 2026-27 as set out in Appendix A, deliver these schemes making use of funding approved at Cabinet on 17 February 2026, using the Council Highways Framework Contractors.

ii)  To accept Department of Transport (DfT) funding of £0.932m initially and incentive fund of £0.569m (or any other amounts received), making use of it as outlined in Appendix A, in line with the guidance set by the DfT on its use.

iii)  To make a bid to DfT to the Structures Maintenance Fund, and use any funding granted to offset the Council’s own commitment.

iv)  To accept £0.314m Transport for London (TfL) funding and approve its use, comprising £0.069m towards LIP-funded resurfacing schemes on the Principal Road Network and £0.245m towards highway structures, as set out in the report and Appendix A.

v)  To grant delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Environment & Sustainable Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, to make alterations to the programme set out in Appendix A, to facilitate other works, or add to the programme as required to maintain the highways to an acceptable standard.

Alternatives Considered

An alternative considered, is to do no planned maintenance or very little, and to only manage the condition of the network by reactive maintenance. This would mean the reactive maintenance budget, would over time, need to be increased year on year, to cater for the ongoing deterioration of the network. As the condition of the network deteriorates, the work required to reactively maintain it would become more intrusive and costly. This would lead to longer reactive maintenance programmes and an overall delay to the users of the network, as well as the network becoming unsafe. The number of complaints received about the condition of the network would also increase, with more time required by officers to handle these complaints.  Due to the legal requirements to maintain the highways and footways in a safe condition and the level of deterioration in the highway network, this alternative was discounted. Therefore, it is felt that the planned maintenance programme as proposed is an essential component of the highway authority’s delivery plan, as it assists the Council in meeting its statutory obligations to ensure safety for all highway and footway users.