Agenda item

Report ES19081

Members received an update on the performance of JB Riney for major and minor highway works (from 1^st July 2018) and highway engineering consultancy services within the major works contract (since April 2019). The Committee previously considered the company’s performance for L B Bromley on 9^th April 2019 and Report ES19081 outlined subsequent progress.

Although the Council’s previous contractor, FM Conway, had completed most schemes under the £11.8m capital investment for planned highway maintenance (approved 12th December 2016), JB Riney continued to make good progress on the improvement projects with carriageway works due to complete in November 2019 and most footway schemes to complete by Spring 2020. JB Riney had also completed a number of traffic schemes as part of the annual LIP programme.

On reactive highway maintenance tasks (minor highway works) and in-hours/out of hours emergency repairs, jobs have a completion time based on the nature of a defect and risk of causing an accident, usually two hours for an emergency, ten working days for urgent repairs and 35 days for non-urgent works. With a KPI in the Performance Management Framework (PMF) requiring 90% of all maintenance tasks to be completed within the specified timescales, amalgamated performance data against the required job durations was outlined in Report ES19081.

On street light maintenance, the PMF includes completion times for all routine maintenance tasks, with KPIs requiring 95% of tasks to complete within four working days, and 100% within eight working days. Performance against the required job durations were also outlined graphically in Report ES19081.

For the winter service, JB Riney undertakes precautionary gritting and snow clearance works on the carriageway network and footway clearance outside a number of schools in a snow emergency. Although the Council currently owns the gritter fleet, JB Riney is responsible for maintaining all vehicles and to provide drivers when weather forecasts predict freezing or below freezing temperatures. All precautionary gritting is required to be completed with 2.5 hours under the PMF which was achieved in all cases last winter.

JB Riney also undertake engineering consultancy services through their supply chain of specialist consultants and the arrangement has worked well for managing highway structures, various traffic surveys, and a number of traffic schemes commissioned on a ‘design and build’ basis.

Cyclical and ad-hoc highway drainage cleaning tasks have also been completed since the start of the contract. Although completion dates were initially delayed as a back-log of jobs from the previous contract was dealt with, performance is now in line with the PMF. 

On management, the L B Bromley client team continues to have necessary resources to manage the contract successfully, including services subject to Contract Change Control Notices. Although JB Riney experienced a high turnover of key management, administrative and operational personnel during the first year of the contract, the current establishment is considered suitable for delivering all services covered by the contract.

Although performance on street lighting maintenance and reactive highway maintenance was below contractual requirements during early months of the contract, with Low Service Damages (LSDs) being charged, performance in all service areas is now compliant with the PMF. JB Riney is aware that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the PMF are minimum acceptable standards and are committed to ongoing improvements in delivering the services. Options to improve value for money will be based on new methods of working and adopting innovative materials.

A representative from JB Riney attended for the item. Improvements had been made across elements of JB Riney’s service and the company is now demonstrating an improved level of service. The company needed to change its service delivery approach and hand held technology was introduced to record work undertaken. Much work was previously completed but not advised to the Council; there continues to be some outstanding backlog which would be resolved within the next month.    

Concerning Biggin Hill, gullies are to be cleaned every two years and there are special beats. On a 100% completion target within eight working days for all routine maintenance tasks on street lighting, a Member asked for the longest time taken to repair a street light. JB Riney offered to find out and the Chairman asked for details to be distributed to Committee Members. There are variables and JB Riney is not currently meeting its target on street lighting maintenance. Although performance improved in July 2019, this is another challenging area. As there has been no real operational issue for JB Riney, it was concluded that the nature of repairs would have led to delays.   

JB Riney was also focused on reducing CO2 emissions from their vehicle fleet. With the Ultra Low Emission Zone to be expanded, JB Riney is trialling electric vehicles in London. On materials, they are also looking at Asphalt production with a view to hopefully have a single production plant next year to reduce energy consumption.

A Member highlighted a pothole at the junction of Beckenham Road and Hayne Road. This had been subject to a number of repairs and recorded on Fix My Street (FMS) for nearly a year. Another Member considered the repair acceptable on the last occasion he viewed it. Nevertheless, JB Riney offered to fix the problem at no cost to the Council if attributable to workmanship.

On winter preparedness, JB Riney has a new maintenance agreement for all vehicles (including gritters). A rota and drivers are in place. The Council also co-ordinates with farms regarding vehicles in outlying areas.

JB Riney indicated that it is working with Tarmac to recycle material. Some 10% to 15% of waste highway product is recycled back into materials and JB Riney is looking to increase this amount.

Concluding the item, the Chairman advised that he is now a lot happier with JB Riney’s performance and expressed his support for sustainability.  

RESOLVED that the content of Report ES19081, particularly the on-going   work to ensure compliance with the contract, be noted.