Issue - decisions

The Cabinet Member for Environment & City Management approved the updated Highways Infrastructure Asset Management (HIAMP) and Maintenance Management Plan (MMP), these being the two documents which detail how the council is adopting a risk based approach towards maintaining the highway network as recommended by the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure code of practice.

As a Highway Authority, the City Council has certain legal obligations it must meet to ensure the highway network is safe and fit for purpose. From time to time, these obligations may become the subject of claims for loss for personal injury or legal action by those seeking to establish non-compliance. Demonstrating that the City Council maintains the public highway in accordance with the WMHI code is essential to be able to counter such claims.

The new code has provided an opportunity for the council to review its highway maintenance practices and processes and not be bound by the prescriptive recommendations of the old codes. The new code therefore allows the council to align its service levels more closely to Westminster’s corporate objectives and requirements and provide a more tailored service which meets local needs where those needs are identified and supported by robust evidence gathering and analysis.

Adopting an evidence based approach to maintaining the council’s highway infrastructure, not only feeds into taking a risk based approach which is the corner stone of the new WMHI code, but also provides an opportunity to deliver efficiencies e.g. provide an inspection frequency on need rather than prescription in the medium to long term.