Decision details

Changes to Department for Transport (DfT) rules for funding highway maintenance have been introduced through its Incentive Fund to encourage local authorities to embed the use of asset management techniques into their management of highway maintenance and decision making around funding and priorities.  The main aim of the asset management approach being encouraged by DfT is to clearly link investment decisions with an understanding of what that means in terms of outcomes. In January 2016, Kent assessed itself as a Band 1 authority for Incentive Fund purposes. 

Kent’s target was to get to Band 2 during 2016 for 2017/18 and Band 3 during 2017 for 2018/19, to maximise Capital maintenance resource. We achieved Band 2 in January 2017.

This key decision concerns the adoption of a development of the approach described in the “Our Approach to Asset Management in Highways” and “Implementing our Approach to Asset Management in Highways”, by adopting “Developing our Approach to Asset Management in Highways 2018/19 – 2020/21” which reflects the use of better information and more advanced asset management methodology.

Assuming “Developing our Approach to Asset Management in Highways 2018/19 – 2020/21” is formally adopted, Kent will be able to submit a Band 3 Incentive Fund rating in February 2018.

As Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport & Waste, I agree to adopt and publish ‘Developing our Approach to Asset Management in Highways Maintenance’ to maximise Capital Funding issued by the Department for Transport.