Agenda item

(1)       As part of the Transformation of Kent Highway Services, many of the fundamental maintenance activities were given a much clearer focus in terms of maintenance delivery.  One of those critical service activities was highway drainage, not only in the maintenance of the existing drainage provision but in the delivery of fundamental improvements to the systems and the creation of new systems where necessary.

(2)       It had always been recognised that highway drainage systems received not only the rain that fell on the highway network but also the run-off from many other catchment areas, examples being large car parks, farmers fields, private driveways and many others.

(3)       It was proposed that although individual businesses/residences might have to be tackled separately, the National Farmers Union might provide a working partner for co-operation in many rural areas.  Field management techniques and ditch maintenance were two maintenance opportunities.

(4)       Existing highway drainage systems and their maintenance were fundamental to keeping customers safe on their journeys.  This safety issue plus the need to ensure that highway drainage did not cause the flooding of dwellings, were the two main priorities for the immediate future.

(5)       At present, a drainage working group had been delivering proposals for the future provision of the service.  Staff from across the Alliance had been pooling knowledge and resources to revamp the service.  Transformation made highway drainage a critical deliverable with a Countywide Drainage Team reporting to the Head of Technical Services for all aspects of the service.

(6)       A full asset collection for all parts of the drainage infrastructure was underway.  Every item of drainage hardware would be identified and located by electronic means either specifically or where maintenance took place.  Every highway gulley would be identified and placed on a cleansing schedule as would all catchpits, soakaways and outfalls.  All drainage lagoons would also be maintained together with all highway ditches.

(7)       At this stage, it was important to identify all locations in the county where flooding took place on the highway and to determine the root cause of the problem.  To this end,  every possible source of information on highway flooding was being engaged and their knowledge recorded on a countywide GIS mapping base and a demonstration of the technique was on show for Members.

(8)       All highway engineers and inspectors were being interviewed and the information collected from them would be recorded in the map base with the reason for the flood problem.

(9)       The following other sources of information would be engaged:-

Fire Brigade

District and Parish Councils

Environment Agency

Internal Drainage Boards plus others

Members would also provide a very knowledgeable local source of information.

(10)     The new drainage team would provide a very clear focus for this important part of the maintenance service.  All recorded information would help determine future maintenance regimes, identify clearly locations for future capital investment and support the need to provide a safer environment for the travelling public.

(11)     Mr Bateman informed the Board that he would be sending information to all County Members about their contributions to the highway flooding database.

(12)     The Board noted the report.