Agenda item

Report by Head of Asset Management)

(Mr G Horne, MBE was present for this item and had requested to speak)

(1)       Members had been aware for some time of the poor performance of EDF with regard to requests for work from KHS Street lighting, both in the repair of faults as well as the provision of new connections.

(2)       There had been no lack of effort from KHS staff in pursuing EDF for an improved performance but in the vast majority of cases, the chase had proved fruitless for whatever reason EDF had put forward. In the majority of cases, a lack of ‘jointing resources’, to make the connection from the EDF Network to the KHS streetlight system, appeared to have been the fundamental underlying problem for EDF. Demands across the south east for skilled jointers had far outweighed the number of qualified jointers available to EDF

            (3)       The performance indicator used by KHS with regard to EDF was “Average days to respond to streetlight faults” with a target of 30 days. For the year to date (to December ’08), EDF had managed 64.7 days, from KHS records. To help Members, the performance of KHS in repairing faults had been on average for the year 4.7 days, when the work had been released to the contracting arm, against a target of 5 days.

            (4)       To move the whole performance effort forward, a Service Level Agreement (SLA) had been developed in joint consultation between EDF Energy Networks and representatives of Local Authority Lighting Customers and incorporated as a minimum standard the Ofgem National SLA recommendations released in October 2007 with regard to unmetered connections. Though not legally binding, the SLA outlined the minimum level of service to which EDF Energy Networks and Local Authorities would aim to work.

            (5)       Extracts from the SLA were set out in the Appendix to the report and gave Members a feel for the new targets for EDF for both faults and new connections, in the vast majority complying with KHS targets for EDF. Ofgem required EDF to report performance data for street lighting on a quarterly basis. The data had first to be agreed with the customers, the lighting authorities. If agreement could not be reached, Ofgem would be informed of that fact for their assessment.

            (6)       Performance meetings would be held on a regular basis with EDF, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually with the quarterly meeting in place to agree the performance data that was submitted to Ofgem. The performance meetings together with project and ad hoc meetings would allow a professional and trusting working relationship to develop.

            (7)       To ensure that KHS transfers all required information to EDF when requesting fault repairs or new works, the new business management system being put in place within KHS would automatically complete all necessary details to be sent to EDF thus removing any possible delays at the Kent end.

            (8)       The Head of Asset Management was optimistic that the SLA represented a positive and constructive way forward in improving the performance of EDF in its working relationship with KHS. At the present time, it was believed that 15 highway authorities in the EDF region had signed up with the SLA thus allowing for continuous improvement across the whole of the south east area.

(9)       KHS Street lighting was now part of a South East Group of lighting authorities which included the counties of East and West Sussex and Surrey, Brighton Unitary and London Boroughs. Performance would be monitored across all authorities.

(10)                 As the new relationship evolved between KHS and EDF, Members would be kept up to date with all developments and performance levels. A report would also be submitted to Members on the future developments of the Street lighting service, with very progressive proposals for a developing unit.

(11)     The Board noted the report which would be passed to the Cabinet Member.