Council extends roads contract despite concerns

A highway maintenance contract is to be extended by a year despite calls for service improvements.

A meeting at Reform-run North Northamptonshire Council heard contractor Kier's performance had been "satisfactory" but would need to be strengthened.

Areas highlighted for improvement included customer service and communication, and operational resilience during peak winter demand.

The place and environment scrutiny meeting was told service on highways was "passable" and the seven-year contract would be extended to end in 2030.

A formal improvement plan has also been developed to address any shortfalls and evidence progress in future years.

Other areas noted for improvement included moving to a "leave no defect behind" model to drive value for money, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

A member of the public questioned why more data on key performance metrics, such as the cost per repair of potholes was not available.

The contract extension can be approved under delegated authority, meaning no elected members need to vote on it.

Labour's David Baker said "zero data" had been provided to evidence the extension decision.

He added: "[The review] concludes performance is sufficient and passable – it's hardly a ringing endorsement, is it?"

Green councillor Emily Fedorowycz said: "We're starting from a place of already declining and this improvement plan doesn't give the assurance that it's going to get better."

In total, Kier is eligible for up to three years of earned extensions, which are achieved by meeting performance targets throughout the contract period.

A Kier spokesperson said: "We're focused on delivering safe and reliable highway services for residents across the region, working in partnership with North Northamptonshire Council.

"We welcome constructive feedback and are working collaboratively with the council as part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement."

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