Agenda and draft minutes

Consider Minute of the Meeting held on 21 November 2023.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of the Minute of the Meeting held on 21 November 2023.

DECISION

AGREED the Minute for signature by the Chair.

Consider report on summary of performance of SBc Contracts  to 31 December 2023.  (Copy attached.)

2.1   There had been circulated copies of a report by the Chief Officer Roads, the purpose of which was to provide Members with a summary on the performance of SBc Contracts for the financial year 2023/24 up to 31 December 2023.  Mark Douglas presented the report and provided a workload update.  In relation to road surfacing activity, there had been 23 surface dressing patching site, 7 carriageway patching sites, 11 screed sites, 16 capital resurfacing schemes and contracts for private clients.  SBc Contracts had completed the year’s surface dressing programme across an area of approximately 187,040 sq.m. 

2.2     Work had been completed on numerous Civil Engineering projects: bridgeworks, floodworks, building and footpaths.  Some contracts were scheduled to extend beyond the end of 2023/24 financial year.  Since April 2023 work had commenced on 90 new sites, 13 of which remained active.

2.3     The report contained detailed information on three projects undertaken to highlight the work and the benefit to communities.  A summary of the works for NHS Borders: Borders General Hospital, Destination Tweed and the former Cross Keys site, Selkirk was provided.

2.4     A management update was provided.  The Pothole Pro had been deployed to 6 sites of the A Class network.  Work had also started in urban areas of Jedburgh, Kelso, Selkitk and Coldstream. To date, 1440 potholes had been repaired with 8157 sq.m. of asphalt.

2.5     The Chair welcomed the commencement of work on the Destination Tweed project, and Members expressed gratitude for the ongoing beneficial work undertaken by the department.  In response to a question about private contracts, Mr Douglas confirmed that small scale private contracts e.g. driveways were welcomed by SBc Contracts. In response to a question on the fleet reductions,  Mr Hedley reported that the use of Pothole Pro and swap body system gritters had resulted in improved safety, flexibility, and manoeuvrability of operations. SBc Contracts was to take delivery of a third swap body system comprised of a haulage vehicle and a jet patcher. Moving forward there was the intention to build on these acquisitions to reduce carbon emissions.

DECISION

NOTED the performance of SBc Contracts for the 3rd quarter of 2023/24.

Before proceeding with the private business, the following motion should be approved:-

“That under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 6 of Part 1 of Schedule 7A to the aforementioned Act.”

DECISION

AGREED under Section 50A(4) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the business detailed in the Appendix to this Minute on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 8 of Part I of Schedule 7A to the Act.

Consider Private section of the Minute of the Meeting held on 2i Novemeber 2023.  (Copy attached.) 

Members considered the Private Section of the Minute of the Meeting held on 21 November 2023.

Consider report by Chief Officer, Roads. (Copy attached.)

Members considered a report by the Chief Officer – Roads.