COUNCILLORS will get their first opportunity to look at how Blaenau Gwent’s road network will be maintained over the next five years.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Place Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, June 20, councillors will be presented with a report on the council’s proposed Highways Asset Management Plan (HAMP) for 2023 to 2028.

The report notes that the annual revenue maintenance budget for highways assets – which includes roads, bridges, walls, culverts, street lighting and even a tunnel – is just under £2.7 million for this financial year.

The report also says that £1.2 million worth of maintenance work is needed as a “priority.”

Street scene team manager David Watkins said: “The HAMP sets out a strategy for dealing with highways maintenance in the short, medium, and long term.

“It details the procedures used to plan and execute all works and functions associated with the management, operation and maintenance of the highway asset including how the activities are monitored to ensure compliance with council policies.

“Highways maintenance does come at a price and funding will need to be identified to meet the maintenance needs of the highway assets and infrastructure.”

According to the plan, the adoption of a HAMP is now deemed by the Welsh Government as a “proven means to demonstrate effective husbandry of the highway network by providing significant financial understanding.”

This strategy commits Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council to establishing standards that the council can afford within current budgets, and to attempting to explain to the public and other road users what service to expect.

The HAMP also needs data to be collected that will inform the decision making process on how best to spend the available funding and how to manage the associated risks.

At the meeting councillors will be able to have their say and provide input to the report before it goes to a full council meeting in July to be ratified by all councillors.