Walsall road repairs to be decided by new points system
An innovative points system will be introduced to decide which roads get priority for improvements around Walsall, it has emerged.
Communities and councillors will be able to prioritise routes which need work by allocating points to projects.
The scheme, which is expected to come into force in the next financial year, will allow councillors on area panel committees across the borough to influence the rankings of a string of projects.
Each ward will be handed 50 points and the points can then be awarded to one scheme or divided across a number of schemes.
The number of points will help decide the scheme's relative priority and how quickly footway improvements and carriageway resurfacing and patching work is carried out.
Area partnerships will have to provide council officers with their scoring by January each year.
It comes as cash-strapped Walsall Council needs to save £86 million over four years.
The schemes which feature in the list of projects include carriageway resurfacing in Wednesbury Road and Goscote Lane, Coalpool.
In Aldridge, potential schemes include carriageway resurfacing work in Chester Road, Leighswood Road and Foley Road West.
Some of the roads earmarked for carriageway or footway improvements in Brownhills, which could be awarded points by the area panels, include Lindon Road, Occupation Road and Parkwood Close.
Meanwhile, Bentley Road South in Darlaston could benefit from another footway resurfacing scheme while locations in Leamore which could see work carried out include Stephenson Avenue and Stowe Street.
In Willenhall, among the road schemes listed include those in Noose Lane, King Street and The Keyway.
In a report to Aldridge and Beacon Area Panel, which meets tonight (Tue), group manager of highways and environment John Roseblade said: "With available budgets it will not be possible to undertake all these maintenance schemes in the next three years hence the need for a robust and transparent prioritisation system."
It was originally intended to incorporate area panel scores into this year's maintenance programme, but the report said the process was not straightforward and will take some time to complete.
Mr Roseblade added: "The annual highway maintenance programme for 2015/2016 is at an advanced stage of delivery, it is
therefore proposed to implement the area panel scoring into the 2016/2017 programme.
"The programme is determined in February of each year so it is important that each area panel provide their scoring to officers prior to this date."
A similar report is also expected to be put before other area panel committees across the borough in the near future.
