Review of Roads and Infrastructure Services - Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 11 September 2025
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 11 September 2025 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 11 SEPTEMBER 2025 REVIEW OF ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES - UPDATE 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee with an update on progress and next steps in relation to the Roads and Infrastructure Service Review (RIS Review). 1.2 In providing this update reference is made to information contained in the previous report to this Committee in relation to the RIS Review in June 2025 and to the actions taken in the intervening period. 1.3 It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:- a) consider the progress made in relation to the priority improvement actions, including the financial impacts of these, and; b) agree to receive a further report on progress of the RIS Review in December 2025.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 11 SEPTEMBER 2025 REVIEW OF ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES - UPDATE 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report provides an update to Members of this Committee on progress of the Roads and Infrastructure Service Review (RIS Review), since the last update in June 2025. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:- a) consider the progress made in relation to the priority improvement actions, including the financial impacts of these, and; b) agree to receive a further report on progress of the RIS Review in December 2025. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 The RIS Review has been structured around 4 stages of activity as illustrated below:
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4.2 As set out in previous reports to this Committee the opportunity is being taken to deliver the planned improvement activities from stages 3 and 4 concurrently. This results in a number of priority improvement actions being progressed at the same time as the development and implementation of the revised target operating model and organisation structure for the service. 4.3 Appendix 1 provides a comprehensive update on progress with each of the current 12 priority improvement actions. As set out in the previous update to this Committee a staged approach is being taken to the implementation of the approved priority improvement actions in order to ensure that the service improvement activity does not place an unsustainable burden on an already busy service. In addition senior leadership capacity for the RIS Review has been limited over the past 8 months as a result of the external resource appointed to lead this process covering the role of Head of Service on an interim basis. This limitation on leadership capacity has now been overcome with the commencement in post on 11th August of the new Head of Roads and Infrastructure, Andy Summers. This enables the external resource to now focus specifically on moving the implementation of the RIS Review forward and is anticipated to lead to accelerated progress being made over the coming months. A summary of the key areas of strategic progress since the last update in June are set out below: • Organisation Re-shape: The first phase of the reshaping, which affects posts at tier 3 in the structure is nearing completion with an agreed structure and job descriptions finalised. The final step is the implementation of the appointment process which will be completed in early September. A draft organisation structure for all other tiers 3 has been produced and is in the state of maturity necessary to enable staff engagement on this third stage of the re-shaping to commence shortly after the appointment of the tier 3 roles has been concluded. • Waste Disposal Post-PPP Arrangements: This has been an extensive area of activity over the last 3 months. The key aims of this work are to
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ensure service continuity of the waste disposal service at the end of the term of this major contract and to do so in a manner that ensures future arrangements are compliant with the upcoming ban on municipal waste going to landfill. Key areas of progress include: o Work to convert the existing mechanical and biological treatment plants to waste transfer stations has, following extensive negotiations between the Council and BIFFA been contractually concluded with works commencing. This is an essential change to support the required change in waste disposal methodology from the current model of producing “Compost Like Output” material and landfilling residual waste to the bio-ban compliant solution of closing the landfill sites and transporting waste to energy from waste plants. o Two significant historic contractual matters that exist between the Council and the PPP Project Company have been brought to commercial conclusion subject to final approvals required for one element from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. Once received this will enable these matters to be contractually closed between the parties. o Procurement for the new services required at the end of the PPP- contract has continued to progress with initial market engagement informing the final specifications and contracting approach which will go live for bidders at the end of September tender returns are due at the start of November with contract award programmed for January. o The Council is making good progress to secure energy from waste off-take for the period from January 2026 onwards to ensure municipal bio-ban compliance. • Roads Information and Asset Management Improvement Project: As set out in the June update the highest priority of this project has been to secure the replacement of an existing tool that is essential to the process of budgeting for road maintenance works, with the existing tool becoming unsupported in March next year. An alternative product has been sourced and work has now commenced to undertake the necessary development to ensure this is available and functioning by March 2026. The key outcomes of this work will be improved back-office efficiency, implementation of the digital systems needed for future service improvements, sustainability of the existing systems and improvements in customer service. • Waste Collection Projects: In the June update report two projects were described which aim to improve the efficiency and customer experience of the waste collection service. These were the “Route Optimisation Project” and the “Second Domestic Waste Bin Review”. Over the last 3 months through the RIS Review these projects have been taken forward with the anticipated project benefits subjected to further due diligence. This process
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has resulted in a report being reviewed by this Committee today entitled “Waste Collection Policy and Operational Updates” which seeks support for a number of changes in policy and operational practice designed to improve customer experience, encourage further recycling and reduce residual waste and support work to ensure the Council maximises the legitimate income it receives through the commercial waste collection service. The key aims of this work is to improve and standardise customer service and reduce cost to the Council by further encouraging recycling. • Review of Commercial Waste Income: this has been another significant area of activity over the last 3 months. In June the first of two projects intended to ensure the Council recovers all legitimate income from the collection of commercial waste was just beginning. That project has now led to additional contracts being entered into resulting in a projected increase in income of over £270k. Since then a second project has been mobilised which involves contacting all properties across Argyll and Bute paying non-domestic rates to determine if they require a contract for commercial waste. This is a significant task which due to resource constraints is being progressed on a progressive basis i.e. not all properties can be contacted at the same time. To date indications suggest an increase in income of over £500k should be anticipated in the current financial year. Over the next period further work will be undertaken, as a priority, to assess further activities that might further improve the Councils financial return on this commercial service. The key outcomes of this work are to increase the income of the Council, thereby contributing to financial sustainability in the long term and to ensure that all customers receive an equitable service. 4.5 In addition to the priority improvement actions approved by this Committee in March of this year, work has continued where possible to take forward other service improvements and to seek new opportunities for improvement where they arise. A brief review suggests that of the total of the 129 recommendations from stage 1 a total of 29 have now been implemented or in small number of cases have been rejected as not representing good return on the effort required to implement them. 4.6 One of the recommendations from stage 1 that does not yet feature as a priority improvement action is the recommendation to “Develop a robust asset management data base for the grounds maintenance activities, street cleansing activities and for the cleansing of public conveniences, to ensure the work requirements can be accurately measured, operational resources can be designed, and a clear budget envelope agreed.” A particular area of focus over recent months has been in relation to the public convenience estate with a review being conducted by officers which has looked at the condition of the public conveniences, the level of use, the cost of maintaining these on an annual basis and locational factors such as proximity to key transport hubs or key tourist destinations. The review proposes a future categorisation of public
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conveniences based on their level of usage and strategic importance that would result in differentiated levels of future investment and proposals being developed for Member consideration in relation to a programme of community asset transfers or potential closure of those facilities which offer very poor value for money as a result of having a very low level of use, not being strategically located, or having other and better quality public conveniences closely located to them. The intention is to bring forward a further report as part of the future budget development process to set out how the Council could enhance strategically important facilities while lowering the overall financial burden. 4.7 The savings budgeted from the RIS Review consist of £200k for 24/25 which was not achieved and rolled forward and a further £300k in 25/26 resulting in a total of £500k. With an additional £700k of increased income from improvements in the commercial waste service also budgeted for 25/26. Income from commercial waste is on track to achieve or slightly exceed this target but to date the RIS review has not yet delivered the savings budgeted. Further work is ongoing to determine areas of savings that can be implemented to contribute to the achievement of these budgeted savings. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 This report provides an update on the implementation of the 12 Priority Improvement Actions as developed under Stage 4 of the RIS Review process. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – No direct policy implications within this report. A number of the priority improvement actions result in changes to existing policies, where this is the case further reports are being considered by Committee in relation to these. 6.2 Financial – A number of the priority improvement actions aim to increase efficiency and deliver financial benefits to the Council. 6.3 Legal – Legal aspects are being reviewed as part of each of the priority improvement actions. 6.4 HR – The proposals to reshape the organisation structure of the Roads and Infrastructure Service have implications for staff. All relevant Council policies and procedures are being followed in this regard. 6.5 Customer Service – A number of the priority improvement actions aim to improve customer experience. 6.6 Risk – Risks are being managed in relation to each of the priority improvement actions. 6.7 Climate Change – None identified at this time. 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty: None identified at this time.
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6.9 Equalities – Will be considered as part of each of the priority improvement actions as these progress. 6.10 Consumer Duties – None identified at this time. 6.11 Islands – None identified at this time. 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing – None arising directly from this report. Kirsty Flanagan, Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Councillor John Armour, Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Services June 2025 For further information contact: Stephen Hall, Consultant, Roads and Infrastructure Service Review Stephen.hall@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Summary of Priority Improvement Actions