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ITEM TIC11

TRANSPORT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE - 7 JULY 2005

SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL – AGENCY FOR ROUNDABOUT SPONSORSHIP

Report by Interim Head of Transport

Introduction

  1. In 2003/04 South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) carried out a Best Value Review of Public Space. A Key Recommendation of that review was for SODC "To work in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) in establishing a scheme of commercial sponsorship for roundabouts" with the intention of improving the local environment.

  2. The SODC Best Value Action Plan contains an action to "Establish a commercial sponsorship scheme for roundabouts and identify potential roundabouts to be sponsored". Discussions have taken place since 2003 between OCC and SODC officers with a view to agreeing a way of taking this action forward.

    3. Background

  3. Responsibility for the maintenance of roundabouts on the public highway rests with the relevant Highway Authority and in the case of the roundabouts in South Oxfordshire this is Oxfordshire County Council. Maintenance is generally limited by the availability of funding to routine grass cutting at an average cost of about £50 per roundabout per year.

  4. Historically SODC planners have not permitted sponsorship signs to be erected on roundabouts, however interest expressed within the Best Value Review process has resulted in the reappraisal of this position. This has led to a limited number of ad-hoc sponsorship agreements being agreed by Oxfordshire County Council where a condition of sponsorship is the general enhancement of the hard and soft landscaping of the roundabout and the introduction of a more frequent maintenance regime. There are currently three roundabouts in South Oxfordshire which are subject to either a sponsorship or maintenance agreement and are listed at Annex A.

  5. In recent years roundabout sponsorship, enhancement and maintenance has been developed by a few marketing companies into an all-inclusive business. These companies contract with Highway Authorities to enhance the appearance of an agreed schedule of roundabouts and to increase the frequency of routine maintenance at no direct cost to the Authority. What they ask in return is the right to sell sponsorship and to take the sponsorship fees to cover their costs. The risks of not securing sufficient sponsorship rest with the marketing companies. It is such an arrangement that SODC would like to enter into.

    6. Proposal

  6. In order for SODC to contract with a marketing company for the sponsorship, enhancement and maintenance of roundabouts they will have to take on the duties and responsibilities that the County Council has as Highway Authority in so far as they relate to the sponsorship enhancement and maintenance of the designated roundabouts. It is envisaged that SODC will become the County Council’s agent. This can be achieved by entering into a formal Agency Agreement with SODC enabling SODC to exercise the County Council’s duties under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 and its duties and powers under sections 80, 82, 83, 96 of the New Road and Street Works Act together with any other statutory provisions required to ensure that SODC can fulfil the functions delegated to it in the Agency Agreement (as set out below).

    (Deed - Maintenance of roundabouts in South Oxfordshire District Council - download as .doc file)

  7. It is proposed that such an agreement is entered into and a draft document has been drawn up by the County Council’s legal services team which will be sent to SODC for comment and approval. A copy of the draft agreement has been circulated to the Members of the Committee only but is available in the Members’ Resource Centre and for public inspection. The agreement will be subject to amendment.

  8. The agreement would require SODC to take over maintenance responsibilities with regard to hard and soft landscaping, but not for traffic signs and lighting, on all roundabouts in South Oxfordshire except those already subject to a separate sponsorship agreement. A schedule of the roundabouts to be included in the agreement is attached at Annex B. It is anticipated that as existing ad-hoc sponsorship arrangements expire and new roundabouts are constructed additional roundabouts would be added to the list.

  9. Within the Agency Agreement the County Council would retain control over the standard of landscaping provided by the chosen marketing company by stipulating a maximum size of sponsorship signs and by reserving the right to approve landscaping proposals on safety and aesthetic grounds.

    10. Environmental Implications

  10. This arrangement would ensure that the standard of hard and soft landscaping of the more commercially viable roundabouts would be enhanced and that the general frequency of maintenance of all roundabouts in South Oxfordshire would be improved.

    11. Financial Implications

  11. The financial responsibility for the enhancement and ongoing maintenance of the roundabouts covered by the agreement would pass to SODC and there would be no contribution required by OCC. This would generate a small saving to the current grass cutting budget. The overall financial risk would be passed by SODC to their marketing contractor through a sponsorship contract.

  12. There would be some additional responsibility for OCC staff in checking landscaping proposals, however this will be accommodated within existing staffing levels.

    13. RECOMMENDATIONS

  13. The Committee is RECOMMENDED that:

          1. an Agency Agreement be entered into with South Oxfordshire District Council for the sponsorship, enhancement and maintenance of roundabouts;

          2. powers to administer the Agency Agreement be delegated to the Strategic Director for Environment & Economy.

RICHARD DIX
Interim Head of Transport

Background papers: Nil

Contact Officer: Brian Fell, Tel 01865 815083

May 2005

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