National Roads Maintenance Review - Phase 2 Report
3 Principles underpinning change - a strategic framework
3.1 Degrees of change
Whilst change is necessary, there remains a choice as to how far and how fast it can be delivered. Standing still is not an option.
Underpinning the chosen route is the extent to which any change helps national and local government meet their desired outcomes and the development of a strategic framework to aid the final selection.
Options that could be implemented need to be able to show how they contribute to:
- accepting reduced standards to enable funds to stretch further,
- doing the same more efficiently and effectively, or
- enabling roads authorities access to new and alternative sources of funds.
3.2 Need for flexibility
One size does not fit all. There is a diversity of road types, local conditions, priorities and current practices. Different parts of the country or road network may have different start and end points for change.
Business cases for options requiring access to funds (existing and new) or structural changes to delivery models will need to show they are both cost effective and value for money.
3.3 Features of a strategic framework for change
To demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness, the Phase 1 recommendations (discussed in Section 4 of this report), suggest development to some or all of the following areas of current working practices:
- D1 - Robust asset management planning
- D2 - More than one provider or supplier to ensure meaningful comparison
- D3 - Appropriate outcome-focused benchmarks and KPIs to illustrate efficient performance
- D4 - Appropriate monitoring to demonstrate transparency
- D5 - Appropriate incentivisation to encourage behavioural change and innovation
- D6 - SMART targets
- D7 - Ability to generate additional continuous improvement to ensure innovation and collaboration are the norm
These seven developments, which can be adopted as appropriate, form part of a strategic framework for change.
These developments would embed best practice across road maintenance in Scotland, ensuring best value with existing resources and arrangements. They will also help demonstrate the alignment of the sector with the Christie Commission recommendations on preventative spend.
Delivering 1-7 above will ensure that the most is being made of declining financial resources, but will only slow down rather than stop the decline caused by lack of investment.
Roads authorities could strengthen their business case to justify initial requests for additional public investment, or funding from the private sector by undertaking some or all of enhancements 8-10 below.
- En8 - Increased certainty of even short-term finance
- En9 - Value-driven collaboration to deliver economies of scale eg, resources, funding, management, skills and specialisms, assets and plant
- En10 - Enhanced levels of scrutiny to ensure delivery of outcomes
Roads authorities can choose to adopt some or all of these. Doing so would demonstrate significant efforts to optimise their service delivery. By undertaking enhancements En8-10 roads authorities will have strengthened their business case to justify initial requests for additional public investment or funding from the private sector.
Options encompassing facets of developments D1-7 are nonetheless still worth pursuing, to ensure that the most is being made of existing financial resources.