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E-mail this to a friendAgreed by all of Wales’ 22 local authorities and the Welsh Government, the Strategic Programme for Change has identified opportunities for greater collaboration between local councils and their Regional Transport Consortia, as well as the Welsh Government and Trunk Road Agencies during the planning, management and delivery of highway and transport services.
With the potential to realise both cost savings and service improvements, the programme will focus on ten key work-streams ranging from the redefinition of the Welsh highways network, to new procurement and skill sharing approaches at both a national and regional level.
Councillor Anthony Christopher, WLGA Spokesperson for Roads, Infrastructure and Transport said:
“In recognising the severe economic climate and the increasing demands being placed upon public services, the Strategic Programme for Change has identified areas with the potential to deliver resource savings and service improvements through collaborative working across local councils and their partners. The programme delivers on the recommendations made in the Simpson Report of March 2011, and we will now investigate in detail the opportunities for more strategic delivery of highway services in Wales.
“Local government has already achieved a number of successes in this area. Since 2011–12 a range of grants has been delivered through Regional Transport Consortia, which has enabled the funding to be managed on a regional basis and targeted at identified priorities. Local government now aims to build on this success, and by developing a more collaborative approach will be able to respond to the complex array of planning, management and engineering considerations involved in the delivery of highway services in a more effective, streamlined and cost efficient way.”
Minister for Local Government, Communities and Transport, Carl Sargeant AM said:
“When we agreed the Compact for Change together we knew that there were opportunities to improve services and make savings in transport and other services. All 22 local authorities in Wales endorsing the Strategic Programme for Change and the associated work-streams is excellent news and a shining example of what we can achieve by working together. It’s an important step in the right direction but there is still work to be done and the next step is to deliver the necessary changes.
“We are living in tough economic times where funding is more difficult to come by so collaboration; pooling resources and expertise; and delivering services together is how we must work in future. There are many examples of innovative and collaborative transport services across Wales but we can and must do better and I look forward to the Welsh Government and local government working together with a common vision to deliver the best highways and transportation services to the people of Wales.”
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