OFFICER DECISION

Decision:   Reduce scope of works on Tadcaster Road Upgrade.
Decision Date: 18 January 2024
Type of Decision: Director                                      Key										Non-Key	√
Portfolio Area that decision relates to:
Leader (inc Corporate Services, Policy, Strategy & Partnerships)						Environment and Climate Emergency
Economy & Transport					ü	Finance, Performance, Major Projects & Equalities
Children, Young People and Education						Children, Young People & Education
Health, Wellbeing and Adults Social Care						Housing, Planning & Safer Communities
Background / Decision Summary: The Tadcaster Road Upgrade scheme comprises highway maintenance and transport improvement elements.  This is divided approximately 80:20% in favour of the maintenance work in monetary value.  The overall budget is £7.28m The tender for the works package was awarded to Jackson Civil Engineering Ltd. based on a winning tender price of £5.22m.  Works commenced on this project in November 2022 with a planned completion in August 2023.  It became apparent that a series of ongoing ground conditions issues, and restrictions in working hours would extend this completion date. Specifically this is due to the extent of shallow utility services, tree roots, archaeology and the limitations on working times that have taken place to reduce impact on local residents and motorists. As such delays to the completion of the work have resulted in prolongation costs on the project.  The project team have considered at length how best to manage the delivery of the project outcomes and at the same time to keep within the overall scheme budget of £7.28m. In order to complete elements of the work in a satisfactory manner it has not been possible to keep within budget and therefore the scheme has a projected overspend.  The cost of the scheme even with ‘value engineering’ is expected to be in the order of £0.6m over budget which will need to be met from existing highways and transport budgets if additional external funding cannot be identified. A formal approach to WYCA as one of the existing funding bodies to see if additional funding can be secured has been made.  This has not resulted in additional funding within the timescales of the current contract and therefore decisions on ‘value engineering’ to bring the project within budget and slip elements of the current project into consideration for future phases need to be made.  These decisions are delegated to the Director of Environment, Transport and Planning. The key interventions that we would really wish to deliver, but which have currently been dropped are: •       Elements of carriageway and footway resurfacing •       Bus Lay-by at York College •       Stepped Cycleway from Slingsby Grove to The Horseshoe •       Footway/cycleway widening and moving cemetery wall at junction of Tadcaster            Road/Sim Balk Lane These elements will be added back in if additional funding can be found or into future improvements.
Options Considered: The ground conditions issues arose from an early stage in the project and have been monitored from early in 2023.  The project team initially instigated a ‘value engineering’ exercise in conjunction with the contractor.  This is an exercise to identify where proposed works can be removed from the scheme without detriment to the outcomes, and also where time can be reduced by approaching the work in a different way. When it was realised that ‘value engineering’ on its own would be insufficient to meet the needs of reducing costs, a second process of more difficult decisions was undertaken.  This involved cutting back to the absolute minimum where proposed works would be allowed to go ahead. However it should be borne in mind that some items of work have gone past a point of no return and have to be completed.  Likewise, finishing off processes such as carriageway surfacing, have to address the requirements of surface regularity and therefore have to be scheduled in.
Options Rejected: No options were rejected in examining the possibilities for cutting costs.
Consultation Process: Regular reporting and consultation has taken place internally with the City of York Council highway maintenance team and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.  This decision has been made in consultation with the Executive Member for Economy and Transport.  Future phases will need to review not only the undelivered sections but the whole scheme which may need revamping to look at how the scheme can better connect communities via a safe active travel network.
Implications
Crime & Disorder					Equalities				Highways		ü
Human Resources					Legal				ICT
Financial				√	Affordability				Property
Climate Change					Health				Other
Environment					Human Rights
Implications Contact:			Patrick Looker
Level of Risk:  Acceptable
Wards Affected:
All Wards		Fishergate					Holgate			Rural West York	ü
Acomb		Fulford & Heslington					Hull Road			Strensall
Bishopthorpe	ü	Guildhall					Huntington & New Earswick			Westfield
Clifton		Haxby & Wigginton					Micklegate	ü		Wheldrake
Copmanthorpe	ü	Heworth					Osbaldwick & Derwent
Dringhouses & Woodthorpe	ü	Heworth Without					Rawcliffe & Clifton

Comments/Observations: Decision:  Agreed to reduce scope of works on Tadcaster Road Upgrade as outlined to minimise the project overspend.
Decision Made by:  James Gilchrist, Director of Transport, Environment and Planning in consultation with Executive Member for Economy and Transport. Contact Details:  james.gilchrist@york.gov.uk
On behalf of:   Neil Ferris, Corporate Director of Place
To be implemented by:	Gary Frost
On Completion – Signed off by: James Gilchrist Director of Transport, Environment and Planning		Date: 18.1.24