Local place directors have issued new guidance on charging developers for future asset maintenance under the commuted sums system, designed to create a transparent and flexible template based on whole-life costings.
The latest guidance from ADEPT sets out the methodology and procedures for agreeing on commuted sum payments – a capital sum paid to the highway authority (or other body) as a contribution to future maintenance of assets to be adopted or transferred.
Typical issues to be considered in the whole-life costing approach to commuted sums are:
- Hierarchy, network type and location.
- Specification and materials.
- Maintenance practices.
- Frequencies of intervention.
- Life span and therefore time to replacement.
ADEPT said it was essential that the money is 'ring-fenced exclusively for the maintenance of the highway network' and 'preferably allocated to the specific asset categories'.
It adds that the protocol should allow annual out-turn reports to help ensure the correct funds are transferred to the respective maintenance budgets for future years.
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