Staff Achievements and Reward Scheme (STARS) is open to all Devon Highways staff

The STARS Environment category is ideal to nominate our teams and colleagues. Has someone you know demonstrated an outstanding contribution to caring/managing our environment, and/or our natural resources? Take the opportunity to recognise a colleague/team for the work they do?  If you are unable to access the STARS webpage please download the nomination form and email or post it back.

Compliments

The following compliments have been received by the PROW team.

I write on behalf of the residents and myself in respect of the Public Footpath between Streatham and Streatham Drive, Exeter.  Disregarding the result I wish to thank you and the team for a well researched and prepared report which came to the committee on 14 November 2014. - Councillor Percy Prowse

I would just like to thank Sam Jeffcoat for organising the work which has been done on the Millennium Path to Crediton.  It is great to see the path back to its original width and it is obviously much better for cyclists now.  Much Appreciated!

To Sam Jeffcoat, I walked the Sandford Path yesterday (after some weeks) and was amazed at how much work has been done.  Thank you so much for the signs and the surfacing.  People, especially cyclists, keep telling me how much they appreciate it.  We're off the clear leaves in the woodland parts today.

Team Days

Thank you to all who attended the recent team days in October and November 2014.  These opportunities to get together and meet colleagues and discuss current and future service requirements are important in order to keep everyone up to date.  Please read on and provide feedback at the end.  Read more...

Parish Paths Partnership Scheme (P3)

Each year the Rights of Way team invites parishes that are members of Devon County Council's Parish Paths Partnership Scheme (P3) to a series of events to celebrate the success of the work achieved by volunteers on the rights of way network in their parishes. Read More>>>

CSC New Adviser Induction

A training programme was recently delivered to new members of staff, that will be taking Highways calls, at the CSC.  Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody that was involved in the training, especially those that attended day 1 at extremely short notice!

If you are interested in any of these sessions being delivered to members of your team please contact Lucy Barrow.

Public Rights of Way update

This months update includes:-

• Legal Matters
• The Devon Countryside Access Forum
• Maintenance and Enforcement Matters
• Grand Western Canal

Please also see an update regarding Stover Country Park and the October and November/December DCAF Newsletters.

Ros Mills - PROW Manager

Business & Customer Management Team

The team's focus has been on the following;

• Highway Systems Thinking
• CSC training programme
• I-ways CSS
• Skips & Scaffold review
• Fees & Charges (2015/16)
• Staffing within the BCMT and contingency planning
• TTRO training

Flooding

The weekend of 14th - 16th November 2014 proved to be a very demanding one for Devon Highways.  A band of heavy rain mixed with lightning moved across the country causing a number of weather related incidents of localised flooding across the county with parts of East Devon taking the brunt of the weather.

Sidmouth, Newton Poppleford, Exmouth and Woodbury were the areas worse affected with sections of the primary highway network closed overnight from Saturday into Sunday.  In the case of the A376 in Exmouth, where the road surface of the A376 lifted, the road was closed until late afternoon on Monday 17 November 2014.  Large amount of debris were removed from road surfaces, covers were replaced, drainage systems were repaired and sections of the carriageway were resurfaced.

A number of minor roads were also affected and significant amounts of debris had to be cleared.  A number of roads and properties in Sidmouth were affected by sewage from the SWW sewers.

The clear up was extremely efficient and required extremely good communication between several teams and individuals across Devon Highways.  The investigation into the drainage issues is continuing.

Tom Vaughan - Neighbourhood Highway Manager

Defective Road Traffic Signs

4.23 Defective Road Traffic Signs

With immediate effect wildlife reflector posts (Wolf Eyes) positioned at the edge of the carriageway are a safety defect if they are missing, damaged, rotten or not upright.  These should be reported in the same way as any other safety defect, an amendment to the Safety Inspection Manual has been issued and the copies on the Hub and websites will be updated as soon as possible.

Andy Cole - Highway Safety Inspection and Reactive Engineer

Goodbye!

Nicola McCaskie has left the Traffic and Policy Team to join the National Trust at Killerton House.

Claire Fegan has left the Barnstaple BCMT for a full time position at Salt Media.

Congratulations!

Alli German will be joining the Traffic and Policy Team in a secondment opportunity for 3 months from the 1 December.

Richard Brown will be seconded to the role of Neighbourhood Highway Engineer for the Tiverton team.