Readers may remember that last July I first took mounting public concern regarding poor performance with grass cutting to a full council meeting. This concern stemmed from the fact that Wiltshire Council had just awarded Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) a new £25 million per annum contract that covered everything from major highways maintenance to drainage, from street lighting to grass cutting.

Though my initial Notice of Motion was voted down by the imposed Tory whip, I persevered and eventually got the council Scrutiny process to investigate the workings of the whole BBLP contract via a task group. This has now issued its report and, as previously promised, I am reporting back to the public. If readers wish the whole report they should contact me direct.

In summary, the findings are that on the big jobs – resurfacing roads, maintaining bridges, etc – BBLP performance is good. It is with the minor works, classed as ‘local highway and street scene’ that there is room for improvement. This includes grass and hedge cutting, small potholes etc. These are matters with which the public is very much concerned and over which they are most likely to complain to councillors.

The two principal reasons for shortcomings here are, first, the need to improve the information technology system and, two, failure to complete ‘the loop of information’. By this, I mean that once a member of the public raises an issue, the fact that work has, or will be, undertaken often is not reported back to the individual.

There are other matters, but most can be related to the ‘bedding down’ process of any new contract.

Essentially, it is the link to the local community that must be improved. BBLP and senior council people acknowledge these needs for improvement and are consistently working on this across the county. Here, there is an important role for area boards, parish councils and, of course, individual Wiltshire councillors.

Naturally, at this time of year, grass cutting is a distant memory. Now, many of us are involved with the impact of flooding. Here I wish to publicly record my heartfelt thanks for the much valued, round- the-clock work done by the relevant Wiltshire Council staff and contractors – essentially BBLP.

Scrutiny will conduct a further review of the contract, looking at whether the recommended improvements have been successfully implemented, but also considering how the winter conditions – flooding now, perhaps snowing later – were dealt with and what lessons should be learnt.

A Scrutiny process should be regular and ongoing. It can also be enhanced by information and feedback from the public.

Coun Jeff Osborn, Wiltshire councillor (Ind).