Councillors To Investigate Highways Maintenance Across North Northants

By Nadia Lincoln, Local Democracy Reporter

Councillors are set to embark on a nine-month project to scrutinise highways maintenance across North Northamptonshire, in light of recent concerns about contract performance.

Members across North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) reported receiving a significant number of enquiries from residents during the winter and spring of 2025/26 regarding potholes, road surface defects, verge maintenance, and the overall condition of the network.

This follows an NNC decision earlier this year to extend its highways contract with Kier by a further year, which will now run until 2030 at least.

The panel of nine councillors will be tasked with undertaking a detailed review of the operation of the Highways Maintenance Contract, including reviewing performance data, looking at resident experience and satisfaction levels, and whether value for money is being delivered, according to the terms of reference.

It will not look to examine the original procurement or award of the contract or become involved in day-to-day operational management.

Once the review is complete, the findings and recommendations of the panel will be reported to the place and environment scrutiny committee and final recommendations on the contract will be made to the executive.

It is hoped the task and finish group will bring about improved service delivery through the identification of opportunities to strengthen the service, stronger accountability from Kier itself and transparency on how public money is being managed.

Concerns were raised by councillors at a recent scrutiny panel meeting  that the next one-year contract extension decision for Kier is set to take place in March 2027, before the review is expected to finish. Officers said there would be the opportunity to present an interim report to the executive before this point, so they are able to make a decision based on scrutiny information available at the time.

The proposed panel will operate on a cross-party basis and meetings will take place in private, with the findings and recommendations arising from the review to form a public report to the council.