SE7: no plans for joint highways deal

None of the local authorities in the SE7 collaboration are currently considering a joint road maintenance contract, a spokesman for the authorities has told LTT. In the last issue we reported that East Sussex County Council had decided to procure a contract on its own, following discussions with some of the other SE7 members (West Sussex, Surrey, Brighton & Hove, Hampshire) about a joint contract (LTT 02 May). At the time it was unclear if the other authorities were still pursuing joint working but a spokesman for the SE7 authorities has told LTT: “Some of our members did explore the option of a joint roads maintenance contract during the East Sussex procurement process but it isn’t a priority at this stage while we continue to pursue other initiatives.”