PR 107/26 1 June 2026
News Release
New era for Herefordshire Highways and Public Realm Services
Herefordshire Council is today (June 1, 2026) marking the start of a new chapter for highways and public realm services, with a new model designed to give greater local control and improved outcomes for residents.
Highways and public realm services include the maintenance of roads, drainage, street lighting, street cleansing, green spaces and winter gritting, services essential to keeping the county moving.
Services have today moved back under council control, with day-to-day oversight delivered in-house, and works carried out by new delivery partner M Group and a range of approved local contractors through a new framework.
Councillor Dan Hurcomb, Cabinet Member for Local Engagement and Community Resilience, said: “This is an important step forward for how we deliver highways and public realm services in Herefordshire.
“By bringing control back in-house, we can focus on what matters most to residents, better roads, well-maintained spaces and a service that responds more quickly to local needs.
“Most importantly, it puts us in a stronger position to deliver the high-quality, value-for-money services that people across Herefordshire expect and deserve.”
The new service has been mobilised carefully to ensure no disruption to essential services as the council brings its current contract with Balfour Beatty Living Places to an end.
The new delivery partnership with M Group places a strong emphasis on collaboration, safety and efficiency, with a shared commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality services for communities across Herefordshire.
M Group has also committed to delivering social value through the contract, supporting local employment, skills development and community initiatives as part of its work in the county.
Councillor Dan Hurcomb, Cabinet Member for Local Engagement and Community Resilience, said: “This isn’t about overnight change, but about putting the right foundations in place to improve how services are delivered over time.
“We are looking forward to creating a strong partnership with M Group that focusses on delivering safe, reliable, and high-quality services that make a real difference for local communities.
“The framework also enables the council to appoint a range of local contractors to deliver schemes of different sizes, ensuring value for money while supporting local employment and skills development.”
Kevin Cotterell, Contract Director, M Group, said: “We’re looking forward to working in partnership with the council and delivering safer, greener highways for the people of Herefordshire, bringing the best of M Group to our service delivery.
“We’ve spent months preparing to ensure a smooth transition and are investing in plant and fleet and adopting innovative ways to improve the quality of highway maintenance”
