Services Overview
For 26 years I was an engineer, a partner then director with Thomas Consulting (formally W.H. Thomas and Partners); a firm of Civil and Structural Engineering Consultants, with offices in Telford/Shrewsbury, Preston and Lancashire. From 2012 I was the Director in charge of the Telford then Shrewsbury Office.
My engineering work involved designing highways, roundabouts, producing traffic analyses using ARCADY, PICADY and OSCADY, designing various types of drainage and sewer projects and infrastructure schemes, including designs for Section 106 and 278 Agreements.
All the design schemes I produced, and supervised, were with AutoCad, Micro Drainage WinDes and Elstree Computing’s Professional Design System, then AutoCAD Civils 3D.
My experience also included designing housing estates for Sections 38 and 104 Adoption Agreements, producing Flood Study reports, advising on, and resolving problems on aspects of planning, highways and drainage, as well as producing bills of quantities, contract documents and supervision of construction works.
For 15 years I was a Technician then Engineer with Shropshire County Council Highways Department finishing as Deputy to the Team Leader in the Development Control Section.
1985 – 1989
Engineer, and Deputy to the Team Leader in the Development Control Section.
My responsibilities included checking the Civil Engineering aspect of Planning Applications and plans submitted for Section 38 Agreements and subsequent adoptions, including proposals for Section 106 and 278 Agreements. I also checked and commented on the highway aspect of the Planning Applications and made recommendations or directions in respect of the same.
This work involved writing committee reports, preparing statements for Planning Inquiries and, where necessary, representing the County Council at such Inquiries. My work also covered liaising with and advising other Departments of the County Council, District Councils and Developers regarding development proposals, including industrial and residential developments. In the absence of the Team Leader, I was responsible for the work of the section.
1981 – 1985
Senior Technician in a newly formed Highways Management Unit.
My job was to survey, level, design and produce bills of quantities for highway improvement schemes; both in rural and urban areas and primarily within the highway boundary.
The work also included the supervision of works on site, setting out, checking setting out, measurement and valuation of works for schemes undertaken by the Direct Labour organisation and Outside Contractors, as well as supervising work done by Trainee Technicians.
1980 – 1981
Technician in the Development Control Section.
This was on secondment for a year, and involved assessing Planning Applications related to the highway and making recommendations to the District Planning Authorities regarding them. It also included checking Developer’s plans for Section 38 Agreements.
1974 – 1980
Trainee Technician in the Non-Principal Road Design Team.
The work included surveying for new schemes and designing them either manually or by computer, calculating quantities andsetting out road improvements both for minor works as well as for new link roads. I was also responsible for a number of Private Street Works Contracts and was the Resident Engineer for two schemes.