Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/18/17) on the proposed allocations for the Transport Capital Programme for 2018/19, attached.

(Councillors Atkinson, Biederman, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade and Hannaford attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item).

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation and Environment (PTE/18/17) on the proposed allocations for the Transport Capital Programme for 2018/19, circulated prior to the meeting in accordance with regulation 7(4) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012.

The Integrated Transport Block settlement from Government was set at an annual level of around £3.6m with the level of funding significantly reduced when compared to a figure of over £10 million in 2009/10.  One of the main uses of LTP as seedcorn funding was to secure other external sources of grant funding to help deliver the transport infrastructure priorities identified across the County.

The Report outlined the other sources of funding and how the Council had acquired monies for particular schemes, for example the National Productivity Investment Fund (NPIF) to support investment in the types of infrastructure important for boosting productivity and in 2017/18 the County Council secured £7.169 million from the NPIF.  In addition, five major new schemes were completed with significant external funding support from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Growth Deal from Government (two highway schemes at Barnstaple, A379 Bridge Road (Exeter), signalised junction on the A379 at Sandy Park, A38 Deep Lane and first phase of the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension junction onto the A361 North Devon Link Road). The Growth & Housing Fund had given external funding support of £4.5 million for the final phase of the Tithebarn Link Road and a new cycle bridge crossing over the M5, which were substantially completed in 2017/18. 

The 2018/19 programme, outlined in Appendix I, showed the securing of external funding totalling £9.16 million. There was also a bid totalling £7.2 million for the Exeter Eastern Growth Package and for Sherford totalling just over £8 million.

Other potential sources of external funding, not yet confirmed, could include the Safer Roads Fund, the Housing Infrastructure Fund, the Large Local Majors Fund, Growth Deal, Growth & Housing Fund and Industry Risk Fund (Network Rail).

The focus of the 2018/19 programme was primarily to support economic growth alongside Local Plans.  A significant proportion of the programme was helping to deliver major schemes, many of which were now in the advanced design stages, as outlined in Appendix I.

In terms of Countywide & Major, work was continuing in 2018/19 to support the design and development of major highway infrastructure schemes across the County, for example the construction of the first Phase of the new A361 junction to access the Tiverton Eastern Urban Extension, detailed design and procurement for the second and final Phase 2 of the junction with construction of Phase 2 planned to commence in Autumn 2020, major road improvements for the North Devon Link Road, construction on the next stage of the Newton Abbot East West Cycle Route 2B, the A382 Widening Scheme and Houghton Barton Package  ...  view the full minutes text for item 159