Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/23/66) giving an update on the Transport Capital Programme 2023/24 and the Proposed Allocation for 2024/25, attached.

RESOLVED

(a) that the budgets to the Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Block (LTP ITB) schemes in 2023/24 and 2024/25 as included in Appendix 1 be allocated, noting the level of overprogramming planned;

(b) that the increase of the 2023/24 capital programme by £3.102 million, with £2.240 million funded from other external grants, £0.308 million from developer contributions and £0.554 million from external contributions, be approved. The schemes are listed in Appendix 1; and

(c) that the increase to the 2024/25 capital programme by £1.220 million with £0.518 million funded from other external grants, £0.084 million from external contributions and £0.618 million from developer contributions, be approved. The schemes are listed in Appendix 1; and

(d) that the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport and the Cabinet Member for Highway Management be given delegated authority to make amendments to the Integrated Block allocations.

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

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Director of Climate Change, Environment and Transport (CET/23/66) which gave an update on the capital programme covering the current financial year and sought approval for a two-year transport capital programme covering the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25 (excluding maintenance). The Report had been 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 Transport Capital Programme set out the short-term priority for investment in transport infrastructure, building on long-term commitments as detailed in adopted strategies such as Local Plans, the Local Transport Plan, the Cycling and Multi-Use Trail Network Strategy, and the Transport Infrastructure Plan.

The Report outlined the Council’s position with regard the Climate Emergency, the Integrated Transport Block (ITB) settlement from Government, which for 2023/24 was £3.628 million plus £0.874 million brought forward from 2022/23, Existing Government and Other Body Funding Schemes (such as Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), Large Local Majors (LLM) Fund, Major Road Network (MRN) Fund, Levelling up, Freeport, Bus Service Improvement Plan and many others), the impact of inflation and the development of a new Local Transport Plan to 2040.

The proposed Transport Capital Programme was detailed in Appendix 1. It included a range of schemes across the County covering different transport modes. During its development, consideration had been given to the cost, deliverability and availability of external match funding of individual schemes to ensure the programme represented value for money overall.

It further outlined potential funding sources in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 such as the Peninsula Transport Sub-National Transport Body, Active Travel Fund 5, Levelling Up Fund and A382 Major Road Network.

Transport was a key mechanism to deliver the Council’s Strategic Plan priorities and actions, with many cross-cutting themes evident in the transport capital programme. The programme sought to prioritise active and sustainable travel investment across the county, whilst also supporting economic growth through the delivery of major schemes. The table in section 6 summarised how the proposals would impact achievement of relevant Strategic Plan actions according to a seven-point scale.

The Cabinet noted that detailed individual Impact Assessments would be carried out on schemes where required and included with Cabinet and HATOC reports.

The matter having been debated and the options and alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, sustainability and carbon impact, risk management, equality and legal considerations and alignment with the Council’s Strategic Plan) set out in the Director’s Report having been considered:

it was MOVED by Councillor Davis, SECONDED by Councillor Hughes, and

RESOLVED

(a) that the budgets to the Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Block (LTP ITB) schemes in 2023/24 and 2024/25 as included in Appendix 1 be allocated, noting the level of overprogramming planned;

(b) that the increase of the 2023/24 capital programme by £3.102 million, with £2.240 million funded from other external grants, £0.308 million from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 399