Issue - meetings

Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation & Environment (PTE/17/16) on the proposed  allocations within the programme for 2017/18,attached.     

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

The Cabinet considered the Report of the Head of Planning, Transportation & Environment (PTE/17/16) seeking approval to the Transport Capital Programme for 2017/18 (excluding maintenance) and incorporating a revised, updated, Transport Infrastructure Plan outlining the  transport infrastructure priorities for investment over the longer term, to 2030.

The focus of the 2017/18 Transport Capital Programme continued to be to maximise the use of County Council core funding to attract external funding and included further investment in new cycle and walking routes, both in terms of new construction and preparing the next group of schemes for funding bids. The Cabinet Member highlighted, in particular, £1,000,000 of National Productivity Investment fund for urban cycle routes including key routes in both Exeter and Newton Abbot, reiterating that investment would  continue in a range of new cycling facilities as well as routes including new cycle parking in towns, schools and employment sites. He also drew attention to the £1,500,000 revenue based Access Fund awarded to the County Council over the next three years. This would provide the necessary support tools to complement past and future investment in infrastructure.

The proposed Transport Infrastructure Plan (TIP) outlined the planned investment in transport infrastructure across Devon for the period 2014 to 2030 focussing on schemes that would deliver economic growth, guiding the focus and prioritisation of resources within the Council and providing longer term clarity on future transport infrastructure delivery. 

The Cabinet also noted a report of recent discussions between the Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth and the relevant Minister of State about railway infrastructure in Devon during which the latter recognised the needs of the area intimating also that a further announcement would be made later in the year.  Network Rail were similarly progressing detailed design work for a number of schemes in the county to improve the resilience of the existing network.

The Head of Service’s Report confirmed that a full Equality Impact Assessment had been completed as part of the original base Transport Capital Programme in 2014 and that detailed individual assessments and Environmental Assessments, as necessary, would be undertaken  for relevant schemes as they progressed and be brought forward for attention of Members at the appropriate time.       

The matter having been debated and the options and/or alternatives and other relevant factors (e.g. financial, environmental, risk management, equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact) set out in the Head of Service’s Report and/or referred to above having been considered:

It was MOVED by Councillor Hughes, SECONDED by Councillor Hart, and

RESOLVED

(a) that approval be given to the enhancement of the 2017/18 capital programme by £4,607,000 from external and developer contributions and £4,000,000 of external grants;

(b) that approval be given to the allocation of £312,000 of the enhancement referred to at (a) to enable schemes to proceed in advance of full funding being received;

(c) that approval be given to the detailed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 167