Issue - meetings

Approval is sought for expenditure of £124,000 identified in the Integrated Transport Block capital programme approved by Council on 19th February 2013.  The funding is for the development of the Metro West (formerly the Greater Bristol Metro) project which will provide enhanced rail services for Keynsham, Oldfield Park and Bath Spa.

Duncan Hounsell (Saltford Station Campaign) in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 21 and on the Council's website] said that the Campaign group was delighted to hear that the Council was imminently about to commission the High Level Output Assessment funded by Cabinet at its June 2012 meeting.  He asked for his group to be kept informed of progress.  The group was also delighted that Cabinet was about to agree funding of £124K towards the Metro West project, which would include half-hourly services for Keynsham, Oldfield Park and Bath Spa and which would be a pre-cursor for these same services for Saltford.

David Redgewell in a statement [a copy of which is attached to the Minutes as Appendix 19 and on the Council's website] expressed concern.  He felt that the legal mechanisms and the timescales were out of synchronisation.  The report should therefore be updated.

Councillor Roger Symonds in proposing the item, observed that the proposals were specifically about Metro West and did not refer to specific stations.  However, the intention was to build or improve stations all along the line.

Councillor Paul Crossley seconded the proposal by observing that the proposals were an opportunity to improve services from Bristol.  He acknowledged that there were risks involved, but felt that they were worth taking in order to achieve the partnership working which was essential to the project.

Councillor David Dixon welcomed the potential impact on Keynsham and Oldfield Park.  It was essential to provide alternatives to the car.  He had himself been occasionally frustrated by the long wait for trains between Keynsham and Bath.

On a motion from Councillor Roger Symonds, seconded by Councillor Paul Crossley, it was

RESOLVED (unanimously)

(1) To APPROVE the capital expenditure of £124,000 in 2013/14 as this authority’s contribution to the preparation costs for this financial year for the rail improvements promoted by the West of England Metro West Rail Project (subsequent contributions will be subject to further approvals);

(2) To DELEGATE authority to the Divisional Director for Planning & Transport Development in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Transport to finalise the Joint Working Agreement to cover this project; and

(3) To DELEGATE authority to the Divisional Director for Legal and Democratic Services to enter into the Joint Working Agreement on behalf of the Council.