Issue - meetings

The attached report requests agreement to accept the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement programme of investment comprising a combination of grant and assignment funding to develop business cases for the schemes, and grant funding for delivery.  It also summarises key items of the proposed spend, funding approval mechanisms and the key deliverables and outputs anticipated.

Cllr Sarah Warren introduced the report and made the following statement:

“The West of England Combined Authority has been awarded £540m over the next 4 years to deliver a step change in public transport and active travel funding in the West of England.  This funding package is known as the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement.

The programme will deliver significant public transport and active travel infrastructure along several of our major roads in Bath and North East Somerset, improving connectivity between our communities and enabling better and more equitable access to sustainable transport choices. 

This rather procedural report simply requests agreement to move to the next stage.  I move the recommendations as set out in the report.”

Cllr Dave Wood seconded the motion.  He stated that it is important to give more travel choices and welcomed the increased village connectivity.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

(1)  To delegate approval to the Directors of Sustainable Communities and Place Management, in consultation with the S151 Officer, to accept CRSTS grant funding from the Combined Authority for schemes led by B&NES, currently the Liveable Neighbourhoods Programme and the Maintenance Challenge Fund.  As capacity increases within B&NES this may also include: Somer Valley Links to Bristol and Bath; Bath City Centre Sustainable Transport Corridor; and Bath Sustainable Walking and Cycling Links.

These funds will be spent over a four-year period (22/23 - 26/27), and progress through the documented approvals process with CA and B&NES. These grant awards, along with the funding local match requirement of 20%, will be approved into the B&NES Capital Programme and revenue budget.

(2)  To note that for schemes which remain led by the Combined Authority  B&NES officer time will be recharged to the Combined Authority.  This will be undertaken through a process of quarterly recharges.