Issue - items at meetings - 2014/15 LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN CAPITAL PROGRAMME

Report of the Executive Director for Environment, Development & Housing (copy to follow).

(1)               That the 2014/15 Local Transport Plan [LTP] capital programme budget of £8.899m for the Capital Renewal (Maintenance) and Integrated Transport work programmes set out in Appendix 1 of this report;

(2)               That the Committee approves funding for the LTP programme of £7.479m from the LTP 2014/15 grant allocation as set out Appendix 1, and up to £1.420m brought forward from the LTP 2015/16 grant allocation to enable completion of the King’s Road Arches (adjacent to the i360 site) as set out at paragraph 3.5 of the report;

(3)               That officers be instructed to continue to seek alternative sources of external funding for transport schemes in the LTP Capital Programme and that any LTP funding freed up in this way, or not required on the projects listed in Appendix 1, be allocated to the Maintenance Funding Block.

149.1    The Lead Commissioner for City Regulation & Infrastructure introduced the report which outlined the capital funding that was available for Local Transport Plan (LTP), projects in 2014/15.  He stated that it was an annual programme of works which was brought to committee for approval and was a programme that reflected the Corporate Plan objectives.  He noted that provision needed to be identified to address the continued deterioration of the seafront and that a scrutiny review was being undertaken to look at how the issues affecting seafront could be addressed.  He also drew the committee’s attention to some errors in the figures listed in the report; on page 11 the capital renewal/maintenance sub-total figure in 2015/16 future implications column should be £2,080 and not £3,500; on page 14 the Grand Total row for the 2015/16 Future Implications column should read £5,580 and not £7,000 and the Grand Totals row for the 2013/14 Previous Allocation Column should read £6,349 and not £6,456.

149.2    Councillor Davey welcomed the report and noted the £9m investment in the transport infrastructure which was important and stated that he was happy to accept the Conservative amendment to the recommendations.

149.3    Councillor Morgan thanked the officers for the report and stated that he had a number of questions and was concerned about the proposal to bring forward £1.420m borrowing from the 2015/16 grant allocation for future projects.   He queried whether it was intended to charge motorists given the increase to £55k for the provision of electric car charging points and noted that only Section 106 monies would be available for improvements to bus stops and dropped curbs.  He also questioned why further expenditure was being identified for the 20mph phase 3 if the consultation had not been completed and sought clarification in relation to the £100k for Shelter Hall.

149.4    The Lead Commissioner for City Regulation & Infrastructure stated that the additional £100k for Shelter Hall was required for temporary works to the structure and detailed design works for the bid as further funding needed to be secured.  The additional £55k for electric charge pints was part of the wider regional programme within East and West Sussex and it was likely that the option to charge users in the future would be looked at.  The use of section 106 funding for the provision of additional bus stops was anticipated to see an increase in their provision throughout the city, as well as improvements to pavements and more dropped curbs.  In relation to the implementation of 20mph zones, further reduction measures were required and would be supported e.g. parking restrictions and signage.

149.5    Councillor G. Theobald moved an amendment on behalf of the Conservative Group to add an additional recommendation to the report’s recommendations and welcomed the additional allocation of grant funding from the government.  He noted that there was a need to address the problems in terms of seafront maintenance and the Arches and also expressed concern over the level of road maintenance, which was an important factor in enabling visitors to the city.

149.6    Councillor Peltzer Dunn formally seconded the amendment.

149.7    Councillor Davey noted the comments and that the developments at Lewes Road, Seven Dials and Old Shoreham Road had brought significant funding for maintenance.  There had been a historical under-investment in the transport infrastructure which was now being addressed and he hoped would bring further improvements in the future.

149.8    The Chair noted that only a quarter of the required funding for road maintenance was provided for by the government nationally and suggested that there was an over-centralised funding system which prevented local authorities from being able to address their needs.  He noted that the Conservative amendment had been accepted and therefore put the recommendations as amended to the vote.

149.9    RESOLVED:

(1)         That the 2014/15 Local Transport Plan [LTP] capital programme budget of £8.899m for the Capital Renewal (Maintenance) and Integrated Transport work programmes set out in Appendix 1 of this report;

(2)         That the Committee approves funding for the LTP programme of £7.479m from the LTP 2014/15 grant allocation as set out Appendix 1, and up to £1.420m brought forward from the LTP 2015/16 grant allocation to enable completion of the King’s Road Arches (adjacent to the i360 site) as set out at paragraph 3.5 of the report;

(3)         That officers be instructed to continue to seek alternative sources of external funding for transport schemes in the LTP Capital Programme and that any LTP funding freed up in this way, or not required on the projects listed in Appendix 1, be allocated to the Maintenance Funding Block.

Note:   The special circumstances for non-compliance with Council Procedure Rule 23, Access to Information Rule 5 and Section 100B (4) of the Local Government Act as amended (items not considered unless the agenda is open to inspection at least five days in advance of the meeting), are that officers required additional time to finalise the proposed programme of investment in order take into account two recent, key decisions on the council’s 2014/15 budget and the future of the i360 viewing tower.