Agenda item - Chairs Communications

68.1      The Chair provided the following communications:

“Officers wrote to Members last week informing you of changes to the LTP capital allocation for Highway Maintenance Work. These changes followed consultation by DfT last year, with an announcement on the new funding arrangements made on 23^rd December 2014.

The new formula introduced for calculating highway maintenance has worked to the detriment of the Council resulting in an allocation of £2.623m for 2015/16, a reduction of £540,000 on last year’s Maintenance Capital Block allocation of £3.163m. This is made worse by DfT announcing similar funding levels over its six year financial programme to 2020/21 and comes (ironically) at a time when the Government is announcing a national increase in highway maintenance funding. The Council objected to the proposals during the consultation and have disputed the allocation with DfT who have been unwilling to make changes.

Also within the new funding arrangements DfT have top-sliced a budget of £275m over the next 3 years to be used for major maintenance schemes. Councils are able to bid for this Challenge Fund and can put forward schemes in the categories of £5m - £20m and over £20m. The Council has to include a local contribution of at least 10% of the scheme costs. In the bidding process, the more we contribute the more likely the scheme will be approved. Bids must be submitted by 9^th February 2015, clearly a very short time-frame.

Having assessed various options Officers are preparing what we believe to be our best opportunity with a bid for the reconstruction of the Shelter Hall Seafront Structure (Rip-Tide), including possible realignment of adjacent seafront structures, that potentially could support a junction improvement at West Street for the emerging Waterfront Development. This amounts to a £7-9m bid.

Unfortunately the late announcement of this process and deadlines for making submissions haven’t allowed for this to be tracked through formal committee processes. I trust that you will support and understand the need to move pro-actively on this, especially given the disappointment of the highway maintenance allocation”.

“The City Council’s Parking Services working in partnership with East Sussex County Council and Sussex Police has been successful in a bid for £183,000 of counter fraud funding from central government to be paid over 18 months. This will fund Blue Badge inspectors as well as publicity to raise awareness of the impact misuse has on genuine blue badge holders.  In the first 6 weeks of the operation 25 badges are under investigation, 13 have been seized as the blue badge holder was not present at the time of inspection and one person has been prosecuted and fined over £700.

Following constructive discussions with bus operators in the city the Low Emission Zone has been formally agreed by the Traffic Commissioner and is being launched today. Significant investment is being made by bus companies to meet the new standards including..

Brighton and Hove Buses is retrofitting 50 buses with central government funding and with a further 24 brand new buses to be delivered in the spring

Cuckmere Buses has spent £90,000 on a Euro 5 sprinter

Metrobus is buying 4 brand new buses in the spring

Stagecoach has spent over £2m on 12 new buses for the 700 route

Information about the Low Emission Zone has been added to the council’s website today”.

“As members will probably be aware, our plans for the restoration of Stanmer Park have taken a great step forward this month with the award of stage 1 funding of £290k by the HLF and BLF. This means that, in partnership with the national park, we will now be able to develop detailed plans to support the full bid for £4m to restore the historic landscape and buildings. The HLF and BLF have confirmed the £4m has been earmarked for the project.

We now await the outcome of our second joint bid for a £6m Heritage Grant to restore and improve the Home Farm Complex. The outcome of that will be announced in early February.

In total we are seeking to invest around £12m in Stanmer to unlock its full potential to benefit local residents and our local economy as a major gateway to the national park and our UN Biosphere Reserve”

68.2      Councillor Mitchell noted that she shared the Chair’s disappointment regarding the reduction in the LTP capital allocation. Councillor Mitchell asked if it was correct that successful applications to the Challenge Fund would have to be match funded with a 10% contribution from the local authority.

68.3      The Chair confirmed with Councillor Mitchell that this was unfortunately correct.