Agenda item - 2018/19 Local Transport Plan Capital Programme

Report of the Executive Director for Economy, Environment & Culture (copy attached)

115.1RESOLVED: That the Committee

(i)            Agreed the 2018/19 Local Transport Plan capital programme budget allocation of £5.365 million to projects and programmes and notes the additional allocations for schemes agreed at Budget Council, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report

115.1   The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Economy, Environment & Culture, which set out the Local Transport Plan (LTP) budget allocation for 2018/19 and provided indicative allocations for 2019/20 and 2020/21. The Executive Director referred to the extract from the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee (held on 20 March 2018), which recommended to Policy, Resources & Growth Committee that they agree the LTP capital programme budget allocation for 2018/19, but did not agree to note the indicative allocation of future LTP budgets as it was felt that officers should spend more time exploring alternative options for funding in relation to the allocations ear-marked for the Shelter Hall. The Executive Director reassured the Committee that officers would do that. The Committee were referred to paragraph 3.3 of the report, and advised that since the report had been prepared the government had announced allocations of what was now called ‘Pothole & Flood Resilience Funding’, and the sum which the Council would receive for 2018/19 was an additional £188,705. The Council were still awaiting confirmation of the ‘Incentive Funding’ sum for 2018/19, and when received would be included in the Quarterly Financial Update for the Committee.

115.2   The Chair noted the two recommendations in the report, and confirmed that as the Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee (ETS) had not agreed to note the indicative allocation of future LTP budgets, that this Committee would only be considering recommendation 2.1 in the report.

115.3Councillor Sykes referred to paragraph 3.7 of the report and was concerned that there was a programme to treat tree root areas using flexible paving to reduce highway penetration, as he suggested that by reducing penetration the risk of flooding was increased. Officers advised that flexible paving was used rather than paving stones, as it allowed some movement from the tree roots and it did allow some moisture to penetrate through which allowed the trees to thrive.

115.4Councillor Sykes noted that an additional £0.5m would be invested to maintain Hove Station Footbridge, and asked how that money would be spent and what discussions had taken place with Network Rail. Officers advised that the money would be used to support further investigations on the condition of the bridge, and the Council would work with Network Rail to look at what repairs may be needed. 

115.5Councillor Sykes referred to the Capital Programme Allocation, and was surprised that the allocation for Electric Vehicle Charging Points had remained the same for a number of years despite the increase in the number of electric cars and suggested there was a lack of vision for the future of transport in the city. Officers advised that the allocation reflected that the Council were hopeful that they would receive significant funding from the government, which would enable the Authority to look at how further roll out electric charging points across the city.

115.6Councillor Sykes asked if the Flood Defence Grant would be used to offset the need to use the Council’s own capital money. Officers advised that funding from DEFRA would be used for flood defence works.

115.7Councillor Mitchell (Chair of ETS Committee) said that the allocations represented a good balance between large schemes and local smaller schemes, and a large amount of funding was being committed to maintaining the seafront.

115.8Councillor Janio said that the Conservative Group had not supported the indicative allocations of future LTP budgets at the recent ETS Committee, as it was felt that it was inappropriate to take £1.5m away from the transport budget to rebuild Shelter Hall and the arches. Councillor Mitchell said that work on the seafront enabled the A259 to continue to function, as the arches held up the road.

115.9RESOLVED: That the Committee

(i)            Agreed the 2018/19 Local Transport Plan capital programme budget allocation of £5.365 million to projects and programmes and notes the additional allocations for schemes agreed at Budget Council, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report