Issue - meetings

A report seeking approval for formal acceptance of Additional Highways Maintenance funding and approval of recommendations for delivery, utilising these funds in full, for 2026/27.

The meeting received a report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive which informed members that with the strategic approach for the 5-year City Region sustainable transport settlement (CRSTS) programme approved in March 2022, the submitted report was seeking approval for formal acceptance of the Additional CRSTS Highways Maintenance funding and approval of the recommendations for delivery utilising these funds in full, for 2026/27.

The report presented to Options:
Option One (preferred Option) – To approve the recommendations in the report.

Option Two – To reject the recommendations in the report and to seek alternative funding sources for the projects.

Resolved:

That the Scrutiny Board endorses the recommendations in the report of the Executive Director of Place/Deputy Chief Executive to:

That the Chief Executive approves:

1.    The allocation of Additional CRSTS Highway Maintenance Funding.

2.    The proposed breakdown of funding, which will fully utilise the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) highway maintenance additional grant funding allocation available for 2026/27 as per the formal grant notification from GMCA.

3.    That delegated authority be granted to the Director of Environment, in consultation with the Director of Finance to take all necessary decisions in relation to the award of contracts arising from this procurement process to ensure procurement decisions can be made within the timescales required to support programme delivery.

4.    That the Director of Legal Services or his nominated representative be authorised to sign and/or affix the Common Seal of the Council to all contracts/agreements/documents and associated or ancillary paperwork to give effect to the recommendations of this report.

5.    That any underspend generated as the attached programme progresses (as per the Appendices) be used to deliver additional schemes in priority order (although lower priority schemes may be selected depending on the available budget, value for money, or type of treatment) until the budget is fully expended in year, noting that this approach to utilising underspend means there is no need to gain further approvals to deliver additional schemes, ensuring they can be delivered as soon as practically possible.