Agenda item

A report seeking approval for formal acceptance of the CRSTS funding, as well as the acceptance of the Integrated Transport Block and Advanced Pot Hole Funding, and approval of the programme recommended for delivery utilising these funds in full, for 2024/25.

The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Environment which advised on the strategic approach for the 5-year City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme, that had previously been approved in March 2022 (appended to this report). The report also sought approval for the formal acceptance of the CRSTS funding, as well as the acceptance of the Integrated Transport Block (ITB) and Advanced Pot-Hole Funding, and approval of the programme recommended for delivery utilising these funds in full, for 2024/25.

The report outlined that funding previously received for Core Highways Maintenance and Integrated Transport Block (ITB) had been consolidated into the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) funding settlement, with effect from 2022/23, and for the subsequent five financial years. On 1^st April 2022, Great Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) had been notified of its final CRSTS allocation of £1.07bn, based upon the CRSTS prospectus, which had been submitted to Government in September 2021 and the draft Programme Case that was submitted on 31^st January 2022. This allocation includes an amount of £175m for core highways maintenance and £82m for ITB funding for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27.

The Cabinet was informed that, in terms of risk assessment, the proposed option of allocating the CRSTS, ITB and Advanced Pothole grant funding would provide an opportunity for the Council to provide a programme of works which will support road safety and comply with the requirements under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980.  The service should ensure there is sufficient monitoring of the grant agreement and that any conditions are compiled with especially those around the Integrated Transport Block and the requirements in relation to bus franchising particularly in future years.  Procurement, legal and financial comments are noted separately in the report but full engagement with these teams when procuring the contractors to carry out the works and monitoring the spend of each of the programmes will be essential in managing these schemes whilst balancing the current financial position of the Council.

Options/Alternatives considered:

Option 1 - the proposed programme of schemes which would fully utilise the expected City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Integrated Transport Block (ITB) and Advanced Pot-Hole Funding allocations available for 2024/25 as per the formal grant notifications from GMCA.

Option 2 – Members do not agree to the proposed programme of schemes which would fully utilise the expected City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS), Integrated Transport Blok (ITB) and Advanced Pot-Hole Funding allocations available for 2024/25 as per the formal grant notifications from GMCA.

Option 1 was therefore recommended to progress delivery of the Transport Capital Programme 2024/25 and deliver improvements and infrastructure across the borough’s highway assets.

Resolved:

1.    Cabinet approves receipt of the funding allocations from CRSTS, ITB & Adv Pothole maintenance funding as shown in body of this report totaling £4.5m for 2024/25 as per the formal grant notification from GMCA.

2.    Cabinet approves the proposed programme of schemes, which would fully utilise the £4.5m funding allocation available for 2024/25 (as listed in the appendices).

3.    Cabinet delegates all tender award decisions to the Executive Member, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Environment to ensure the delivery timescales are met.

4.    Delegates authorisation to the Director of Legal Services, or his nominated representative, 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 in this report.

5.    Delegates decisions to the Executive Member, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Environment for any underspend generated as the programme progresses be used to deliver additional schemes in priority order (noting lower priority schemes may be selected depending on available budget, value for money and type of treatment) until the budget is fully expended in year.