Agenda item

To update on the overall programme and headroom.

This report set out a series of recommendations to spend or return funding to the Investment Fund.  The Metro Mayor stated that the measure of success was not allocating money to projects but delivering them so the report also made recommendations to ensure delays and how to mitigate them were discussed in public.

The recommendations were proposed by Metro Mayor Dan Norris and seconded by Cllr Kevin Guy.

Cllrs Savage and Guy welcomed the March 2023 window for the development and approval of projects seeking to draw on the balance of the Love Our High Streets programme allowing further regeneration where necessary and so that funds could be reallocated if necessary.

In respect of recommendation 6, Cllr Savage spoke in support stating that this would help deliver a key part of the CRSTS scheme.  The Metro Mayor Dan Norris thanked officers for their work involved in the successful CRSTS bidding process.  In respect to recommendation 7, Cllr Savage welcomed the chance to complete the Yate Spur walking and cycling route.

In respect to recommendation 13, Cllr Guy stated that this was important for supporting independent traders in Bath.

Cllr Savage moved an amendment to recommendation 14.  He stated that the North Fringe Infrastructure project would facilitate the development of Brabazon Arena and timescales were tight and therefore it was important that technical work on the Business Case continued in order for the scheme to be delivered on time.  The wording of this amendment was moved by Cllr Savage and seconded by Metro Mayor Dan Norris:

“To approve the award of £400,000 to the development of the Full Business Case for the North Fringe Infrastructure Package with the allocation of full capital funding being deferred to September for decision as part of our strategic priorities.”

Mayor Rees stated that he was keen that this important development continued and agreed that any delays may affect the value for money, the economy and supply chain.

Mayor Rees stated that he wished for all officers to be involved in the review of existing programme given the significant impact of inflation and the economic position on projects.  He also asked that principles be set out to guide projects over the next few years, with more explicit references being made to certain projects such as Mass Transit, flood defence, and housing pressures.  He felt that the commitments should be heavier now.

[The voting arrangements on this item were as follows: Decision required majority agreement of Committee Members in attendance, or their substitutes (one vote representing each Authority) and including the West of England Combined Authority Mayor].  The recommendations were unanimously agreed (including the amended recommendation 14).

The Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED to:

1.    To agree the strategic objectives and investment principles for the investment programme set out in Appendix 2;

2.    To agree a window until March 2023 for the development and approval of projects seeking to draw on the balance of the Love Our High Streets programme, Land Acquisition Fund and Development Infrastructure Funds.

3.    To approve the Outline Business Case for ISTART and delegate to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils:

a)      the approval of funding for Phase 0 to a value of £1.443m and for completion by December 2023, subject to the supply of a detailed implementation plan for this phase.  

b)      the approval of up to £48k of additional funding to develop the full business case for Phase 1 subject to review of the success of Phase 0 outputs in Spring 2023.

4.    To approve the Outline Business Case for Chew Valley Lake Recreational Trail (Southern Section) and the award of and the award of £150k to develop the Full Business Case by March 2023.

5.    To delegate the approval of the Outline Business Case for the Old City and King Street Project, the award of £172k to develop the Full Business Case for approval in September, and the allocation of £1.655mm for delivery of the scheme to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils.

6.    To approve the Outline Business Case for the A38 Multi-Modal Corridor and the award £393k from the Investment Fund to develop the Full Business Case for the Alveston Hill Cycleway by November 2022 and £2.03m through CRSTS to develop the Full Business Case for the remainder of the corridor by September 2023, with the allocation of a further £26.752m of CRSTS for the delivery of the scheme.

7.    To delegate the approval of the Outline Business Case for the Yate Spur Phases 5 and 6 scheme, the award of £688k to develop the Full Business Case for approval in January 2023, and the allocation of £5.368m for delivery of the scheme to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils.

8.    To delegate the approval of the Outline Business Case for the Bath Quays Walking and Cycling Routes, the award of £286k to develop the Full Business Case for approval in January 2023, and the allocation of £2.006m for delivery of the scheme to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils.

9.    To delegate the approval of the Outline Business Case for the A432 Multi-Modal Corridor, the award of £1.887m to develop the Full Business Case by September 2023, and the allocation of £20.846m for delivery of the scheme to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils.

10. To approve the Feasibility and Development Funding applications and the award of £100k for the Regional Cycle Hangers to develop a feasibility report by November 2022, and £289k for the Bristol Cycle Hangers project to develop a Full Business Case by January 2023.

11. To approve the Feasibility and Development Funding application for the Bedminster Works at A38 and Whitehouse Lane and the award of £60k to develop a Full Business Case for consideration at the September Committee meeting.

12. To approve Feasibility and Development Funding application for the Bristol to Hengrove Metrobus Extension Corridor and the award of £60k to develop an Outline Business Case by August 2022.

13. To approve the Feasibility and Development Funding Application for the Bath Creative Quarter project and the award of £142,500 to develop feasibility reports by January 2023.

14.To approve the award of £400,000 to the development of the Full Business Case for the North Fringe Infrastructure Package with the allocation of full capital funding being deferred to September for decision as part of our strategic priorities.

15. Amend the approved capital programme for individual project approvals agreed at the April Committee and within this report.

16.To agree the Delivery Assurance and Budgetary Principles and terms of reference for the Programme Review Board as set out in Appendix 3 and 4.

17.To request officers to review the existing programme given the significant impact of inflation and the economic position on projects and report back to the September Committee on any implications.