Issue details

There is a requirement that all Local Growth Fund (LGF) grant funds are spent by March 2021 and also a condition that the Getting Building Fund (GBF) is spent within the financial year it was awarded, that being £6.85m in 2020/21 and £6.85m in 2021/22.

Owing to the need to manage scheme changes, including any necessary funding swops to ensure full grant spend, in advance of the next WECA / Joint Committee meeting, the following delegations to the WECA Chief Executive in consultation with the West of England Chief Executives were granted at the 29 January 2021 meeting of the WECA / Joint Committee:
- Approval of changes to funding profile and programme for schemes within the current LGF, GBF, Economic Development Fund and Revolving Infrastructure Fund programmes
- Approval of the reallocation of funding for schemes in the approved LGF/GBF programme including swops with the EDF, and exceptionally the Investment Fund.

A number of recommended changes to schemes within the current Local Growth Fund / Getting Building Fund and Economic Development Fund programme were subsequently identified for approval. The key changes were:

Local Growth and Getting Building Funds:
*The Emersons Green Local Transport Enhancements, Umbrella and the South Gloucestershire Sustainable Transport Package projects jointly report reprofiling of £2.614m of LGF/GBF to 2021/22. In order to meet LGF spend profiles, it was proposed to swop these funds with EDF for the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension. Approval at this time will enable this to be picked up in the Quarter 3 grant claim.
*The Emersons Green Local Transport Enhancements and Umbrella projects are also in the GBF programme. Whilst this has an end date of 2021/22, given the requirement to spend half the programme award this year, this change has necessitated a request to MHCLG for the inclusion of an additional project in the GBF programme, that being the Bath Quays North Infrastructure Development Works. It should be noted that these changes do not alter the overall funding awarded to these projects, just the funding blend.

The Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on these proposals and were in agreement with the decision.