Decision details

a)    That the comments of the Highways and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted;

b)    That the acute financial context in which the 2025/26 Highways and Transportation Capital and Works Programmes (the Programmes) have been developed and will be delivered, as set out in Part B of the report be noted;

c)    That the Programmes be approved;

d)    That the Director of Environment and Transport be authorised,

                          i.         following consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources and the Cabinet Lead Members for Highways and Transportation and Corporate Resources, to prepare and submit bids, as appropriate, to secure external funding for delivery of schemes identified in the Programmes;

                        ii.          following consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources, the Director of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Lead Member for Corporate Resources, to enter such contracts as is necessary to progress schemes in the approved Programmes to allow early contractor involvement to take place in advance of all external funding required to deliver the scheme being secured, noting the challenges set out in paragraph 22 of the report;

                       iii.         following consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources, the Director of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Lead Member for Corporate Resources, to undertake preparatory work as considered appropriate to develop savings as set out in the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy and to ensure that further savings are implemented in a timely manner.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

To highlight the challenging financial context in which the Programmes are being developed and will be delivered.

To enable the delivery of the Programmes for the 2025/26 financial year.

To enable the delivery of large capital schemes using a collaborative approach, to work with contractors to reduce risk and increase cost certainty. Working in this way will also provide necessary assurance to partners and third-party funders contributing to the cost of delivering the Capital Programme.

To enable early work to be undertaken on the development of new savings to address the worsening financial position.