Agenda item

a)    That the following proposed changes to the 2025/26 Highways and Transportation Capital Programme be approved:

i)               Reallocation of funding from the advanced design programme to the North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road (NEMMDR), as set out in paragraphs 23-31 of the report;

ii)              Creation of a Market Harborough Programme, in line with the approach set out in paragraphs 10 and 32-35 of the report, making use of the Section 106 monetary contributions collected against the Market Harborough Transport Strategy and Consolidated Active Travel Funding;

iii)            Proposed delay to delivery of the Parade, Oadby Cycle Optimised Protected Signals (CYCLOPS) scheme, to allow for additional work, including redesign, following public consultation and engagement with Active Travel England (ATE) noting the risks that are associated with this approach, as set out in paragraphs 11 and 36-40 of the report;

b)    That the additional funding awarded to the Local Highway Authority (LHA) be noted, including the Local Transport Grant (LTG), the Active Travel Fund 5 (ATF5) and Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF), and the Department for Transport’s additional maintenance grant;

c)    That the associated programmes as detailed in paragraphs 41-61 of the report be approved;

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

i)               To undertake the necessary work and secure the necessary resources to progress the development and delivery of programmes, as set out in paragraphs 32-61 of the report, in line with the specific funding grant conditions;

ii)              Following consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources, the Cabinet Lead Member for Highways, Transport and Waste, and the Cabinet Lead Member for Resources,  to prepare ad submit bids, as appropriate, to secure external funding for the delivery of schemes that are identified in the programmes;

iii)            Following consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources, the Director of Law and Governance and the Cabinet Lead Member for Resources, to enter such contracts as are necessary to progress schemes in the approved programmes.

(KEY DECISION)

REASONS FOR DECISION:

The reallocation of funding will allow the Council, as the LHA, to complete the Large Local Majors (LLM) scheme (such as NEMMDR) by reallocating funding provisionally profiled across the four years of the MTFS from the Highways and Transportation Advanced Design Programme.  Activities, such as bid preparation, designing schemes to mitigate growth and smaller active travel and safety schemes, can now be funded through LTG funding.

The recommendations ensure that the LHA makes best use of external funding by consolidating the funding that is available and meeting the timescales for the S106 spend.

The LHA is committed to promoting active and sustainable travel and it is critical that funding invested in infrastructure designed to encourage walking and cycling is effective.  The recommendations will allow the LHA to redesign The Parade, Oadby CYCLOPS scheme to respond to community and safety concerns and liaise with ATE to ensure that the funding can still be applied to the revised scheme.  Although there is a risk that ATE will not approve the revised scheme, officers have considered that implementing the scheme, as currently approved by ATE, would not reflect the community priorities, that it would fail to realise the full potential for encouraging more active travel journeys in the area and that it would potentially present safety issues caused by lack of compliance with the new layout.  The outcome of this work will be reported to the Cabinet following further design work and public engagement.

The programmes will be developed and delivered in accordance with the guidance issued by the relevant funding bodies and, where it is necessary, seek support from the external market to manage the significant increase in delivery that is now required in 2025/26.