Agenda item

Councillor Mary Martin, the Cabinet Member for Communities and Place, and the Head of Highways & Transport, submitted a joint report seeking approval for the adoption of the Local Transport Plan Implementation Plan for 2018/19 and for the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme budget apportionment for 2018/19.

It was noted that the Local Transport Plan (LTP) is the principal means of delivering the Council’s transport programme and is the statutory document that contains the transport policies and programmes of the local transport authority. It is listed in Article 4 of the Council Constitution as a key document in forming the policy framework for the Council and it is subject to an annual report to the Cabinet in order to ensure transparency in the apportionment of the funding and aid the delivery of the programme.

In the absence of Councillor Mary Martin, at the invitation of Councillor David Renard, the Leader of the Council, the Council’s Head of Highways and Transport introduced the report, providing the meeting with a brief summary of its main elements, including the allocation of funding to support the review of the Council’s transport strategy (including the review of the Town Centre Movement strategy), and the highlighting of priority and risk areas for investment, including the resilience of the strategic network (the most heavily used roads and key transport movement routes) and the condition of street lighting columns.

Following the introduction of the report and the officer’s presentation of the important aspects of the Plan, Councillor Renard and the Head of Highways and Transport responded to questions put by Councillors Toby Elliott and Jane Milne-Barry regarding ward member input on priorities and negotiations with the Department for Transport and the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust about providing an access tunnel under the M4. 

In response to a suggestion at the meeting, the officer undertook to investigate making available on-line a digital map of planned road works.

Resolved – (1) That the Local Transport Plan (LTP) Implementation Plan for 2018/19 be approved.

(2) That the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme budget categories and total spend of £5,771k for 2018/19, as detailed in Tables 1 to 7 of the Implementation Plan attached as Appendix 3 to the report, be approved.

(3) That the Head of Highways and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Place, be authorised to:

a)   Prioritise schemes in accordance with Vision for Swindon priorities,

b)   Approve scheme progression in accordance with the updated Protocol (attached as Appendix 2 and originally approved by the Cabinet in July 2010),

c)    Amend the Protocol to reflect changing job titles, organisational restructuring and improved input from and visibility to members

d)   Vary allocations between different budget categories,

e)   Approve variations in scheme costs,

f)     Add/substitute schemes, provided expenditure is contained within the approved total budget,

g)   Add additional schemes to the 2018/19 programme subject to receipt of the Pothole Action Fund allocation for 2018/19.

(4) That the Head of Highways and Transport, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Communities and Place, be authorised to develop and submit a bid / bids during 2018/19 for relevant funding opportunities that might be launched by Government, or other funding agencies, for transport schemes that will benefit Swindon and which are in accordance with Vision for Swindon priorities.

(5) That the Head of Highways and Transport, in consultation with the Director of Finance and the Cabinet Member for Communities and Place, be authorised to develop a protocol that will enable Ward Councillors to identify relevant schemes in their wards to which such monies can be allocated.

The reasons for the decision and alternative options are as set out in the report to the meeting.