Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To elect a Chair for 2025/26.

RESOLVED

To elect Councillor David Bithell as Chair of this Sub-Committee for 2025-26.

RESOLVED

To elect Councillor David Bithell as Chair of this Sub-Committee for 2025-26.

To elect a Vice-Chair for 2025/26, if the need arises.

RESOLVED

To elect Councillor Glyn Banks as Vice-Chair of this Sub-Committee for 2025-26.

RESOLVED

To elect Councillor Glyn Banks as Vice-Chair of this Sub-Committee for 2025-26.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from: -

·         Dafydd Wyn Williams (Cyngor Gwynedd) with Gerwyn Jones deputising

·         Iwan Evans (Monitoring Officer)

Councillor Michael Priestley was welcomed to his first meeting of the Sub-Committee. It was noted that officers would be in contact with him and the lead officer for Conwy County Borough Council to brief the Member on matters relating to the work of this Sub-Committee, prior to the next meeting.

To receive any declarations of personal interest.

There were no declarations of personal interest.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chair for consideration.

No urgent matters were raised.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the meeting held on 30^th June 2025 be signed as a true record.

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meeting held on 30 June 2025 as a true record.

To consider the report and make recommendations if necessary to the Corporate Joint Committee.

RESOLVED

The report was considered, and it was decided to add concerns surrounding the temporary closure of Menai Suspension Bridge on the Isle of Anglesey.

The report was presented by the Chief Executive of the North Wales CJC and the Senior Transport Officer.

RESOLVED

To consider the report and add concerns about the temporary closure of the Menai Strait Suspension Bridge in the county of Anglesey.

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

The Terms of Reference were approved at the Sub-Committee meeting on 1 October 2024. It was considered appropriate to review progress in the work that was being carried out, ensuring that the right resources were in place to deliver future developments.

DISCUSSION

The members were reminded that the Strategic Transport Sub-Committee had now been established for a year, and that their Terms of Reference set out a commitment to prepare a quarterly report on their work for the Corporate Joint Committee (CJC).

It was explained that the quarterly report provided a strategic overview of progress, key achievements, and highlighted areas that need addressing. It was elaborated that the purpose of the report was to inform members of key issues, and to determine whether there were any issues that the Sub-Committee wished to escalate to the CJC.

Attention was drawn to the significant progress achieved, in particular in the preparation of the Draft Regional Transport Plan and its associated Delivery Plan, as well as the Public Consultation Exercise that was conducted between January and April 2025. This work had led to the submission of the Draft Regional Transport Plan to the Welsh Government in July 2025. The members, officers, and stakeholders were thanked for their work in preparing this draft.

It was noted that the report now considered the public consultation period for the Regional Transport Plan (RTP), which had lasted 12-weeks and ended in April 2025. The report had previously been presented in the Strategic Transport Sub-Committee and the CJC. It was elaborated that nearly 1,700 responses had been received; of these, over 1,400 related to campaigns by the North Wales Wildlife Trust regarding the wording around 'aspirations' for the A55 in Flintshire. As a result, the wording was revised following the consultation period. Discussions had also taken place between Ambition North Wales and the North Wales Wildlife Trust, which were included in the appendices for information.

Other key points were presented in the report, which included: the 'Grants Modernisation' Process, a Welsh Government project; timetables and how draft transport plans were being developed; and partner enterprises, notably Network North Wales, a multi-billion-pound investment vision by the Welsh Government for an integrated, high-frequency transport network for the region.

In response to an enquiry, it was agreed that a presentation on Network North Wales would be useful for future work plans to identify the aspirations for the next three to four years. It was noted that this would demonstrate the alignment between the Regional Transport Plan and the aspirations and schemes in Network North Wales.

It was also requested that an update on Bus Franchising would be appreciated, especially as several concerns had been identified previously regarding this matter.

The need to be aware of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To consider and note the report. 

RESOLVED

To accept the report and support the concept of reviewing capital allocations.

The report was presented by the Chief Executive of North Wales CJC and the Senior Transport Officer.

RESOLVED

To accept the report and support the concept of reviewing capital allocations.

REASONS FOR THE DECISION

The report was submitted for informational purposes.

DISCUSSION

It was explained that the report detailed the process and timescales for the Regional Transport Plan's developmental programme for 2026/27, to ensure that it was submitted to the Welsh Government in a timely manner.

It was explained that the Welsh Government's 'Modernising Grants' process combined various funding streams that had been available to Local Authorities. It was noted that a Regional Transport Fund would be developed in the future, which would be an amalgamation of all the funding streams below:

·         Local Transport Fund

·         Resilient Roads Fund

·         Active Travel Fund

·         Road Safety Fund (Revenue)

·         Road Safety Fund (Capital)

·         Safe Routes in Communities Fund

·         Unadopted roads fund

·         Ultra Low Emission Vehicles Transformation Fund.

            It was elaborated that the Welsh Government had placed an expectation on Corporate Joint Committees to coordinate the Regional Transport Fund, including developing a programme of schemes that would be delivered over the following financial year.

            It was reported that details of the schemes that would be funded in the 2026/27 financial year had been set out within the Regional Transport Plan Delivery Plan, adding that Welsh Government guidance allowed additional schemes to be funded through the Regional Transport Plan Programme subject to those schemes being approved by the Welsh Government.

            The sub-committee thanked the transport officers within all Local Authorities who had been working with the officers of the North Wales CJC to confirm the list of schemes to be funded for 2026/27, noting that the full list would be presented to Members at an informal meeting of this Sub-Committee scheduled for 04 November, so as to give Members the opportunity to review the proposed Regional Transport Programme. It was confirmed that the Members would receive confirmation of the projects in advance of the informal meeting to be able to hold discussions with officers within their Local Authorities in preparation for the meeting. It was explained that the full list would be submitted to the North Wales CJC at its meeting on 07 November.

            In response to an enquiry, the Senior Transport Officer confirmed that the Corporate Joint Committee had not decided to allocate the Regional Transport Fund equally between the Local Authorities. However, it was explained that the Fund was allocated according to the status of projects within the Regional Transport Plan.

            In response to an enquiry as to whether there was a timetable in mind for agreeing a formula with the relevant Cabinet Secretary for allocating the Regional Transport Fund, the Chief Executive of the North Wales CJC noted that this had not been confirmed to date. However, she confirmed that the setting of formulas for allocation from the Fund was a consideration by the Welsh Government as they set their budgets. She elaborated that they hoped to receive confirmation of the budgets as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.