Agenda item

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 soon as possible from the Welsh Government and it was thought that the budgets for the North Wales CJC would be higher compared to what had been projected within the 5-year plan provided by the Government.  It was agreed to receive a further update on this matter within the next informal meeting of this Sub-Committee on 04 November.

            The budgets were compared, indicating that the revenue budget was very low compared to the capital budget (approximately 1.35% of the capital budget total). It was elaborated that the total revenue budgets, once allocated to the Local Authorities, were not sufficient to cover the respective costs of the Authorities. A member asked if it was possible to ask for a larger revenue budget to ensure that the Local Authorities meet their expected requirements. In response, the Chief Executive of the North Wales CJC confirmed that a provision of up to 3% revenue budget had been identified within the financial allocation. It was elaborated that there was no further confirmation from the Welsh Government as to whether a larger revenue budget for transport and road safety issues can be received at this time and confirmed that officers would discuss this further with the Welsh Government, before reporting back to this Sub-Committee.