Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member:  Deputy Leader

Forward Plan Ref: 2012/153

Contact: Tom Flanagan, Service Manager – Planning & Transport Policy Tel: (01865) 815691

Report by Director for Environment & Economy (CA8).

The purpose of this paper is to provide CCMT/Cabinet with the details of the proposals from the Department of Transport to devolve local major scheme funding to functional economic areas and the requirement to establish a Local Transport Board with a detailed Assurance Framework, that sets out the governance and working arrangements, to manage the capital grant that will be received should the County Council opt to become the accountable body.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve the following:

(a)                  that the County Council supports the proposal to devolve the funding of local major schemes and facilitates the creation of a Local Transport Board under the auspices of the SPIP Board.

(b)                  the County Council seeks views on the Assurance Framework set out in the Annex from District Councils, the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the SEMLEP, Network Rail, Highways Agency and the public transport operators;

(c)                   that the Director of Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Deputy Leader, be authorised to develop the Scheme Prioritisation Process and progress the Assurance Framework to completion for submission to the Department of Transport in accordance with their timetable in consultation with the Section 151 and Monitoring Officer.

Cabinet considered a report that detailed proposals from the Department of Transport to devolve local major scheme funding to functional economic areas and the requirement to establish a Local Transport Board with a detailed Assurance Framework, that set out the governance and working arrangements, to manage the capital grant that will be received should the County Council opt to become the accountable body.

Councillor Alan Armitage, Opposition Deputy Leader, welcomed the proposals if they were a manifestation of localism and commented that it was sensible and desirable to dovetail local plans. He agreed with specific recommendations about the role of the Spatial Planning & Infrastructure Partnership Board (SPIP), the County Council as accountable body and as the legal body. However he felt that there was a gap in terms of democratic transparency and scrutiny and suggested that this was best filled by the Scrutiny Committee.

Councillor Rose replied that that was something that would need to be looked at. In moving the recommendations Councillor Rose that it was the start of an interesting and fruitful journey that would bring in additional funding.

RESOLVED:                        to approve the following:

(a)                   that the County Council supports the proposal to devolve the funding of local major schemes and facilitates the creation of a Local Transport Board under the auspices of the SPIP Board.

(b)                   the County Council seeks views on the Assurance Framework set out in the Annex from District Councils, the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, the SEMLEP, Network Rail, Highways Agency and the public transport operators;

(c)                   that the Director of Environment & Economy, in consultation with the Deputy Leader, be authorised to develop the Scheme Prioritisation Process and progress the Assurance Framework to completion for submission to the Department of Transport in accordance with their timetable in consultation with the Section 151 and Monitoring Officer.