Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member: Finance

Forward Plan Ref: 2023/139

Contact: Natalie Crawford, Capital Programme Manager, natalie.crawford@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Report by Director of Finance (CA13).

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

a)    approve £2.1m as a development budget to progress the design phase for the ‘Didcot Northern Perimeter Road Scheme 3’, a scheme already in the capital programme.

b)    approve the submission of a bid to Active Travel England for an indicative funding amount of £2.38m for several defined active travel schemes.

Recommendations approved.

Cabinet had before it a report setting out requests for changes to the Capital Programme requiring Cabinet approval that will be incorporated into the agreed programme and included in the next quarterly update to the Capital Programme in December 2023.

Robin Tucker addressed the Cabinet and expressed concern about the lack of consultation with local communities on the Active Travel bid for Government funding. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, expressed appreciation for the contribution made by local stakeholders on the issues concerning Active Travel.  He said that the Council took the need for co-production and consultation very seriously which as demonstrated by the participation by stakeholders in a number of workstreams.  Councillor Gant referred to the complex process and timescales for bids for Government funding which, in many cases, resulted in bids having to be submitted at very short notice.

During discussion, members also welcomed the progress on the Didcot Northern Perimeter Road Scheme.

Councillor Levy moved, and Councillor Gant seconded the recommendations and they were approved.

RESOLVED to:

a)    approve £2.1m as a development budget to progress the design phase for the ‘Didcot Northern Perimeter Road Scheme 3’, a scheme already in the capital programme.

b)    approve the submission of a bid to Active Travel England for an indicative funding amount of £2.38m for several defined active travel schemes.