Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader and Environment

Forward Plan Ref: 2014/049

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

Report by Director for Environment & Economy (CA7).

The report summarises Oxfordshire County Council's City Deal submission as the first phase of achieving our long term ambition which will be fully set out in the forthcoming Strategic Economic Plan and further developed through the Local Growth Deal.           The City Deal represents an opportunity to ensure Oxford and Oxfordshire overcomes the historic barriers to innovation and enterprise through a transformational network of connected hubs, creating an ecosystem where research, innovation, investment and enterprise meet and flourish. This will be supported by an integrated transport network along the Knowledge Economy Spine which will directly support the innovation hubs. The packages that were submitted  as detailed Buisness Cases are Northern Gatway, Access to Enterprise Zone and Science Transit Phase 1. The report sets out the City Deal Transport Business Cases, progress to date,  and requests the schemes' inclusion into the Capital Programme. 

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to

(a)       approve the proposed schemes for inclusion into the Capital Programme, to note the progress of the business case for each scheme and to note that the detailed business cases will be submitted for approval, in accordance with the financial procedure rules; and

(b)         approve the release of £1.5m project development budget for the Access to Enterprise Zone project under stage 0b of the capital governance procedures.

The report summarised Oxfordshire County Council's City Deal submission as the first phase of achieving the long term ambition which will be fully set out in the forthcoming Strategic Economic Plan and further developed through the Local Growth Deal.        The report set out the City Deal Transport Business Cases, progress to date, and requested the schemes' inclusion into the Capital Programme.

Councillor John Sanders, Shadow Cabinet Member for Environment, in accepting the concept raised a few individual issues: the bio escalator for the Churchill hospital site would put pressure on the infrastructure; referring to the Growth Board and the inclusion of District Councillors he queried whether there would be a conflict for them between wanting to save the green belt and the growth agenda; referring to all the transport schemes he queried who would be connecting them all up.

Councillor Hudspeth commented that the Universities were promoting the bio escalator and that the Growth Board would negotiate to find the right areas for development. Sue Scane and her team had done a great deal of work so far and there would be people working on the individual projects.

Councillor Hards, speaking as the local councillor for Didcot West highlighted the maps on page 71 and the implications of the Strategic Housing market Assessment (SHMA) for Didcot. With the proposed development getting the highways right was vital. The work to the transport hub would be wasted if the road network around it was choked. He also queried aspects of the funding.

The Leader responded to the points made and in particular commented that the SHMA had only been published in February and sites had not yet been identified. The County Council was working closely with District Councils to determine requirements. He highlighted that in terms of transport, cycling was a key element, particularly cycling between Didcot and Harwell science park. He would discuss the funding queries separately with Councillor Hards.

Councillor Brighouse, speaking as local councillor for Churchill & Lye Valley in connection with the bioescalator emphasised the concerns around road capacities in the local area. Transport reports from the City Council had highlighted severe transport problems more than once. There were major implications for the local community in terms of the traffic generated. Councillor Brighouse highlighted a number of issues, including problems with Old Road, the possibility of CPZs and that the Neighbourhood Planning Area would exclude Wood Farm so that needed funding from the CIL may not reach the community. The Leader commented that the Oxford Transport Strategy would look at these issues.

Councillor Nimmo Smith, Cabinet Member for Environment, moved the recommendations.

Sue Scane, Director for Environment & Economy, corrected the dates on page 59 of the agenda to read October 2013to June 2014. Although the timescles were very tight work had been ongoing for some time. The biggest risk was that the Government had made it clear the money had to be spent by 2015. 

RESOLVED:           to

(a)            approve the proposed schemes for inclusion into the Capital Programme, to note the progress of the business case for each scheme and to note that the detailed business cases will be submitted for approval, in accordance with the financial procedure rules; and

(b)            approve the release of £1.5m project development budget for the Access to Enterprise Zone project under stage 0b of the capital governance procedures.