Agenda item

The Committee considered a report on proposals for the progression of, and funding for, a number of West Yorkshire Combined Authority supported projects, including West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund and Growth Deal at stages 1, 2 and 3 of the Combined Authority’s assurance process.

Members discussed the proposals for the progress of the following four schemes which were detailed in the submitted report:

·         Rochdale Canal – Cycle Safety Fund

·         Corridor Improvement Programme – A58/A672

·         Corridor Improvement Programme – A646/A6033

·         Beech Hill (Phase 1a and 1b) Halifax

The report also provided further details and outlined proposed recommendations for the following schemes which have had change request reports assessed in line with the Combined Authority’s assurance process:

·         Forge Lane/Dewsbury Riverside

·         Kirklees Housing project

·         Bradford One City Park

·         Halifax Station Gateway

It was noted that the change request in respect of the Forge Lane/Dewsbury Riverside scheme had also resulted in a recommendation for a decision point 2 (case paper) approval which was also considered as part of the report.

The Committee was also provided with details of decisions made through delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director since the last meeting in respect of:

·         LEP Loan 318 – Canal Road Urban Village Ltd (CRUVL), New Bolton Woods

·         LEP Loan 308 (incl 319) – Citu Bridge

·         Tackling fuel poverty

·         Bus Hotspots

Summaries of the schemes’ business cases were attached as Appendices 2-8 of the submitted report.

Resolved:

(i)        In respect of Rochdale Canal - Cycle Safety Fund - Canal Towpath Improvement Phase 2 - Hebden Bridge to Todmorden, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the Rochdale Canal Towpath Improvement project proceeds through decision point 2 and work commences on activity 4 (full business case)

(b)       That an indicative approval is given to the total project value of £1.553 million and the Combined Authority funding contribution of £1.473 million (from the Department for Transport – Cycle Safety Grant fund) with full approval to spend being granted once the scheme has progressed through the assurance process to decision point 5 (full business case with finalised costs).The remainder will be funded by £80,000 from Calderdale Council,

(c)        That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report including at decision points 4 and 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director following a recommendation by either Investment Committee or the Combined Authority’s Programme Appraisal Team. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(ii)       In respect of Corridor Improvement Programme - A58/A672, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the Corridor Improvements Programme scheme - A58/A672 proceeds through decision point 3 and work commences on activity 4 (full business case)

(b)       That an indicative approval to the total project value of £6.024 million is given to be funded from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund with full approval to spend being granted once the scheme has progressed through the assurance process to decision point 5 (full business case with finalised costs).

(c)        That the development costs of £706,665 are approved in order to progress the scheme to decision point 4 (full business case), and that the Combined Authority issue an addendum to the existing Funding Agreement with Calderdale Council  for expenditure of up to £706,665 from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund taking the total approval to £941,665.

(d)       That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route set out in the submitted report, to include at decision points 4 and 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(iii)      In respect of the Corridor Improvement Programme - A646/6033 Calderdale, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the Corridor Improvements Programme scheme - A646/6033 proceeds through decision point 3 and work commences on Activity 4 (full business case).

(b)        That an indicative approval to the total project value of £5.092 million is given to be funded from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund with full approval to spend being granted once the scheme has progressed through the Assurance Process to decision point 5 (full business case with finalised costs)

(c)        That the development costs of £594,581 are approved in order to progress the scheme to decision point 4(full business case), and that the Combined Authority issue an addendum to the existing Funding Agreement with Calderdale Council  for expenditure of up to £594,581 from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund taking the total approval to £789,581.

(d)       That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route set out in the submitted report, to include at decision points 4 and 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(iv)      In respect of Beech Hill, Halifax, the Investment Committee recommends to Combined Authority:

(a)       That the Beech Hill project (phase 1a) proceeds through decision point 5 and work commences on activity 6 (delivery).

(b)       That the Beech Hill project (phase 1b) proceeds through decision point 2 and work commences on activity 4 (full business case) through the provision of an updated business case for both phases 1a and 1b.

(c)        That indicative approval is given to the total revised Combined Authority funding requirement of £2.197 million, to be funded from the Local Growth Fund. Phase 1b total forecast cost of £797,000 to be funded from over-programming against the Local Growth Fund with full approval to spend being granted once the scheme has progressed through the assurance process to decision point 5 (full business case with finalised costs).

(d)       That approval is given for expenditure of up to £1.4 million for Phase 1a of the project to be funded from the Combined Authority’s Local Growth Deal and that the Combined Authority enter into a Funding Agreement with Calderdale Council for expenditure up to £1.4 million.

(e)       That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report to include for Phase 1b at decision points 4 and 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director following a recommendation by the Combined Authority’s Programme Appraisal Team. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(v)       In respect of Forge Lane / Dewsbury Riverside, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the change request is approved to omit the Forge Lane site from the Growth Deal Priority 4a programme and that this site is substituted with the Dewsbury Riverside site with an indicative allocation of a grant from the Local Growth Fund to the value specified in the exempt Appendix, with full approval to spend being granted once the scheme has progressed through the Assurance Process to decision point 5 (full business case with finalised costs)

(b)       That the Dewsbury Riverside project proceeds through decision point 2 and work commences on activity 4 (full business case).

(c)        That the funding support to the Dewsbury Riverside site is provided in the form of a grant to the value specified in the exempt Appendix, rather than a loan as previously approved for the Forge Lane site.

(d)       That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report, including at decision point 5, following a recommendation by the Combined Authority’s programme appraisal team. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(vi)      In respect of Kirklees Housing, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the change request to the Kirklees Housing project is approved to reduce the Local Growth Fund funding for Phase 1 (Ashbrow Housing and Soothill Housing Sites) to £700,000.

(b)       That the change request is approved to omit the Stile Common site from the project and that this site is substituted with the Waterfront site (Phase 2) with an indicative allocation for a £300,000 loan from the Local Growth Fund, subject to Phase 2 being brought back through the assurance process in the form of an expression of interest and considered by Investment Committee and the Combined Authority at decision point 2 (case paper)

(c)        That the Combined Authority enters into an addendum to the existing loan agreement with Kirklees Council to reflect the change request.

(d)       That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report following a recommendation by the Combined Authority’s Programme Appraisal Team. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(vii)     In respect of One City Park, Bradford, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the change request to the One City Park project is approved to extension to the project timescales and that the project should reconfirm its business case as part of undertaking activity 5 (full business case with finalised costs).

(b)       That future approvals are made in accordance with the approval pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report, including at decision point 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director following a recommendation by the Combined Authority’s Programme Appraisal Team. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

(viii)    In respect of Halifax Station Gateway, the Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)       That the change request to the Halifax Station Gateway project of £793,000 additional development funds is approved. This takes the total approved development funds to £1.108 million.

(b)       That the Combined Authority enters into a £793,000 addendum to the existing funding agreement with Calderdale Council for expenditure of up to £1.108 million from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund.

(c)        That future approvals are made in accordance with the Approval Pathway and Approval Route outlined in the submitted report including at decision points 4 and 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director following a recommendation by the Combined Authority’s Programme Appraisal Team. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.