Agenda item - Capital Spending & Project Approvals

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Melanie Corcoran)

Resolved:

(a) That in respect of the Clifton (Calderdale) Enterprise Zone Business Rates Receipt, the Combined Authority approves that, subject to the conditions in the submitted report, Calderdale Council retains future business rates income generated from the Clifton Enterprise Zone (up to March 2042).

(b) That in respect of the British Library for the North (Temple Works), the Combined Authority approves:

(i) That the British Library for the North (Temple Works) scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and work commences on activity 3 (outline business case).

(ii) That an indicative approval of £25 million (to be funded through the Combined Authority’s devolution deal) is given. The total forecast scheme value is £69.810 million.

(iii) That approval of £5.35 million development costs to progress the scheme to decision point 3 (outline business case) be given.

(iv) That the Combined Authority enters into a funding agreement with Leeds City Council for expenditure of up to £5 million from the Combined Authority’s devolution deal.

(v) That future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the report.

(c) That in respect of the TCF Network Navigation, the Combined Authority approves:

(i) That the TCF Network Navigation project proceeds through decision point 3 (outline business case) and work commences on activity 4 (full business case)

(ii) That an indicative approval to the total project value of £15.500 million, comprising of £15.200 million from the Transforming Cities Fund, and £0.300 million from Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Block, is given.

(iii) That development costs of £0.200 million are approved to progress the scheme to decision point 4 (full business case) taking the total scheme approval to £0.360 million.

(iv) That future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the report.

(d) That in respect of the CityConnect Phase 3 Canals - Leeds Liverpool Shipley, the Combined Authority approves, subject to the conditions set by PAT stated in the submitted report:

(i) That the CityConnect Phase 3 Canals - Leeds Liverpool Shipley scheme proceeds through decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (Delivery).

(ii) That approval to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £1.981 million which will be funded from West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund (£1.057 million), Getting Building Fund (£0.500 million) and £0.424 million yet to be secured is given. The total scheme value is £1.981 million.

(iii) That the Combined Authority enters into an addendum to the existing funding agreement with the Canal and River Trust for expenditure of up to £1.981 million.

(iv) That future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the report.

(e) That in respect of the CityConnect Phase 3 Canals - Huddersfield Narrow Canal (HNC) Phase 2, the Combined Authority approves, subject to the conditions set by PAT stated in the submitted report:

(i) That the CityConnect Phase 3 Canals – Huddersfield Narrow Canal Phase 2 scheme proceeds through Decision Point 4 (full business case) and work commences on Activity 5 (Delivery).

(ii) That approval to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £1.371 million (which will be funded through £0.643 million from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund and £0.728 million from the Active Travel Fund) is given. The total scheme value is £1.371 million.

(iii) That the Combined Authority enters into an addendum to the existing funding agreement with the Canal and River Trust for expenditure of up to £0.643 million from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund.

(iv) That the Combined Authority enters into an addendum to the existing funding letter with Kirklees Council for expenditure of up to £0.728 million from the Active Travel Fund.

(v) That future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the report.

(f) That in respect to Transforming Cities Fund Halifax Bus Station, the Combined Authority approves:

(i) That the Transforming Cities Fund Halifax Bus Station scheme proceeds through decision point 5 and work commences on activity 6 (Delivery).

(ii) That approval to total scheme costs of £17.700 million is given, of which the Combined Authority to contribute £17.295 million from the Transforming Cities Fund and £0.405 million from the West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund.

(iii) That the Combined Authority enters into a Memorandum of Understanding Agreement with Calderdale Council for expenditure up to £50,000 from the Transforming Cities Fund.

(iv) That future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the report.

The Combined Authority considered a report from the Director of Delivery on proposals for the progression of, and funding for, a number of West Yorkshire Combined Authority supported projects that had been considered at stages 1, 2 and 3 of the Combined Authority’s assurance process.

Due to the changes to committee arrangements made at the Combined Authority meeting of 24 June 2021, the projects discussed in the report were brought directly to the Combined Authority due to expediency of delivery. These included projects relating to:

· British Library for the North (Temple Works)

· TCF Network Navigation

· CityConnect Phase 3 Canals: Leeds & Liverpool Shipley

· CityConnect Phase 3 Canals: Huddersfield Narrow Canal Phase 2

· Halifax Bus Station

The report also included an additional recommendation that Calderdale Council retain future business rates income generated from the Clifton Enterprise Zone (up to March 2042) under the conditions set out in the report.

Members questioned whether discussion of linking settlements and towns under the City Connect Phase 3 Canals scheme could be extended past the West Yorkshire boundary, such as linking Silsden to Skipton, and were advised that work to extend this provision was already underway with collaboration with North Yorkshire partners.

It was also questioned whether the battery-operated screens discussed within the report for use at bus stations could be replaced with solar power. It was noted that solar powered screens would still require a battery and that evaluation of the options available had indicated that solar power would not significantly extend this battery’s lifespan. Technical details on this could be shared after the meeting, and it was requested that this be revaluated when appropriate with regard to the progression of technology in this area.

Members also queried whether the British Library Temple Works project discussed in the report would be creating new jobs or moving existing ones to the Boston Spa facility; it was confirmed that the jobs would be newly created positions, with the Temple Works facility fulfilling a public-facing role and Boston Spa remaining a storage facility.

The report noted that the following decision points and change requests had been assessed and approved through the agreed delegation process to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director:

· Langthwaite Business Park Enterprise Zone

· York Northern Outer Ring Road

· Leeds Station Sustainable Active Travel Gateway

· Selby Station Gateway