Agenda item

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

 

Resolved:

 

a)    That in respect of CRSTS Capacity Funding, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)       the CRSTS Capacity Fund scheme proceeds through decision point 2 to 4 (business justification) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     indicative approval is given to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £7,400,000. The total scheme value is £7,400,000.

iii)    approval to £2,756,411 for tranche 2 (of 3) is given, allocated as detailed in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, bringing the total approval to £5,756,411.

iv)   the Combined Authority enters into a Funding Agreement with each of the councils for expenditure as detailed in Appendix 2 of the submitted report.

v)     changes to allocations in iii) and iv) above are delegated to the Senior Responsible Officer (Interim Director of Policy and Development) of the CRSTS programme.

vi)   future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

b)    That in respect of Gainshare Capacity Funding, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)       the Gainshare Capacity Funding scheme proceeds through decision point 2 to 4 (business justification) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     approval to the total scheme value of £11,400,000 is given, allocated as detailed in Appendix 4 of the submitted report.

iii)    the Combined Authority enters into a Funding Agreement with each of the councils for expenditure of up to £1,890,000.

iv)   future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Finance, Resources and Corporate Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

c)     That in respect of the CRSTS Programme, the Combined Authority approves that, subject to the successful outcome of the bid to DfT:

i)       the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and work commences on development of the relevant business case for each individual scheme.

ii)     an indicative approval to the total programme value of £830,000,000 is given. The total programme cost is £1,231,994,853.

iii)    approval of development and delivery costs of up to £63,455,916 for business case development and programme management costs is given as follows:

·       Up to £30,311,916 for monitoring and evaluation, communications, consultation and engagement and Combined Authority programme management.

·       Development costs of up to £3,000,000 to enable delivery partners to develop scheme business cases.

·       Delivery and development costs of up to £30,144,000 for the development of strategic outline cases and quarter 1 and quarter 2 costs for the Highways Asset Management, Network Management and Safer Roads programme.

 

iv)   approval is given for the delegation of authority to the Combined Authority’s Director of Delivery, following a recommendation from the Programme Appraisal Team, to approve requests for business case development costs, in accordance with the Assurance Framework.

v)     approval is given for the delegation of authority to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director, following a recommendation from the Programme Appraisal Team, to approve the behaviour change programme proceeding into delivery in accordance with the Assurance Framework from the indicative allocation of £10,550,000.

vi)   in order to ensure that schemes can be delivered within the tight timescales, the Combined Authority delegates authority to the Managing Director to amend the approval and allocation of CRSTS if the DfT award differs from £830,000,000, or if further changes to individual allocations is required, as a result of changes to the programme and approaches to delivery.

vii)  The Combined Authority enters into Funding Agreements with partners councils for expenditure, for the Highways Asset Management, Network Management and Safer Roads programme, up to the amounts shown below:

·       Bradford £6,486,308

·       Calderdale £3,846,476

·       Kirklees £6,161,288

·       Leeds £9,281,288

·       Wakefield £4,368,640

 

viii) Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee, which will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

d)    That in respect of Transformational - West Yorkshire Mass Transit, the Combined Authority, subject to the conditions set by Programme Appraisal Team:

i)       approves the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Programme proceeds through Decision Point 2 and work commences on Activity 3 (outline business case) for the Programme Integration Business Case and on Activity 2 (strategic outline case) for the four phased corridor projects within the programme.

ii)     endorses the proposed Mass Transit Programme scope, ambition and network and the approach to phase development of projects within the overall programme.

iii)    notes that future assurance of any Mass Transit business case will be “called in” by central government.

iv)   indicatively approves £200,000,000 (subject to grant determination letter from government) to develop the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme. Total scheme value is to be determined.

v)     approves development costs of £31,887,500 in order to progress each of the four phased project business cases to Decision Point 2 (strategic outline case), and the Programme Integration Business Case to Decision Point 3 (subject to Grant Determination letter from Government). This would take the total project approval to £33,928,500.

vi)   approves that future approvals are made in accordance with the Approval Pathways and Approval Routes outlined in the submitted report and where required any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

Conditions for approval of Activity 2 (SOC) for the Programme Integration Business Case:

vii)  Provide full details of the optioneering and options appraisal methodology, including clearly defined critical success factor development and use, criteria on technology and route options, low-cost options considered and first phase option criteria and include how approval was managed at each stage.

viii) Provide information on cost benchmarking exercise.

ix)   Provide stated Data Protection Impact Assessments.

e)    That in respect of Leeds Public E-Bike Share, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)       the Leeds Public E-Bike Share Scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and work commences on Activity 4 (full business case).

ii)     an indicative approval to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £2,000,000. The total scheme value is £2,394,178.

iii)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

f)      That in respect of the Business Productivity Programme, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)       the Business Productivity Programme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     approval to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £4,500,000 is given.

iii)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required any change requests are delegated to the Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

g)    That in respect of Skills Bootcamps, the Combined Authority approves that, subject to confirmation that DfE funding has been secured and the amount awarded::

i)       the Skills Bootcamps scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     approval is given to accept and spend up to £3,689,000 from the Department for Education bid, subject to the successful outcome of the bid. The total scheme value is £3,689,000.

iii)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Employment and Skills Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

h)    That in respect of York Central, in order for schemes to be delivered within tight timescales, the Combined Authority approves:

i)       the delegation of authority to the Place, Regeneration and Housing Committee, to approve the York Central scheme in accordance with the Assurance Framework (Full Business Case with finalised costs), so that delivery can commence in line with delivery timeframes.

i)       That in respect of the Contribution to Capital Programme Update – March 2022, the Combined Authority notes the release of the further Call for Projects for the Brownfield Housing Fund.

Combined Authority members were presented with an update on seven current schemes for approval to progress through the assurance process, plus two additional recommendations were included relating to York Central and the Contribution to Capital Programme Update March 2022.

City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Capacity Funding

This will support the development of the pipeline of future schemes and the development of the CRSTS programme itself, increasing capacity and skills within the Combined Authority and partner councils. .

Gainshare Capacity Funding

Officers explained the proposal to draw down £11.4m of funding to increase the capacity for the Combined Authority and partner authorities to develop pipelines for our investment priorities over the next three years. The support will benefit frontline specialist teams or individuals, with the option to source external consultancy if needed.

CRSTS Programme

Officers informed the members that the Combined Authority is currently waiting on receiving £830m of funding from a Department for Transport announcement in Autumn 2021. The funding will support transport improvements, walking and cycling improvements, public transport, accessibility, safety initiatives, and ensuring that national and regional priorities are met. Each project is a sub-programme within the wider CRSTS programme, and it is proposed to release the first tranche of the funding subject to funding confirmation in March, with delivery to begin in April.

There are multiple funding pots comprising the CRSTS including the Transforming Cities Fund, Mass Transit, Highways Maintenance, Network Management, and Safer Roads, which were previously separate. Because the Highways Maintenance budget is delivered on a rolling programme, it is proposed to approve the first six months of spend to allow projects to keep moving, amounting to £63.5 million, subject to confirmation of funding.

Members questioned the difference between the total value of the programme and the value of the DfT funding and suggested that any decision should be subject to receiving confirmation of the funding to ensure there are no gaps in delivery. Officers confirmed that the total value is £1.2 billion with match funding, which will come from a variety of sources and will be carefully monitored to ensure delivery.

Members asked for confirmation that all authorities in the region will benefit from new highways funding. Officers confirmed that there has been an uplift in funding for highways maintenance..

Members pointed out that £430m of the funding has already been announced as part of other schemes. Officers confirmed that some schemes were already a part of the Transforming Cities programme, though approximately 33 of the 61 schemes are new, as well as a new sustainable transport programme. A list of all projects is currently being drafted alongside partners.

Transformational - West Yorkshire Mass Transit

Officers noted this is the second largest element of CRSTS, with some £200m allocated in principle for mass transit in West Yorkshire. There is some existing development funding through the transformational funding and transport fund that has supported the mass transit work so far. The proposal is to move to the business outline case, which will require more work with external partners to consider options. Out of a potential £200m pot, £31m is proposed for release subject to the final letter confirmation from the DfT.

Members thanked the staff who have contributed so much time to the project, especially considering the small size of the team in West Yorkshire.

Leeds Public E-Bike Share

Officers explained this scheme was initially a part of the Transforming Cities Fund, arising following a request from partners to propose projects relating to clean growth. The project is now presented as a strategic outline case and is seeking contribution of £2 million towards a total of £2.4 million. The scheme will deliver 630 E-bikes and 140 hubs, and presents the opportunity to encourage wider E-bikes use. There is a desire to introduce similar schemes across other areas in West Yorkshire.

Questions were raised about the accessibility of the project, officers responded that conversations are being had with sponsors as the full business case is developed.

Business Productivity Programme

Officers explained that the scheme aims to boost small and medium sized businesses productivity by providing them with advisory support and grants. This will build upon the success of the Business Growth Programme, which was popular enough to have spent all of the previous funding. The proposal is to focus the programme on productivity for one year, to then bid for future funding in due course.

Members noted the success of previous schemes targeting improving productivity, and highlighted the benefits of creating jobs that are skilled and well-paid which in turn boosts outputs for business across the region. Members further noted the evidence that businesses which export are 25% more productive, and the potential links with the Trade Strategy.

Skills Bootcamps

Members were informed that the Combined Authority has been successful in securing £3.7 million of funding from the Department for Education to progress Skills Bootcamps. The project offers intensive flexible training courses that last 16 weeks, and will allow adults to access high quality training at level 3 and above. Courses will be offered in sectors where there are skills shortages such as digital and the green economy among others. The scheme targets the improvement of skills for 1000 individuals, and approval would allow the scheme to move into delivery.

York Central

Officers explained the scheme proposes up to £99.5 million of housing and commercial developments on land adjacent to the York Railway Station. The Combined Authority is contributing £23.5 million to the project through the West Yorkshire Transport Fund. This had previously been approved but recommended to return to the Combined Authority following changes. It is requested that the final approval to this scheme is delegated to the Place, Regeneration and Housing Committee due to the expediency required for delivery.

Members raised the benefits of the project which will not be limited to just the area around York station.

Contribution to Capital Programme Update March 2022

Officers noted that the Levelling Up White Paper announced a further award of £22.2 million to West Yorkshire Combined Authority for the Brownfield Housing Fund.  Members are asked to note a call for projects is currently live, and were encouraged to publicise the call to any partners who can put forward an eligible bid.

Members raised frustrations that the funding has similar restrictions to the previous Brownfield Housing Fund, but welcomed the opportunity for innovative projects that reach out to their communities.

Resolved:

 

a)    That in respect of CRSTS Capacity Funding, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)      the CRSTS Capacity Fund scheme proceeds through decision point 2 to 4 (business justification) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     indicative approval is given to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £7,400,000. The total scheme value is £7,400,000.

iii)    approval to £2,756,411 for tranche 2 (of 3) is given, allocated as detailed in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, bringing the total approval to £5,756,411.

iv)    the Combined Authority enters into a Funding Agreement with each of the councils for expenditure as detailed in Appendix 2 of the submitted report.

v)     changes to allocations in iii) and iv) above are delegated to the Senior Responsible Officer (Interim Director of Policy and Development) of the CRSTS programme.

vi)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

b)    That in respect of Gainshare Capacity Funding, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)      the Gainshare Capacity Funding scheme proceeds through decision point 2 to 4 (business justification) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     approval to the total scheme value of £11,400,000 is given, allocated as detailed in Appendix 4 of the submitted report.

iii)    the Combined Authority enters into a Funding Agreement with each of the councils for expenditure of up to £1,890,000.

iv)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Finance, Resources and Corporate Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

c)     That in respect of the CRSTS Programme, the Combined Authority approves that, subject to the successful outcome of the bid to DfT:

i)      the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) programme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and work commences on development of the relevant business case for each individual scheme.

ii)     an indicative approval to the total programme value of £830,000,000 is given. The total programme cost is £1,231,994,853.

iii)    approval of development and delivery costs of up to £63,455,916 for business case development and programme management costs is given as follows:

·       Up to £30,311,916 for monitoring and evaluation, communications, consultation and engagement and Combined Authority programme management.

·       Development costs of up to £3,000,000 to enable delivery partners to develop scheme business cases.

·       Delivery and development costs of up to £30,144,000 for the development of strategic outline cases and quarter 1 and quarter 2 costs for the Highways Asset Management, Network Management and Safer Roads programme.

 

iv)    approval is given for the delegation of authority to the Combined Authority’s Director of Delivery, following a recommendation from the Programme Appraisal Team, to approve requests for business case development costs, in accordance with the Assurance Framework.

v)     approval is given for the delegation of authority to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director, following a recommendation from the Programme Appraisal Team, to approve the behaviour change programme proceeding into delivery in accordance with the Assurance Framework from the indicative allocation of £10,550,000.

vi)    in order to ensure that schemes can be delivered within the tight timescales, the Combined Authority delegates authority to the Managing Director to amend the approval and allocation of CRSTS if the DfT award differs from £830,000,000, or if further changes to individual allocations is required, as a result of changes to the programme and approaches to delivery.

vii)  The Combined Authority enters into Funding Agreements with partners councils for expenditure, for the Highways Asset Management, Network Management and Safer Roads programme, up to the amounts shown below:

·       Bradford £6,486,308

·       Calderdale £3,846,476

·       Kirklees £6,161,288

·       Leeds £9,281,288

·       Wakefield £4,368,640

 

viii) Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee, which will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

d)    That in respect of Transformational - West Yorkshire Mass Transit, the Combined Authority, subject to the conditions set by Programme Appraisal Team:

i)      approves the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Programme proceeds through Decision Point 2 and work commences on Activity 3 (outline business case) for the Programme Integration Business Case and on Activity 2 (strategic outline case) for the four phased corridor projects within the programme.

ii)     endorses the proposed Mass Transit Programme scope, ambition and network and the approach to phase development of projects within the overall programme.

iii)    notes that future assurance of any Mass Transit business case will be “called in” by central government.

iv)    indicatively approves £200,000,000 (subject to grant determination letter from government) to develop the West Yorkshire Mass Transit programme. Total scheme value is to be determined.

v)     approves development costs of £31,887,500 in order to progress each of the four phased project business cases to Decision Point 2 (strategic outline case), and the Programme Integration Business Case to Decision Point 3 (subject to Grant Determination letter from Government). This would take the total project approval to £33,928,500.

vi)    approves that future approvals are made in accordance with the Approval Pathways and Approval Routes outlined in the submitted report and where required any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

Conditions for approval of Activity 2 (SOC) for the Programme Integration Business Case:

vii)  Provide full details of the optioneering and options appraisal methodology, including clearly defined critical success factor development and use, criteria on technology and route options, low-cost options considered and first phase option criteria and include how approval was managed at each stage.

viii)Provide information on cost benchmarking exercise.

ix)    Provide stated Data Protection Impact Assessments.

e)    That in respect of Leeds Public E-Bike Share, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)      the Leeds Public E-Bike Share Scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and work commences on Activity 4 (full business case).

ii)     an indicative approval to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £2,000,000. The total scheme value is £2,394,178.

iii)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Transport Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

f)      That in respect of the Business Productivity Programme, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)      the Business Productivity Programme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     approval to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £4,500,000 is given.

iii)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required any change requests are delegated to the Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

g)    That in respect of Skills Bootcamps, the Combined Authority approves that, subject to confirmation that DfE funding has been secured and the amount awarded:

i)      the Skills Bootcamps scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (strategic outline case) and decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     approval is given to accept and spend up to £3,689,000 from the Department for Education bid, subject to the successful outcome of the bid. The total scheme value is £3,689,000.

iii)    future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Employment and Skills Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

h)    That in respect of York Central, in order for schemes to be delivered within tight timescales, the Combined Authority approves:

i)      the delegation of authority to the Place, Regeneration and Housing Committee, to approve the York Central scheme in accordance with the Assurance Framework (Full Business Case with finalised costs), so that delivery can commence in line with delivery timeframes.

i)      That in respect of the Contribution to Capital Programme Update – March 2022, the Combined Authority notes the release of the further Call for Projects for the Brownfield Housing Fund.