The Director of Technical Services reported that on the 19 January 2011 the Government, as part of the Local Transport White Paper, issued guidance regarding the creation of a £560 million Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF).  The purpose of this fund was to help build local economies and address climate change.  Authorities were invited to bid to secure funding via the Department for Transport (DfT). The fund, both revenue and capital, was available over four financial years 2011/12 to 2014/15.

Metropolitan Authorities were required to bid through their respective Integrated Transport Authority (ITA) and in June 2011, Merseytravel, on behalf of the Merseyside Transport Partnership (MTP) submitted an early smaller bid, known as a Key Component bid, for £4.877 million.  The project was to “Facilitate Sustainable Access to Employment in Merseyside”. £810,000 of the total Key Component bid was for the delivery of projects in Wirral.

Merseytravel, on behalf of the MTP, was informed on the 5 July 2011 that the Key Component bid had been successful and the report provided the background to this project, advised Members of the broad proposals for scheme delivery and outlined the process for the major bid to the LSTF.

This funding would assist the Council to support Wirral residents to access employment opportunities, as well as encouraging the use of sustainable transport which would contribute to reducing carbon emissions in the Borough.

The report sought authority from the Cabinet to accept the funding from Merseytravel and delegate authority to the Director of Technical Services in conjunction with the Director of Law, HR & Asset Management to enter into a funding agreement with Merseytravel.

Councillor H Smith highlighted the significant reduction in funding for transport following the Local Transport Plan Settlement earlier in the year.  The funding available through the LSTF provided the opportunity to deliver additional projects and schemes in Wirral which would assist in the removal of transport as a barrier for people seeking employment, as well as supporting and delivering projects which would secure carbon reduction.

2011/12 was the first year of the four year programme and the DfT had indicated that any unspent allocations could not be carried forward into the following year.  £110,000 of funding had been allocated to Wirral for 2011/12 and the Director of Technical Services sought approval to accept this funding so that project delivery could commence from 1 December 2011 so that £110,000 detailed in section 5 of the report could be spent within the current financial year as required.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the success of Wirral Council officers and other partners in securing ‘Key Component’ funding and the elements of the Merseyside LSTF project to be delivered in Wirral, be noted;

(2)  the acceptance of ‘Key Component’ funding from Merseytravel totalling £810,000 over four years 2011/12 to 2014/15 be approved;

(3)  authority be delegate to the Director of Technical Services in conjunction with the Director of Law, HR and Asset Management to finalise the funding agreement between Wirral Council and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 204