Agenda item

(1)                           The report provided the initial results of recent consultation on the draft Local Transport Plan 2011-16 and presented a proposed structure for the LTP3 Implementation Plan based on the Local Transport Settlement in December 2010. Delegated authority was requested for editorial purposes to prepare a final LTP3 Strategy and Implementation Plan for final approval by Full Council on 6 April 2011.

(2)       During the summer, KCC’s Transport Policy Team prepared a draft Local Transport Plan 2011-16 (LTP3) to form the basis for public consultation. The draft LTP3 was structured around five themes:

·                     Growth Without Gridlock;

·                     A Safer and Healthier County;

·                     Supporting Independence;

·                     Tackling a Changing Climate; and,

·                     Enjoying Life in Kent.

(3)               The draft LTP3 was posted on KCC’s website on 4 October 2010 and a 12 week consultation period was specified with a closing date of 31 December 2010.  The report provided a summary of the 60 responses that had been received.           

(4)               On 13 December 2010, the Government announced the final transport capital block settlement for 2011/12 to 2012/13, which covered the Highways Maintenance Block and the Integrated Transport Block, both of which were calculated using differing needs-based formulae and would be provided as capital grant (not supported borrowing). Indicative funding allocations were also given for 2013-15 and might be subject to change. The allocations for the Kent area were set out in the report.  In previous years, integrated transport funding had been transferred across to maintenance and given the continuing need to maintain Kent’s roads plus the impact of recent winter weather, it was planned for 2011/12 that £2.351m would be transferred, leaving £5.848m for integrated transport schemes.

(5)       The Local Transport Act 2008 required that LTPs contain a strategy and implementation plan(s). The Implementation Plan(s) set out the proposals for delivery of the objectives contained in the strategy. The Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste had decided to continue with the Members Highway Fund, which would be funded from the LTP3 Integrated Transport allocation and was also keen that Crash Remedial Measures continued to be funded. Therefore, the following priority and structure for the LTP3 Implementation Plan was proposed:

(a)       Integrated Transport Funding

   Members Highway Fund – £2.2 million per year with £25,000 allocated to each of the 84 County Councillors to fund schemes which solved local transport issues plus £0.1m to administer the fund.

   Crash Remedial Measures - measures at sites with a history of injuries due to vehicle crashes

   Integrated Transport Measures – remaining funding allocated to local transport improvements using the budget allocation/spatial distribution approach

(b)       Highways Capital Maintenance Funding

Highways Capital Maintenance – funding allocated to meet the priorities and objectives of KCC’s Transport Asset Management Plan.

(6)       In late September 2010, the Coalition Government announced the launch of a new transport fund called the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. The fund of £560 million replaced a range of previous grants for sustainable forms of travel and would include a mix of £350m revenue and £210m capital funding over the next four years. The fund would be an opportunity for local authorities to take forward sustainable travel measures through their LTPs and to develop packages of measures that supported economic growth and reduced carbon. The DfT had yet to publish its guidance and timescales for potential applicants but it was recommended that the County Council submitted a bid to the fund and LTP3 would be written in a way that would support the bid, highlighting potential packages of measures that could be put forward.

(7)       RESOLVED that:-

(a)               the summary of responses received to the LTP3 consultation be noted;

(b)               the proposed structure of the LTP3 Implementation Plan(s) be noted; 

(c)        a future bid to the Local Sustainable Transport Fund be supported; and

(d)               authority for editorial changes and production of the final LTP3 be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Waste for approval at Cabinet and Full Council.