Issue details

Proposed decision

The Cabinet Member for Highways & Transport is asked to give approval to accept the Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) grant and take the projects through their various stages of scheme development and delivery:

1. APPROVE the acceptance of the Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF) Grant award and the deployment of the grant funding in accordance with the grant conditions to take the CATF projects through their various stages of scheme development and delivery.

2. DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport and the S151 Officer to agree to enter into the necessary grant agreements.

3. DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport to deploy and manage the grant allocation funding to take the CATF projects through their various stages of scheme development and delivery

4. DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport in consultation with the Cabinet Member and S151 Officer, to accept and deploy future years funding allocations of the grant, providing it is on similar terms.

5. DELEGATE authority to Director of Infrastructure to progress and complete all relevant construction property and Compulsory Purchase Orders as necessary to deliver the schemes.

6. DELEGATE authority to the Corporate Director of Growth, Environment and Transport to take other necessary actions, including but not limited to entering into contracts or other legal agreements, as required to implement the decision. 

Reason for the decision

A key decision is required to accept the Capital & Revenue Grant because it is over the £1m threshold (£4,453,591m Capital & £1,304,625 Revenue totalling £5,758,216).

Background – Provide brief additional context

Active Travel England (an Executive Agency for The Department for Transport) have awarded Kent County Council £5,758,216 under the Consolidated Active Travel Fund.  

The Consolidated Active Travel Fund has combined two previous Grants – the Active Travel Fund and the Capability Fund, both annual awards to support local transport authorities with developing and implementing walking, wheeling and cycling facilities in England. 

This funding is based on Kent's population size and its capability rating in delivering active travel projects, which influences future government funding. The council's current rating is Level 2, indicating visible local leadership and an emerging active travel network.

Options

Not to accept the direct grant. KCC would not be able to fund active travel projects that areshown to have health, environmental, accessibility, community and economic benefits for Kent residents.

How the proposed decision supports the Framing Kent's Future - Our Council Strategy 2022-2026

Infrastructure for Communities – The schemes that will be delivered with the funding are consistent with principles of accelerating the delivery of key transport infrastructure and enhancing leverage of external infrastructure investment within the districts and boroughs from central government. The scheme will also contribute towards providing viable and attractive travel options that focus on both road and active travel modes.

How the proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022 -2026: Securing Kents Future - Budget Recovery Strategy.pdf

The schemes will be solely funded by the Active Travel Grants, therefore the scheme will not compromise Objective 1. No funding is required from the Council’s feasibility reserve which is relevant to Objective 2. The close alignment of the scheme to Framing Kent’s Future is therefore consistent with Objective 3. 

Financial Implications

The funding is ring-fenced and the Council must commit to spend the revenue grant funding by the end of the funding period, 31 March 2026 and delivered within 18 months by September 2026).

The capital grant funded schemes should be committed by the end of March 2026 and all construction schemes should be completed within two years (by the end of March 2028)

The estimated costs of each scheme will be revisited in line with internal governance and good project management practices. The detailed costings for construction schemes will be revisited  as the projects progress through the various design stages and will be using the Highway Term Maintenance Contract (evidencing best value).  The costings include an element to cover risk and contingency and use of the existing procured contracts reduces any cost uncertainty to ensure it is affordable within the funding envelope.

All staff costs spent on bid submission, designs, design reviews and supervision of construction schemes will be charged to the grants.