Issue - meetings

This Cabinet Report has been developed to:

i)                Note the allocation of £1,050,000 of Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (DLEP) funding and seek approval to add it into the 2020/21 LTP Capital Programme for delivery of the Wallisdown Road element of the FWP corridors programme.

ii)              Note the commitment for BCP Council to deliver complimentary schemes as part of this programme.

Seek approval to progress with detailed design and stakeholder engagement for the Wallisdown Road element of the programme.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

(a)          Noted the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (DLEP) Funding allocation of £1,050,000; and

(b)          approved the progression of detailed design and stakeholder engagement for the Wallisdown Road scheme in line with the key project aims identified and General Arrangement drawing included in Appendix A of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Transport and Infrastructure

Reasons

1.      To add the funding allocation to the 2020/21 LTP Capital Programme and enable its full utilisation within the DLEP Growth Deal funding period (before 31 March 2021).

2.      Addition of £502,500 to the Blackwater West Junction scheme as a result of reallocating DLEP funding across BIG Programme schemes enables the recrediting of already committed local funding contributions, which will result in greater flexibility of spend (local contributions to the BIG programme can be spent beyond the DLEP funding deadline of 31 March 2021).

3.      To enable the development and progression of the FWP: Wallisdown Road based scheme within the required timescales.

Portfolio Holder: Transport and Infrastructure

The Portfolio Holder for Transport and Infrastructure presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet were requested to note the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (DLEP) funding to two schemes within the Bournemouth International Growth (BIG) Programme, and to consider and approve the progression of the detailed design and stakeholder engagement for the Wallisdown Road scheme in line with the key project aims and general arrangement drawing.

In relation to this Cabinet were advised that the July Cabinet meeting and subsequent Council meeting had approved the 2019/20 financial outturn report which had approved the £1.5 million scheme, and that Cabinet today were being asked to approve the £500,000 virement to the Blackwater West junction scheme.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet advising that at their recent meeting the Board resolved to make the following general comment to Cabinet in respect of this item:

Board Members wished to ensure that ward councillors (including those in adjacent wards), were consulted with and kept informed in relation to any proposals coming forward to implement schemes as part of the programme.

The Leader thanked the Board for their comments but in relation to this advised that this paper was dealing with already approved monies, and that all programmes relating to the Transforming Cities Fund have full consultation and even have their own website for this.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:-

(a)         Noted the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (DLEP) Funding allocation of £1,050,000; and

(b)         approved the progression of detailed design and stakeholder engagement for the Wallisdown Road scheme in line with the key project aims identified and General Arrangement drawing included in Appendix A of the report.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Transport and Infrastructure

To consider the following transport and infrastructure related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 9 September 2020:

-        DLEP – FWP Corridor Programme

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Infrastructure.

The Cabinet report is attached to the agenda for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Portfolio Holder for Transport and Infrastructure presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book. A number of issues were raised by the Board in the subsequent discussion, including:

• A Board member questioned the priorities for cyclists versus vehicles exiting, entering side roads along Wallisdown Road and stated that she was also eager to see the plans relating to junction improvements at Ringwood Road and Sea View Road and hoped that Ward Councillors would be involved at the earliest available opportunity. The Portfolio Holder explained that the “treatment” of the sideroads would be continuous pavement. He added that Ward Councillors would be involved at an early stage.
• A Board member commented that it would be useful to have video briefings, as was suggested at the previous meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board by another Board member.
• A Board member stated that he welcomed the scheme and requested that continuous pavements were implemented correctly and reminded the portfolio holder that visibility splays at junctions needed to be appropriate for the safety of all users.
• A Board member stated that he was hopeful that no increase in congestion or journey times would be caused by the Wallisdown Road scheme. The Portfolio Holder stated that there was some discussion about the possible closure of some sideroads that contributed to the congestion of the area and Ward Councillors would be included as part of these.
• A Board member stated that it was encouraging to hear the ambition to involve ward councillors in future discussions, but he would also like to see neighbouring ward councillors involved too.

The Chairman thanked Members and the Portfolio Holder for their contributions and reiterated the importance of engaging with ward councillors.