Decision Outcome
On 11 February 2020, Cabinet:-
(i) Approved the Annual Programme Update (APU) provided as Appendix A to the report at a total estimated capital cost of £256.211m, including Annexes A to G to the report setting out Major Schemes, programme governance and prioritisation criteria, as an update to the Transportation and Highways Funding Programme 2019/20 to 2024/25 approved by Cabinet in March 2019 at a total estimated capital cost of £221.024m;
(ii) Approved, subject to the City Council’s Gateway and Related Financial Approval Framework (GRFAF), and pursuant to the delegations set out in decisions (viii) to (xiii):
• An allocation of £5.145m in 2020/21 of new Integrated Transport Block (ITB) funding provided through the WMCA devolved transport grant process, to named projects.
• The allocation of £1.325m prior years ITB funding held in reserves to named projects set out in paragraph 7.3.3 to the report;
• The release of ITB development funding of £1.121m to progress named projects to Outline Business Case (OBC) and Full Business Case (FBC) stage;
(iii) Noted that approved prudential borrowing (PB) detailed in Appendix B to the report and associated PB financing will be formally committed at project FBC stage in accordance with the City Council’s GRFAF, with new resources and windfalls used to offset the requirement for borrowing wherever possible;
(iv) Agreed to delegate approval of the FBC for the Victoria Square, Colmore Row and Waterloo Street sections of the City Centre Public Realm project, estimated to total up to £5.000m, to a report of Interim Director, Inclusive Growth and Interim Chief Finance officer to the relevant portfolio holder and notes this FBC will be presented ahead of the FBC to Cabinet for the remaining sections of the City Centre Public Realm Project (scheduled for Spring 2020). Refer to Appendix A (Annex G) to the report;
(v) Noted the contribution of £0.500m of ITB to West Midlands Rail Executive (WMRE) as a contribution towards the delivery of University Rail station improvements in 2021/22, subject to a separate funding agreement and governance;
(vi) Noted the contribution of £0.500m of ITB to Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) as a contribution to the Alcester Road Bus Priority rejuvenation project in 2020/21, subject to a separate funding agreement and governance;
(vii) Approved acceptance of £2.660m from the HS2 Road Safety Fund, noting that individual projects funded from this resource will be subject to separate OBC and FBCs in accordance with the City Council’s GRFAF, pursuant to the delegations set out in decisions (viii) to (xiii);
(viii) Agreed to delegate approval of all OBCs, FBCs and related reports including revised financial appraisals for named projects and programmes detailed in Appendix A (Annex F) to the report to the Interim Director, Inclusive Growth in conjunction with the Interim Chief Finance Officer and in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder, up to a maximum value of £2.000m;
(ix) Agreed to delegate approval of all OBCs, FBCs and related reports including revised financial appraisals for named projects and programmes detailed in Appendix A (Annex F) to the report of Interim Director, Inclusive Growth and Interim Chief Finance officer to the relevant portfolio holder, up to a maximum value of £10.000m;
(x) Agreed to delegate authority to bid for and accept external capital and revenue resources in line with City Council priorities and consistent with the policies and objectives of the West Midlands Strategic Transport Plan, Birmingham Development Plan and Birmingham Connected transport strategy to the Interim Director, Inclusive Growth, in conjunction with the Interim Chief Finance Officer, and in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder, up to a maximum value of £2.000m, noting that such bids are to be subject to initial Capital Board oversight;
(xi) Agreed to delegate authority to bid for and accept external capital and revenue resources in line with City Council priorities and consistent with the policies and objectives of the West Midlands Strategic Transport Plan, Birmingham Development Plan and Birmingham Connected transport strategy to a report of Interim Director, Inclusive Growth and Interim Chief Finance Officer to the relevant portfolio holder, up to a maximum value of £10.000m, noting that such bids are to be subject to initial Capital Board oversight;
(xii) In line with City Council policies and objectives, and the City Council GRFAF, agreed to delegate authority to approve virement of funding between named projects within Annex F to the report of the Transport and Highways Capital Programme, to Assistant Director Transport and Connectivity, for values below £0.500m;
(xiii) In line with City Council policies and objectives, and the City Council Gateway Approval Framework agreed to delegate authority to approve virement of funding between named projects within Annex F to the report of the Transport and Highways Capital Programme, to Assistant Director Transport and Connectivity, in conjunction with the Interim Chief Finance Officer, and in consultation with the relevant portfolio holder, for values from £0.500m up to a maximum value of £1.000m;
(xiv) Authorised the Interim City Solicitor to negotiate, execute and complete any necessary legal documentation to give effect to the above decisions.
THE DEADLINE FOR CALL IN IS 1600 HOURS ON MONDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2020.