Agenda Item No. 6
THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL
CORPORATE PERFORMANCE AND RESOURCES SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: 14TH DECEMBER, 2017
REFERENCE FROM ENVIRONMENT AND REGENERATION SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: 30TH NOVEMBER, 2017
“ INITIAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME PROPOSALS 2018/19 (DEH) –
The Scrutiny Committee was requested to consider the proposals and to forward any recommendations to the Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee as the lead Scrutiny Committee.
The Principal Accountant, in presenting the report, advised that the 2017/18 Capital Programme at Appendix 1 to the report detailed the financial progress on the Capital Programme as at 30th September, 2017 and that Appendix 2 to the report detailed the Initial Capital Programme 2018/19 to 2022/23 schemes with a number of changes as outlined below:
Vehicle Replacement Programme – There had been some delays in procuring certain vehicles programed to be replaced in 2017/18 which would be carried forward and replaced in 2018/19.
Additional Resurfacing – This budget and the Visible Services Highway Improvements budget was used to fund the Highways resurfacing three year plan. It had been requested that they be amalgamated with the Visible Services Highway Improvements budgets, with the amended budget totalling £1.3m.
Coldbrook Flood Risk Management – The 2018/19 budget for the scheme was £77k. It had been requested that this budget be brought forward into the 2017/18 Capital Programme as retention had to be accrued into the year that the works were carried out.
Boverton Flooding – The 2018/19 budget for the scheme was £100k and it had been requested that this budget be brought forward into the 2017/18 Capital Programme as retention had to be accrued into the year that the works were carried out.
Llanmaes Flood Management Scheme – It was requested that £746k be carried forward into the 2018/19 Capital Programme due to the fact that it had recently been agreed that a combined storage area below the village would now be delivered by Welsh Government Transport Branch this financial year with an estimated contribution for this element from the Council of £100k. The current design work for the village element of the scheme indicated that a change of design philosophy would be necessary. Therefore, whilst the Council would incur some costs directly for the design of the village element of the scheme, e.g. ground investigation, topographic surveys, etc. estimated at £100k this financial year, the remainder of the significant construction costs would not be incurred until 2018/19 and would be subject to Welsh Government funding approval.
Ashpath Footpath Improvements – The Council was in the process of applying for a Cycle Way Order which could take up to 9-18 months depending on objections. It had therefore been requested that £63k be carried forward into the 2018/19 Capital Programme.
Profihopper – Wildflower and wild area flail mowing cutter-collector – A delegated authority had been approved to include a new scheme of £30k into the Capital Programme to be funded from Section 106 monies. This piece of equipment would assist and improve the maintenance of the wild flowers / wilder areas surrounding Penarth Heights and the wider Vale of Glamorgan.
Improve pedestrian movements along Old Port Road – A delegated authority had been approved to include a new scheme of £180k into the Capital Programme to be funded from Section 106 monies. The proposed scheme sought to improve pedestrian movements where appropriate, by introducing dropped kerbs and replacing footpaths, in compliance with Active Travel design guidance. This would improve access to the local park and school.
Improve pedestrian movements along Treharne Road – A delegated authority had been approved to include a new scheme of £170k into the Capital Programme to be funded from Section 106 monies.
Improve pedestrian movements along Dock View Road – A delegated authority had been approved to include a new scheme of £24k into the Capital Programme to be funded from Section 106 monies.
Maes Dyfan Open Space Improvements – It had been requested that a new scheme was included in the Capital Programme to enhance and undertake landscaping improvements at the public open space adjacent to the recent re-development of Ysgol Maes Dyfan. .
Pedestrian Crossing Across Thompson Street / Holton Road – Consultation was unsuccessful for a crossing across Thompson Street / Holton Road and the funding was now being used to improve pedestrian movements along Dock View Road.
Barry Regeneration Partnership Project Fund – A delegated authority had been approved to vire £26.5k to the High Street / Broad Street Traffic Management scheme This was for additional works to pedestrian routes on the approaches to the District Shopping Centre.
Welsh Government Rural Communities, Rural Development Programme (RCDF) Go Wild – The Council had been awarded a grant of £84k from Welsh Government for the above scheme.
Refurbishment of Car Park and Toilets at Dunraven Bay – The Council had been awarded a grant of £80k from Welsh Government for the above scheme under the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
Five Mile Lane – Due to unforeseen delays regarding the Compulsory Purchase Order and letting the main works contract the full budget would not be spend this financial year. It had been requested to carry forward £4,365k into the 2018/19 Capital Programme.
Feasibility Studies in Penarth Including the Esplanade – The original scheme was not viable and therefore this budget was not required within the 2017/18 Capital Programme.
Nell's Point Former Toilet Block – The Council had received a report detailing interim works required to this building and up to £100k of this budget would be required for these works.
Committee was also informed that Welsh Government had announced the provisional 2018/19 General Capital Funding on 10th October, 2017, with the 2018/19 amount being a flatlined capital settlement which, for the Vale of Glamorgan Council, equated to General Capital Funding of £5.505m which was made up of £2.083m General Capital Grant and £3.422m Supported Borrowing.
In referring to Capital Bids for 2018/19 to 2022/23, the bids had been invited for submission by 30th September and the number of bids received was in line with previous years since the five year Capital Programme was introduced (one from Learning and Skills, ten from Environment and Housing, and four from Managing Director and Resources). Departments had been required to rank and assess their own bids in order of importance before submission and bids from each Department had been forwarded to the Insight Group for evaluation.
The Insight Group used a number of criteria to assess the Capital Bids as outlined within the report. Only the schemes assessed as Corporate Priority or higher and Medium Risk or higher had been included in the proposals.
In considering the report, Members raised a number of queries as outlined below:
- Paragraph 12 of the report referred to a 20mph zone for Treharne Road with it being noted that this would improve facilities such as access to local parks and schools. A Member queried the schools referred to being advised that they were Barry Comprehensive and Bryn Hafren due to the significant footfall in those areas, together with Oakfield Primary School, Jenner Park and Cadoxton. A number of Surveys had shown significant congestion with the issues also having been highlighted by the local Councillor and the community.
- In referring to improvements on Dock View Road and whether the funding required was to be vired, it was agreed that clarity of wording be pursued and reported to Members via e-mail.
- In considering the Five Mile Lane project, Members were advised CPOs had been agreed and that the contractors would be on site in the New Year. Members were reassured that there appeared to be no hold up now and that work would commence.
- In referring to a query in relation to the bridge at Dinas Powys library, Members were advised that it had been put forward due to the fact that it was structurally unsound. The local Member asked for further detail to be sent to him on the project via email.
- In noting that a number of schemes were not being proposed, the issue of street lighting in Dinas Powys was raised with a local Member advising that a number of local residents had complained about the state of repair of the street lighting columns and the need for replacements. The officer agreed to look into the issue and advise the Member accordingly.
- Cross Common Bridge road when was this likely to be removed. The Head of Service advised that her intention was hopefully within the next three to six months, however she had had resource issues in the Engineering Section and unfortunately had to prioritise other works in advance of the Cross Common Bridge, but it was certainly on the list to be addressed.
- In referring to the time taken for a cycleway on the ash path (between 9 to 18 months), Committee was informed that this was as a result of the legal process as this included any objections which could take some time to address.
- Following a query in respect of feasibility studies in Penarth including the Esplanade and why it had been requested to reduce the Capital Programme by £47k, the officer advised they would speak to the Head of Service for Regeneration and Planning and the Director of Environment and Housing with a view to seeking a response that could be e-mailed to all Members.
- Ham Lane – when was the work to be completed – Head of Service agreed to provide email update.
- Waste recycling site at Llandow – the officer advised that it was her intention to provide another site in the area when she could.
In conclusion, the Chairman referred to resurfacing in and around the Vale, advising that not spending sufficiently on road resurfacing was actually a false economy. The officer advised that the department would need at least £2.5m - £3m to stay on top of all its roads. The Chairman, in noting the healthy position of the reserves, suggested that the Council should consider utilising some of the reserves for resurfacing purposes.
Following full consideration of the report, it was subsequently
RECOMMENDED –
(1) T H A T the information highlighted above, when available, be e-mailed to all Members of the Committee.
(2) T H A T in noting the healthy position of the reserves, the Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee be requested to recommend to Cabinet that the use of further reserves for resurfacing throughout the Vale of Glamorgan be considered.
(3) T H A T a report be presented to a future meeting of the Scrutiny Committee on the proposals for Nell’s Point.
Reasons for recommendations
(1) For Members’ information and clarification.
(2) To request that Cabinet consider further funding for resurfacing throughout the Vale of Glamorgan as it could be a false economy not to address the situation.
(3) To provide Members with details of the current position and proposals for the site.”