Agenda item

J Gardner presented a paper which requested full approval of four schemes and progression of two schemes from Strategic Business Case (SBC) and Outline Business Case (OBC) to Full Business Case (FBC) and also requested delegated authority to enter into the necessary agreements for the schemes.

With regard to the A631 Rotherham to Maltby Bus Corridor, the Board expressed concerns at the BCR of 0.20 which would not normally be acceptable. Appendix B notes: “A BCR of 0.20 would not normally be acceptable if referenced to the Department for Transport’s Value for Money Framework. However, the scheme aims - reducing journey times to make buses more attractive for residents and businesses - will contribute to the three goals of the Programme. These are to improve access to economic opportunity, achieve a cleaner and greener Sheffield City Region and deliver a safer, more reliable and accessible public transport network. The alignment with MCA objectives is strong enough to regard this scheme to be of strategic importance”. In addition the BCR calculation does not consider journey time savings, car travel impact or reliability benefits which could enhance the case for this scheme.

Conditions of approval include the requirement for the FBC to incorporate: monetised reliability benefits as part of a “wider BCR” and a more detailed Strategic Case to address this issue

RESOLVED - That the Board approve:

(i)                 Progression of ‘T27 South Yorkshire Rail Station Improvements’ to MCA for full approval and award of £3.45m grant from Transforming Cities Fund to South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary attached at Appendix A1.

(ii)                Progression of ‘O43 Goldthorpe Station Access’ to full approval and award of £0.55m grant from Active Travel Fund 2/Gainshare to Barnsley Metropolitan Council subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary attached at Appendix A2.

(iii)              Progression of ‘O44 Elsecar Station Access’ to full approval and award £0.58m grant from ATF2/Gainshare to BMBC subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary attached at Appendix A3.

(iv)             Progression of ‘O46 Warmsworth to Conisbrough Active Travel Link’ to full approval and award of £1.0m grant from ATF2/Gainshare to DMBC subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary attached at Appendix A4.

(v)               Progression of ‘D31 Community Transport Electric Minibus’ SBC for approval to proceed to FBC for Gainshare funding to SYPTE subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary attached at Appendix B1.

(vi)             Progression of ‘T5 A631 Rotherham to Maltby Bus Corridor’ OBC to proceed to FBC for ATF/Gainshare funding to RMBC subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary attached at Appendix B2.

(vii)            Delegated authority be given to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to enter into legal agreements for the schemes covered in ii) to iv) above subject to funding being available.