Decision details

Sustainable Transport Exemplar Programme (STEP) Capital programme 2016/18 - Approval for Acceptance of Grant Funding

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

Following a successful funding bid to the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Combined Authority, this report seeks approval for the acceptance of the Sustainable Transport Exemplar Fund (STEP) capital grant for 2016/17 and 2017/18.

 

This STEP project programme has a value of £11.880m over the three years from 2015/16 to 2017/18. Expenditure in 2015/16 has already been accounted for and grant paid to partner authorities across South Yorkshire. As such, expenditure in 2015/16 has been excluded from this report.  

 

For 2016/17 and 2017/18 SCR are requiring a formal funding agreement with project promotors. In order to maintain the flexibility of managing a Countywide programme, Sheffield City Council will act as grant recipient and accountable body for the STEP capital grant with Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster all acting as delivery partners.   

 

This report therefore seeks approval for the acceptance of £9.645m STEP capital grant for 2016/17 and 2017/18. The detail of the allocations by delivery partner by project by year is shown in Appendix A of the report.

Decision:

That the Cabinet Member approves:-

 

(i) Acceptance of the STEP programme capital grant (2016-2018) to the sum of £9.645m and agrees that Sheffield City Council (SCC) will act as the Accountable Body for this amount;

 

(ii) SCC becoming the Accountable Body for the funding given to Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster who will act as delivery partners for this grant;

 

(iii) SCC paying STEP grant allocations to Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham; and

 

(iv) delegated authority is granted to the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance, to enter into any necessary arrangements to put into effect the outcomes detailed in the report.

Reasons for the decision:

Acceptance of the grant will enable the continuation of capital investment in improving facilities for walkers and cyclists that will help achieve the transport outcome of having better connected transport to increase travel choices, particularly to areas of employment.

 

Sheffield City Council acting as accountable body will maintain the flexibility of managing a Countywide programme.

Alternative options considered:

An alternative option considered was for SCR to have a separate formal funding agreement with each of the four local authority districts in South Yorkshire. This was not progressed so that the flexibility of managing a Countywide programme could be maintained. It is therefore proposed that Sheffield City Council act as grant recipient and accountable body for the City Council, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster.   

Publication date: 24/03/2017

Date of decision: 24/03/2017

Accompanying Documents: