Decision details

Cycling - Future actions following Cycling Demonstration Town Project

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Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

1.To accept the offer of funding for Links to Schools offered by Sustrans. .
2.To delegate officers to agree partnership working with the County Council on cycling schemes.

Decisions:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Hanson)

Cabinet received a report from the Head of Regeneration and Policy with regard to proposed future actions following on from the Cycling Demonstration Town Project.

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

	Option 1: That the grant offer be accepted and approval given for a procurement process for this works in combination with the Section 106 funds from the Globe Arena.	Option 2: Not to accept the offer of the funding.	Option 3: None
Advantages	Increased amenities for cycling to schools. Builds on the skills and infrastructure developed in delivering the CDT project.	None
Disadvantages	None	This would miss the opportunity to encourage more sustainable travel options for school pupils and staff as well as other members of the community.
Risks	There is a small element of risk that costs could exceed the budget but robust estimates have been used for the bid and additional funding from our revenue budget would be available.	Reputational risk that the Lancaster City Council is not taking opportunities to promote sustainable transport measures

Local Sustainable Transport Fund

	Option 1: That the council note the bid in consortium with Sustrans , Devon County Council and 36 other local authorities and authorise officers to work up the bid if successful in the first round and report further details when available.	Option 2: That the council do not take forward this bidding process.	Option 3: None
Advantages	Further funding to promote cycling	None
Disadvantages	None	Missed opportunity for funding to promote sustainable transport within the district
Risks	None	Without continued funding the infrastructure and initiatives already in place from the CDT Project could go into decline and suffer

Partnership working with the County Council

	Option 1: That the Head of Regeneration & Policy be given delegated authority to agree partnership work with the County Council to deliver cycling schemes, subject to there being no additional call on City Council budgets	Option 2: Do not work in partnership with the County.	Option 3: None
Advantages	Builds on existing partnering experience and provides fee income for work.	None
Disadvantages	None	Missed opportunity for funded partnership working and loss of fee income for staff time
Risks	None	Reputational

Support for the Continuation of the Bike it Officer

	Option 1: That the Council continue to work in partnership with Sustrans and support the Bike it Officer with £16.7k from Public Realm revenue budget.	Option 2: Do not offer this support	Option 3: None
Advantages	Builds on existing partnering and continues valuable work to encourage school pupils to cycle safely and responsibly. Supports other proposed works (Links to Schools at Westgate & Heysham)	None
Disadvantages	Commits City Council revenue budget	Local schools will lose the resource to encourage their pupils to use bicycles safely and responsibly
Risks	None	Reputational

The officer preferred option in each of the above was option 1. Sustainable methods of transport such as cycling are increasingly important for health, environmental and wider economic reasons. All of these initiatives improve the provision and encourage the use of cycling as a means of transport. In addition, as they are mainly aimed at educational establishments, they help to establish a healthy culture in young people which hopefully will last throughout their lives.

Councillor Hanson proposed, seconded by Councillor Barry:-

“(1) That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

Councillors then voted:-

Resolved unanimously:

(1) That the Memorandum of Understanding with Sustrans which allocates £136,000 funding for cycling links to schools at Westgate and Heysham, in combination with the Section 106 contribution from the Globe Arena, be approved and officers authorised to undertake a procurement process for these works.

(2) That Cabinet notes Lancaster City Council’s participation in a thematic bid for the Department for Transport’s Local Sustainable Transport Fund in partnership with Sustrans and 36 Local Authorities and endorses officers pursuing this initiative if the bid reaches the second stage when a business plan will be required.

(3) That the Head of Regeneration and Policy be given delegated authority to agree works in partnership with Lancashire County Council to deliver cycling schemes, subject to there being no additional call on City Council Resources.

(4) That Cabinet approve the use of Public Realm revenue budget to support the continuation of the “Bike It Officer” employed by Sustrans.

(5) That the General Fund Revenue and Capital Budgets be updated accordingly.

Officers responsible for effecting the decision:

Head of Regeneration & Policy

Head of Financial Services

Reasons for making the decision:

The decision fits with the Corporate Plan priorities in relation to Partnership Working and Climate Change as well as the Sustainable Community Strategy priorities of promoting and enhancing sustainable forms of transport and providing positive activities for children and young people. Having successfully completed the Cycling Demonstration Town (CDT) project over the last six years the decision endorses proposals to continue to progress the promotion of cycling as a healthy, economic and environmentally friendly means of transport.

Report author: Ged McAllister

Publication date: 02/08/2011

Date of decision: 26/07/2011

Decided at meeting: 26/07/2011 - Cabinet

Effective from: 10/08/2011

Accompanying Documents: