Agenda and minutes

Consideration was given to the minutes of a meeting of the Members’ Sustainable Development Advisory Group held on 3^rd September, 2010.

The Cabinet Member outlined the proposed future arrangements for Member involvement in the Sustainability Partnership.

Resolved:-  (1) That the contents of the minutes be noted.

(2)               That the following Members be now invited to meetings of the Sustainability Partnership:-

Chair of Planning Board

Chair, Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel

Chair, Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel

Consideration was given to the minutes of a meeting of the Local Development Framework Members’ Steering Group held on 17^th September, 2010.

Resolved:-  That the contents of the minutes be noted.

Resolved:-  That the action of the Cabinet Member in opening e-tenders as follows be noted:-

on 13^th September, 2010:-

Highways waste

Paul Gibson, Senior Transportation Officer, to report.

- to review the 2010 Bicycle Salary Sacrifice Scheme and to outline changes.

Pursuant to Minute No. 152 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Planning and Transportation held on 19^th April, 2010, consideration was given to a report, presented by the Transportation Manager, relating to a review the 2010 bicycle salary sacrifice scheme.

The submitted report outlined proposed changes to the final valuation fees for bicycles that may be sold to employees at the end of the 12 month scheme.

The following key issues were highlighted:-

-                      uptake of this scheme

-                      benefits for the employee and the Council

-                      overall scheme cost (noting the aim was to be cost neutral)

-                      employee entitlement and return costs under the scheme

-                      recent advice from HMRC on the final purchase option

-                      Table 1:  The HMRC Valuation

-                      Table 2: HMRC vs. Default Valuation

Members present commented on:-

-                      administration costs

-                      depreciation

-                      Changes mid-scheme

-                      aims and objectives of the Travel Plan and the overall desire to reduce congestion and traffic emissions

-                      honouring the terms given at the start of the 2010 scheme

Resolved:-  That employees who joined the 2010 Bicycle Salary Sacrifice Scheme be informed about recent advice issued by HMRC which requires that any employment income gained through the final purchase of bicycles at the end of the scheme is taxed via the income tax coding system.

Tom Finnegan-Smith, Acting Transportation Unit Manager, to report.

-           to report the proposed response to the Department for Transport consultation on Local Transport Funding.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the Transportation Manager, relating to Rotherham’s proposed response to the Department for Transport consultation on Local Transport Funding, to be included within the response being prepared on behalf of South Yorkshire by the Local Transport Plan Programme Director.

It was reported that in August 2010 the Department for Transport (DfT) issued consultation on the way Local Transport Plan (LTP) funding was calculated and distributed.

By way of background an explanation was given of how LTP funding had previously been allocated in two ‘blocks’ the ‘Integrated Transport (IT) Block’ – capital funding for small transport improvement schemes and the ‘Maintenance Block’ – capital funding for maintenance schemes.

It was pointed out that the effects of altering the formulae used to determine IT and Maintenance Blocks (potential reduction or increase in funding) is separate to any funding announcements as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) on 20th October 2010.   However, the CSR would clearly determine the overall level of funding that would be available and following the in year cuts announced in June it was expected that the level of funding available could be reduced by up to 40%.

It was also pointed out that any changes to the way in which LTP Block funding was allocated would be incorporated into the Local Government Finance Settlement (2011/12 – 2014/15) to be published in December 2010. This settlement was expected to include individual local authorities’ LTP capital allocation for the IT and Maintenance Blocks.

It was explained that the responses to the consultation would feed into the decisions that the DfT takes on how the allocations for the two transport blocks are calculated. The consultation also highlighted that LTP IT and Maintenance Block funding were not ring-fenced allocations.

The formal response to the consultation was being prepared on behalf of South Yorkshire by the LTP Programme Director for DfT’s deadline of 6th October 2010.

Rotherham’s full response to all of the points raised in the consultation for inclusion within the South Yorkshire response was set out in Appendix 1 to the submitted report. 

The proposed changes in respect of the Maintenance Block and the Integrated Transport Block, together with the implications for Rotherham were detailed in the submitted report.

The consultation also invited feedback in respect of the allocation of funding and whether block funding should be paid out as grant or supported borrowing.  Views were also sought on whether the funding blocks should be paid solely to Integrated Transport Authorities (ITA). 

Members present commented on:-

-                      role of the ITA

-                      role of the Local Economic Partnership

-                      Member representation

-                      the need for allocations to be ring-fenced

It was pointed out that if the views to be submitted by South Yorkshire differed widely from Rotherham’s then a separate response would be submitted.

Resolved:-  That the response to points raised in the DfT consultation, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report now submitted, be supported for inclusion  ...  view the full minutes text for item 58.