Agenda and minutes

Resolved: - That the Cabinet Member for Town Centres, Economic Growth and Prosperity (or substitute) and the Cabinet Member for Waste and Emergency Planning (or substitute), attend the National Roads, Highways and Street Lighting Seminar 2012: Improving and Developing Roads and Lighting Services conference, to be held on 8^th and 9^th March, 2012, at the Holiday Inn Newcastle. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by Patrick Middleton, Senior Project Officer, that requested approval to create an allocation of £10,000 towards funding a Masterplan for the Sheffield – Rotherham Don Valley area.  This would be prepared in conjunction with Sheffield City Council.

The Masterplan would bring together the development plans and aspirations of all key stakeholders, communities, both Local Authorities and their partners to establish a strategic vision for the Lower Don Valley area.  

The Rotherham Economic Regeneration Fund (RERF) would consist of the £10,000 contribution from Rotherham Local Authority, as outlined in the submitted report, and up to £55,000 from Sheffield City Council. 

The collaborative working that would be enabled through the allocation of a RERF revenue allowance would allow all partners to identify a number of existing and new initiatives which could be effectively integrated in order to achieve value for money and added-value benefits. 

The Masterplan would also develop a comprehensive action plan and delivery programme for the proposed interventions that would direct future implementations and give the Councils the basis on which to continue to engage and co-ordinate public and private stakeholders and their investment proposals to achieve maximum efficiencies and benefits in the future. 

Resolved: - That £10,000 of the Rotherham Economic Regeneration Fund be approved for the development of a Masterplan for the Sheffield – Rotherham Don Valley area.

Consideration was given to the report presented by Patrick Middleton, Senior Project Officer, that requested approval to create an allocation of £50,000 towards a development fund for Rotherham Town Centre. 

Following the closure of Yorkshire Forward and the ending of Single Pot funding, the main source of finance to deliver the Rotherham Town Centre Renaissance had been lost.  Despite this, a number of projects had been, and were continuing to be, delivered.  These included the Railway Station, Minster Gardens, Riverside House and the civic site redevelopment. 

Approval was now being sought to allocate a fund of £50,000 to enable the Council to attract the funding streams that were still available and to work closely with private sector organisations on joint projects.    Where possible the works required would be undertaken by Council staff, which would retain the Rotherham Economic Regeneration Fund monies for the cases where funding to procure work was required. 

Resolved:- That £50,000 revenue funding towards the setting up of a Rotherham Town Centre development fund be approved.

Consideration was given to a report presented by Tom Finnegan-Smith, Manager, Transportation and Highways Projects, in relation to the A630 Doncaster Road – Oldgate Lane Junction signalisation and Whinney Hill Bus Lane,

The report requested approval to undertake the detailed design and implementation of highway improvements on the A630 Doncaster Road, Dalton.  These works included the signalisation of the junction of Doncaster Road, Oldgate Lane and TATA steels access, and the implementation of a full-time bus lane on Doncaster Road/Whinney Hill. 

The benefits of the scheme were noted, and included:-

·              Control of traffic flow; ensure queues on the A630 were kept to a minimum; address accident issues and improve journey time reliability.

·              The full-time bus lane on Whinney Hill would bring buses to the front of the queue on Doncaster Road, when traffic was held back on Oldgate Lane to discharge.  Signals would also provide a controlled pedestrian crossing that would allow easier access to the bus stops on either side of Doncaster Road.   

The scheme would be delivered in partnership between South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and First Group.  The primary bus operator, First Group, fully supported the proposal.

Finance available in support of the proposal was detailed in the submitted report.  The total cost of the project would be £1.235million and was split into £625,000 for the Oldgate Lane signalisation works and £610,000 for the bus lane.  The scheme would be funded through the South Yorkshire Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Programme and would be funded between the Council and the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.  

A bid for a grant of £600,000 had been made to the Department for Transport’s Better Bus Area Fund to provide funding for the full-time bus lane on Whinney Hill.  The result of the bid would be known in late March, 2012.  If the bid proved to be unsuccessful, it was proposed that the signalisation project on Oldgate Lane would continue using the South Yorkshire Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Programmes for 2012/13 and 2013/14 due to the benefits that the project would bring.

It was noted that, following approval of the proposal, a period of consultation would be undertaken with local residents and stakeholders.  

Discussion ensued around the options for delivering the proposal within the resources available. 

Resolved: - (1)  That the scheme be approved for detailed design and appropriate consultations to begin in the 2011/12 financial year.

(2)  That, subject to consultation responses, the scheme as outlined in the submitted report and appendices, be approved to commence in the 2012/13 financial year. 

(3)  That the scheme be joint funded by the Better Bus Area Bid and the South Yorkshire Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Programme for 2012/13. 

4.  That if the Better Bus Area bid was not successful, that the Oldgate Lane signalisation scheme be funded from the South Yorkshire Local Transport Plan Integrated Transport Programme for 2012/13, and additional funding be pursued for the bus lane on Whinney  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98.