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Report to:
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Lead Member for
Transport and Environment
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Date of
meeting:
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11 December
2023
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By:
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Director of
Communities, Economy and Transport
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Title:
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Community Match
Schemes for 2024/25
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Purpose:
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To consider
expenditure for 2024/25 as contribution towards Community Match
schemes
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RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Lead Member is
recommended to:
(1)
Agree that
£20,000 of match funding is allocated towards the Etchingham
Community Match speed reduction scheme for detailed design work and
construction in 2024/25;
(2)
Agree that
£11,500 of match funding is allocated towards the Icklesham
Parish Council Community Match bus stop and accessibility
improvement scheme for detailed design work and construction in
2024/25;
(3)
Agree that
£1,930 of match funding is allocated towards Pett Parish
Council for the Community Match application for the installation of
13 bollards along a popular walking route:
(4)
Delegate
authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to
approve the 50% match funding contribution for the schemes in
recommendations 1 and 2, up to a maximum contribution of
£60,000 per scheme once the design and construction costs are
known; and
(5)
Delegate
authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to
agree the terms and conditions of the grant funding agreement with
Pett Parish Council for the £1,930 grant from the Community
Match funding allocation towards the scheme as set out in
recommendation 3.
1
Background Information
1.1.
The
Community Match initiative was launched by the County Council in
2014. The initiative offers the opportunity for local communities
in East Sussex (typically a Parish or Town Council or community
group) to take forward schemes identified as a local priority, but
not assessed to be of sufficient priority to be delivered using
County Council funding alone through the Council’s capital
programme of local transport improvements.
1.2.
The
Community Match process begins with a feasibility study to assist
parishes and communities in identifying possible solutions to
locally identified traffic or transport issues and determining cost
estimates. The feasibility study is undertaken by East Sussex
Highways and is funded by the Parish or Town Council,
residents’ group or organisation promoting the scheme. Many
potential schemes do not progress beyond the feasibility stage as
it becomes clear that the scheme is not feasible or would be too
expensive to deliver using parish funding, or there is no agreement
among local residents and businesses about the scheme
proposals.
1.3.
If a Parish
or Town Council or community group support the measures suggested
in the feasibility appraisal, they can apply to the County Council
for Community Match funds to take the scheme forward to detailed
design and construction. The maximum financial input from the
County Council is £60,000 per scheme, which needs to be
matched by the Parish Council or community group. The feasibility
appraisals are only able to give approximate scheme costs and more
detailed scheme costs can be provided to applicants as more design
work is undertaken. As part of the Community Match funding
applications, the relevant County Councillors are asked whether
they are supportive of the proposed Community Match schemes in
their division.
1.4.
The delivery of Community Match
Schemes will help contribute towards the County Council priorities
of making best use of resources now
and for the future and keeping vulnerable people safe.
2
Supporting Information
Community Match
Schemes for 2024/2025
2.
2.1.
A sum of £250,000 has been allocated from East Sussex County
Council’s (ESCC) 2024/25 Capital Programme for Local
Transport Improvements to match-fund improvement schemes of local
importance through the Community Match programme. Any
in-year underspend will continue to be reallocated to fund
additional community focused road safety interventions and
schemes.
2.2.
Although
there have been many Community Match feasibility studies requested,
only three applications have been received requesting funding to
take schemes forward. It is important that projects have strong
support from the local community and that they comply with relevant
County Council policies.
2.3.
A summary
of the schemes, together with estimated total costs, community
contribution and Community Match Fund contributions, is shown
below. The community contribution will be at least 50% of the
detailed design and construction costs for each scheme. The final
costs will likely vary from the current estimate once the detailed
design has been undertaken and the scheme fully costed. Therefore,
the level of Community Match Fund contribution allocated to each
project, with a maximum contribution of £60,000 per project,
may change depending on the final cost. The County Councillor for
each of the schemes has indicated their support.
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Scheme
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Total cost
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Community contribution
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ESCC
Community Match Fund contribution
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Etchingham Parish Council – Introduction of two
sections of 40mph speed limits along the A265.
Speed
limit reductions implemented between the eastern end of Etchingham
and Hurst Green and between the western end of Etchingham and
Burwash.
The scheme
would be delivered through the East Sussex Highways
contract.
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circa £40,000
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£20,000
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£20,000
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Icklesham Parish Council – Scheme to improve a bus
stop in Sea Road, Winchelsea.
High
access kerbing to be introduced to improve accessibility and aid
passengers alighting the busses. New kerbing to be installed and a
replacement to existing bus stop post and re-erection of existing
flag, timetable and litter bin.
The scheme
would be delivered through the East Sussex Highways
contract. Assets to be owned and
maintained by ESCC.
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circa £23,000
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£11,500
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£11,500
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Pett
Parish Council – Introduction of 13 Passive bollards
on a highways verge to
improve accessibility and visibility along a popular walking
route.
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£3,860.00
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£1,930.00
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£1,930.00
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Risks
2.4 Communities will be recharged their share of the detailed
design and construction work. In addition, for Community Match
schemes there is a notable risk around delivering schemes that
include speed limit or parking changes which require a Traffic
Regulation Order (TRO), and the increase in costs that comes with
delivering these types of schemes due to the additional resource
and administration required. If formal objections to TROs are
received and cannot be resolved by discussion with the objector,
they must be considered by the Planning Committee. This process
adds both time and cost to the scheme.
3 Conclusion
and Reasons for Recommendations
3.
3.1.
The
Community Match programme continues to provide the opportunity for
Town or Parish councils, local resident groups and organisations to
secure match funding to enable local priority schemes to be
delivered which otherwise would not come forward using County
Council funding alone through the capital programme of local
transport improvements. From the £250,000 allocation for
2024/25, there is sufficient funding available to provide the
community match funding required to deliver the schemes that have
submitted applications.
3.2.
Therefore,
the Lead Member is recommended to allocate £20,000 of
community match funding to the speed reduction scheme in Etchingham
on the A265, £11,500 to the bus stop improvement scheme in
Icklesham, and £1,930 for the installation of bollards in
Pett Parish.
3.3.
Delegation has been requested
to pass authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and
Transport who will progress schemes to the next stage, without the
need to present at Lead Member again.
Director of Communities, Economy
and Transport
Contact Officer:
Victoria Rojanachotikul
Email: Victoria.rojanachotikul@eastsussex.gov.uk
LOCAL
MEMBERS
Councillor Elanor
Kirby-Green
Councillor Keith
Glazier
BACKGROUND
DOCUMENTS
Etchingham Feasibility
Study
Icklesham Feasibility
Study
Pett Parish Council Licence
Agreement