Scheme Promoter Information

LSTF Capital and non-major transport schemes business case

Local transport authority name(s):

Northumberland County Council

If the project is a joint venture, please enter the names of all participating local transport authorities and specify the lead authority.

Project Manager Name and position:

Andy Chymera, Senior Public Transport Projects Officer

Name and position of the official with day to day responsibility for delivering and reporting on the proposed project.

Contact telephone number: 01670 620161

Email address: Andy.Chymera@northumberland.gov.uk

Postal address: Economic & Social Inclusion Policy Team Economic, Planning & Housing Services Northumberland County Council County Hall Morpeth NE61 2EF

Website address for public communications on the project:

www.northumberland.gov.uk

SECTION A - Project description and funding profile

A1. Project name: Morpeth Gateway

A2. Headline description:

Improved provision of information about onward travel choices for people arriving at Morpeth Railway Station. This includes installation of additional onward travel posters, new directional signposts and a new bus stop at the station and to facilitate real time information displays in the two nearest bus shelters. The aim is to support and promote the use of sustainable transport modes for onward travel and to improve the Railway Station as a gateway to Morpeth as a market town and visitor destination. Particularly as over the next 5 years the number of train departures daily is planned to increase very significantly. [100]

Please provide a brief description of the project’s package of measures (maximum of 100 words)

A3. Geographical area:

Morpeth Railway Station and the two bus shelters on Shields Rd are to the south of Morpeth Town Centre and the Telford Bridge over the River Wansbeck. The Station is easily accessible from most of the residential areas of Morpeth and from a wide rural hinterland in central and coastal Northumberland. It is on the East Coast mainline and is served by inter-city trains daily between England (including London) and Scotland and by local trains providing a link to Newcastle. [80]

Please provide details of the area covered by the bid (maximum of 100 words)

A4. Total project cost (£000s): 14.9k

A5. Total LSTF Capital funding (£000s): 14.9k

This is to be capped at the identified funding dedicated to the project in the LSTF Capital North East Strategic Economic Plan submission (see attached).

A6. Local contribution (£000s): 0.0k

Please provide details of the source of any local contribution to the overall cost of the project package. Where a contribution is from external sources, a letter confirming their commitment to contribute to the cost of a specific package element(s) should be attached.

A7. Equality Analysis

Has any Equality Analysis been undertaken in line with the Equality Duty? ☐ Yes ☐ No

A8. Partnership bodies:

Northern - the local Rail Franchise that is the Station Facility Operator for Morpeth Rail Station. Only the additional poster cases are to be located within the footprint of the Railway Station.

Greater Morpeth Development Trust - have secured Lottery grant funding for the redevelopment of the station building to improve ticket office and waiting facilities as well as providing new cafe and offices within the building. None of the proposed measures affect these refurbishment proposals but the Trust is a consultee.

Both the Northern Rail Franchise and the Greater Morpeth Development Trust support the Morpeth Gateway proposals

Details of the partnership bodies (if any) you plan to work with in the design and construction of the proposed project This should include a description of the role and responsibilities of the partnership bodies such as Private Sector bodies and Transport Operators, with confirmatory evidence of their willingness to participate in delivering the project where possible.

A9. Known LSTF Revenue project / initiative connections:

There are no connections with LSTF revenue projects. However there are links with two LSTF capital projects - viz the Morpeth Cycle project and the Regional RTPI project.

There is a delivery dependency between this project and the RTPI project at Morpeth Bus & Railway Station. A single application for Listed Building Consent will be submitted to cover the requirements of both projects as they related to their impacts on the Railway Station buildings and platforms. The construction of the Morpeth Cycle project will also involve interactions at the bus shelters on Shields Rd.

Please list all LSTF Revenue-funded projects that have a direct relationship to the proposed Capital project and state any delivery dependencies.

SECTION B – The Business Case

B1. The Scheme – Summary

Please give a detailed description of the project, including its objectives, as aligned to those of LSTF and North East SEP (see Appended documents ###)

This project will deliver a package of small measures to guide passengers toward use of sustainable onward travel facilities. These measures will include: ● Two new directional signs at access points to the Station. ● A new accessible bus stop. ● New poster cases on each platform. ● Electrical and data supplies for Real Time displays in two bus shelters.

These measures will support the delivery of the Regional RTPI project at the Railway Station and encourage cycling to the Station by highlighting its proximity to the proposed Morpeth Cycleway scheme.·

Together these will help to promote sustainable travel to work by: ● Further encouraging use of sustainable modes for travel to work. ● Extending job search horizons. ● Supporting local businesses and local economic development of the market town.

They will also help to develop a low carbon travel culture by improving integration between, and increasing the use of walk, cycle, bus and train for travel to work and visits/tourism. In relation to the NESEP they will help improve access to employment by tackling some of the travel to work barriers faced by unemployed and low paid workers and by increasing access to areas of employment growth and opportunities by public transport. [198]

Please use a maximum of 200 words.

B2. The Strategic Case

This section should set out the rationale for making the investment and evidence on the strategic fit of the project with a particular emphasis on Sustainable Economic Growth & Job creation, Access to Opportunity and Quality of Life, and to ensure the alignment of the project to:-

• The Themes and Challenges in the North East Strategic Economic Plan; • The Objectives of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund set out in the Government’s White Paper (2011), Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon; • The Department for Transport’s Door-to-Door Strategy. 4

It is desirable that schemes will have an impact on a wide area however this does not preclude localised issues being addressed, given the knock-on improvements to the local economy in improving the regional economy.

For LSTF Capital Package projects, the Strategic Case was largely demonstrated within the Strategic Economic Plan submission, therefore a light touch approach only is required for these projects, by answering the following six questions (in 900 words total) on how the project:-

LSC1: Supports or facilitates access to sites of employment, training, education and health facilities in the North East area by providing greater travel choice and/or reducing peak period car demand on links serving these sites?

Improving bus/rail integration will help increase the use of rail to access the; ● range of employment opportunities in Newcastle/Tyne & Wear and manufacturing and service employment in Cramlington. ● range of retail facilities in Cramlington and Newcastle. ● tertiary education and training facilities in Newcastle. ● Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington. ● Tourist and market town attractions of Morpeth ● Sustainable travel links from Morpeth to tourist destinations to the north (e.g. Northumberland Coast, Alnwick, Berwick and the Northumberland National Park). [80]

LSC2: Provides sustainable and smarter access solutions to existing and growing development corridors, centres and sectors, and/or supports new housing?

The integrated use of walking, cycling, bus and train is more sustainable and involves greater active participation by users than commuting by car. Morpeth is a thriving Market Town with exceptional historic features which provides service and retail support for a large rural catchment area. It is also an important tourist destination. Currently 71% of Morpeth’s housing and the Railway Station are south of the River Wansbeck. The majority of retail, education, employment facilities and the Bus Station are to the north. Existing planning policies envisage the development of at least 2,500 new dwellings by 2023 within the urban area to accommodate population growth of about 20%. 1,500 dwellings are already committed and over 600 are under construction to the south of the river. All the committed housing is within easy cycling distance for most commuters and the dwellings currently under construction are within walking distance for most residents. All the current and committed housing sites are within walking distance of a bus route into Morpeth. There is only limited employment land allocated in Morpeth. Access to employment in Newcastle/Tyne & Wear, Cramlington and Ashington is and will become vital for most of the economically active local residents. In addition bus and rail services provide sustainable access to retail, education and health facilities to the south. [218]

LSC3: Ensures the capacity and speed of transport links are maintained and enhanced, increasing the attractiveness of the North East as a place to do business?

These proposals will not affect the speed of bus and rail service to/from Morpeth but they will help to attract more passengers to use these services. The proposals will complement the planned increase in rail service frequency through Morpeth as a result of recent new rail franchise and open access applications.

Locally the rail bridge over A192 Shields Rd and the Telford Bridge over the river Wansbeck are key traffic pinch points; with peak period congestion being experienced daily at the following junctions: ● Coopies Lane/Shields Rd. ● A192/A197 at the Mafeking roundabout and ● Over Telford Bridge to the junction of Castle Bank/Bridge St..

Traffic flows across Morpeth are constrained by the limited number of crossing points on the railway and the river. Although the Morpeth Northern Bypass, to be completed Spring 2017, will relieve some of the traffic in Morpeth town centre the scale of housing development south of the river is expected to offset some of this relief as increased local traffic seeks to access the town centre facilities. The improvements to the integration of bus and rail services, together with proposed cycle improvements, should help to reduce local traffic flows across the river and help to improve the attractiveness of Morpeth as a place to work and to do business. [215]

LSC4: Contributes to a reduction in transport-based carbon emissions?

These proposals improve the attractiveness of train, bus and cycle as means of travelling to and within Morpeth. The reduction in the number of local (residents and visitors) cars using the A192 via Telford Bridge and Shields Rd to access the Railway Station will help reduce the number of standing vehicles in peak period queues as well as the numbers in slow moving traffic flows. This should help improve the fuel efficiency of remaining traffic and contribute to lower carbon emissions. [81]

LSC5: Contributes to an overall improvement in local environmental quality, including improving local air quality or reducing the noise impact of transport?

Reductions in the volume of local traffic flows across Telford Bridge and beneath the rail bridge will help reduce the intensity and duration of peak period congestion (related to the volume of queuing or slow moving traffic). This will help reduce engine emissions, reduce traffic noise and the visual impact of traffic standing on Telford Bridge which is a Grade 2 listed structure.[63]

LSC6: Provides the opportunity to improve health through active travel – including reducing levels of obesity – and/or improve road safety?

These proposals will further enhance the improvements to infrastructure for people to cycle to the Railway Station created through the DfT Cycle-Rail Fund supported increase in cycle parking facilities at the Station and the LSTF supported Cycleway proposals along the A192. In addition, integrated use of bus and rail services involves more active participation by travellers than travelling by car. [60]

Please provide any further information about the project that you feel is relevant that is not covered in your answers to the six questions above (maximum of 200 words):

Morpeth is a market town with a population of 14,200. Car ownership is 0.76 cars per household and 67% of the economically active commute by car, 7.5% by public transport and 1% cycle. 37,000 people live within a 10 minute drive and over 220,000 within 20 minute drive of the Railway Station. The Station is served by three rail franchises with a fourth from Dec 2019. There are three departures during the AM peak with two arriving in Newcastle before 9:00am. Daily departures are to increase very significantly between 2017-2021. 357,000 passengers travelled from the Station during 2015/16 with sustained growth since 1997/98. Around 18% travel regularly using season tickets. Local services provide an hourly off peak link with Cramlington and Newcastle/Metro Centre. Intercity services provide links to Alnwick, Berwick and Scotland to the north and Newcastle and the rest of England to the south. Almost 1M passengers travelled by bus to/from Morpeth during 2014/15 with the majority using Morpeth Bus Station. One bus service calls at both the Bus and Rail Stations and three pass the Station on Shields Rd providing links with settlements to the south. [200 words]

The Economic Case – Value for Money

This section should set out the range of impacts – both beneficial and adverse – in relation to the project’s economic, environmental, social and distributional impacts. It is suggested that for LSTF Capital projects, the benefits and costs should be considered over a 10-year appraisal period, although an alternative appraisal period can be used if supported. Costs over the appraisal period should be accounted for. In determining scheme benefits/ BCRs, comparator scheme business cases can be used to demonstrate estimated values. It is NOT expected that scheme-specific modelling exercises are undertaken to derive new user demands and traffic impacts. Whilst a ‘light touch’ approach is generally required here, a more in-depth economic analysis (including estimation of new users) is expected for each Strategic Cycle Scheme due to a more relaxed delivery timeframe and well-developed assessment framework (see DfT TAG Unit A5.1 for Active Travel modes) for these schemes.

Please indicate the project’s overall Value for Money (benefit-cost ratio):

Schemes must have a BCR of 2:1 or higher to be approved under the LSTF Capital Package

Please provide a description of your assessment of the impact of the project under the following headings to include (max 1000 words in total):

- Significant monetised and non-monetised costs, benefits and disbenefits (note, an account of non-monetised benefits could include job starts and jobs retained):

- A description of key risks and uncertainties in realising benefits:

- Any sensitivity tests conducted, including :

- Key assumptions including (but not limited to) appraisal period, forecast years, level of optimism bias applied in the economic analysis:

- A description of the approach used to forecast the impact of the project and the checks that have been undertaken to determine that it is fit-for-purpose:

As a guide, the list below provides an indication of the likely Benefit areas under each scheme family. This list however is not exhaustive or conclusive:-

UTMC ● Journey time savings ● Decongestion ● Journey quality/ ambience/ reliability ● Business reliability benefits ● Carbon savings ● Air quality ● Other environmental (e.g. noise, townscape)

Gateways ● Journey time savings ● Journey quality/ ambience/ reliability ● Public transport uptake/ mode shift ● Carbon savings ● Air quality

Strategic Cycle Routes ● Journey time savings ● Decongestion ● Journey quality/ ambience/ reliability ● Health (incl. reduced mortality) ● Road accidents ● Carbon savings ● Air quality ● Absenteeism ● Other environmental (e.g. noise, townscape)

Scooter (Green Lights to Work) Scheme ● Accessibility 8

● Journey quality/ ambience/ reliability ● Other environmental (e.g. noise, townscape)

B4. The Financial Case – Project Costs

Total project cost should be inclusive of project risk/contingency funding but not of optimism bias included at scheme appraisal stage.

Please complete the following tables. Figures should be entered in £000s. A quarterly spend breakdown is required for 16/17 and 17/18 (estimate if required).

Annual funding profile

£000s 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 Total LSTF Capital (LGF) funding 14.9 14.9 Local Authority contribution Third Party contribution TOTAL 14.9 14.9

2017-18, quarterly breakdown

£000s Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 17-18 Total LSTF (LGF) Capital funding 9.9 5.0 14.9 Local Authority contribution Third Party contribution TOTAL 9.9 5.0 14.9

Notes: 1) LSTF Capital funding must not go beyond 2017-18 financial year and outside of the identified budget years for a particular scheme. 2) Ideally, the local contribution should be at least 10% of the total project funding.

B5. Management Case – Delivery

Deliverability is the most essential criteria for LSTF Capital projects and future pipeline projects and as such this section should set out the solid grounds for management of resources and risk, project governance arrangements, and any statutory procedures that are needed before it can be constructed.

a) A project plan (typically in Gantt chart form) with milestones should be included, covering the period from submission of the business case to project completion. The definition of the key milestones should be clear and explained. The critical path should be identifiable and any key dependencies (internal or external) and 9

interfaces should also be explained. Resource requirements, task durations and contingency should be detailed and easily identifiable.

Please attach a project Gantt chart and supporting documents covering the requisites outlined above.

b) Where relevant, if delivery of the project is dependent on land acquisition, please include details of the respective land owner(s) agreement(s) to make available land or to demonstrate that arrangements are in place in order to secure the land to enable the scheme promoter to meet its construction milestones.

c) Please provide summary details of the delivery milestones (no more than 10) between start and completion of the project:-

Project Delivery Milestones Estimated completion date Feasibility/ preliminary design June 2016 Consultation November 2016 Detail design December 2016 Start of implementation works At the Station April 2017 Electrical power to Bus Shelters May 2017

Opening date (publically usable) March 2017 Completion of works (if different) July 2017

B6. Management Case – Statutory Powers and Consents

a) Please list separately each power / consent obtained, details of date acquired, challenge period (if applicable) and date of expiry of powers and conditions attached to them. Any key dates should be referenced in your project plan and above if corresponding to implementation milestones.

The proposed standard highway signs and accessible bus stop are located within the highway boundary and public utilities have been consulted about the location of apparatus. Network Rail has been consulted about the location of additional poster cases for Onward Travel Information posters on both Station platforms. Powergrid are being consulted about power connections for the two bus shelters on Shields Rd.

b) Please list separately any outstanding statutory powers / consents, including the timetable and level of risk for obtaining them.

Listed Building Consent at Morpeth Railway Station - for this project this is for two additional “H” frames for Onward Travel Posters but the application will include the details of the real time proposals to be implemented at the Station.

B7. Management Case – Governance

Please name who is responsible for delivering the scheme, the roles (Project Manager, SRO/ Executive, other Project Board and Project Assurance roles etc.) and responsibilities of those involved, and how key decisions will be made. An organogram should be provided here. Details around the organisation of the project including accountabilities, contract management arrangements and decision making authorities should be clearly documented.

Please attach a project organogram and described the project structure and governance arrangement below (maximum of 300 words).

Project Officer is Andy Chymera who reports to Stuart McNaughton as SRO. Delivery will be the responsibility of Northumberland’s Local Services. The design and installation of measures for this project will be carried out using standard practices and procedures for improvement works on the highway network in Northumberland and for any changes on the operational railway.

The Northumberland Way project management framework will provide the basis against which the project is developed, managed and delivered. The progress of the project will be monitored as part of the Highways Programme monthly Progress Monitoring process. Scheme outputs and spend will be reported through the Project Vision system.

Approval to spend the LSTF grant on this project has been secured through Northumberland County Council’s Capital Strategy Group. This Group has authorised the allocation of spending codes for this project Spending and delivery progress and completion will be monitored and reported to this Group. [150]

B8. Management Case – Risk Management

All schemes should undertake a thorough risk assessment and a Risk Register should be appended to this business case form. The risk assessment should be proportionate to the nature and complexity of the scheme. A Risk Management Strategy should outline how risks will be managed through mitigation, acceptance, avoidance and/or transfer. Residual risk management should also be documented.

Please attach a Risk Register, and either attach a Risk Management Strategy or describe the project’s risk management approach below (maximum of 200 words).

Risk Potential Impact Management of Risk

Unable to secure Listed High Application in Building Consent before preparation. Planning 31st March 2017 advice received enables application to be limited to the two journey planning kiosks real at the Station.

Unable to commit all grant High Most of the measures are resources available in the within existing highway relevant year land so should not be delayed by planning process. Small amount of work (2 poster cases) on Station will require listed building consent

LGF funding is not Medium Support for local economic secured development in Morpeth, as market town, is a priority within the NESEP

Capacity to manage & Medium NCC project team in place deliver the Programme to deliver the scheme. Liaison with Network Rail in place.

Cost over runs Low Robust programme and financial management will ensure that spend is within the available grant budget to minimise this risk. Progress reports via Project Vision

[153]

B9. Management Case – Stakeholder Engagement

The section should demonstrate that key stakeholders and their interests have been identified and considered as appropriate. Stakeholders may include other local authorities, Highways England, statutory consultees, landowners, transport operators, voluntary sector, core users, local residents, utilities companies etc.. This is particularly important in respect of any projects with impacts on structures that may require the support of Network Rail and train operating companies. a) Please provide a summary of your strategy for engaging stakeholders, with details of the key stakeholders together with a brief analysis of their influences and interests. This should include the approach to consultation, as well as any 12

consultation results so far (maximum 400 words). For larger schemes, OR those that are likely to generate substantially conflicting positions between stakeholders, a Stakeholder Engagement Strategy should be appended.

The Project Officer has consulted with Northern Rail (as Station Managers), the local bus operators, Morpeth Town Council, the local County Councillor and the Greater Morpeth Development Trust about the Morpeth Gateway proposals. This has taken the form of a series of meetings and briefings. Overall the response has been very positive support with minor concerns about details such as RAL codes for the colour of installations on the Station and clarity about responsibility for maintenance and complaint handling in relation to passenger information. [85] b) Have there been any [known] external campaigns either supporting or opposing the scheme?

☐ Yes ☐ No

The South East Northumberland Rail Users Group (SENRUG) has campaigned for improved rail-bus-cycle integration at Morpeth Railway Station. This has included advocacy of the provision of a new accessible bus stop in the turning circle as well as display of a timetable for the bus that uses the circle. [49]

If Yes, please provide a brief summary (maximum 100 words)

B9. Management Case – Quality Management

The delivery of the project’s outputs to quality should be controlled using an appropriate quality management procedure.

Please provide a summary of the procedure and/or strategy for managing the quality of the project’s outputs. Where available, a Quality Management Strategy document should be appended.

The Northumberland Way project management framework will provide the basis against which the project is developed, managed and delivered. [19]

(maximum 300 words)

B10. Maintenance of the New Asset

Please provide a summary of how the project’s outputs / created asset will be maintained, conformation of the promoting authority’s capacity to undertake this maintenance and any assumptions or constraints affecting the maintenance period.

The two directional signs and bus stop will be installed and maintained by Northumberland County Council’s Local Services. The two poster cases for the Onward Travel Information posters on the platforms will be acquired, installed and maintained by Network Rail. Power to the bus shelters will be installed and maintained by PowerGrid. The shelters are maintained by Morpeth Town Council. [60]

(maximum of 200 words)

B11. The Commercial Case

Please provide evidence of the market viability of a project and, where relevant, the procurement strategy that will be used to engage the market OR that has led to a preferred or appointed supplier. This should confirm that you are able to mobilise and begin to deliver at the start of the grant funding period if the project is approved.

The installation of the the two directional signs and the accessible bus stop will be carried out by Northumberland County Council’s Local Services using standard highway furniture and materials procured under existing framework contracts.

Work on the Railway Station platform will be carried out by Network Rail using standard equipment and materials procured under existing contracts.

Work on any electricity power connections to the two bus shelters on Shields Rd will carried out under existing arrangements for such works. [78]

(maximum of 250 words)

It is the promoting authority’s responsibility to decide whether or not their scheme proposal is lawful; and the extent of any new legal powers that need to be sought. Scheme promoters should ensure that any project complies with the Public Contracts Regulations as well as European Union State Aid rules, and should be prepared to provide the Department with confirmation of this, if required.

SECTION C – Monitoring and Evaluation

C1. Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring and evaluation are an essential part of project development and should be considered and built into the planning of a project from the earliest stages. Evaluating the outcomes and impacts of schemes is important to show if a project has been successful and to guide the development of future projects. Scheme Outputs and Spend must be reported on a monthly basis using the Project Vision system throughout the project’s implementation phase.

Please set out how you plan to measure and report on the stated Outcomes and Benefits, including an account of external factors that will influence the scheme’s measurables, for at least a 5-year period from its public opening.

It is not considered appropriate to undertake full detailed monitoring of the outcomes and benefits of the Gateway measures. This is because in terms of changes in traffic flows; travel times and emissions the impact of the Gateway measures will be lost within the normal day to day variation in traffic flows particularly during a period of change within Morpeth ( e.g. opening of Northern Bypass, relocation of County Hall, housing developments etc). However, there has been a full scheme impact evaluation of the Bypass scheme which has identified the key elements of its contribution to the relief of traffic congestion in Morpeth. This has established a baseline. In addition there is in place a committed, and funded, programme of scheme monitoring and evaluation to measure the impacts one year and five years after the Bypass is opened. This will measure all the traffic related metrics.

For the public transport boardings; monitoring of changes in rail usage will continue to be based on the statistics published by the Office of Rail & Road for the Annual Estimates of Station Usage.

For impacts on bus use; the service that calls at both the Bus and Railway Station is a wholly subsidised service with guaranteed funding for the next three years. Monitoring of trends in patronage is in place as part of the service contract between the County Council and the operator. We can also request an indication of trends in boardings from Arriva for the three services that use the two bus stops on Shields Rd. Two of these are operated with subsidy from Northumberland CC.

The Regional RTPI Project will provide a record of use of the interactive kiosks to be installed at the Railway Station. [285]

(maximum of 300 words)

The table below provides a guide of scheme outcome monitoring metrics only. It is expected that the type and scale of scheme will dictate specific monitoring plans, which should be discussed with the Regional Transport Team prior to finalisation.

Scheme Family Measureable outcome UTMC Gateways Cycle Green Light Schemes to Work

Average & peak/ non-peak X X X traffic flows and/or impacted user counts (selected points)

AM & PM peak journey times X X X (all relevant users including disbeneficiaries). Travel time variability (all X X X X affected users)

CO2 emissions (estimated) X X X

NO2 emissions (estimated) X X X

Accident/ casualty rate X X

Average daily & peak hour X bus/ rail/ Metro boardings

User satisfaction ratings X X X X

SECTION D - Declarations

D1. Senior Responsible Owner Declaration As Senior Responsible Owner for [scheme name] I hereby submit this business case to the NECA on behalf of [name of authority] and confirm that I have the necessary authority to do so.

I confirm that Northumberland County Council will have all the necessary statutory powers in place to ensure the planned timescales in the application can be realised. Name: Stuart McNaughton Signed:

Position: Strategic Transport Policy Officer

D2. Section 151 Officer / Finance Officer Declaration

THIS DECLARATION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR SUBMITTING THIS FORM

Please note however, the Grant Funding Agreement (to be issued following scheme business case approval) between NECA and the scheme promoting authority will need the appropriate Finance Officer sign-off in accordance with the authority’s Scheme of Delegation. [Where a scheme has multiple local authority partners, the lead banking authority should sign-off the Grant Funding Agreement, following consultation with the relevant Finance Officers in scheme partnering authorities]. This will include declaration that the authority:-

- has allocated sufficient budget to deliver this scheme on the basis of its proposed funding contribution; - accepts responsibility for meeting any costs over and above the LGF contribution requested, including potential cost overruns and the underwriting of any funding contributions expected from third parties; - accepts responsibility for meeting any ongoing revenue and capital requirements in relation to the scheme; - accepts that no further increase in LSTF Capital Local Growth Fund will be considered beyond the maximum contribution set out in the table on page 3 and that no funding from this source will be available beyond 2016/17; - confirms that the authority has the necessary governance and assurance arrangements in place.

Submission of completed Business Case proforma

An electronic copy in Microsoft Word, with any appendices, should be submitted to:- [email protected] and [email protected]