Decisions

The Transport Secretary’s “Plan for Drivers” included an extra £70m of funding for Traffic Signal Maintenance.

£30 million was allocated for The Traffic Signals Obsolescence Grant (TSOG), to be funded from the DfT’s wider Highways Maintenance Block and divided between:

1. £10 million shared between all English local highway and transport authorities outside of London, and
2. £20 million of targeted funding which will be awarded to areas with particular obsolescence issues through challenge processes.

Sandwell should therefore receive a share of the £10m automatically awarded element of TSOG via revised Section 31 Grant Determination Letters in March 2024 even if no application is made for the additional challenge funding. Bids for the £20 million targeted funding needed to be submitted online by 22 December 2023.

In 2021 a similar Traffic Signals Maintenance opportunity was made available. Sandwell Council where one of thirty-nine authorities awarded either £250,000 or £500,000 to upgrade traffic signals.

As in 2021, this application process is being overseen by the Transport Technology Forum and managed by the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG).

Leadership Team granted approval for a bid to be submitted on 12th December subject to retrospective reporting.

On 22nd March 2024 Sand received confirmation that £500,000 would be paid from Traffic Signal Obsolesce Grant and Green Light Fund.

This report authorises acceptance of the funding.

(1) That approval be given for Sandwell Council to accept the £500,000 funding awarded following successful bid for funding from the Traffic Signal Obsolescence Grant and Green Light Fund, noting the associated conditions.

It is agreed that the Cabinet Member delegates authority to the Director of Adult Social Care, to commence a procurement exercise for the provision of Healthwatch for 5 years, with the existing annual contract value of £180,250.