To provide an update to Cabinet on the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 and to seek approval to submit to Welsh Government  the Integrated Network Maps that have been prepared in accordance  with the legislation and Welsh Government guidance.

The Head of Neighbourhood Services provided an update to Cabinet on the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 and sought approval to submit to Welsh Government (WG) the Integrated Network Maps (INM) that had been prepared in accordance with the legislation and Welsh Government guidance.

He explained that the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 came into force on 25^th September 2014, and one of the duties of that Act makes it a legal requirement for local authorities in Wales to map and plan for suitable routes for active travel. A report outlining the implications of the Act for the Council and seeking authorisation to undertake a consultation exercise in respect of the ERMs was submitted to Cabinet in May 2015.

The Head of Neighbourhood Services stated that Active Travel was defined as walking or cycling for everyday journeys with a purpose, for example journeys to access employment, education, retail, health or transport services and other similar amenities. The legislation required that two maps needed to be prepared: an Existing Routes Map, which was submitted to Welsh Government in January 2016 and approved in August 2016, and an Integrated Network Map (INM) which was to be submitted by 3^rd November 2017. A report advising Cabinet of the submission of the ERM to WG was prepared in February 2016 and was included as a background document for this report.

The map which the Council was now required to prepare was the INM which showed the proposed active travel routes and related facilities to be developed in the county borough. This report sets out the work that had been undertaken to develop the INM, and sought approval to submit the draft maps to Welsh Government for approval.

The Head of Neighbourhood Services outlined the six key stages applied when preparing the maps.

In 2017/18, the Welsh Government allocated £10,000 to the Council under its Local Transport Fund programme to contribute towards the cost of preparing and consulting on the Active Travel Maps. Of that funding, £8,500 was utilised to commission consultants to audit the proposed active travel routes, whilst the remainder of the funding would be used to contribute to the internal resources required to undertake the other preparatory works to enable submission of the maps to WG, to arrange welsh translations and print the necessary documents.

The Head of Neighbourhood Services explained that this was still a fluid document and could still be changed and had to be submitted every three years so was not cast in stone. He thanked the team for pulling the document together. 

The Leader reported that the work had been commended at national level because of the extensive consultation that had been undertaken.

The Cabinet Member for Communities took the opportunity to thank the team for the piece of work and reaffirmed that it was fluid and would change as priorities changed. The work was now complete and addressed all the requirements made by Welsh Government.

The Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help added that the plan cut across the directorates and the consultation had been second to none. 

The Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations congratulated the team on the consultation particularly with the young children.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration welcomed the report and congratulated the team for pulling the work together. He said that the system in Finland was very good and that we should try to mirror it where ever possible.

A Member asked how effective BCBC was at securing funding. He was advised that the team took every opportunity to apply and win allocations of money on an annual basis.

RESOLVED:                              Cabinet:

·         Noted the report

Approved the Integrated Network Maps (taking account the outcome of the consultation) and authorised the submission of the Integrated Network Maps to Welsh Government to satisfy the requirements of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013.