11 October 2007
CSS President Richard Wills has raised concerns over aspects of the Government’s latest Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), citing worries over funding priority in the transport arena and tough choices on spending caused by increasing pressure on services for the elderly.
The Government’s new Public Spending Agreement (PSA) 5, announced earlier this week, aims to “deliver reliable and efficient transport networks that support economic growth”, using a number of indicators.
Richard Wills said that he welcomed the specific objectives of improving journey time on main roads into urban areas, reliability on the strategic road network and addressing capacity and overcrowding on the rail network.
But he added: “I am concerned that Government funding may switch towards these targets and reduce the funding available for other aspects of the transport agenda.
“The PSA targets are particularly geared towards transport that is nationally controlled and managed. Routine highways maintenance for the local road network and support for rural public transport may become vulnerable. These are particularly at risk because they are funded from a restricted revenue budget.”
Mr Wills also criticised the financial settlements allocated for local government under the CSR, saying: “This situation may well be compounded by a relatively unfavourable settlement for local government as a whole. With increasing pressure on services such as Adult Social Care because of a rising proportion of older people, councils will have to make tough choices when it comes to determining spending priorities.”
He said that the Department for Transport’s settlement seemed to be in line with previously announced projections and added that if this turned out to be the case, it would demonstrate the value of the DfT’s policy of setting out a 10-year strategy, providing stability for transport planning in recognition of the long lead-in times for major projects.
However, he said that the CSR comes in the middle of the current Local Transport Plan (LTP) programme, and added that the CSS would be looking at detailed settlements for individual councils to assess the likely effect on outcomes.
And he added a word of caution when he said: “We will also need to see the detail of DfT spending plans, given its revised PSA targets. We will have done well if capital expenditure for local roads is retained at the levels predicted.
“It looks unlikely, though, that any money will be switched from the Transport Innovation Fund into local roads as this is likely to be directed towards achieving the PSA targets.”
ends
Media contact
Barrie Hedges, Daybreak Communications office 0845 644 3845; mobile 07899 923756; barrie.hedges@daybreakcomm.co.uk
Notes to editors
- CSS represents local authority chief officers who manage some of the most pressing issues facing the UK today. Membership is drawn from all four corners of the United Kingdom with members responsible for three-quarters of the road network, two thirds of the land area and just under half of the population of England and Wales. Operating at the strategic tier of local government, they are closely involved in crucial transport, waste management, environment, planning, energy and economic development issues.
- Richard Wills is President of the CSS. A chartered civil engineer, Richard is also Director for Development with Lincolnshire County Council.
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