The Deputy Chief Executive Placesubmitted a report to Cabinet to seek approval for a City Council contribution towards funding of the delivery stage of the project to reopen the Cowley Branch Line for passenger services.

Cabinet is recommended to:

·       Subject to Council approval of the Budget, to authorise the City Council to commit up to £2.5m of future Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) income to support funding the delivery stage of the project to reopen the Cowley Branch Line for passenger services (CBL);

·       Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive Place, in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, the Director Law and Governance, and the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member for Finance & Asset Management to agree the terms and enter into all relevant funding agreements and contracts that facilitate the delivery of the CBL project, where powers are not already delegated within the constitution.

The Deputy Chief Executive Place hadsubmitted a report to Cabinet to seek approval for a City Council contribution towards funding of the delivery stage of the project to reopen the Cowley Branch Line for passenger services.

Councillor Upton presented the report and said remarked on the popularity of the project. She noted that opening the rail line back up as a passenger service, could benefit the city in many ways. Councillor Upton reflected on the lack of comments from Scrutiny on this report and said that this demonstrated the strength of this project. She noted that they now have to work up a full business case, which would be due in March. She clarified that this paper was about the delivery phase of the project. She said that they need to show that they can give a local contribution to the project. Councillor Upton noted that they could do this from the CIL revenue they are likely to get and by having the branch line there they are predicted to have an increase in CIL revenue. To be clear, Councillor Upton stated that they are asking Cabinet and then Council, but that they would only be taking this forward, if they get the necessary money from central government for the project. She emphasised the priority this project represented for the city.

Ted Maxwell, Economy, City Centre and Green Transport Lead, added that the money would only come forward if the scheme is committed. He clarified that it would not be the City Council delivering the project, it would the be the City Council and others giving the money to the central government for them to deliver the scheme.

Councillor Brown echoed the importance of the project and the infrastructure for the city. She expressed her support for the project.

Councillor Hollingworth noted that as well as the rail and commercial benefits, this project represented a shift away from the sporadic way in which the country deals with big investments in infrastructure. He noted that an equivalent of this project was based on TFL projects, such as the Elizabeth line. In 2017, the costs were going to be 36 billion, but the land uplift went much above that amount. Councillor Hollingsworth noted that on a much smaller scale, that was what they were looking at here. He emphasised that they should not spend ten years debating these matters and that they should take this forward.

Cabinet agreed to:

·       Subject to Council approval of the Budget, to authorise the City Council to commit up to £2.5m of future Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) income to support funding the delivery stage of the project to reopen the Cowley Branch Line for passenger services (CBL);

·       Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive Place, in consultation with the Council’s Section 151 Officer, the Director Law and Governance, and the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member for Finance & Asset Management to agree the terms and enter into all relevant funding agreements and contracts that facilitate the delivery of the CBL project, where powers are not already delegated within the constitution.