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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: • That the verbal progress on the Regional Transport Plan development be noted. • That that latest Welsh Government position on grant funding be noted, along with the ongoing evolution of the Grants Modernisation process and the level of Regional Transport Fund grants to be available to the South West Wales region (subject to the overall Welsh Government budget setting process). • That the proposed Year 1 investment programme (Regional Transport Fund) be approved for submission to Welsh Government on 21 November 2025.
The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting.
There were no declarations of interests received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: • That the verbal progress on the Regional Transport Plan development be noted. • That that latest Welsh Government position on grant funding be noted, along with the ongoing evolution of the Grants Modernisation process and the level of Regional Transport Fund grants to be available to the South West Wales region (subject to the overall Welsh Government budget setting process). • That the proposed Year 1 investment programme (Regional Transport Fund) be approved for submission to Welsh Government on 21 November 2025.
The Committee were presented with the final draft of the Regional Transport Delivery Plan and Year One Investment Programme. Officers confirmed that the Regional Transport Plan (RTP) had been approved by Welsh Government; the next piece of work was to develop a Delivery Plan, with a current focus on the Year One Investment Programme. It was noted that Chief Officers had been in communication with colleagues, confirming that the policies associated with the RTP were live and were applicable to matters such as planning decisions and environmental issues across the region. Members were informed that Officers had completed a process of aligning the list of schemes with the available budget; this had proven difficult due as the budget settlement had been constricted. Although this was the first year of delivery, it was mentioned that opportunities existed to bid for additional funding in years two and three of the RTP process. It was highlighted that several schemes were scheduled for partial construction in year one, with completion anticipated in subsequent years through a rollover to ensure that schemes would be fully completed. Additionally, it was noted that some schemes were expected to be ready for site commencement at the end of year one and would also be subject to rollover, subject to approvals and procedures being in place; this provided scope to spread funding across the later years. Officers explained that Welsh Government had recently requested significant changes to scheme classification criteria; originally, schemes had been grouped by type including multimodal and resilience-focused projects. Officers had received reassurance that this reclassification was an administrative process, and that if Officers re-classified these schemes, it would not negatively impact the assessments that Welsh Government would be undertaking in regard to Year 1 submission. Reference was made to the applications for the Regional Coordinator post that was progressing, with Officers also confirming that they were starting to establish delivery structures. It was noted that Welsh Government had indicated the potential for additional funding, although this remained uncertain. Officers proposed that, should additional funding materialise, approximately 50% would be allocated to regional schemes detailed in the list and metro development, while the remaining 50% would be used to accelerate delivery of existing programmed schemes. Officers stated that Welsh Government were expected to provide comments on the current submission before the Christmas break; Officers had arranged a review session in the days immediately prior to Christmas to consider and respond to this feedback. Members made reference to the significant contribution that Councillor Price had provided to the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC); particularly on leading the work of the Regional Transport Sub Committee, as the Chairperson of the Sub Committee. The Committee recorded its thanks and wished Councillor Price well in all future endeavours. It was acknowledged that the four major schemes identified across the region were of national significance; Members expressed concern regarding potential impacts on the delivery of these schemes and highlighted the importance of demonstrating progress given the significant financial investment involved. Members also emphasised the need for bus services to be integrated within the Metro programme. Following on from the above, Officers stated that the four major schemes identified were highly significant and there was a strong regional view that these should be funded centrally, as the costs would place considerable pressure on the RTP funding. Officers highlighted the need to make a case for additional funding to deliver these schemes, some of which were substantial and would require delivery over several years. It was confirmed that discussions on this matter would be continued at both Officer and political level with Welsh Government. Assurance was provided that the delivery of these schemes would encompass both bus and rail services, as a Metro system needed to integrate multiple modes of transport. It was noted that local Metro elements were focused on bus infrastructure, active travel, and cycling/walking initiatives, supported by work with Welsh Government on franchising to improve control. In addition, Welsh Government and Transport for Wales were leading on rail-focused elements of the Metro. It was emphasised that the Metro was not solely a rail project, but a comprehensive transport solution designed to meet diverse needs. Members were advised that the current National Delivery Plan for Transport would expire in 2027, and developing these schemes through the RTP process was essential to ensure they remained on the national agenda and were considered in shaping the successor plan. Members queried the position regarding match funding and sought clarity on whether Welsh Government had provided any guidance on this; in the absence of such clarity, it was suggested that the SWWCJC consider approaching Welsh Government to obtain confirmation. Officers advised that there was no specific guidance on the level of match funding required and they hadn’t received any further clarity from Welsh Government on this matter; work was ongoing to identify potential options for match funding, including opportunities through economic development and alignment with other funding streams such as levelling-up initiatives. Officers confirmed that they would continue to pursue all available sources of funding. RESOLVED: • That the verbal progress on the Regional Transport Plan development be noted. • That that latest Welsh Government position on grant funding be noted, along with the ongoing evolution of the Grants Modernisation process and the level of Regional Transport Fund grants to be available to the South West Wales region (subject to the overall Welsh Government budget setting process). • That the proposed Year 1 investment programme (Regional Transport Fund) be approved for submission to Welsh Government on 21 November 2025.
There were no urgent items received.
There were no comments or questions received in relation to the private appendices contained within agenda item 7, therefore the meeting did not move into private session.
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