The Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee met on Monday 30 March 2026 to consider the delegation of transport functions from the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA). The committee acknowledged the report's recommendations to the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport, which proposed accepting the delegation of these functions and authorising the Executive Director of Place to sign the Section 101 Agreement.

Delegation of Transport Functions from the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority

The primary focus of the meeting was to review the proposed delegation of transport functions from the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA) to the three constituent authorities within Greater Lincolnshire. This delegation is intended to ensure the continued delivery of local transport authority functions until more detailed transition arrangements are finalised between the GLCCA and the constituent authorities.

The report presented to the committee, authored by Andy Gutherson, Executive Director – Place, outlined that the GLCCA will officially become the Local Transport Authority on 1 April 2026. However, the transfer of delivery functions, including staff, contracts, and assets, is a complex process that will take time. To ensure continuity of service delivery, it is proposed that the GLCCA delegates these functions back to the constituent authorities.

The committee was asked to acknowledge the report's recommendations, which included:

• Accepting the delegation of transport functions from the GLCCA as set out in the Regulations.
• Delegating the authority to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Executive Member for Highways & Transport, to sign the Section 101 Agreement.

The report detailed the principles that will underpin the Section 101 Agreement, covering areas such as governance, liabilities, finance, staff transition, and dispute resolution. The alternative considered was for the GLCCA to deliver these services directly from 1 April 2026, but this was deemed not feasible due to the GLCCA not currently having the necessary resources, skills, and experience to undertake the work, which would risk public transport services not being delivered.

The report also addressed legal considerations, including the Equality Act 2010, the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (JHWS), and the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. It was stated that the proposed delegation is not expected to have an adverse impact on any protected characteristic and will help ensure continued access to essential transport services for all residents. The continuity of public transport provision aligns with the JHWS themes of promoting independence and reducing inequalities. Furthermore, maintaining clear operational oversight is expected to contribute to preventing crime and disorder.

The committee acknowledged the report and its recommendations, which will be forwarded to the Executive Councillor for Highways and Transport for their decision. The Section 101 Agreement itself was also provided as an appendix to the report.