1.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were mindful that, where they believed they had a personal or personal prejudicial interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, they should normally at the time of the debate, declare their interest and, having regard to the circumstances described in paragraphs 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the County Council's Code of Conduct, consider whether to leave the meeting whilst the matter was discussed, any declaration to be made at the time of the debate.

2.

CHAIRMAN'S COMMUNICATIONS

The Chairman welcomed Members to the meeting and confirmed that the name of the new Panel had been changed to "North Hampshire Transport Strategy Panel", following a meeting of the full Council on 27 February 2004. He stated that there were to be two meetings of the Panel per year, although this could be increased as necessary. In addition working groups could be set up to look at special projects between meetings.

3.

DEPUTATIONS

There were no deputations.

4.

ROLES OF THE NEW PANELS AND ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

The Panel considered a joint report of the Chief Executive and the Director of Environment (Item 4 in the Minute Book) setting out the terms of reference and role of the new Area Transport panels and their relationship with other relevant panels, in particular the Highway and Transport Advisory Panels.

The Panel discussed a broad outline of the work to be undertaken by Members, and agreed that future meetings should be held at a venue in the region concerned.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

5.

REGIONAL AND SUB-REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 5 in the Minute Book) outlining the new framework of regional and sub-regional spatial strategies, the progress being made on the preparation of strategies relating to Hampshire, and the progress on the Regional Transport Strategy and other regionally important transport studies and strategies.

Members discussed their representation on the Western Corridor, Blackwater Valley and ACTVAR steering groups.

RESOLVED:

That this report be used by officers and Members as a background document to the preparation of the next Local Transport Plan (LTP).

6.

LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN AND TRANSPORT STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 6 in the Minute Book) setting out the proposed development of the transport strategies for the new areas in tandem with the next Hampshire Local Transport Plan.

The Panel were advised of a forthcoming event to be held in Winchester on 19 April, to introduce the issues that will form Hampshire's new LTP submission due in July 2004. There was general agreement that any Regional Transport Strategy should consider all forms of transport, not simply those based on the roads network.

RESOLVED:

That the Panel endorses the approach and timetable of developing strategies for the newly established transport strategy areas.

7.

POLICY AND STRATEGY UPDATE

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 7 in the Minute Book) setting out the progress made on several schemes being undertaken in the North Hampshire Transport Strategy area.

The Panel discussed each issue in some detail. In particular, Members were in strong agreement of the value of the Safer Routes to School programme, and undertook to persuade schools who had not yet produced a school travel plan, of the benefits of doing so.

RESOLVED:

That progress on the matters presented in the report be noted.

8.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME

The Panel considered a report of the Director of Environment (Item 8 in the Minute Book) outlining the finalised Capital Programme for 2004/05, the draft programme for 2005/06 and the preparation pool of schemes to be considered beyond 2005/06, focusing particularly on the North Hampshire area.

The Chairman invited Members to consider their priorities for schemes in the 2005/06 programme, and to inform officers of their views before the next meeting of the Panel.

RESOLVED:

That the Panel notes the approved programme for 2004/05 and endorses the proposed programme for 2005/06.

9.

QUEEN ELIZABETH II BARRACKS, CHURCH CROOKHAM

The Panel received an oral report of the Director of Environment (Item 9 in the Minute Book) on the Queen Elizabeth II Barracks, Church Crookham.

The report focused on the A287 Redfield Lane Junction on the edge of the Queen Elizabeth II Barracks development. A large amount of the developer funding for this site had been earmarked to improve the junction, however there was some doubt about whether these improvements were necessary, as it was not thought that traffic from the new development would impact on this particular junction.

As there was no consensus amongst Members, it was

RESOLVED:

(i) that a small working group be set up to discuss the issue and to report back to the Panel;

(ii) that Councillor J.K. Glen, Executive Member for Spatial Strategy would chair the meetings of the working group, which would consist of two Members from each authority to be confirmed in due course; and

(iii) that the Head of Transport Policy in the Environment Department would convene a meeting of the working group.

10.

MINUTES

The Panel noted the Minutes of the meetings of the following former Panels:

(a) North East Hampshire Area Transportation Strategy Panel held on

8 October 2003 (Item 10(a) in the Minute Book);

(b) Basingstoke Environmental Strategy for Transport Members Panel held on 8 October 2003 (Item 10(b) in the Minute Book).

10.

DATE, TIME AND VENUE FOR THE NEXT MEETING OF THE PANEL

The date and time for the next meeting of the Panel was agreed as:-

Friday 5 November 2004, at 9.30am

The venue would be moved from Winchester to one of the districts, and would be confirmed nearer the time.