AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION - ESTABLISHING A TRANSPORT DELIVERY AGENCY FOR SOUTH HAMPSHIRE

1. On 23 April 2007, the Cabinet agreed proposals for the establishment of a formal joint committee to be known as "Transport for South Hampshire" involving Hampshire County, Southampton City and Portsmouth City to replace the existing, voluntary and informal Solent Transport Executive. The new joint committee aims to build on the success of the Solent Transport Partnership and will engage in the formulation and implementation of strategic transport policies, proposals and improvements to the transport systems and networks of South Hampshire in association with the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH). It will be responsible for providing enhanced transport delivery arrangements for the South Hampshire area, and maximising investment and infrastructure provision in accordance with the South Hampshire Sub-Regional strategy.

2. The broad structure of the proposed joint committee will be as follows:

· a strengthened executive constituted as a formal committee of the three transport authorities operating on the basis of unanimity and only quorate if all three are represented [only the three transport authorities will have voting rights because they hold the functions and funding in question and therefore are accountable for the discharge of those functions]


· provision for non-voting representation from other infrastructure providers


· provision for all other stakeholders, including districts, to attend meetings of the Committee and join in the debate (without voting rights) on matters that interest them


· there will be five core working groups (with sub-groups as required) covering the key areas of public transport (bus, rail, coach and ferry); strategic transport corridors and packages; South Hampshire transport strategy; strategic traffic management and travel information; and funding, bidding and disbursement


· a dedicated co-ordination and administration secretariat provided by the County Council with contributions from the other authorities


· a "dotted reporting line" to PUSH Leaders and Chief Executives in order to maintain the close connection with the sub-regional spatial strategy and economic development work but with formal accountability being to the three transport authorities

3. The functions of the Executive body will be limited only to those matters to be dealt with at a sub-regional level, including:

· delivery of a seamless and co-ordinated public transport operation across the sub-region and securing infrastructure to support that

· delivery of sub-regional schemes and innovations and implementation of sub-regional transport policies (including strategic traffic management)

· pursuing and securing funding for sub-regional transport schemes (and supporting each transport authority in doing so for local schemes)

· holding developer contributions for sub-regional schemes

· monitoring and reviewing delivery at sub-regional level

· pursuing representation on the Regional Transport Board

and therefore, will not include:

· acting as local highway authority

· delivering local schemes or local traffic management

· administering tendered bus routes, concessionary fares (although some co-ordination is necessary for both of these), home to school or community transport

· seeking to take over operational functions of operators

· doing anything that is better delivered locally or county-wide

4. A resolution is required from each Council to establish the committee and to delegate specific functions to it. The committee's terms of reference will take the form of a Memorandum of Agreement, an early draft of which is available in the Members' Rooms. Additional copies can be obtained from the Deputy Director of Environment upon request. The memorandum covers the constitution of the committee, its name, membership and powers; meetings and proceedings; appointment, remuneration etc of support staff; financial and land related matters; Local Transport Plan and Local Area Agreement related issues; apportionment of deficits and surpluses; scrutiny of decisions; review and determination of the agreement; and arbitration. It should be noted that the memorandum is a draft working document at this stage and will be subject to further refinements as a result of ongoing discussions between the relevant Executive Members of the three transport authorities before finalisation later this year.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. That the County Council approves the establishment of a formal Joint Committee (Transport for South Hampshire) involving Hampshire County, Southampton City and Portsmouth City Councils, to replace the existing voluntary, informal Solent Transport Executive.

2. That the Executive Member for Environment be appointed as the County Council's representative on the Transport for South Hampshire Joint Committee.

3. That approval of the detailed Memorandum of Agreement be delegated to the Leader and Executive Member for Environment, in consultation with the Director of Environment.

4. That Part I: Chapter 11, paragraph 11.1 (statutory joint committees) of the Constitution be amended by the addition of the following:

T. K. THORNBER, C.B.E.,

Leader.