Archived decisions

Item 9

Report to the

Transport for South Hampshire Joint Committee

Date: 14 April 2008

Report by: Stuart Jarvis

tel: 01962 846126 email: [email protected]

Subject: Multi Area Agreement

Purpose of the Report

This Committee has considered reports at its previous meetings on the suggested development by the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) of a South Hampshire Multi Area Agreement (MAA). On 16 October 2007 the Committee endorsed the development of an MAA and agreed that Transport should be a core element. Authority was delegated to officers to develop transport proposals for inclusion within the MAA, with the details brought back to Transport for South Hampshire (TfSH) for further consideration. This paper presents the outline of a draft MAA that was considered by the PUSH Joint Committee on 18 March, which contains significant transport provisions for which TfSH is the lead partner.

The purpose of this report is to update Members on the emerging Transport outcomes with the associated potential enabling measures ("freedoms and flexibilities"), and to seek the Committee's endorsement for the approach being developed. The report also seeks delegated authority for officers, in consultation with the Chairman, to conclude the final agreement with DCLG/Department for Transport/Government Office for the South East (GOSE) by the end of May 2008.

Recommendations

1. That approval, in principle, be given to the outcomes and enabling measures, set out in report, as the transport element of the draft Partnership for Urban South Hampshire Multi Area Agreement, for negotiation with the Government.

2. That authority be given to officers, in consultation with the Chairman, to negotiate the final Multi Area Agreement with the Government as part of the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire negotiating team.

Introduction

1. The MAA will be based on the PUSH Business Plan, which is focused on the sub-regional strategy for economically driven growth and regeneration. The MAA will support investments in infrastructure that will ensure a sustainable future for everyone living, working and visiting South Hampshire. The benefits of entering into an MAA must be to deliver outcomes which otherwise would not be delivered by individual local authorities and their partners on their own as effectively, or at all.

2. The purpose of the PUSH MAA will be to close the gap in economic performance both within the sub-region and between the sub-region and surrounding areas in Hampshire and the South East.

3. The approach to developing the MAA is built on the solid foundations of the PUSH Business Plan and Economic Development Strategy. Both these documents have been developed with the involvement of key stakeholders from the public and private sector (Transport for South Hampshire, Job Centre Plus, Learning and Skills Council, Business Link, South East England Development Agency, Hampshire Economic Partnership, Business Southampton, Portsmouth Partnership).

4. The challenge PUSH is considering in developing the MAA is based on two concepts:

(i) will the inclusion of an activity/outcome in the MAA add value over what could be achieved by working in partnership; and

(ii) will the inclusion of an activity/outcome help to close the gap both within the PUSH sub region and in comparison with others.

5. Transport is a key to the success of the sub-regional economy, and the core role of TfSH fits well into this MAA framework, given the cross boundary impacts of transport and the partnership core of TfSH operations.

6. There is a tight timetable to develop and finalise the draft MAA and submit it to DCLG by the end of May for approval by the Minister in June 2008. There will be a number of negotiations on the outcomes and enabling measures with DCLG and GOSE, and the Joint Committee is asked to delegate authority to officers in consultation with the Chairman, to finalise the MAA. A report on progress and including the final MAA will be brought to the next meeting of the Joint Committee.

Background

7. Effective transport is one of the preconditions for economic growth in South Hampshire. The sub-region has many strengths in transport terms: a network of strategic roads, good rail links to London and the rest of the South East, an expanding airport and two thriving ports dealing with both commercial and passenger traffic. But there are complex journey to work patterns that reflect the polycentric geography of South Hampshire and significant congestion issues.

8. TfSH is PUSH's partner in delivering transport improvements. It is known that, as with other growing areas in England, the continued growth in car traffic is unsustainable and a way cannot be built out of trouble by constructing more roads.

9. TfSH's strategy is therefore to seek to reduce the demand for car travel, manage existing transport provision better, and invest in a targeted way in those projects that deliver most in support PUSH's economic objectives and adequately serve new development.

Proposals

10. The proposed MAA contains a number of suggested outcomes, primarily focused directly on economic development, which are also supported by potential enabling measures. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the overall MAA is the proposition that the Government agrees to work in equal partnership with PUSH and its partners to deliver the sub-regional strategy, and the associated enabling measure of a proposed duty to cooperate which would relate to all central and regional Government Departments and Agencies.

11. This would be directly relevant and extremely beneficial to transport activities in South Hampshire and to the work of TfSH. Such a proposition would clearly not formally commit the Government to specific funding measures for transport, but would assist with the delivery of the sub-regional transport strategy, and in particular those measures required to deliver the step change in public transport provision and integrated network management.

12. It is also in this context that reference is made to the potential development of an Integrated Transport Authority in South Hampshire, which may not be viable without the ability to work in part of district council areas to match the boundaries of the sub-region (not currently provided for - and hence the subject of a proposed enabling measure).

13. The three proposed transport outcomes, and all their associated potential enabling measures, are set out in the tables below.

Conclusion

14. The decision to develop an MAA and to include transport at its core is based on the belief that the achievement of these ambitious outcomes will require transformational approaches that are innovative and challenge the current rules. Delivery will require cooperation, innovation, a focus on local priorities and formalisation of the partnership working with Central and Regional Government and Government Agencies. It is considered that the MAA can deliver significant benefits to PUSH and TfSH particularly through common commitment to the MAA outcomes, and the relaxation of restrictions or barriers to delivery of these outcomes through enabling measures. Whilst commitment to significant funding for transport and infrastructure remains a fundamental requirement of the Government, it is considered that the MAA can make a significant contribution to delivery of aspects of the sub-regional transport strategy, and on that basis it is recommended that the MAA should be progressed and that the proposals outlined in the report as the basis for the MAA negotiation are endorsed by the Committee.

1619Rpt/SJ