REGIONAL TRANSPORT STRATEGY

The Executive Committee on 26 April 2002 devoted over an hour's debate to the consultation draft of the Regional Transport Strategy (RTS). The document had been amended following its in depth consideration by the Regional Planning Committee on 9 April.

Executive Committee members endorsed the dual strategy of pressing for urgent investment in public transport and key road bottlenecks while also promoting change in travel modes. The Strategy recognises the important 'gateway' role of the region and proposes investment in a strategic 'frame' to relieve pressure on radial routes into London. The proposed network of 'hubs' and 'spokes' is designed to reinforce the agreed regional planning principle of urban renaissance. 'Mobility management' is seen as a means of fostering behavioural change, through public transport priority, parking controls, and, potentially, congestion charging.

Head of Regional Transport Planning, Martin Tugwell, emphasised that some key aspects of the current draft, including sections on airports and ports, are incomplete because the large-scale studies which will inform those policies have yet to report their findings. The same applies to a number of strategic transport corridors that are currently the subject of multi-modal studies. These sections will be developed over the next months once the studies have reported and their findings analysed.The Committee recognised that the RTS has to meet technical requirements under regional planning procedures. Since it is also a vital lobbying document, however, it is felt essential that the key concepts and policies of the RTS are expressed as clearly and succinctly as possible. There will therefore be an accessible summary document published alongside the RTS when it is launched formally for consultation in Hove on 25 June. In the meantime the Draft Strategy is available as a Word document on this web site.

The Executive Committee agreed the draft Strategy for publication, subject to Planning Committee Chair, Cllr Nick Skellett, signing off the final text taking into account the Committee's observations.

SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT

The Executive Committee received the report from the Assembly Select Committee on SEEDA's impact in areas of economic success. Chaired by Economic Partners Vice-Chair, Mike Geddes, the Select Committee convened for a day session in late March to take submissions, and again for a half day in mid April to discuss the report on the Committee's findings. The geographical frame of reference chosen was Thames Valley, Oxfordshire and Basingstoke, but the Committee was concerned to draw lessons for SEEDA's activities in all the economically successful areas of the region.

The Committee heard from key players, including councils, economic partnerships, LSCs and Friends of the Earth. Concerns were expressed that investment in infrastructure and skills is failing to keep pace with the area's continued economic growth. There are fears that the rising cost of living and operating in the Thames Valley will "crowd out" lower paid employees and vital sectors of the economy such as public services and small companies.

The Select Committee's recommendations for SEEDA include:

• Targeting resources: SEEDA should focus its limited resources on cost effective measures that help unlock other sources of funding, particularly from the private sector.
  
  
• Enhancing Productivity: Increasing the productivity for the labour force will be essential if growth is to be achieved without significantly increasing the demand for labour and land. SEEDA's interventions in these areas need to focus on skills and productivity to demonstrable effect.
  
  
• Investing in Transport: SEEDA has an important role to play in working with the Assembly by making the business case for urgent transport investment in these areas if they are to continue to contribute so strongly to the UK's economic prosperity.
  
  
• Affordable Housing: The acute shortage of affordable and key worker housing is primarily a planning issue, but SEEDA's development programme and brownfield land initiative can make a contribution in areas of economic success as well as the region's regeneration priority areas.

The Select Committee report can be found on this web site.

SEEDA ACCOUNTABILITY

Regional Economic Strategy (RES)
Jeff Alexander of SEEDA reported that the RES consultation document is now published on SEEDA's web site. All Assembly members have been sent a hard copy. This document is not yet the draft RES, although it sets out the key regional economic development priorities that SEEDA has identified from the consultation events to date. The document also includes sub-regional priorities from the economic partnerships.

The formal consultation period for this review ends on 17 July. SEEDA would, however, like to receive responses by the end of June as they are aiming to give as full a report as possible on the outcome of their consultations at the 17 July Assembly plenary meeting.

SEEDA partnership arrangements
The Executive Committee also received a paper from Paul Bevan regarding SEEDA's draft consultation paper, "Delivering in partnership in priority regeneration areas". The paper details the proposed sub-regional partnership arrangements for SEEDA's future regeneration interventions. SEEDA has also organised a series of meetings around the region between 29 April and 9 May for partnerships and local authorities to discuss its proposals.

The Executive Committee broadly welcomed SEEDA's proposals but raised some concerns, including:

• The relationship between the proposed delivery partnerships and existing partnerships;
• The future of interventions outside the areas cited;
• The tension between strategic partnership working and genuine community engagement.

REGIONAL WHITE PAPER

The White Paper on regional governance is expected in May. A recent BBC poll found that half (49%) of South East residents favour an elected regional assembly.
Details on the following website.

NEWS IN BRIEF…

Regional Planning Committee
Chair of the Regional Planning Committee, Cllr Nick Skellett, reported on the meeting held on 9 April. Key matters discussed included the Strategic Rail Authority Plan. Although the Planning Committee was pleased that the South East had received a large proportion of the funding available in the SRA's plan, there were still concerns that schemes of both regional and national significance, such as the upgrade of the Great Western main line and Airtrack, had been overlooked.

Cllr Skellett also reported the response he had received Transport Minister John Spellar MP, regarding Central Railway. Mr Spellar had written that he has asked the SRA to carry out a further detailed assessment of the Central Railway proposals. The SRA will be consulting with interested parties such as the Assembly and anticipates that the work will be concluded in September.

GOSE update
Charlotte Dixon reported on the Street Crime Initiative which was recently launched by the Prime Minister. GOSE is working closely with key partners in the Thames Valley, such as the Police and the Probation Service, to help implement and monitor initiatives aimed at reducing street crime in the area.

South East Rural Affairs Forum
The first meeting of the South East Rural Affairs Forum (SERAF) took place on 15 April 2002. The Assembly has one seat on the Forum in its own right, and also benefits from the presence on the Forum of key Assembly members wearing 'different hats'. These include Dr Bob Page, Jeremy Leggett, Cllr Harry Rees and the three local authority members nominated by the Assembly, namely Cllr Ken Gregory, Cllr Bill Lidgate and Cllr Robin Pierce.

One of the first debates the Forum will hold is on the regional implications of the Curry Report on the Future of Farming and Foods.

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Last updated: 21 August 2007