Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership
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2 TAYSIDE AND CENTRAL SCOTLAND TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIP Minute of the Meeting of the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership held in the Balmoral Suite, Queens Hotel, Leonard Street, Perth on Tuesday 23 June 2009 at 10.30am. Present: Councillor John Whyte (Angus Council); Councillors Dave Bowes, Will Dawson and Brian Gordon (Dundee City Council); Councillors, Ann Gaunt, John Kellas and Alan Jack (Perth and Kinross Council); Councillors Andrew Simpson and Jim Thomson (Stirling Council); Bill Wright, Gavin Roser and Douglas Fleming (Members). In Attendance: E Guthrie (Director); N Gardiner, M Cairns and M Scott (TACTRAN); G Taylor (Secretary); J Symon (Treasurer); I Cochrane (Angus Council); M Galloway and N Gellatly (Dundee City Council); L Goodfellow (Stirling Council); L Brown and A Deans (Perth and Kinross Council). Apologies for absence were received from Professor Malcolm Horner and Professor Tony Wells (Members); and Councillor Iain Gaul (Angus Council Member). Deputy Chair Jack, Presiding for Item 1 1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST In terms of the Code of Conduct, Councillor Will Dawson declared a non- financial interest in Item 8, the Travel Plan Strategy and Action Plan Progress Report and Councillor Ann Gaunt declared a non-financial interest in Item 10, the Tay Estuary Rail Study Report. 2. APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRPERSON Gillian Taylor, Secretary to the Partnership, reported on the need to appoint a new Chairperson following the amendment to Dundee City Council’s nominated elected Member representation on the Partnership. Councillor John Whyte, seconded by Gavin Roser, proposed Councillor Alan Jack for the appointment of Chairperson. Thereafter a further nomination was received for Councillor Will Dawson which was proposed by Councillor Dave Bowes and seconded by Councillor John Kellas. There being two nominations for the appointment of Chairperson, a roll call vote was taken in terms of Standing Order 21(5). Six members voted for Councillor Alan Jack as follows: Councillor John Whyte; Councillor Brian Gordon; Councillor Alan Jack; Bill Wright; Gavin Roser and Douglas Fleming. -2- Six members voted for Councillor Will Dawson as follows: Councillor Dave Bowes; Councillor Will Dawson; Councillor Ann Gaunt; Councillor John Kellas; Councillor Andrew Simpson and Councillor Jim Thomson. There being a parity of votes, in terms of Standing Order 22 lots were drawn and Councillor Will Dawson was duly appointed Chairperson. Councillor Will Dawson took the Chair. 3. MINUTE OF PREVIOUS MEETING The minute of meeting of the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership of 10 March 2009 was submitted and approved as a correct record subject to noting that the reference to the Strategic Transport Projects Review was considered under Item 3 of the minute. 4. MATTERS ARISING The Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) Councillor Whyte reported that Angus Council at its meeting on 26 March 2009 had unanimously agreed to support the upgrading of Dundee’s Kingsway and associated junctions as an alternative to a Dundee Northern Relief Road as the routing of any Northern Relief Road would be environmentally detrimental to some Angus communities. Angus Council had further supported the removal of reference to a Dundee Northern Relief Road from the Strategic Transport Projects Review report. The Director advised that this position was noted within the Director’s Report at Item 17 5. SINGLE OUTCOME AGREEMENTS There was submitted a report by the Director (RTP/09/20) providing the Partnership with an update on the finalisation of Single Outcome Agreements (SOAs) for the four partner Council areas and seeking the Partnership’s formal endorsement of the finalised SOAs. The Director reported that although there were few direct references to transport within the Government’s five key Strategic Objectives and the fifteen National Outcomes in the Government/Local Government Concordat, Ministers had recognised that effective transport infrastructure and services were essential to ensuring the successful delivery of outcomes at both the national and local level. The Partnership had strengthened its engagement in the four constituent Councils’ Community Planning processes and the SOAs, now being Community Planning Partnership agreements, had given further added focus to that process. At its meeting on 10 March 2009 the Partnership had agreed to delegate authority to the Chair and Director to formalise the Partnership’s commitment to the finalised SOAs prior to their submission to Scottish Ministers. In line with this delegation the Angus SOA was signed on behalf of the Partnership -3- by the Deputy Chair on 29 May 2009, prior to its submission to Scottish Government. The finalised SOAs for Dundee City, Stirling and Perth and Kinross had been submitted to the Scottish Government and would be signed during annual Ministerial visits to the Councils over the summer. In accordance with the earlier delegation, the Chair would sign these SOAs on behalf of the Partnership. Resolved: (i) The Single Outcome Agreements for Angus, Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and Stirling as detailed in Report RTP/09/20 be endorsed; (ii) It be remitted to the Director and Proper Officers to review the Partnership’s governance procedures to align with SOA governance, accountability and reporting requirements, as appropriate, and to report on this to a future meeting of the Partnership; (iii) To instruct the Director to submit reports on progress towards supporting the delivery of SOA outcomes to future meetings of the Partnership, as appropriate. 6. 2008/09 UNAUDITED ANNUAL ACCOUNTS There was submitted a joint report by the Treasurer and Director (RTP/09/21) advising the Partnership on progress with the completion of the Annual Accounts for the financial year 2008/2009. A revised copy of the Unaudited Annual Accounts for 2008/09 was tabled at the meeting. The Treasurer provided clarification in response to a number of queries raised by Councillor Thomson in relation to the detail and presentation of information within the Accounts Resolved: (i) To note the submission to the Controller of Audit of the Unaudited Annual Accounts for 2008/09 as appended to Report RTP/09/21. (ii) To utilise balances of £49,199 from 2008/09 to support the 2009/10 Regional Transport Strategy Revenue Programme. (iii) To instruct the Treasurer and Director to submit a report on the Audited 2008/09 Annual Accounts to the meeting of the Partnership on 22 September 2009. 7. 2009/10 CORE REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING There was submitted a joint report by the Treasurer and Director (RTP/09/22) providing a monitoring update on the 2009/10 Core Revenue Budget as at 31 May 2009. Members were informed that the Scottish Government had confirmed the award of Grant in Aid up to £615,000 in 2009/10 which had included the Government’s £220,000 contribution towards core running costs. The remaining £395,000 was available to support development and implementation of the Regional Transport Strategy in 2009/10. -4- The Treasurer informed the Partnership that, as part of the Government’s Efficient Government Programme, a commitment was being sought to deliver an annual 2% cash releasing efficiency saving, in line with efficiency savings targets placed upon local authorities and other grant supported bodies. In light of this the Director and Treasurer were to review all areas of expenditure with a view to identifying opportunities for cash releasing efficiency savings and would report back to the Partnership within a future budget monitoring report. Resolved: (i) The Core Budget position as at 31 May 2009, as detailed in Appendix to Report RTP/09/22, be noted. (ii) To instruct the Director and Treasurer to review all areas of expenditure with a view to identifying opportunities for 2% cash releasing efficiency savings and report back to the Partnership within a future Budget Monitoring Report. 8. TRAVEL PLAN STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN: PROGRESS UPDATE There was submitted a report by the Director (RTP/09/23) (1) providing an update on progress in Travel Plan activity; (2) seeking agreement to proposed Travel Plan expenditure in 2009/10; and (3) seeking approval of amendments to the Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme. A DVD which had been produced in collaboration with partner Councils and Health Boards, highlighting examples of Best Practice in implementing Active Travel Plan measures throughout the region, was shown to Members. Members complimented the Travel Plan Officer on the quality of the production. It was noted that the DVD had been publicly launched on National Liftshare Day and was to feature on the Scottish Government’s Choose Another Way website in addition to the Partnership’s own website. Bill Wright advised that he would raise awareness of the DVD through Cycling Scotland. The Travel Plan Officer reported that all four partner Councils had now developed Travel Plans and had implemented positive Travel Plan measures. NHS Tayside had formally adopted site specific Travel Plans for both Ninewells Hospital and Perth Royal Infirmary. A strategic Travel Planning policy is being developed for all NHS Tayside locations. NHS Forth Valley was developing a Travel Plan covering the major relocation of acute hospital facilities to their Larbert Site and had continued to implement and promote measures in advance of this move. The Travel Plan has been submitted to Clackmannanshire Council and is yet to be approved. A successful radio promotion campaign for the TACTRAN Liftshare Scheme had been carried out through Tay FM. It was noted that a similar campaign had previously been undertaken with Central FM. Councillor Simpson requested that consideration be given to a further campaign using Central FM and Councillor Gordon suggested that consideration be given to running a similar campaign on Tay AM to broaden market coverage. -5- The success of the Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme (STGS), which was generating interest in working collaboratively on Travel Planning and Travel Awareness initiatives from other public sector and not for profit organisations, including Central Police, The World Wildlife Fund and the Department for Work and Pensions, was also noted.