Issue - meetings

This report invites the Cabinet to consider Bath and North East Somerset Council’s membership of the Western Gateway Shadow Sub-National Transport Body. The Council has recognised that on strategic transport issues there are mutual and shared interests with other transport authorities and that working more closely together will strengthen our case when lobbying Government for future funding and scheme prioritisation.

Councillor Dine Romero made an ad-hoc statement, stating that this was yet another body for strategic oversight and asked how a combined scrutiny response will be co-ordinated.

Councillor Tim Ball made an ad-hoc statement wherehe stated that this seemed to be another body along with the Cabinet and WECA (West of England Combined Authority) and asked if more research was needed.

Councillor Mark Shelford moved the recommendations and stated that this was an opportunity for the authority to work collaboratively with others in the South West and that work was being done so that this authority would have the correct influence in this body.  Councillor Shelford reported that Dorset was now part of the Gateway project.

Councillor Tim Warren seconded the motion and stated that authorities cannot work in silos and this would help to blur the lines and that there was a significant funding from the Government for this project.

RESOLVED (unanimously) that the Cabinet:

1)  Approved Bath and North East Somerset Council’s participation in a Shadow Sub-National Transport Body.

2)  Agreed the Shadow Sub-National Transport Body prospectus and note the emerging transport priorities (Appendix A).

3)  Agreed to enter into a Heads of Terms and Constitution agreement with other Transport Authorities (Appendix B).

4)  Agreed to appoint the Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment to represent the Council on the Shadow Sub-National Transport Body’s Partnership Board and for a fellow Cabinet Member to act as a nominated deputy in the absence of the Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment.

5)  Agreed to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, in consultation with Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, to represent the Council on the Shadow Sub-National Transport Senior Officer Group.