Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Committee Room 'B' - The Diamond Jubilee Room, County Hall, Preston

Contact: Gary Halsall  Tel: 01772 536989, Email  gary.halsall@lancashire.gov.uk

Media

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Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

There were no apologies.    

2.

Disclosure of Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests

Members are asked to consider any Pecuniary and Non-Pecuniary Interests they may have to disclose to the meeting in relation to matters under consideration on the Agenda.

Minutes:

None were disclosed.    

3.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 March 2019 pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Minutes:

Resolved: That the minutes from the meeting held on 5 March be confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

 

4.

Transport for the North: Revised Strategic Transport Plan pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 The Chair welcomed from Transport for the North (TfN), Robin Miller-Stott, Senior Strategy Officer; and Owen Wilson, Project Manager. A presentation was given on the revised Strategic Transport Plan, Investment Programme, Central Pennines Corridor and next steps.

 

It was reported that the objectives of the Strategic Transport Plan had evolved following the consultation which were now:

 

 

·  Transforming economic performance.

·  Increasing efficiency, reliability, integration and resilience in the transport system.

·  Improving inclusivity, health, and access to opportunities for all.

·  Promoting and enhancing the built, historic, and natural environment.

 

The Committee was informed that since the Strategic Transport Plan had become a statutory document the Department for Transport had to have consideration of the plan when taking decisions on national improvements. Likewise the Transport for the North Board took decisions that had been devolved from central government and had to have consideration for national improvements.

 

There were significant areas of employment in the North that TfN hoped to connect. Economic clusters in the North must also be better connected. One of the key findings of the Northern Powerhouse's Independent Economic Review was the distribution of prime capabilities across the area. These were advanced manufacturing, digital, energy, and health innovation. These prime capabilities also needed enabling capabilities to support growth in those areas being: education services, financial and professional services, and, the logistics sector.

 

The committee was informed that around 60% to 70% of commuting in the North was outside of the local authority where people lived which indicated that there was potential for people to travel further. It was vital therefore that there was a transport system in place to allow people to do this.

 

Regarding demand on the transport network it was noted that car travel was the dominant mode of travel. The rail network had only a 1.1% share of total trips. Capacity on rail services had increased. 

 

TfN was committed to sustainability and its Transport Plan supported a series of Government policies including the Road to Zero Strategy and Clean Growth Strategy. TfN supported the delivery of a low carbon Northern transport network including a zero carbon public transport network by 2050. The 'Pathway to 2050' would set out how TfN's implementation of policies would contribute towards meeting carbon budget targets. Work would also explore Sustainable Return on Investment in business cases.

 

It was noted that transport investment was not just about the economic case but the social case as well and how to ensure there was better social value for transport. Overall TfN's vision was for the transport plan to be an economic plan.

 

TfN was working to improve East / West connectivity especially through the Central Pennines corridor. This would benefit all of the North due to connecting some of the North's important economic centres. It was also working with businesses to discover the potential of current and future logistic hubs and how goods were being moved across the country. Members stated that East / West connectivity was vital and welcomed investment in this.

 

The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Chair's update

Verbal update

Minutes:

 

The Chair provided a verbal update to the Committee on progress that had been made since the Committee last met.

 

  1. Following the resolution to a Notice of Motion on Climate Change at Full Council's last meeting in February, the Internal Scrutiny Committee at its last meeting in March agreed that consideration be given to a joint task group between it and External Scrutiny to review low carbon technology and the county council's land and site usage. Since then the Chair had discussions with the Chair of Internal Scrutiny Committee and it had been decided that the External Scrutiny Committee considered adopting climate change and low carbon technology as a theme for future meetings. This would not preclude the committee from doing anything else or its usual statutory work.

 

 

2.  Rapporteur work had begun on the Committee's request to determine how the Lancashire Energy Strategy could be progressed. The Chair had recently met with Andy Walker from the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership for an initial discussion on the strategy. The Chair hoped to present a report at the next scheduled meeting of the Committee.

 

Resolved: That the Chair's update be noted.

 

6.

External Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report presented set out the External Scrutiny Committee's Work Programme for the municipal year 2018/19. 

 

Regarding County Councillor Oliver's rapporteur report on Universal Credit, a request was made to invite an officer from the Department for Work and Pensions to attend a future meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee to present on dealing with people in Lancashire.

 

Resolved: That;

 

  1. The report be noted.

 

  1. A representative from the Department for Work and Pensions to attend a future meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee to present on dealing with people in Lancashire.

 

7.

Urgent Business

An item of urgent business may only be considered under this heading where, by reason of special circumstances to be recorded in the Minutes, the Chair of the meeting is of the opinion that the item should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency.  Wherever possible, the Chief Executive should be given advance warning of any Member’s intention to raise a matter under this heading.

Minutes:

There was no Urgent Business.

8.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee will be held on Tuesday 16 July 2019 at 10.30am at County Hall, Preston.

Minutes:

The next meeting of the External Scrutiny Committee would take place on Tuesday 16 July 2019 at 10.30am in Cabinet Room B (The Diamond Jubilee Room) at the County Hall, Preston.