Decision details

KCC Membership of a shadow Sub- National Transport Body for the South East known as Transport for the South East (TfSE)

The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act makes provision for the establishment and constitution of Sub-National Transport Bodies (SNTBs) for any area in England (outside of Greater London. An SNTB can prepare a Transport Strategy for an area which would set out proposals for the promotion and encouragement of safe, sustainable, integrated, efficient and economic strategic transport facilities and services to and from the area of the SNTB.

The South East Seven (SE7) Councils (Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey County Councils, and Brighton & Hove City Council and Medway Council) and the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) that represent the area have discussed the establishment of an SNTB for the South East, to be called Transport for the South East (TfSE). A TfSE on this geographic scale would fulfil the DfT’s minimum geographic size requirements.  Discussions will shortly commence with Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight  and the Solent LEP about joining TfSE. 

The proposed TfSE would enables authorities to influence national and regional infrastructure providers, helping to secure the infrastructure required to support continuing economic growth. A TfSE would see Government, South East Transport Authorities and/or Combined Authorities and LEPs working together with Highways England, Network Rail and port, airport and bus operators. TfSE would require strategic transport providers to take account of its priorities.

TfSE would provide a mechanism for the area to speak with a strong, common voice on transport infrastructure and provide a single platform for strategic transport and infrastructure issues, giving partners greater, and potentially direct, influence over decisions that are currently made elsewhere. Its key outcome will be the development of a single, strategic transport infrastructure framework which would align the investment programmes from key agencies, such as Highways England, Network Rail and the LEPs.

Options

·         Do nothing and not engage in the development of the SNTB for the Southeast.

·         Set up the SNTB for Kent and Medway, but this would not be supported by DfT

·         Engage in the development of the Shadow SNTB Board and Transport Strategy for the Southeast

How the proposed decision meets the objectives of ‘Increasing Opportunities, Improving Outcomes: Kent County Council’s Strategic Statement (2015-2020)’

The cornerstone of TfSE is the Transport Strategy. It will build upon existing Local Transport Plans, including Kent’s Local Transport Plan 4: Delivering Growth without Gridlock, currently out to consultation, and evidence already in place amongst the constituent Authorities, including the LEP’s Strategic Economic Plans and growth and infrastructure frameworks/studies being undertaken by a number of upper-tier Authorities, including the Kent and Medway Growth and Infrastructure Framework.  In this way, the decision would support the Council’s second strategic outcome, “Communities benefit from economic growth by being in work, healthy and enjoying a good quality of life.”

As Leader, in accordance with Article 10 (1) & (4) of the council’s constitution, I agree:

1.    to establish, and participate in, a shadow Sub National Transport Body (SNTB) for the South East, known as Transport for the South East (TfSE), at the cost, for the purposes, and with the membership, set out in the accompanying report; and

2.    the proposal to establish, and participate in, a formal Sub-National Transport Body for the South East, also known as TfSE, and with the same purpose and membership.