Minutes of the Environment and Transport Board

Held on 20 January 2005

 

            Attending:     Ken McKay                              Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT)

                                   Trevor Gibson                          Peterborough City Council (Director of Environmental Services)

                        Richard Olive                           Peterborough Friends of the Earth

                        Richard Paten                          Railworld/Peterborough Civic Society

                        Councillor Kreling                    Peterborough City Council      

                        Councillor Peach                     Peterborough City Council

                        Sarah Fowler                          PECT

                        Richard Astle                          GPP Director

                        Joanne                                    Environment Agency

                        Heather Darwin                       Peterborough City Council (Corporate Services

                                                                                                             Department)

 

1.         Apologies

 

            Candy Reed, Sarah Watkins, Freight Transport Association and Andy Campbell, Managing Director of Stagecoach

 

2.             Minutes

 

The minutes of the meeting held on 2nd December 2004 were agreed as a correct record.

 

            Matters Arising/Action

 

            Stagecoach Representation

 

            A letter had been sent to Andy Campbell at Stagecoach on behalf of the partnership, congratulating Stagecoach about the improvement of bus services within the City.  It was acknowledged that the Partnership would welcome Andy Campbell’s attendance at future meetings

 

            GNER

 

            GNER to be invited to attend the next meeting to provide an update on their work (Heather Darwin).

 

            Environment Conferences

 

            Both the International Links and the Greater Peterborough Investment Agency (GPIA) conferences were still being discussed.  GPIA aimed to bring together experts in the environmental field to discuss business opportunities for environmental focussed organisations.  The overall brief was being developed for submission to the Urban Regeneration Company who would take over the responsibility for this event later in the year.

 

            Copies of the notes of the action to be taken by the GPIA and in the City Council were circulated for consideration.

           

            Action

 

            Any comments regarding the GPIA conference brief to be submitted to Sarah Fowler directly (Sarah Fowler/All).

           


 

            Crescent Rail Link

 

            The proposed Crescent rail link scheme had been discussed with City Council officers.  It was acknowledged that the Strategic Rail Authority had carried out research, including the rail link to Nene Railway and this had been discounted as an investment from the Strategic Rail Authority.  Concern was expressed that if the link was not considered as part of the Railway Quarter development this provision could not be pursued in future.

 

            Action

 

            The letter drafted to HALCRO (the consultants currently reviewing the station quarter) to be discussed between Ken McKay and Reverend Paten.   This letter should emphasise the importance of the maintenance of the appropriate strip within the development of the station quarter.

 

            To research the possibility of taking forward the development of the link at a later date when a funding package was established.   Richard Olive and Trevor Gibson to establish whether European funding could be available for this initiative.

 

            Trevor Gibson to contact officers working with HALCRO to maintain this on the future development of the Station Quarter to ensure the opportunity does not disappear in the long term.

 

3.         Update on GPP Progress

 

                  The Community Strategy had been finalised and a number of specific goals and targets would be overseen by the partnership.  This would require the partnership to report on progress to the GPP Board on a quarterly basis as part of the GPP’s performance management framework.  This performance report would highlight issues where assistance was required from other key partnerships within GPP and the requirement for joint meetings between partnerships in future.

 

            Action

 

            Community Strategy to be launched at the GPP Forum with the date and venue to be confirmed during the next couple of weeks (Richard Astle).

 

            A clear action plan outlining the delivery of the breakthrough goal of becoming the Environment capital of the UK and the achievement of the Strategy’s goals and targets to be developed by the Partnership (All).

 

Action planning to commence at the next meeting and future agendas to be dominated by the delivery of the Community Strategy and public engagement (All/Heather Darwin).

           

Request for resources from the Greater Peterborough Partnership to be considered by the GPP Board on 25 January 2005 and then reported back to the partnership for consideration (Richard Astle).

 

4.         Environment and Transport Annual Review

 

            There was a requirement to hold an Annual Public Forum for the Environment and Transport Partnership as part of the Greater Peterborough Partnership’s Constitution.  It was proposed that the first annual Forum should be held in May/June 2005 to discuss the progress made by the Partnership towards the delivery of the Community Strategy with the public.

 

            Action

 

            The Annual Forum to be discussed at the next meeting in more detail with further consideration to be given to a possible venue and date for the event to link with Environment Week w/c 11 June 2005.  (Sarah Fowler to discuss this with the Environment Steering Group)

 

            Consideration to be given to whether Sir David King should be invited to discuss the impact of climate change (Ken McKay and Reverend Paten).

 

5.         Local Transport Plan Review

 

An update was provided about the work to be completed on the draft local transport plan strategies by the end of March 2005. This included strategies related to cycling, walking and transport.  Future funding would be allocated on the basis of the performance of the Council’s Local Transport Plan and the strategies contained within it.

 

Action

 

A dedicated meeting to discuss the strategies, which would make up the Local Transport Plan (Trevor Gibson – May 2005).  The deadline for final strategy would be March 2006, with a draft Strategy to be prepared by end of July 2005.

 

6.         Section 106 Review

 

            The first phase of the revised Section 106 strategy would be submitted to the Council shortly and revised guidance was still to be published about planning obligations.

 

            Action

 

            The second phase of the Section 106 review to be submitted to the partnership for consideration in April/May 2005 (Trevor Gibson).

 

7.         Sustainable Communities Plan/Growth Area Bid

 

            The Regional Spatial Strategy had been launched by EEDA, this document included the proposed regional planning policies.  Peterborough would be required to build on the policies included within the Regional Spatial Strategy during the development of the new local planning framework.  This Strategy included targets in relation to housing and job growth for the Peterborough area.

 

            EERA (East of England Regional Assembly) had made it clear that unless central government provided funding for community infrastructure requirements to deliver the proposals they would not finalise the Strategy in its current form.  This echoed the concerns expressed within  Peterborough.

           

            Action

 

            The GPP Board to be requested to respond to the EERA by the 16th March deadline outlining the partnership’s concerns that the Strategy could not be delivered if the funding for community infrastructure was not forthcoming.  Ken McKay to write to the Chairman of the GPP Board expressing these concerns for submission to EERA.  (Ken McKay, Councillor John Peach and Richard Olive).

 

            Individual Comments regarding the Regional Spatial Strategy to be submitted to EERA by the 16th March (All).

 

8          Partnership Updates

 

            PECT

 

            Environment Capital – A paper to be submitted to the next meeting on the levels of delivery required in the City to reach this goal.

 

            Sustainable energy centre – Funding had been received to launch a pilot centre for Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, encouraging people to use sustainable energy and transport.  There was an overall budget allocation of £500,000 and 12 ½      staff.  The aim of the pilot was to save 4000 tonnes of carbon a year and reach 30,000 consumers.

 

            Hampton Project – This initiative would contact new home owners about sustainable options during a three year project.

 

            Friends of the Earth

 

            East of England Plan – considerable time was being spent on this element to develop detailed response.

 

            Global Olivine – A media campaign had been launched to gauge the views of Peterborough people about the project for renewable energy and seeking the Council to request a public inquiry.  A briefing paper had been circulated to the partnership.

 

            Packaging – the organisation was aiming to reduce packaging as well as increasing recycling.

           

            Railworld

 

            Car Free Day - To be considered as part of the Sustainable Travel Town.

 

            Logistic Centre of the economy meeting – This recent meeting had highlighted the possibility of a rail freight distribution centre within Peterborough and it was proposed that this should be linked with other initiatives across the City.

 

            Environment Agency

 

            Consultation was continuing on the Regional Spatial Strategy and the agency would ensure that a representative can attend future meetings of the partnership.

 

7.         Date of next Meeting – 17 March 2005 12.30pm