AGENDA ITEM NO.2

ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT PARTNERSHIP

Minutes of a meeting of the Partnership held on Thursday 2 December 2004

at the Town Hall, Peterborough

PRESENT

Ken McKay	Chairman
Rachel Price	The Wildlife Trust
David Turnock	Peterborough Civic Society
Cllr Kreling	Peterborough City Council
Trevor Gibson	Peterborough City Council
Reverend Richard Paten	Railworld
Richard Olive	Peterborough Friends of the Earth

1. Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Candy Reed, Environment Agency, Councillor Peach, Sarah Fowler, PECT, Philip Norwell and Andy Campbell (Stagecoach), Sarah Watkins, Freight Transport Association, and Richard Astle.

2. Minutes – 16 September 2004

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2004 were approved as a correct record.

Matters Arising

Bus Services

Stagecoach had confirmed that they would be attending future meetings of the Partnership.

Action - A letter congratulating Stagecoach on the performance of their new bus services would be prepared (drafted by TG and signed by KM on behalf of the Partnership)

Real Time Information

Action - The Travel Choice for Peterborough team had been established and the branding of this initiative was currently been developed. An update would be submitted to the Partnership in two meetings time (TG/Jamie Gray – 17 March 2005).

Environment Conference

At present two Environment based conferences were planned for the City. One international conference was being organised by GPIA to include visions of a bigger and better Peterborough, sustainability, wildlife conservation and how to ensure the development of the City was linked to the Environment. . At present this conference was planned for mid 2005, which was an ambitious timescale.

A further conference was being planned with Peterborough’s twin towns. A Working Group had established to scope out activities with a view to this conference being held in the early stages of 2006.

Action - The partnership to receive an update to discuss the project briefs for these conferences (TG).

Green Capital

The presentation considered by the last meeting had been repeated elsewhere with a range of partners. The majority of partners had been supportive although there was some concern regarding the views of GPIA, which were currently not fully supportive.

Action – Proposals to be presented to Council’s Growth Programme Board (SF/JS).

Reverend Paten to contact JS about the involvement of Railworld in this presentation.

Global Olivine

It was confirmed that the City Council had held discussions with the Managing Director of Global Olivine. Current indications were that authorisation would be granted by the Environment Agency, which acknowledged that the proposed power station would be safe to operate. The next stage would require an application for DTI consent to locate the development in Peterborough as the DTI considered all power station applications with the City Council being a major consultee.

This was likely to be submitted in the New Year, followed by a 4-month consultation period, and if the City Council submitted an objection the matter would be referred to a public inquiry. There was also a likelihood that a public inquiry could be called if there was a significant number of objections from other groups, organisations or residents. These views would be submitted to the DTI.

Action

Report from Friends of the Earth regarding Global Olivine proposals to be circulated to all Members of the Partnership (Richard Olive/Heather Darwin).

Any comments relating to the proposed development could be submitted directly to the DTI, however the City Council would welcome any comments during its formal consideration of the proposals (All).

3. Update on GPP Progress

The final version of the Community Strategy had been circulated. Some concern was expressed about the lack of emphasis on sustainability and green issues. However, it was acknowledged that the Community Strategy had been developed by the whole of GPP and the challenge for the partnership would be to ensure that the delivery of the Strategy emphasised the importance of sustainability.

The key partnerships would now be required to adopt the targets highlighted and work together to deliver the priorities. The GPP Board would monitor this delivery against aspirations and there was also requirement to feed this into Central Government departments as part of the Public Service Agreement.

4. Peterborough’s Crescent Link Plan

Reverend Paten, Railworld, gave a presentation about the proposed Crescent rail link and the documentation relating to the Crescent rail link was circulated to the Partnership. The aim of this initiative was to connect the Nene Valley Railway with the mainline and Peterborough Railway Station, acting as a new Public Transport Rail Corridor.

The benefits of this initiative were traffic reduction, environmental benefits, tourism promotion, and acting as a Park and Ride.

It was acknowledged that the area of land required was already included in the Local Plan and a planning application for proposed rail crossing bridge had been previously approved by the Council. However, there was no immediate funding proposal and this was an important time for the initiative due to the current development of the Station Quarter. The HALCRO consultants report on the Railway Quarter was due to be submitted to the Council in April 2005.

Action

The Partnership would write to the Station Quarter consultants (HALCRO) to highlight in principle support for the Crescent rail link (Ken McKay).

This issue to be discussed with relevant City Council officers dealing with the Station Quarter feasibility work (Trevor Gibson).

5. Sustainable Communities Plan

As previously reported, the City Council had been allocated for £10 million for the development of this Plan. However, the Government was still determining the format for the actual allocation of this funding and the detailed studies for each site were on hold pending the delivery of this funding.

The Regional Spatial Strategy (new regional planning guidance) was being considered by the ODPM and the official consultation period was due to commence next week. The consultation period would be 4 months and an examination in public would be held at the end of this consultation period, before the Regional Assembly and ODPM reconsidered the Strategy.

The current proposals reflected the redevelopment proposals for Peterborough and the considerable growth of new homes in Peterborough. Targets would be established enabling the Council to apply for funding allocations to meet these targets. There would also be an opportunity to receive developer contributions towards infrastructure improvements within the City.

Action

Organisations to consider the draft Regional Spatial Strategy and submit comments during the consultation period (All Partners – details available here http://www.eera.gov.uk/category.asp?cat=120 )

6. Funding Streams

This item will be removed as a standard item on the agenda.

Action - The City Council to provide regular updates on the performance against recycling targets and consideration to be given to a possible visit to the Electrical Appliances Recycling Plant and material recycling facility (Trevir Gibson).

8. Partnership Updates

Wildlife Trust

The Development Plan and the People and Participation Plan had recently been revised. Funding had also been provided by English Nature’s Wild Space Fund to establish more local nature reserves enabling additional local people to become involved with wildlife conservation. Recent examples included the Dogsthorpe Star pit and Woodston Ponds Nature Reserves and a map was now available listing all nature reserves located in Peterborough.

A wildlife gardening project would also be launched during the next year.

Friends of the Earth

Friends of the Earth were currently involved in the following initiatives:

· Regional Spatial Strategy;

· Station Quarter development and preferred option of a transport interchange;

· Objections to the Northwestgate development proposals;

· Sustainable Travel Town working group;

· Grimshaw woods;

· Supportive of wind turbine development in the area.

Railworld

An update had already been given in relation to the Crescent rail link plan. The importance of the maintenance of the Green Wheel was also highlighted.

Peterborough City Council

The following areas were the main issues being considered by the City Council:

· Park and Ride Feasibility Study, highlighting that this was not a viable option at the present time;

· A 31% recycling level had been reached and it was hoped that this would increase by the end of April 2005;

· A Climate Change working group had been established to take forward the motion recently passed by the Council.

Civic Society

The main areas of consideration included:

· An updated website available via a link from http://www.peterborough.net/civicsociety/

· Commenting on Planning Applications and alternative forms of transport;

· An application to become a non-executive Director on the new URC board.

Environment Agency

Funding was currently being sought for the Fens Waterways Link:Yarwell Project towards the development of moorings, an additional station at Yarwell, the provision of a steam boat and boat house. Work was also being undertaken by the Waterways team to automate Alwalton lock and to repair the piling at Orton Lock.

9. Dates of Future Meetings

20 January 2005

Chairman

1.00pm-2.30pm