Agenda item

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2023 and to consider the matters arising update and the Quarterly Operating Report.

Lead: Chair and Martin Tugwell

3.1              The minutes of the meeting of the Transport for the North Board held on 14 December 2023 were considered.

3.2          Members received a written update on matters arising including a copy of the Quarterly Operating Report from the Chief Executive. He highlighted the success of the TfN Conference in Liverpool, and that the intention is to go to York for the 2025 event.

3.3          He also highlighted the commitment given by the Rail Minster at the TfN conference on the extension of the Midland Main Line electrification through to Sheffield. He explained that TfN may be approached by colleagues in the Midlands for support on the business case for the scheme; if this happens, he advised that TfN would support this. 

3.4          He informed the Board about the positive news on the A66 dual carriageway upgrade. Mr Richard Leonard provided further detail, explaining that approval for the Development Consent Order (DCO) to proceed with the works has been given. The window for challenges against the decision lasts until the end of April; if there is no legal challenge then the work can proceed.  Some preparatory work is taking place pending the outcome. Additionally, approval to submit the DCO for the Simister Island interchange in North Manchester has also been given: a scheme that has been previously identified as a pan-regional priority.

3.5           On the issue of diversity raised at previous meetings the Chief Executive stated that he had met with the Chair and Vice Chairs to discuss this and referred Members to the note in his update. In addition, he highlighted how the voice of young people at the Convention of the North had brought an energy and a different focus to the conversation. He is keen to build on the momentum and has asked the Director of Strategy Analysis and Communications to examine this further in the context of how TfN might do something similar. 

3.6          Mayor Brabin supported the update on diversity, commenting that the Board needs to ensure it reflects the views of the communities Members serve. She sought reassurance that lived experience is as important as data; the Chief Executive provided this reassurance.

3.7          On the matter of the A66 Cllr Hughes commented that whilst the A66 dualling has positives, parking issues need to be resolved in towns such as Keswick and Penrith.

3.8          Responding to a question raised by Cllr Hughes, Mayor Brabin commented that the Citizens UK partnership (involved in the Convention of the North) is a separate organisation, and her team would need to check what involvement had been from the Cumbrian perspective and return to Cllr Hughes on this. 

3.9          The Director of Strategy, Analysis and Communication provided an update on the Northern Transport Voices panel, explaining that this is a representative panel of communities across the North, and it is the intention to grow it from 600 to 2,000 individuals over the next year. She also noted that TfN hopes to establish the aforementioned stakeholder/community panel over the next six months. 

3.10       The Chief Executive advised the Board that the Rail & Road Director will be leaving his post at the end of May and the recruitment process has already begun. He expressed confidence that there will be a good response to the advert. He added that the Director of Strategy, Analysis and Communication will take over as the Deputy Chief Executive, in addition to their current responsibilities, with effect from 1 April.  The Chief Executive placed on record his thanks to the Rail and Road Director for all his hard work.

3.11       The Chair echoed the Chief Executive’s thanks to the Rail and Road Director and congratulated the Director of Strategy on her new role. Mayor Burnham as Chair of the Rail North Committee also echoed these sentiments.

Resolved:

1)   That the minutes of the Transport for the North Board held on 14 December 2023 be approved as a correct record.

2)   That the written Matters Arising update and the Quarterly Operating Report be noted.