4. Transport update. Local Transport Body need to confirm boundary by end of Sept; and confirm governance arrangement by end of December

Transcription

1 Hertfordshire LEP Strategic Infrastructure Programme Board - 10am, Friday September 21, 2012 Venue Hightown Praetorian & churches Association, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4XH Present: Notes 1. Cllr Tony Jackson Chair LEP Board member 2. David Scholes NHDC 3. Morag Saunders Herts Highways 4. David Bogle Herts Housing Consortium 5. John Pryor - HCC 6. Charles Osimen HCC 7. George Bennett Hewdon Consulting 8. Jane Durney Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust 9. Jonathan Tiley HCC 10. Richard Bott Country Land and Business Association 11. David Bell East of England Freight Quality Partnership 1. Presentation on East of England Freight Quality Partnership (EEFQP) David Bell background in transport, distribution, and supply chain EEFQP involves transport and logistics companies EEFQP has developed revised Terms of Reference- endorsed by the Regional Transport Forum. DfT has also confirmed its support for Freight Quality Partnerships Intention is to report to the Regional Transport Forum and at LEP meetings JCP vacancies shows HGV drivers are in demand. Average age 55 HGV drivers recruitment remains a challenge Rail network expensive for freight There are joint working opportunities between the Herts LEP, Local Authorities and Haulage and logistics firms around tackling some skills/ economic development issues EEFQP to be involved in the consultation on Devolving Local Transport Schemes 2. Growing Places Funding update Awards being made to Maylands, Elstree and Watford Roughly 6m left to be invested in round two. Private sector also to be invited to submit bids Action need to pull together information on Housing and Commercial schemes that have been granted Planning Permission but not moved ahead(maybe due to funding) Some ready to go housing schemes with planning permission could benefit from the funding This could help demonstrate that the money is

2 being invested quicker in schemes that meet the criteria could ask Housing Associations to pull together all schemes ready to go. There could also be opportunities to fund Business Incubation units across the county 3. LEP update LEP hosted a successful House of Commons event on 20 June to launch its Plan for Growth (Open for Business), plus the new website which brings together three portals into one LEP, Inward Investment, Tourism. Mark Prisk MP the then Business Minister spoke at the event. Event was hosted by Mike Penning MP Three additional staff to the LEP team. Charles Lartey Inward Investment Manager, Alan Corbett External Funding Officer, Jessie Edwards Apprentice. LEP Board had its meeting on 13 September. Focussed on The Innovation and Enterprise Programme Board Action Plan, update on Growing Places Programme and proposed infrastructure conference, Business Rates Retention update. Potential joint event on Export with UKTI on 13 November Broadband update issues around State Aid Skills HCC Apprenticeships programme to be launched September ending + 3 job Fairs proposed, Herts LEP European Social Fund (ESF) priorities have been submitted to the Skill Funding Agency (SFA) Embassy visits arranged e.g. Brazilian embassy Hertfordshire Infrastructure conference titled Delivering Prosperity Delivering Infrastructure confirmed for 22 October at the Fielder Centre BIS letter to the LEP ON 17 Sep confirmed additional LEP Funding Core Operational - 125k for remainder of 2012/13, and 250k for 2013/14 and 14/15. subject to match funding locally Report on Devolving Local Transport Funding was issued last week by DFT, in response to consultation earlier in the year. Relates to establishment of Local Transport Bodies. To be established by April Transport update Devolving Local Major Transport Schemes Consultation-The Hertfordshire LEP and HCC as Highways Authority responded separately to the DfT s consultation on devolving local major transport schemes consultation on the 2 nd April The consultation was seeking views on a proposed new system of prioritisation and funding for local major transport schemes. It has been indicated that in October 2012, the DfT supporting guidance will be published. Local Transport Body need to confirm boundary by end of Sept; and confirm governance arrangement by end of December Highways Agency Pinch Point Programme

3 The Highways Agency has secured 6.2m to introduce hard shoulder running north of Junction 6 of the A1 (M), following a bid to the government s pinch point fund prepared by the county council and Local Enterprise Partnership. The scheme will see the existing hard shoulder converted to a running lane. It will include installing a sign gantry spanning both carriageways along with variable message signs, CCTV, sensor loops and speed enforcement cameras. All the measures will be on existing Highways Agency land. The scheme is part of a nationwide programme aimed at supporting economic growth by reducing congestion around local enterprise zones. The A1 (M) scheme is one of the largest announced a recognition of both the high traffic volumes in the county and Hertfordshire s key role in the national economy. The scheme will support local economic growth in Hatfield Business Park, Gunnels Wood Road, GSK, Stevenage Town Centre Regeneration and Knebworth Innovation Park and the gateway of London Luton Airport. Government estimates suggest it will support the creation of 9,485 jobs and 3,840 homes by Improvements between Junctions 6 and 7 of the A1 (M) have been identified as an important stimulus to economic growth. Work is continuing to see if and how any further improvements can be made and how other funding could be secured. Local Sustainable Transport Fund The County Council's LSTF bid, entitled 'BIGHERTSBIGIDEAS' comprises a package of sustainable transport measures in Watford, Hemel Hempstead and St Albans, designed to increase economic growth and reduce carbon emissions. In July 2011, the county received 1.99m for its Key Component bid covering 2011/12. In July 2012 the county was awarded the 'large project' bid for 9.67m covering 2012/15. The bid is supported by a wide range of partners including district councils, transport providers, the University of Herts, and business groups, and comprises five key elements, including: A. Walking and cycling infrastructure enhancements B. Improvements to the passenger transport network C. Innovative Transport Measures D. Business, employee and school travel planning / education E. Intelligent Transport Systems The Hertfordshire LEP has been a key supporter of Hertfordshire's Local Sustainable Transport Fund Bid, providing strategic level support throughout the bidding process, and if the large project bid is successful, the LEP would be a key partner in helping to engage businesses regarding the uptake of the employer-focused transport measures within the package. 5. Local Nature Partnership (LNP)

4 LNP now got formal ministerial recognition by the Minister Richard Benyon, and given Local Nature Partnership Status. Will soon be added to the list of LNPs on DEFRAs website. Seeking an appointment from the LEP Board into the LNP Board Good practice guidance for green infrastructure & Biodiversity has been developed by the Town and Country Planning Association and The Wildlife Trust, in partnership with a whole range of organisations: titled Planning for a Healthy Environment Hertfordshire Green Infrastructure Plan could be linked into the wider infrastructure plan 6. Strategic Infrastructure Board Action Plan revised draft presented by CO. Opportunities for comments Action Plan to be presented to the LEP Board at its next meeting on 25 October The Herts infrastructure conference will provide further clarification on, and buy-in into an Infrastructure Plan for Hertfordshire and its delivery 7. HIIS refresh and general Planning update Planning Update The Government has made a number of new statements in relation to the planning system, with a view to introducing further revisions and reform. Amongst the initiatives announced are: tighter timescales for making planning decisions; setting national standards for performance with the threat of planning services being placed in special measures if performance is not adequate; and reducing the thresholds for schemes to be referred to the Major Infrastructure Unit for determination. Other initiatives include allowing developers to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if they consider that Section 106 agreements have made development unviable, and the relaxation of Permitted Development Rights to take various categories of development outside of planning control for a defined period. In addition the concept of allowing the Change of User from office use to residential without the need for planning permission has also been raised again. Hertfordshire Infrastructure and Investment Study (HIIS) HIIS consultation now taken place. Findings to be reported to the Hertfordshire Infrastructure and Planning Partnership (HIPP) and be used to feed into the forthcoming infrastructure conference, after which the Refresh will be finalised as a document. The HIIS Refresh covers the following topics:- provides a context to the significantly changed infrastructure planning landscape since the 2009 report; covers anticipated future housing and employment numbers and its relationship with infrastructure need; assesses the need for new and improved

5 infrastructure across a wide range of services; looks in detail at the issue of the future funding of infrastructure (and although it finds no easy answers - with CIL only likely to fund around 20% of future need - identifies potential sources of new funding to be explored and exploited); considers the important but potentially very complex relationship between strategic and local infrastructure need. 8. AOB Housing Associations hosting a conference at the Fielder Centre November on Housing and Planning, John Gourd now(chair of the Hertfordshire LEP now confirmed to speak) HIPP has now appointed a Planning Coordinator We need to get water companies involved as more water will be needed going forward. Herts currently has the highest per capita usage of water