Decision details

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport detailing the establishment of a Regional Transport Board and the opoprtunities conferred apon the City Council

(i)  Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council jointly join

TfSE as a single member with a single vote.

(ii)  The success of the joint arrangement should be jointly reviewed

with Portsmouth City Council after a year to ensure that the

interests of both cities and the wider Solent area is being

represented effectively with this proposed approach.

1 TfSE has the potential to be a powerful lobbying voice for the SE in regards

to transport infrastructure. The Solent area has a significant infrastructure

deficit which is holding back economic growth and productivity. Whilst part of

the solution to this is the creation of the Solent Combined Authority, a

powerful voice for the wider region on transport funding also has the

potential to be a powerful asset for the area. If TfSE is effective it will enable

more transport infrastructure resource to come to the region.

2 Having made a joint submission, with Southampton and the Isle of Wight, to

the Secretary of State to create the Solent Mayoral Combined Authority it

makes sense to jointly link on this body bearing in mind the importance of

transport and infrastructure to the agenda for the proposed Solent Mayoral

Combined Authority. However, the Isle of Wight have decided that they

wished to be an individual member on TfSE and so on this basis it is

proposed that Portsmouth and Southampton jointly join TfSE to reflect the

desire of the needs of the Solent.

1  Not to join – rejected given the loss of influence over strategic transport

developments.

2 To join independently – rejected, given the history of successful collaboration with Portsmouth, particularly in the transport sector, including working through Solent Transport. The scale of the TfSE projects are likely to mean that the issues are Solent based considerations. The opportunity to develop single membership can be reviewed.