Agenda item

To consider the appointment of a new Joint Transport Committee for Greater Manchester – the Bee Network, that will enable a more coordinated and integrated approach to transport governance.

Councillor Shah MOVED and Councillor Sheldon SECONDED a report of the Director of Legal Services which informed Council of proposed new governance arrangements, in respect of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which were intended to enable a more coordinated and integrated approach to transport governance with agreement of executive members.

The creation of Greater Manchester’s (GM’s) integrated transport system, the Bee Network, would require a more coordinated and integrated approach to transport governance, that placed accountability to local people at its heart.

Local control of the GM transport network, and bus franchising, would change the type and number of decisions being made. GM therefore needed to change the make-up of its decision-making bodies to ensure GM’s new responsibilities were discharged in an effective and transparent way

The proposal from GM was the creation of a new, smaller, and more strategically focused ‘Bee Network Committee’ (BNC), which would lead transport decision-making at a regional level, taking greater ownership and responsibility for the GM integrated transport network. This was intended to provide a strengthened local engagement by increasing opportunities for local councillors and members of the public to contribute to and influence transport policy and services in their area.

The proposals were intended to allow for formal scrutiny of the Bee Network Committee being part of the work programme of the GMCA’s newly strengthened Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Although the new committee itself would have greater delegated powers, no additional constituent council functions were to be transferred or delegated to the GMCA.  

The GMCA would delegate additional functions that are already conferred on or delegated to it, to TfGM.  Such functions would be of a day-to-day operational nature, for example, local bus information, consultation procedures, transport and road safety studies.  This will require corresponding amendments to the GMCA constitution which will be included in the annual review of the constitution.  

Resolved:

1.    The Council agrees to the establishment of a new joint transport committee (The Bee Network Committee) of the GMCA, the Mayor, and the ten Greater Manchester Constituent Councils.

2.    The Council approves the appointment of Members to the Bee Network Committee as set out in Appendix 1, of the submitted report with Councillor Elaine Taylor appointed to the Bee Network Committee.

3.    The Council approves the Terms of Reference of the Bee Network Committee, as set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report.

4.    The Council notes the delegations of the functions of the GMCA, as set out in the Terms of Reference of the Bee Network Committee and notes the delegations of Mayoral functions as set out in the Terms of Reference, as detailed at Appendix 2, of the submitted report.

5.    The Council agrees the delegation of the functions of the Local Authority Constituent Councils as set out in the Terms of Reference, attached as Appendix 2, of the submitted report (which for the avoidance of doubt were the same delegations given to the former Transport Committee)

6.    The Council approves the Rules of Procedure for the Bee Network Committee as set out in Appendix 3 of the submitted report.