Report of the City Solicitor and the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) attached

The Executive considered a report of the City Solicitor and the Strategic Director (Growth and Development), which proposed new governance arrangements, in particular a new joint transport committee, to enable a more coordinated and integrated approach to Greater Manchester transport governance.

The Executive Member for Environment and Transport advised that local control of the Greater Manchester transport network, and bus franchising in particular, would change the type and number of decisions being made. Greater Manchester therefore needed to change the make-up of its decision-making bodies so as to ensure Greater Manchester’s new responsibilities were discharged in an effective and transparent way.

It was proposed that a new, smaller, and more strategically focused ‘Bee Network Committee’ (BNC) was to be established, which would lead on transport decision-making at a regional level, taking greater ownership and responsibility for the Greater Manchester integrated transport network.  As with the present GM Transport Committee, the Bee Network Committee (‘BNC’) would be structured as a joint committee, able to exercise decision-making powers and develop policy on behalf of the GMCA, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the ten Constituent Councils.

Although the new committee itself would have greater delegated powers, no additional Constituent Council functions were to be transferred or delegated to the GMCA and TfGM would continue to make day-to-day operational decisions within agreed parameters and policies.

As Greater Manchester took on new responsibilities and functions, it was important that scrutiny arrangements were appropriately strong. Under these proposals, the GMCA’s single, integrated Overview and Scrutiny Committee would consider transport matters in one place, alongside other policy areas, allowing for integrated consideration of issues

It was note that the GMCA and the Mayor at the GMCA meeting held on 26 May 2023 approved the new arrangements and the establishment of the Bee Network Committee as set out in the appendices to the report and recommended it on for approval by the Greater Manchester district councils.

Councillor Johnson sought clarification as to the mechanism for local councillors to inform reviews of the transport network.  The E Executive Member for Environment and Transport agreed to share information with all Members as to how this could be done

Councillor Leech questioned whether the proposed arrangements for the membership of the new Committee would appropriately reflect the political balance across Greater Manchester

Decisions

The Executive:-

(1)      Agree to the establishment of a new joint transport committee (the Bee Network Committee) of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (‘GMCA’), the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the ten Greater Manchester Constituent Councils.

(2)      Approve the appointment of members to the Bee Network Committee as set out in Appendix 1 and appoint 1 member, preferably the Executive Member as decision-maker with responsibility for transport, and 1 substitute member to the Bee Network Committee.

(3)      Approve the Terms of Reference of the Bee Network Committee as set out in Appendix 2.

(4)      Note the delegation of the functions of the GMCA and of the Mayor of Greater Manchester as set out in the Terms of Reference to the Bee Network Committee attached at Appendix 2.

(5)      Agree the delegation of the functions of the Council, as set out in the terms of Reference attached at Appendix 2.

(6)      Approve the Rules of Procedure for the Bee Network Committee as set out in Appendix 3.

(Councillor Chambers declared a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in this item due to her employment with Transport for Greater Manchester and left the meeting during the discussion of the item).