Agenda item - Public Questions

Agenda item

Public Questions

Minutes:

It was noted that three public questions had been received.

 

The following question was received from Matthew Topham.

 

As South Yorkshire’s leaders appreciate the urgency of the climate and cost-of-living crises facing the region and have committed to consider starting a formal franchising investigation at this meeting, will the Combined Authority commit to make the investigation an institutional priority by committing Combined Authority funding, to avoid costs falling on local councils as has been done in West Yorkshire, and to appoint new, specialised project managers as soon as possible?”

 

The Mayor replied that bus franchising would be discussed at item 11 on the agenda.  Should the MCA agree to go ahead with the statutory investigation, decisions on funding and the availability of suitable capacity would then be made.  Several options were being explored and all local authority leaders would be involved in discussions.

 

The following question was received from Jim Bamford.

 

“The draft Enhanced Partnership Plan states, ‘the bold pledges we have set for the future of our bus network (include) a cap on daily and weekly fares’.  Can you confirm that such a cap would only apply to those fares set by the Combined Authority, but that the operators would continue to set their own fares as they do now and any such fares cap would not apply to those operator set fares.  Would you list which of the fares on the Travel South Yorkshire website would and which would not be covered by the cap.”

 

Mayor Jarvis replied all fares are currently set by the commercial operators and not by the MCA, this will continue to be the case under the Enhanced Partnership.  The proposal for capping fares that was central to the Bus Service Improvement Plan submitted to central government is one that will make a huge difference to passengers and would be expected to apply across the majority of tickets that are available.  But, as set out in the Plan, it needs the promised government funding in order to deliver and we await this decision from government.

 

The following question was received from Dinah Ward.

 

“’7,000 jobs are on the way as the Mayoral Combined Authority pumps £170m into South Yorkshire firms’, Sheffield Star 7th December 2021.  How many of these jobs also address the climate and nature emergency?  Are the jobs in sectors we need to grow, and not in those that need transforming or that are a major part of the problem?  Will the companies be required to show proof of sustainability?  Can we examine which companies are being supported and why?”

 

Mayor Jarvis firstly addressed the specific reference to the Article in the Sheffield Star.  He replied that, for the avoidance of any doubt, the £170m is not investment that the MCA has yet committed to or agreed to but the sentiment of the article rightly reflects that we are working with a cohort of businesses that can grow or locate here.

 

I want to reassure you and the public that the MCA looks at each business and assesses its merit along with the case for public funding. Crucially we also consider it with our policy priorities which includes sustainability objectives and we monitor that against the commitments that the companies make. We are also developing conditionality around investments which will include elements on decarbonisation.

 

Recent investment includes support for new battery technology too support electric vehicles, support for the UK atomic energy facility and developing smart transport systems.  I can also assure you that we monitor performance to ensure we hold businesses to the commitments they have made.