Minutes:
The Chair welcomed the Mayor to the meeting and invited him to address the Committee.
The Mayor gave an update to the Committee on his recent work including:
A question was asked around public transport access to Manchester Airport from South Yorkshire. The Mayor gave a response that he was continuing to lobby TfN and train operators to restore connections to airports. He also noted the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport and the potential for transport links if it is re-opened.
Further detail was requested on the work of the Integrated Care Partnership. The Mayor responded that the Integrated Care Strategy had been launched, and a Health Action Advisory Panel had been established which was considering options for early years provision in the region. The Panel would produce a report advising Local Authorities on how to boost healthy life expectancy in the region.
It was asked whether the Mayor had yet met with Sheffield Young Carers ACTION: The Mayor to follow this up.
Members asked about proposals to merge the responsibilities of the Mayor and the Police and Crime Commissioner. The Mayor responded that no decision had been made on this yet, but negotiations were ongoing with Home Office and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) officials. If this change was approved, a Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner election would take place in South Yorkshire in May 2023. The Mayor welcomed engagement with local communities and stakeholders including the Scrutiny Committee on how this can function well. ACTION: Chair to include Police and Crime Commissioner on the Committee’s work plan.
It was asked whether there were also ambitions to also combine the Fire Commissioner’s role with the MCA. The Mayor responded that it would be too difficult to pursue this alongside Police and Crime Commissioner, but that the MCA would work with future Governments on what is possible.
A question was asked on Bus Franchising, and how the Mayor planned to ensure support across the region for a franchised model. The Mayor responded that he is committed to fixing public transport in South Yorkshire, and that his personal view is that this should be done through Bus Franchising. However, the process for taking a decision on this is lengthy, and he is committed to engaging partners throughout it.
A member raised difficulties experienced by users of buses such as lateness, cleanliness and antisocial behaviour. The Mayor agreed with these issues and attributed them to the privatisation of the bus network.
It was noted by a member that franchising does not bring more money in to the network, it was asked how this could be achieved. The Mayor stated his ambition to campaign for more Government funding, but noted that South Yorkshire is not able to raise money for a local precept to fund the network.
The Mayor stated that briefings could be provided to members to help them better understand how the bus network is operated.