The Clackmannanshire bridge to ochils

24 January 2023

DEAL JOINT COMMITTEE held via MS Teams on 24 JANUARY 2023 at 2.30 pm Present

Councillor Ellen Forson, Clackmannanshire Council (In the Chair) Councillor Martha Benny, Clackmannanshire Council

Councillor Kenneth Earle, Clackmannanshire Council Councillor Scott Farmer, Stirling Council

Councillor Danny Gibson, Stirling Council (S) Councillor Neil Benny, Stirling Council

Eileen Schofield, University of Stirling Professor Leigh Sparks, University of Stirling Graeme Duff, University of Stirling

In Attendance

Carol Beattie, Chief Executive, Stirling Council

Jane Burridge, Lead Transformation Officer, Clackmannanshire Council John Craig, Programme Manager, University of Stirling

Jeremy Greengrass, Regional Programme Management Office

Brian Roberts, Chief Operating Officer – Infrastructure and Environment, Stirling Council Councillor Graham Lindsay, Clackmannanshire Council

Mark Henderson, Communications, Stirling Council

Ann Jacob-Chandler, Head of Regional Programme Management Office Betty Brown, Support Officer, Regional Project Management Office Pete Leonard, Strategic Director, Clackmannanshire Council

Nicole McIntosh, Project Analyst, Regional Programme Management Office William Rutherford, Finance Manager, Regional Project Management Office Sally Dimeo, Head of Treasury and Systems, University of Stirling

Lee Robertson, Senior Manager, Legal & Governance, Clackmannanshire Council Dr John Rogers, Executive Director, Research, Innovation & Business Engagement, University of Stirling

David Hopper, Public Transport and Sustainable Development Manager, Stirling Council Angela Simpson, City Regional Deal, ATP Manager

Stuart Cullen, Principal Roads and Flooding Officer, Clackmannanshire Council Abbie Scrimgeour, Communications, Clackmannanshire Council

Melanie Moore, Committee Services, Clackmannanshire Council (Minutes)

CRD189    APOLOGIES AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Apologies were submitted on behalf of Councillor Chris Kane, Stirling Council and Matt Francis, Stirling University. Councillor Danny Gibson, Stirling Council, attended as substitute for Councillor Kane.

CRD190 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

None.

CRD191 URGENT BUSINESS

None.

CRD192 MINUTES – JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING – 29 NOVEMBER 2022

The minutes of the meeting of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee held on 29 November 2022 were submitted for approval.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee held on 29 November 2022 were agreed as an accurate record.

CRD193 FORWARD PLANNING

  • JOINT COMMITTEE ROLLING ACTION LOG

The Joint Committee Rolling Action Log was submitted for information.

Action Point 32 – Ann Jacob-Chandler and Dr John Rogers had discussed the matter and hoped that following the discussion around the SCREAB and REF amalgamation, that this would move forward.

Action Point 43 – Brian Roberts advised that they had received informal advice from the Scotland Office, UK Government that they are now looking for an Outline Business Case (OBC) for Forthside rather than a Strategic Business Case (SBC). This is being done as part of the Treasury Review across all City Region Deals. An SBC has been worked on for the last six months, therefore he has asked for a meeting with colleagues in Government which will impact on the timeline to bring the OBC forward and move the SBC to OBC. The SBC will be ready by the end of the financial year but if that is not sufficient for transfer of land then OBC may also have to be developed. He advised that he will update Joint Committee before next meeting. A briefing session is being arranged for the 3 elected members of the Joint Committee (Stirling Council) in terms of the MOD land with a follow up detailed briefing for other Joint Committee members.

Decision

The Joint Committee agreed to note the content of the Rolling Action Log.

(b)    JOINT COMMITTEE FORWARD PLAN

The Joint Committee Forward Plan was submitted for information.

Decision

The Joint Committee agreed to note the content of the Joint Committee Forward Plan.

CRD194 STIRLING & CLACKMANNANSHIRE’S CITY REGION DEAL – PROGRAMME STATUS REPORT

The report, submitted by Ann Jacob-Chandler, Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) updated the Joint Committee on the deal programme highlights and progress overview.

Decision

The Joint Committee agreed to:-

  1. Note the content of the Programme Status Report.

CRD195 STIRLING & CLACKMANNANSHIRE CITY REGION DEAL – ACTIVE TRAVEL PROGRAMME

The report, submitted by Angela Simpson, City Regional Deal, ATP Manager and David Hopper, Public Transport and Sustainable Development Manager, provided information on the CRD Active Travel Programme and sought approval of the Programme Outline Business Case which is currently with Scottish Government for final review. Following Committee approval of the Programme Outline Business Case, work can commence on the Outline Business Cases for each individual scheme proposed.

David Hopper advised that the draft Active Travel Programme submitted to Joint Committee in July 2022 has not changed since then. He advised that he had today heard from the Scottish Government and officer’s provisional review of feedback showed no material impact on the project other that seeking information on the final refinements of the Transport Planning Objectives (TPO) and wording around monitoring and evaluation.

Councillor Ellen Forson raised the importance of cycling infrastructure for locations in terms of having access to showers and secure storage for bikes. David Hopper advised that a secure cycling structure is critical given the increase in value of cycling equipment e.g. e-bikes. David recognised that behavioural change is needed to encourage people to make the modal shift from using motor cars to using both public transport and active travel and that both Councils need to work together to develop packages around behavioural change. He advised that they

had been looking at a replacement bike share scheme in Stirling and had been engaging with critical partners across both Stirling and Clackmannanshire including SEPA, NHS, and Colleges and University about getting a partnership together to jointly invest in and make work. He hoped to get all partners working together to firstly look at cycling infrastructure followed by bicycle availability and then look at their respective list of lockers and shower facilities.

Councillor Neil Benny asked if consideration could also be given to the inclusion of electrical charging points for e-bikes. Councillor Neil Benny asked if Stirling University had facilities for cyclists to shower and Professor Leigh Sparks confirmed that there are showers at the University’s Sports Centre. Councillor Neil Benny also queried the inclusion of Falkirk Council given it’s links to both the east of Stirling and across the Clackmannanshire Bridge. David Hopper advised that Falkirk were included in discussions, but that more needed to be done across the Forth Valley and also to look towards Tayside. Councillor Forson raised the work of the Connectivity Commission and the recommendations that emerge from that Commission will need to be tied in to the wider Forth Valley area.

Brian Roberts reminded the Joint Committee that this is the Active Travel Programme for the City Region Deal, and the pot of money that is available is limited, albeit with some leverage match funding from Sustrans and funding from Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils. The bigger piece of work that will really transform active travel across Forth Valley will come from Forth Valley Commission and also come out of our respective local transport strategies. He recognised that there is lots of work to be done, but it won’t all come from the work agreed through the City Region Deal.

Councillor Ellen Forson commented that the 3 Forth Valley Councils were all part of different regional transport partnerships and queried whether there would be merit in forming a Forth Valley regional transport partnership. Councillor Neil Benny agreed that there may be merit in working closely across boundaries, with the cycling infrastructure being a start and commented that he’d also be very interested in seeing the Forth Valley Commission report. He thought it was an excellent idea and Councillor Forson commented that she may get together and take it forward at some point with Councillor Neil Benny.

Councillor Danny Gibson advised that leaving TACTRAN (Tayside) had been considered, but was advised that Council’s legally have to be part of their Regional Transport Partnerships (RTP), so since we can’t change that structure, then perhaps the Forth Valley Councils could pick one RTP and go with that.

As Councillor Ellen Forson sought agreement on the recommendation set out in the report to approve the status of the Active Travel Programme Outline Business Case, Councillor Neil Benny asked if the Chief Officer Group could also review it in light of the concerns raised regarding the broader regional issues and bring back a report on that at some future time. Having sought assurances from officers, and agreement from the Joint Committee, Councillor Ellen Forson agreed to add that as part of the decision.

Decision

The Joint Committee agreed:-

  1. To approve the status of the Active Travel Programme Outline Business Case in anticipation of endorsement from Scottish Government, and with Chief Officers Group reviewing any outstanding issues through delegated authority.
    1. That the Chief Officer Group will also review the Active Travel Outline Business Case in light of the concerns raised regarding the broader regional issues and will bring a report to Joint Committee at some future time.

Action

Chief Officers Group

CRD196 REVIEW OF EXTERNAL      ADVISORY OPTIONS INCLUDING REF      AND SCREAB

The report, submitted by Ann Jacob-Chandler, Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) provided background and progress update on the amalgamation of the Regional Enterprise Forum (REF) and Stirling and Clackmannanshire Regional Economic Advisory Board (SCREAB) into a single independent Regional Advisory Body.

Ann advised that she is seeking Joint Committee approval for the proposed amalgamation of the REF and SCREAB into a single Regional Advisory Board (RAB) whose membership will include a subset of the people who were on REF and SCREAB with private sector input. There are pressures on the public sector budget and there is a need to join forces with the wider business sector and third sector as well as academia to deliver some of the outcomes of the Deal. It should create an impact and driving force around some of the other regional investments.

Ann advised that the first three things the RAB will be asked to do would be:-

  1. Identify who the key businesses/industry leaders are;
  2. Help raise the profile of the deal and related investments; and
  3. Identifying leverage and opportunities for external funding.

Councillor Ellen Forson advised that feedback from SCREAB and REF was that that one group would be much better. The amalgamated group will need specific direction and tasks to deliver on from the Joint Committee. Councillor Forson recommended that a separate session should be arranged for the Joint Committee and Chief Officers’ Group (COG), outwith formal meetings and briefing sessions, to sit down and decide the specific direction and tasks for the group to deliver which would include consideration of the potential requirement for more thematic boards. It needs to be clear what the Joint Committee would like the group to achieve including setting potential milestones.

Councillor Neil Benny stressed the importance of raising the profile of the City Deal and that the launch of the RAB would provide an opportunity to ensure that the Deal is talked about in terms of investment. There needs to be a strategy for the re-launch which considers the best way to use this change to raise the profile of the Deal. Councillor Neil Benny also asked that thematic boards are not too prescriptive and that the RAB should have the opportunity to set these up in an informal way, as themes emerge from the process.

Councillor Scott Farmer agreed with Councillor Ellen Forson’s proposal and noted that it would also be good for Joint Committee to get to know members of the group, and to have that joint discussion around strategic direction.

Councillor Ellen Forson advised that the recommendation in the report was to review the proposal for the RAB and provide thoughts strengthening the impact. Ann Jacob-Chandler advised that she is seeking approval to go ahead to set up the RAB and then the RAB would be given the initial tasks advised earlier in the meeting. Ann also advised that there will be further discussions with the Joint Commitee to identify the business/industry leaders.

Councillor Ellen Forson sought agreement from the Joint Committee to set out the points raised during discussion as the decision of the Joint Committee.

Decision

Having reviewed the report and considered the next steps, the Joint Committee agreed:-

  1. To note the content of the report.
  2. To give approval to the RMPO, to set up the Regional Advisory Board (RAB) as set out in the report;
  3. The initial tasks for the RAB will be:
    1. To identify who the key businesses/industry leaders are;
    1. To help raise the profile of the deal and related investments; and
    1. To identify leverage and opportunities for external funding.
  • That a report will come to Joint Committee setting out the strategy for improving the profile of the City Region Deal.
  • A session will be arranged for the Joint Committee alongside the Chief Officers Group (COG) to consider the vision, specific direction and tasks for the RAB.
  • As the RAB is established, a joint session of the Joint Committee / RAB will be arranged to share their vision and direction.

Action RMPO

CRD197  AOB

None.

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 3.39 pm.