Issue - meetings

A report was considered that recommended approval of the annual subscription to Transport for the South East (TfSE) for 2022/23.

Councillor Page stated that he was the BLTB representative on the TfSE Partnership Board.

The subscriptions renewal would remain £58,000 for the year, to be split evenly across the six Berkshire authorities.  In previous years Slough Borough Council (the BLTB accountable body), had collected the contributions and paid East Sussex County Council (the TfSE accountable body).  However, for 2022/23 it has been agreed that TfSE would invoice each Berkshire authority individually for their subscriptions and they would pay directly.  Councillor Page reminded members that any authority could choose to take out an individual subscription to TfSE rather than through the collective Berkshire agreement.  BLTB agreed the recommended collective subscription renewal for 2022/23 and the revised payment arrangements.  They also noted that subscription rates for 2023/24 were to remain at the same level and agreed in principle to support ongoing membership and payment of these fees, subject to individual authority’s budget setting arrangements.

BLTB was updated on the TfSE Strategic Investment Plan (SIP), which had been presented to the Berkshire Strategic Transport Forum in July 2022.  Berkshire LEP had submitted a response to the SIP consultation which was included as appendix 5 to the report and this was noted.  It was envisaged that the BLTB would be invited to formally approve the draft final version of the SIP at the next meeting on 9^th March 2023.

Resolved –

(a)  That a renewed annual BLTB subscription of £58,000 for TfSE to cover the period 2022/23 be agreed, with the amount to be split 6 ways between the constituent authorities and to agree in principle, subject to individual authorities budget setting processes, that a similar payment be made in 2023/24.

(b)  To receive a report of the final draft of the SIP for formal approval at the next meeting of the BLTB.