Agenda item - Chairs Communications

3.1         The Chair provided the following communications:

“Members of the previous Environment, Transport & Sustainability Committee will remember a report presented on the setting up of the new, Sub-National Transport Bodies.

The Sub-National Body that includes this city is to be known as Transport for the South East and the Board first met in Shadow form yesterday with Councillor Warren Morgan attending.

I will bring an update report to this committee and arrange briefings for Members on this new body.

Members of the committee may not yet be aware that two of our long serving transport staff are leaving us this Summer.

Abby Hone is leaving to take up a post with the combined boroughs of Wandsworth and Richmond.  Abby has been with this council for 12 years and was instrumental in launching and progressing the Cycling Demonstration Town project plus several other Sustainable Transport projects that have significantly boosted sustainable travel options in the city. 

And of course Abby has most recently been leading on the Bikeshare scheme taking it through from securing the funding to going live later this year.

Abby’s experience and enthusiasm will be hard to replace but we wish you all the best Abby in your new role.

The other officer leaving us is Jeff Elliott. Jeff has worked for the council for 22 years and came to us from one of the contractors that constructed the Brighton & Hove bypass.

He took on the role of Traffic Manager in 2012 and has given this authority an exemplar Highway Permit Scheme that has been taken up by several other Local Authorities.

Most recently, as Head of Traffic Management, Jeff has been working on an enhanced traffic management system including citywide co-ordination road and street works, including the improved operation of traffic signals.

He will be missed and we wish him all the very best in his new job across the border in West Sussex”.