B
XCC(80)29
Proposed Enlargement of TAC
3
No change is contemplated at present to the Committee's terms of reference, nor to its official membership. What is proposed is an increase in the number of unofficials and for this to be accompanied by rather more flexibility as regards appointments.
4
First, it is proposed that all unofficials should be selected mainly for their knowledge of, and interest in, transport matters, but that it should no longer be necessary for them at the same time to represent the views of other bodies such as the Urban Council. To get the right balance of unofficial membership and expertise is considered, in the light of experience, to be more important than any necessity to maintain links with other official bodies although, if appointments are made and the link preserved, so much the better. There is, in any case, always likely to be one or more Members of the Executive or Legislative Councils and of the Urban Council on the Committee. As at present, appointments to the Committee would continue to be made by the Governor.
5
The second change which is recommended is an increase in the number of unofficials from five to eight. Previous thinking was that the official and unofficial membership should be equally balanced. This is, however, no longer considered appropriate for several reasons. The main one is that, for one reason or another, such as leave or other commitments, not all the unofficial members are able to attend on all occasions, whereas the officials can always be present or be represented, and this can at times unbalance the Committee. Secondly, it is usually the case that other officials are "in attendance" for particular papers; and, finally, because transport questions are becoming more important, contentious and complex, it is considered that a wider spectrum of unofficial experience should be called upon to offer advice. As the terms of office of the unofficials currently on the Committee expire on 31st March 1980, it is proposed that the expanded membership should be appointed as from 1st April 1980. The Governor will be asked to consider appointments as soon as Council has advised.
Proposed Transport Complaints Committee
6
On 6th February 1979, having considered memorandum XCC(79)13, which accompanied the second submission of the White Paper on Internal Transport Policy, the Council advised and the Governor ordered, inter alia, that a Transport Complaints Committee, as proposed in paragraphs 13 and 14 of that memorandum, should be established. These paragraphs are attached as Annex B. Following this decision, the departments concerned were consulted about their existing arrangements for handling
G.S. 166
CONFIDENTIAL