A new deal for transport? - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 125

shop. The Department of Transport was notably recalcitrant, refusing for example to
devolve investment decisions on major road schemes within the region.
At the local level the Government promised a major shake-up in the functioning
of councils geared to 'democratic renewal', improved service delivery and community
leadership. Proposals were put forward in a White Paper (DETR 1998d) and legislated
for in the Local Government Act 2000 (Stoker and Wilson 2004). Councils were
required to abandon the traditional multi-member committee system and to adopt one
of three alternatives. Most decided not to adopt the model of a directly elected mayor
(as in London), preferring instead a 'cabinet' of elected members from the majority
party, with each being given 'portfolio' responsibility for a particular group of services.
The provision of council services, including those relating to transport and
development planning, was made subject to a 'best value' regime involving rigorous
evaluation and monitoring of performance outcomes following procedures established
by central government. The National Audit Office conducted regular Comprehensive
Performance Assessments (CPAs) which were used to promote 'earned autonomy'
with excellent performers being given greater freedom from central government
controls whilst 'failing' authorities were threatened with increased intervention and
ultimately takeover.
In relation to community leadership local authorities were charged with producing a
'community strategy' identifying core outcomes and programmes of action for achieving
them. In theory this would provide overall direction for the preparation of individual
service plans, including LTPs. Authorities were encouraged to establish Local Strategic
Partnerships (LSPs) to develop a 'joined-up' approach to policy implementation and
delivery across public, private and voluntary sectors. At the same time authorities were
granted the general power to promote economic, social and environmental well-being,
intended to overcome legal obstacles which might be placed in the way of using any of
their more specific powers.
In practice the above changes at both regional and local levels in England served
to blur the formal responsibilities of elected councils and to render even more complex
the totality of 'governance' operating in particular localities (see Chapter 10).
8.5 The Ten-Year Transport Plan
The New Deal proposals requiring legislation did not reach the statute book until
two years later (in the Transport Act 2000). The delay did not make much difference
in practice as preparatory work continued nonetheless, but gave the impression of
a loss of momentum. At a time when the national economy (and hence both traffic
levels and Government revenues) were growing strongly, nothing 'new' appeared to
be happening which would make much difference to the worsening conditions which
people were experiencing on the ground.
Criticisms of the Government's ineffectualness were compounded by personal
attacks on John Prescott. Prescott stood out from his Cabinet colleagues because of
his working class origins and combative character and presented a ready target for his
political opponents in the media. Typical of the ridicule he was subjected to was being
photographed at the Labour Party conference in Brighton taking a chauffeured car
rather than walking 200 yards from his hotel - a travel choice he explained on the basis
of protecting his wife's hairdo from the sea breezes!
In an attempt to restore credibility in 1999 Tony Blair appointed to the post of
Transport Minister (nominally under Prescott, but reporting directly to the Prime