The government has published the terms of reference for an independent review examining whether England’s mayoral strategic authorities have the skills, resources and organisational capacity to take on greater responsibility for transport planning and delivery.
image: Vicki Sharp Photography
The Everitt Review, led by Vernon Everitt CBE, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, will assess how central government, its transport agencies and the private sector can better support local authorities to develop and deliver integrated transport systems.
Published in early November by the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), the review forms part of the government’s wider Rewiring the State programme, which aims to transfer more power, funding and accountability from Whitehall to mayors and local leaders.
Its first phase will focus on established mayoral strategic authorities (EMSAs) in England, recognising that areas have different levels of experience, organisational structures and expertise in transport operations and capital programme delivery.
The review will examine whether authorities have the leadership arrangements, specialist skills and delivery capabilities needed to exercise their existing and expanded responsibilities. This includes project management, commercial and financial expertise, as well as the ability to develop and implement integrated transport strategies and delivery plans.
It will also consider how national transport bodies and private sector organisations can work more effectively with local authorities, and what additional support is needed to help them deliver their transport ambitions and support economic growth.
Everitt will engage directly with mayors and senior leadership teams, including chief executives, managing directors and transport directors. The review will also draw on expertise from the Urban Transport Group, the DfT’s arm’s-length bodies and across the public and private sectors.
The first phase is expected to take three to four months from commencement. Its principal output will be a flexible capacity and capability blueprint, drawing on existing good practice across mayoral authorities and national transport bodies.
This will include a development pathway and timetable for strengthening each authority’s capabilities, reflecting its existing strengths, local priorities and delivery requirements.
A second phase, subject to separate terms of reference, will extend the review to all mayoral strategic authorities, foundation strategic authorities and areas expected to acquire mayoral status in the future. It will further develop and cost the proposed blueprint and agree an implementation approach with government and strategic authorities.
Everitt will report to the Transport Secretary and the UK Mayors Network.
The review is intended to support the government's broader devolution ambitions by addressing the organisational and technical requirements of transferring greater transport responsibilities to local leadership and will inform how central government supports authorities to make effective use of existing and future responsibilities.