Southwark Council’s Cycling Joint Steering Group (CJSG) is Southwark’s response to the GLA Act 1999 4.3 Section 145(2) which provides that in preparing its LIP the Council has a duty to consult cyclists.

The group consists of relevant Southwark officers, delegates from Southwark Cyclists and being chaired by the relevant Southwark council cabinet member (currently Barry Hargrove) and clerked by the Council.

The Group meets about 6 – 8 times per year with an annual plan of action agreed between the parties. Each individual meeting has an agenda agreed with all parties in advance e.g. the recent discussion about residential (especially estate) parking and often new issues are introduced at a meeting – e.g. recently about changing or adding to the consultation process.

Southwark Cyclists position/s on various items are discussed at our monthly meetings and agreed by consensus as moderated by the chair – delegates are bound to carry that consensus through to the meetings

Andy Cawdell
Coordinator
October 2013

Subsequently (February 2014) we have received the following clarification on the role of the group from Southwark Council.

 The CJSG is part of Southwark Council’s early engagement with the cycling bodies in Southwark (one of which, Southwark Cyclists, you are a member of), and to provide a forum for groups with an interest in cycling to discuss issues and ideas. The CJSG is also a space for knowledge sharing: allowing all members to discuss work they are undertaking in their respective organisations and fields.

The group itself does not “develop[s] cycle policy for the council, and makes decisions about infrastructure, such as the upcoming quietways programme”; rather, it is consulted on proposals to determine their feasibility and suitability, and for necessary feedback to make improvements, prior to the correct consultation process being undertaken. Council processes require that all schemes are consulted with the general public and statutory consultees, and this occurs when the details of the scheme/s are known and impacts can be reviewed. The CJSG does not replace this process but allows for early engagement with key stakeholders. 

As Coordinator of the Southwark Cyclists, Andy Cawdell sits on the CJSG, along with three other members of the Southwark Cyclists, and I believe that the content of the CJSG meetings are discussed and minutes distributed amongst Southwark Cyclists’ members. In light of your recent correspondence, the Council are also proposing that future agendas and meetings are published on the Southwark Council website to ensure accountability of the workings of the group is transparent, and as a means for reporting back to Southwark Cyclists and others on the work of their representatives on the CJSG.

The CJSG welcomes any representatives from groups with a cycling interest in Southwark Council that would like to attend the CJSG, either as a long-term representative (such as Southwark Cyclists) or a guest (such as TfL or Sustrans). If you have any specific issues that you would like the group to discuss, please contact your nominated Southwark Cyclist members and they will raise the issue on your behalf. As you have seen from the agendas and minutes that have been provided to you, Southwark Cyclists are very well represented on the group.