Issue - meetings

(Member lead:Cllr K Wakefield,  Director: Rob Norreys)

(i)         That the principles of the Leeds City Region HS2 Growth Strategy be endorsed and the final drafting of the submission be delegated to WYCA’s Managing Director in consultation with the WYCA Chair.

(ii)        That the principles of the response to the HS2 rolling stock depot location consultation be endorsed and the final drafting of the submission be delegated to WYCA’s Managing Director in consultation with the LEP Chair and WYCA Chair.

The Authority considered a report of the Director of Policy, Strategy and Communications which:

·         Provided an update on the development of HS2.

·         Sought endorsement for the principles of the Leeds City Region HS2 Growth Strategy and approve submission to Government.

·         Sought endorsement for the principles of the joint WYCA and Leeds City Council response to the High Speed 2 rolling stock depot consultation.

Councillor Waller attended the meeting as an observer and the Chair invited him to speak on behalf of City of York Council.  In welcoming the report, Councillor Waller reinforced the scale of potential for York Central and for HS2 links to Scotland to be via York and asked that future reports reflect this.  The importance of the East Coast Main Line and York as a key hub in the development of HS2 was recognised and it was  noted that WYCA was represented at meetings of the East Coast Main Line Authorities consortium by Councillor Eric Firth, Deputy Chair of the Transport Committee.

Members also discussed the employment and skills opportunities that would be created across the City Region and a report would be prepared for the next meeting.

Resolved:

(i)         That the principles of the Leeds City Region HS2 Growth Strategy be endorsed and the final drafting of the submission be delegated to WYCA’s Managing Director in consultation with the WYCA Chair.

(ii)        That the principles of the response to the HS2 rolling stock depot location consultation be endorsed and the final drafting of the submission be delegated to WYCA’s Managing Director in consultation with the LEP Chair and WYCA Chair.