Issue - meetings

Devolution implementation – consent to draft Order

Meeting: 27/11/2020 - West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Item 59)

59 Devolution Implementation pdf icon PDF 297 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report of the Director, Policy, Strategy and Communications on devolution implementation.

 

Members considered and consented in principle to the draft Order to establish a mayoral combined authority and associated changes, a copy of which was attached at Appendix 2 to the submitted report. It was noted that the draft Order had also been considered by the Executive Committee and full Council of each Local Authority and, as part of the parliamentary process, would be considered by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments (JCSI). It was acknowledged that the JCSI process may lead to technical amendments being made to the Order which will be non-negotiable.

 

It was noted that the functions relating to the Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) and Strategic Infrastructure Tariff (SIT) had been part of the ‘minded to’ devolution deal and the Scheme.  However Government have decided to remove these from the draft Order due to the ongoing national planning reforms currently underway.  A letter from the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government explaining the changes was attached at Appendix 3.

 

Consent to the final draft of the Order is required following consideration by JCSI.  In order to facilitate this it was agreed that authority be delegated to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director in consultation with the Leader and Chief Executive of each Constituent Council and the Chair of the Combined Authority, to finalise and consent to the final draft of the Order further to any technical issues which may arise.

 

It is intended that the Order will be laid in Parliament in early December 2020 with the devolution deal set to become law in January/February 2021.  It was agreed that the decision is exempt from call-in on the grounds of urgency as any delay caused by the call-in process would prejudice the Combined Authority’s and Constituent Councils’ interests and delay the consent to the draft Order.  This would have a significant detrimental impact on the proposed timeline which was set out in Appendix 1 to the submitted report.  Members discussed the importance of ensuring the MCA had robust scrutiny arrangements and resource and this would be reflected in the budget plans and draft budget which was to be considered at the next meeting.

 

The Authority unanimously agreed the recommendations and welcomed the significant step taken towards establishing a mayoral combined authority and the benefits it will bring to West Yorkshire. It was acknowledged that it had taken several years to reach this point and Members thanked officers of the Combined Authority and the District Councils who had been involved in securing the deal for their work and support.

 

Resolved:

 

(a)      That the content of the report and draft Order attached at Appendix 2 be noted.

 

(b)      That consent be given in principle to the draft Order attached at Appendix 2, to establish a mayoral combined authority and associated changes as set out in the ‘minded to’ Devolution Deal.

 

(c)      That authority be delegated to the Managing Director of the Combined Authority,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59