Issue - meetings

Resolved:

(a)      That the Combined Authority indicatively approves £13.5m gainshare for COVID recovery, for the extension of the existing [Re]boot and the Employment Hub projects, with full approval to spend being granted once the project change requests have progressed through the assurance process in line with the Combined Authority’s Assurance Process.

(b)      That approval of the required existing project change requests be delegated to the Investment Committee and be assessed in line with the Combined Authority’s assurance process.

(c)      That the progress made in the design of the Single Investment Fund (SIF) as the transition to a Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) takes place be noted.

The Combined Authority considered a report of the Director, Policy, Strategy and Communications on initial funding priorities for economic recovery.

Members discussed the impact COVID-19 has had on businesses and employment and the gaps in provision, particularly to support people to gain and stay in work as a result of the increasing levels of unemployment.

It was noted that the creation of the Single Investment Fund (SIF) will give the MCA greater ability to prioritise investments.  However, whilst noting the good progress being made in the design of the SIF, it was recognised that action is required immediately to support people and businesses to recover. 

The Authority discussed and agreed the proposal to fund the following two partnership programmes from the Economic Recovery Plan, which are also in line with the priorities for the SIF:

·       [Re]boot – to support people unemployed or at risk of redundancy to retrain.

·       Employment Hubs – to facilitate access to advice and support across West Yorkshire

Details of the funding, which would be from the gainshare part of the SIF, were outlined in the submitted report. It was noted that this would be subject to the MCA Order being approved and the funding, including gainshare, being made available.  It was agreed that approval of the required existing project change requests be delegated to the Investment Committee and these would be assessed in line with the Combined Authority’s assurance process.

Members discussed the need to consider further proposals to support economic recovery and a report will be brought to a future meeting.

It was noted that it has not been possible to provide the statutory 28 days’ notice of this key decision being considered due to the need to approve immediate recovery programmes to support people to gain and stay in work and help newly unemployed retrain as they are priority actions resulting from the West Yorkshire Economic Recovery Plan.  However, in accordance with the Combined Authority’s Access to Information Annex to Procedure Standing Orders (part 1 section 7C – General Exception), the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been notified and notification has been published on the Authority’s website.  Accordingly, as set out in the rules of General Exception, the Combined Authority may still make the decision.

Resolved:

(a)      That the Combined Authority indicatively approves £13.5m gainshare for COVID recovery, for the extension of the existing [Re]boot and the Employment Hub projects, with full approval to spend being granted once the project change requests have progressed through the assurance process in line with the Combined Authority’s Assurance Process.

(b)      That approval of the required existing project change requests be delegated to the Investment Committee and be assessed in line with the Combined Authority’s assurance process.

(c)      That the progress made in the design of the Single Investment Fund (SIF) as the transition to a Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) takes place be noted.