Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms 6&7, Civic Hall, Leeds. The meeting will also be livestreamed here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCazjNSGpqZZT41Vibn2ZK9A/live (copy and paste the link in your browser)

Note: Note: This meeting will be held in Committee Rooms 6&7, Civic Hall, Leeds LS1 1UR. There will be very limited capacity for observers of the meeting. If you would like to attend to observe the meeting in person, please email: governanceservices@westyorks-ca.gov.uk to request a place, clearly stating the name, date and start time of the committee and include your full name and contact details, no later than 24 hours before the meeting begins. Please note that the pre-booked places will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and once pre-booked capacity has been reached there will be no further public admittance to the meeting. On receipt of your request, colleagues will provide a response to you. A recording of this meeting will be uploaded to our YouTube channel following the meeting. 

Media

Items
No. Item

55.

Chair's Update

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair noted that a supplementary report had been submitted since the agenda had been originally published. This was for an additional item to be considered on the Combined Authority’s non-transport borrowing powers, and had been agreed to be added to the agenda to avoid prejudicing the Combined Authority’s ability to access necessary borrowing powers.

 

56.

Apologies for Absence

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Cllr Jeffery, Cllr Pandor, and Cllr Lawson.

57.

Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no pecuniary interests declared by Members during the meeting.

58.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

1.       To highlight Agenda Item 8 Appendix 2 and Agenda Item 10 Appendix 2, which officers have identified as containing exempt information within the meaning of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the reports.

 

2.       To consider whether or not to accept the officers’ recommendation in respect of the above information as set out in Agenda Item 8 Appendix 2 and Agenda Item 10 Appendix 2.

 

3.       If the recommendation is accepted, to formally pass the following resolution:-

 

RESOLVED – That in accordance with paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 8 Appendix 2 and Agenda Item 10 Appendix 2 on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information and for the reasons set out in the reports that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved: That in accordance with paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Agenda Item 8 Appendix 2 and Agenda Item 10 Appendix 2 on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information and for the reasons set out in the reports that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

59.

Minutes of the Meeting of the Combined Authority held on 22 October 2021 pdf icon PDF 199 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 22 October 2021 be approved.

60.

Bus Enhanced Partnership pdf icon PDF 362 KB

(Lead Member: Cllr S. Pandor, Director: Liz Hunter)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

 

a)    approves the publication of the Notice of Intent to ‘make’ an EP Plan and Scheme.

b)    approves the content of the draft EP Plan and Scheme for use in statutory consultation.

c)     delegates the decision to submit the West Yorkshire Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) bid to the Department of Transport to the Managing Director in conjunction with the Mayor.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report providing an overview of the draft West Yorkshire Bus Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme, and requesting approval to use this draft to begin a formal process of consultation with bus operators and statutory consultees. Approval was also sought to approve publication of the notice of intent to ‘Make’ an Enhanced Partnership Plan and Scheme for West Yorkshire, and to delegate approval of the final Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) bid to the Managing Director in conjunction with the Mayor.

 

Entering into an Enhanced Partnership with bus operators was noted as a vital step toward bringing buses under public control, as had been promised in the Mayor’s manifesto. The Combined Authority’s BSIP (Bus Service Improvement Plan) had set out strong ambitions for the region’s bus service, but government funding from this could not be accessed without entering into an Enhanced Partnership before the end of March.

 

The Enhanced Partnership would consist of two components; the Enhanced Partnership Plan, which would apply throughout the region and set out the overall vision and governance, and Enhanced Partnership Schemes, which were more specific and aimed to contractualise specific projects and agreements. After consultation with operators, the final version would be brought to the March 2022 meeting of the Combined Authority for decision. If approved, following a statutory operator objection period of 28 days the Enhanced Partnership would begin in April 2022 and run until April 2027.

Members noted that historically there had been partnership initiatives before, such as Quality Bus Contract/Partnerships, and it was asked what would make the Enhanced Partnership more successful in this regard. It was noted that the more recent West Yorkshire Bus Alliance had been of great use in achieving reduced fares for young people as well as many improvements to crucial infrastructure which would support the necessary work going forward.

 

As franchising was intended to proceed only if the Enhanced Partnership failed to achieve its objectives, Members questioned whether the Enhanced Partnership’s success was fully supported. It was strongly emphasised that all parties were committed to making the Enhanced Partnership work for the people of West Yorkshire, with ambitious and optimistic plans for the partnership being built between the Combined Authority and bus operators, although it was recognised a lot of work remained to be done. KPIs would be put in place to measure the success of this, though the difficulties currently surrounding this were discussed, particularly in the light of upcoming restrictions due to the pandemic.

 

It was emphasised that more work needed to be undertaken to grow bus networks and to improve connectivity, such as implementing bus priority corridors, taking innovative approaches in developing links with hospitals and other key destinations, and expanding the use of Demand Responsive Transport. The benefits of achieving better connectivity for the region and moving away from private car usage were significant, particularly in regards to the impact of climate change on both the economy and the health of residents. However, challenges still remained to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

61.

COP26 and the West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan pdf icon PDF 394 KB

(Lead Member: Cllr T. Swift, Director: Liz Hunter)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

 

a)    notes the progress made at COP26 and implications for the approach to achieving a net zero carbon West Yorkshire economy.

 

b)    endorses the first priorities from the West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan identified at section 2.10 of the submitted report and agrees to delegate, if required, any final changes to the Managing Director in consultation with the Mayor.

 

c)     agrees to work with partner local authorities to design the delivery mechanisms, and to identify and secure funding for a Climate and Environment Fund to support delivery of the Plan.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report discussing the outcomes, implications and next steps following the conclusion of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26), and highlighting proposals in the West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan to be prioritised first for delivery by the Combined Authority.


The Mayor reported positively on her experience at COP26. There was a wider context of mixed views on viability of the 1.5C target and whether sufficient commitment existed among all nations for the agreed targets, but it was positively noted that internationally, local governments had taken a leading role in addressing climate change, and it was hoped that the challenge would simultaneously be an opportunity for West Yorkshire in several areas.

The report identified eight priority areas set out in the Plan which were recommended for endorsement; these linked in across the different areas of work undertaken by the Combined Authority, and included some work already underway, such as ensuring that all funded schemes demonstrated their efforts to mitigate carbon impact.

 

Building green jobs throughout the region was emphasised as being vital going forward. Members noted the recent shortages seen in the HGV and social care sectors, raising concerns of a similar nature affecting the growth of these jobs. It would be extremely important to link in with local education providers on this, and to identify how best to target this job growth to keep the region competitive in a global marketplace. Positive developments in these connections were noted, such as the Skills Connect programme, and it was hoped that the first meeting of the Mayor’s Green Jobs Task Force in January 2022 would be a useful next step in bringing employers, young people and jobseekers, and education and training providers together to build a strong relationship that supported the delivery of these jobs going forward. As part of this, the Mayor was continuing to make the case to government for more regional control over further education and skills training to be devolved in order to better allow the region to build and prepare for these jobs.

Members raised the other following comments and concerns:

·       An update on the Carbon Impact Assessment was requested by Members. Officers advised that the complex methodology had caused this to be a slow process, but a report was expected in the new year. A further briefing was requested on this to address the current situation.

·       The close relationship between climate change and economic opportunities was discussed, with it being noted that levelling up could not be truly achieved if areas of the region were continually recovering from the devastating impact of flooding, for example.

·       Members questioned what progress had been made in delivering Electric Vehicle charging points across the region, as electric/hybrid vehicles served as an important bridge between private car usage and public transportation solutions.

·       Members raised the issue of river cleanliness, and whether an action plan on this could be included within the Plan. It was noted that this was an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61.

62.

Integrated Rail Plan pdf icon PDF 275 KB

(Lead Member: Cllr S. Hinchcliffe, Director: Dave Pearson)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

a)    notes the content of the submitted report.

b)    endorses paragraph 2.11 as the proposed next steps in response to the published IRP.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority received an update on the contents of the published Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) and its implications for the region, as well as recommended next steps.

 

Members were very disappointed with the published IRP, noting that key components such as a Bradford stop for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and the eastern leg of HS2 had been omitted. The delivery fell far short of what the North had been promised, and it was felt not to be in keeping with the Government’s stated aim to ‘level-up’ the region to the level of connection and economic prosperity as other areas of the country.

 

Discussions were ongoing with Mayors across the North to try to re-open the conversation with Government, and the possibility of making a local contribution to delivery costs in support of the cancelled projects could be raised as a potential option. It was noted that there was precedent for these decisions being reversed, providing further support to challenging the decision. A motion had been tabled at the 24 November Transport for the North meeting, supported by the Mayor and all other Northern Mayors present, requesting that Government reconsider all options. The Mayor had also written a letter to the Prime Minister, though no response had yet been received.

 

It was noted that this development followed a history of transport improvements in the North being delayed, with some projects being awaited for close to a decade - the electrification of the Calder Valley Line was a clear example of this, and Members highlighted it as a priority. Difficulties with the proposals put forth by the Government were also raised, such as a lack of capacity at Leeds for the services described in the IRP without delivery of a new station, and it was highlighted that many new stations and services on local networks were dependent on delivery of the eastern leg of HS2 in Leeds to provide extra capacity and removing express trains from the existing network.

 

Members noted that rail disruption was likely to be a serious concern going forward, as without a full implementation of HS2, capacity issues would need to be dealt with by upgrading existing track. Similarly, no alternate mitigation to limit disruption appeared to have been put forward for significant schemes such as the TransPennine Route Upgrade. This disruption would likely hinder efforts to encourage people to return to public transportation after the pandemic.

 

The impact to the regional economy was discussed, as improvements such as HS2 had been anticipated for years and built into economic and transport plans for the city region. Further uncertainty on delivery of rail improvements would reduce inward investment into the region, and the lost opportunities could have a negative effect on business growth. By contrast, bringing the North to a level of economic success enjoyed by other areas of the country would have massive long-term benefits.

The point was raised that the HS2 project had several questionable aspects in terms of its affordability and the mixed feelings around  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

63.

West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Fund pdf icon PDF 337 KB

(Lead Member: Cllr S. Pandor, Director: Liz Hunter)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority approves that, subject to the conditions set by PAT:

 

a)    The West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Fund scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (Strategic Outline Case) and decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

b)    The West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Limited Partnership, a Private Fund Limited Partnership, is established with the Combined Authority as the sole Limited Partner. The other party of the partnership will be the General Partner, a Special Purpose Vehicle to be set up by the appointed Fund Manager.

c)     Approval is given to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £21,650,000. The total scheme value is £21,650,000.

d)    The Combined Authority delegate approval of the final investment strategy to the Managing Director.

e)    Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

 

Conditions

The following conditions have been set by PAT to gain Approval to Proceed to Delivery:

a)    Sign off from the Combined Authority’s Legal and Finance Team. Finalise and review Limited Partnership Agreement and Investment Management Agreement with Pinsent Mason as the external legal advisor of the Combined Authority.

b)    Review Environmental Social & Governance (ESG), Equality Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) KPIs and targets, discuss and agree with Fund Manager.
 

c)     Develop a clear Communications Strategy outlining reporting mechanisms and requirements from the Fund Manager.

d)    Develop a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Plan setting out monitoring methodology, timelines, responsibilities, and evaluation reporting.

 

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report seeking approval for the West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Fund, which had previously been discussed at its March meeting and had been endorsed by the LEP Board.

 

The West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Fund would be a revolving fund intended to launch in March 2022, which would be used in interventions for SMEs to support the growth of the region’s economy. This was a successor of the Growing Places Fund which had been approved by the Combined Authority in 2013 and had achieved significant revenue from loans made to intervene in cases of market failure on stalled development projects. It was highlighted that the Fund would employ the Combined Authority’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusivity in its operation.

 

Members welcomed the Fund, noting the strong opportunities it provided to SMEs and the wider business community, but emphasised the need for the highest levels of transparency and accountability and requested that future reporting back to the Combined Authority include where any elected Members or regional MPs had been involved in supporting bids and any prior meetings the Combined Authority may have had with a company prior to investments being made.

 

Resolved: That the Combined Authority approves that, subject to the conditions set by PAT:

 

a)    The West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Fund scheme proceeds through decision point 2 (Strategic Outline Case) and decision point 4 (Full Business Case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

b)    The West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Limited Partnership, a Private Fund Limited Partnership, is established with the Combined Authority as the sole Limited Partner. The other party of the partnership will be the General Partner, a Special Purpose Vehicle to be set up by the appointed Fund Manager.

c)     Approval is given to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £21,650,000. The total scheme value is £21,650,000.

d)    The Combined Authority delegate approval of the final investment strategy to the Managing Director.

e)    Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

 

Conditions

The following conditions have been set by PAT to gain Approval to Proceed to Delivery:

a)    Sign off from the Combined Authority’s Legal and Finance Team. Finalise and review Limited Partnership Agreement and Investment Management Agreement with Pinsent Mason as the external legal advisor of the Combined Authority.

b)    Review Environmental Social & Governance (ESG), Equality Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) KPIs and targets, discuss and agree with Fund Manager.
 

c)     Develop a clear Communications Strategy outlining reporting mechanisms and requirements from the Fund Manager.

d)    Develop a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Plan setting out monitoring methodology, timelines, responsibilities, and evaluation reporting.

 

64.

Budget, Business Plan and Gainshare pdf icon PDF 196 KB

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Angela Taylor)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority approves that:

 

a)    the assumptions and proposals in support of the budget are considered and approved for inclusion in the final proposed budget.

b)    the approach to business planning be supported.

c)     the work on the approach to and use of gainshare be considered, that the draft investment priorities be endorsed and further feedback provided to enable progress to continue.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report on the budget challenges and assumptions for 2022/2023 and the progress to date on the use of gainshare funding, and seeking endorsement of the recommended approach to business planning.

Members were invited to comment on the Combined Authority’s business and strategic priorities as set out in the report, as well as the suggested priorities regarding the deployment of gainshare funding. The draft budget was also considered by Members; it was highlighted there was currently a revenue funding gap, but further work would be undertaken to close this gap before the budget was presented to the February meeting for final sign-off. Similarly, Members queried a potential shortfall in capital expenditure, but officers advised that further forecasts had since been made and that work was ongoing with the contractor, and the spend profile in question was expected to fall within the available grant.

It was noted that there was a high level of uncertainty currently nationally, both in terms of news about government funding and the developing situation with the pandemic and ‘Plan B’ restrictions. Further clarity on these issues would be important in making assumptions and decisions going forward, with the Combined Authority’s approach toward its use of borrowing powers in 2022/2023 highlighted as an example of this.

 

Resolved: That the Combined Authority approves that:

 

a)    the assumptions and proposals in support of the budget are considered and approved for inclusion in the final proposed budget.

b)    the approach to business planning be supported.

c)     the work on the approach to and use of gainshare be considered, that the draft investment priorities be endorsed and further feedback provided to enable progress to continue.

65.

Capital Spending and Project Approvals pdf icon PDF 615 KB

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Melanie Corcoran)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved:

a)    That in respect of Project Marigold, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)       The Project Marigold scheme progresses through decision point 2 (Strategic Outline Case) and work commences on activity 4 (Full Business Case).

ii)     An indicative approval of the Combined Authority’s contribution of £5,000,000 is given. The total scheme value is £100,000,000.

iii)    Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required any change requests are delegated to the Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.

b)    That in respect of Bradford Interchange Resurfacing Works, the Combined Authority approves that, subject to the conditions set by PAT:

i)       The Bradford Interchange Resurfacing Works scheme proceeds through decision point 4 (full business case) and work commences on activity 5 (delivery).

ii)     Approval be given to the Combined Authority’s contribution of £8,039,000, bringing to total to £8,501,000. The total scheme value is £8,501,000.

iii)    Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required, any change requests are delegated to the Place, Regenerations and Housing Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted report.


Conditions

The following conditions have been set by PAT to gain Approval to Proceed to Delivery:

a)    Confirmation of funding and total scheme cost is within those set out in the FBC approval.

b)    Contract with delivery partner finalised and evidenced.

c)     Confirmation whether an Asset Protection Agreement from Network Rail is required and if so, what impact this has on the programme.

d)    Supply of an up-to-date programme for delivery.

e)    Confirmation of project board set up and met.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report on proposals for the progression of, and funding for, two Combined Authority supported projects that had been considered at stages 1, 2 or 3 of the Combined Authority’s assurance process. The schemes being considered for approval had come directly to the Combined Authority due to expediency of delivery, and would be reported to the relevant thematic Committee as appropriate.

The first project was commercially sensitive and under a strict Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), so was being referred to as Project Marigold. A £5 million loan was proposed in order to facilitate the outside investment of £100 million into a manufacturing facility to be based in West Yorkshire,. Approval was sought to proceed through the Strategic Outline Case, and for work to commence on the Full Business Case. Local authority partners had indicated there would be likely to an accommodation given regarding business rate relief for a period of time, but the loan sought from the Combined Authority would be on commercial terms with appropriate safeguards.


The second project concerned repairs to Bradford Interchange Station. Aspects of the station had deteriorated since its construction in 1973 and approval was sought for the scheme to proceed through decision point 4 (Full Business Case) to commence the delivery of repairs, subject to conditions set by PAT (the Programme Appraisal Team). It was noted that although the initial amount sought for repairs had been £2 million and this had received indicative approval as part of the Strategic Outline Case, the total estimated scheme costs had since risen to £8,501,000. Members questioned why the costs had risen; officers advised that originally it had been believed that only surface repairs needed to be undertaken, but investigative work done as part of the preparation for these repairs had indicated that further works were needed. There was also significant contingency within the estimates.

Members were also updated on a number of schemes which had been approved through delegation since the previous meeting by the Finance, Resources and Corporate Committee or the Place, Regeneration and Housing Committee. It was noted that where applicable, outputs from these schemes would still be recorded as part of the Housing and Regeneration Programme within the Growth Deal up until March 2024, and would also come into use at an appropriate time to count toward the Mayor’s pledge of 5000 affordable and sustainable new homes.

 

Resolved:

a)    That in respect of Project Marigold, the Combined Authority approves that:

i)       The Project Marigold scheme progresses through decision point 2 (Strategic Outline Case) and work commences on activity 4 (Full Business Case).

ii)     An indicative approval of the Combined Authority’s contribution of £5,000,000 is given. The total scheme value is £100,000,000.

iii)    Future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report and where required any change requests are delegated to the Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee. This will be subject to the scheme remaining within the tolerances outlined in the submitted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65.

66.

City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and Connectivity Infrastructure Plan Next Steps pdf icon PDF 402 KB

(Lead Member: Cllr S. Hinchcliffe, Director: Liz Hunter)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

a)    notes the feedback from the public engagement on the Connectivity Infrastructure Plan and supporting documents.

b)    approves (subject to the comments arising from recommendation 10.1 in the submitted report) the proposed amendments to the Connectivity Infrastructure Plan as identified in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, with the intention of considering an updated Final Connectivity Infrastructure Plan at the Combined Authority meeting of 3 February 2022

c)     approves the submission of a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Programme Business Case to the Department for Transport, delegating approval to the Managing Director and the Mayor for the content and final appearance of the Programme Business Case.

d)    approves, subject to the comments arising from the consultation and Transport Committee meeting, the proposed amendments to the Future Mobility Strategy. An updated Final Future Mobility Strategy will be presented at the Combined Authority meeting of 3 February 2022.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority received an update on responses from the public engagement on the draft West Yorkshire Connectivity Infrastructure Plan and supporting documents, including the Future Mobility Strategy. The report sought approval of amendments to these documents, with the intention of them being brought to the February meeting of the Combined Authority for sign-off.

 

The Combined Authority had submitted a low and a high bid scenario for City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) funding to the Department for Transport (DFT) of £570 million and £920 million respectively in September and had since received confirmation from the Government that a total of £830 million had been awarded. However, it was noted that a significant sum of this was money which had previously been announced. 

The Combined Authority would need to submit and publish a Programme Business Case to access any CRSTS funding, and approval was also sought for this submission. Members noted their frustration over the need for a continued bidding process, as it had been hoped that devolution would grant a greater degree of agency to the region over spending decisions.

The Connectivity Infrastructure Plan public consultation had received a large number of responses, which was welcomed by Members as providing useful insight. It was noted that feedback from a number of communities on the borders of the region, such as in outer north-east Leeds, indicated that some residents felt their areas had been overlooked, particularly in situations where their local transport hubs were not within West Yorkshire. A future briefing with Councillors for these wards was suggested to discuss how to best work in partnership on these issues going forward.

 

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

a)    notes the feedback from the public engagement on the Connectivity Infrastructure plan and supporting documents.

b)    approves (subject to the comments arising from recommendation 10.1 in the submitted report) the proposed amendments to the Connectivity Infrastructure Plan as identified in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, with the intention of considering an updated Final Connectivity Infrastructure Plan at the Combined Authority meeting of 3 February 2022

c)     approves the submission of a City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement Programme Business Case to the Department for Transport, delegating approval to the Managing Director and the Mayor for the content and final appearance of the Programme Business Case.

d)    approves, subject to the comments arising from the consultation and Transport Committee meeting, the proposed amendments to the Future Mobility Strategy. An updated Final Future Mobility Strategy will be presented at the Combined Authority meeting of 3 February 2022.

67.

UK Community Renewal Fund pdf icon PDF 445 KB

(Lead Member: Cllr D. Jeffery, Director: Alan Reiss)

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

a)    notes the outcome of the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) process in West Yorkshire, including the confirmed funded projects, Appendix 1 of the submitted report, and project appraisal process.

b)    authorises the Managing Director to enter into a funding agreement with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on behalf of the Combined Authority for an amount up to £2,539,429.

c)     authorises the Managing Director to enter into a funding agreement with the seven Project Deliverers for an amount up to £2,489,638, as required by Government, acting as Lead Authority for the Fund in West Yorkshire.

d)    indicatively approves £306,604, funding from the Single Investment Fund to create a test-case for establishing low carbon communities in Calderdale, whilst creating opportunities for residents to develop skills and build the foundations of long-term career and sustainable futures, in response to the West Yorkshire Community Renewal Fund Prospectus, with full approval to spend being granted once the project has progressed through the assurance process.

e)    delegates to the Finance, Resources and Corporate Committee, the approval of the project to pass through to Decision Point 4 totalling no more than £0.31m of funding from the Single Investment Fund.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report on the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) process in West Yorkshire.

The UKCRF had been announced in March as a £220 million fund aimed at supporting ‘in need’ communities across the UK, and intended to trial new funding approaches in preparation for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) which would be delivered in 2022. The Combined Authority had submitted 17 bids to the UKCRF and had been notified in November that seven had been successful. Members noted their disappointment with this result, particularly regarding Calderdale, as no schemes in the district had been funded despite it being identified as a priority area by the Government.

Members criticised the lack of feedback regarding unsuccessful bids, as it was felt that this could potentially lead to poor outcomes with UKSPF bids in the future, and would continue to push for feedback going forward. The Combined Authority had submitted its own feedback to the Government on the overall process to assist with delivery of the UKSPF, and had proposed that greater involvement of Local Authority Partners, such as a letter of support from the Local Authority, would be a useful requirement.

It was noted that since the papers were published, it had been determined that one of the successful bids, the Buck Wood Community Woodland Masterplan project, was unable to proceed. Government had been notified of this and funding would not be granted for this project; it was understood that similar situations had occurred for projects in several other Mayoral Combined Authorities nationally. The Combined Authority had approached Government to seek the funding remaining allocated to the region.

Due to the lack of funding received through UKCRF by Calderdale, the Combined Authority proposed to fund a high-scoring project, ‘Greener Together’ for approximately £300k from the Single Investment Fund. This project aimed to retrofit social housing and increase greater awareness of climate and green energy in the community, and would act as a pilot that could be built upon. The representative for Calderdale thanked Members of the Combined Authority for their support in this.

The difficulties created by the bidding process were discussed by Members, and the need for greater devolution was reiterated. Concerns were also raised about the relatively low level of per capita levelling up funding received by the region compared to neighbours.

It was noted that as the announcement of successful bids had been delayed, the deadline for delivery of successful projects had been extended to 30 June 2022.

 

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

a)    notes the outcome of the UK Community Renewal Fund (UKCRF) process in West Yorkshire, including the confirmed funded projects, Appendix 1 of the submitted report, and project appraisal process.

b)    authorises the Managing Director to enter into a funding agreement with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) on behalf of the Combined Authority for an amount up to £2,539,429.

c)     authorises the Managing Director to enter into a funding agreement with the seven Project Deliverers for an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67.

68.

Governance Arrangements (LEP Board appointments and TfN nominations) pdf icon PDF 277 KB

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Angela Taylor)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report on its governance arrangements.

The report proposed the approval of minor amendments to the Scrutiny Standing Orders, particularly to allow flexibility for members around their substitutes and on the number of meetings held each year. It also proposed the extension of the terms of office for private sector members, the appointment of new advisory members to the Culture, Arts and Creative Industries Committee, the replacement of the Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee with her intended successor, and the appointment of a representative and substitute to the Transport for the North General Purposes Committee.

The Mayor noted her thanks to the Scrutiny Members, Private Sector Members, and others who gave their time in support of these committees.

It was noted that there were two typographical errors in the submitted report – the terms of reference for Colin Glass were requested to be extended till 26 September 2022 rather than 2021, and where the recommendations noted that the nomination for the TfN General Purposes Committee were listed in paragraph 2.10, this should read paragraph 2.11.

 

Councillor Swift left the meeting during discussion of this item.

 

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

 

a)    approves the amendments to Scrutiny Standing Orders as outlined in paragraphs 2.2, 2.5, and Appendix 1 of the submitted report.

b)    approves the extensions to the terms of office of the private sector representatives set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, with the noted correction to the proposed extension of the term of office of Colin Glass.

c)     appoints advisory representatives to the Culture, Arts & Creative Industries Committee set out in Appendix 3 of the submitted report.

d)    appoints independent member, Debbie Simpson, as Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee with immediate effect, replacing Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe.

e)    That the Combined Authority approves the appointment of the following members to the TfN General Purposes Committee as set out in paragraph 2.11 of the submitted report:

Representative: Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

Substitute: Mayor Tracy Brabin

69.

Non-Transport Borrowing Powers pdf icon PDF 260 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

 

a)    consents in principle to the regulations to provide the Combined Authority with the power to borrow for non-transport related functions, set out in the ‘minded to’ Devolution Deal.

b)    delegates authority to the Managing Director of the Combined Authority, 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 regulations further to any technical issues which may arise.

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report on its borrowing powers for non-transport related functions, seeking endorsement in principal to agree to the statutory process which would set the debt cap for the Combined Authority as agreed with HM Treasury.

It was emphasised that the approval sought was not on any borrowing decisions themselves, only on the consent for the order enabling the process to be made. If approved, the decision would go to each of the constituent Local Authorities and could then be taken forward by Government.

Members questioned whether the debt cap of £248 million noted in the report for 2021/2022 could be negotiated. Officers advised that this figure was what had been sought from HM Treasury, and reflected the Combined Authority’s aspirations for borrowing for the current year. It was noted this would not limit any arrangements for future years, as these would be negotiated separately.

 

Resolved: That the Combined Authority:

 

a)    consents in principle to the regulations to provide the Combined Authority with the power to borrow for non-transport related functions, set out in the ‘minded to’ Devolution Deal.

b)    delegates authority to the Managing Director of the Combined Authority, 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 regulations further to any technical issues which may arise.

 

70.

Economic Recovery pdf icon PDF 271 KB

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Liz Hunter)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved: That the report be noted.

71.

State of the Region pdf icon PDF 168 KB

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Alan Reiss)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Combined Authority considered a report providing an update on performance of the region against socioeconomic and climate indicators, as well as published outputs, key messages and future plans. The additional document providing specific data on women and girls was also welcomed.

The report was welcomed as a useful benchmark to compare improvements across the region, with the importance of good data in making effective policy decisions being highlighted. Members requested additional data in the future using identifiers for disadvantaged groups, such as Pupil Premium, free school meals, or speaking English as a second language, noting that information on gender and ethnicity did not fully cover everything required to comprehensively address social mobility.

 

Resolved: That the report be noted.

72.

Minutes for information pdf icon PDF 255 KB

(Lead Member: The Mayor, Director: Angela Taylor)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved: That the minutes of the Combined Authority’s committees and panels be noted.