Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Mayor Tracy Brabin, Kate Hainsworth, Tom Riordan, Peter Mucklow and Councillors James Lewis, Susan Hinchcliffe, Denise Jeffery, Tim Swift.

In accordance with the requirements of the LEP Board Members’ Code of Conduct, members have an obligation to review their register of interests before each meeting and to declare any interests.

If an interest has not been entered onto the LEP’s register, then members must disclose the interest at any meeting at which they are present and where they have a disclosable interest in any matter being considered and where the matter is not a sensitive interest.

In accordance with the requirements of the LEP Board Members’ Code of Conduct, Members were reminded of their obligations to review their individual register of interests before each LEP Board meeting and to declare any interests.

There were no items on the agenda that required the exclusion of the press and public.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2021 be approved.

(Led by: Patrick Bowes, Author: Seamus McDonnell)

The Board considered a report of the Director of Strategy, Communications and Policing which provided the Board with information on the findings of the Growth Deal Impact Evaluation (non-transport projects) and to share the One Page Summary and the Summary Report for the evaluation.

The Head of Research and Intelligence introduced the paper that set out the headline results from the Growth Deal Impact Evaluation. The Board were presented with a summary report setting out the high-level economic benefits and return on investment across the three rounds of Growth Deal funding and the assessment presented at the programme level and at Growth Deal and SEP priority level. The summary reports are complemented by a larger report which presents more information learned through project and programme delivery, the results of a detailed stakeholder survey and key learning insights and recommendations which are designed to support future programme development.

The report is the first part of a more detailed program of evaluation of the Growth Deal and was designed to articulate the headline economic benefits of the three rounds of funding and is akin to a mid-term evaluation using the project output and performance information. The next stages of the evaluation will focus on examining and quantifying the wider benefits to both communities and businesses in terms of their lived experiences, diversity impacts and business development in the Leeds City Region and West Yorkshire.

The core message of this independent report is that the Growth Deal has delivered strong economic returns and clearly shows the success of the LEP and Combined Authority in delivering this deal and the short and long term benefits it will deliver. The report also highlights the success of the LEP, Combined Authority and its partnership structures in delivering economic returns and benefits consistent with the ambitions set out in the Strategic Economic Plan. The report estimated the return on public investment is likely to be £12 of economic benefit for every £1 spent on the programme, generating over 16,000 net new jobs, and nearly £10bn of long term additional economic growth.

The Board were taken through each of the four ‘priority areas’ by members of the LEP. Members commented on the findings within the report including the reduction in fuel poverty achieved by the funding, the benefits of strong partnership working in the further education sector and how knowledge could be shared throughout Leeds City Region and further afield. Members asked if it would be possible to provide an economic counterfactual outlining what would have happened if the Growth Deal programmes had not been delivered. The Board were informed that this was to be explored in the future to make sure qualitative results as well as quantitative results were recorded.

On behalf of the LEP Board, the Chair thanked all those who have worked on the Growth Deal, past and present, for helping to bring significant economic growth to West Yorkshire that could have significant social benefits for the people of West Yorkshire and beyond. The Chair  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

(Led by: Melanie Corcoran, Author: Jessica McNeill)

The Board considered a report of the Director of Delivery to provide an update from the Enterprise Zones for the first half of 2021 and to consider and endorse a proposal regarding the Clifton Enterprise Zone in Calderdale.

It was reported that the program delivery has increased significantly over the last two and a half years. The phase 1 Leeds Aire Valley Enterprise Zone is continuing to be successfully developed by the private sector and the Board noted that work has commenced on a 2 million square feet unit that, once complete, will be the third largest unit in the world.

Updates were presented on the nine phase 2 Enterprise Zones with attention being drawn to the two zones that have accessed funding from the Getting Building Fund (GBF). In August 2020, The Combined Authority secured £52.6m from the national GBF to accelerate 15 projects in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board considered the request from Calderdale Council in respect of the Clifton Enterprise Zone, that the LEP/Combined Authority consider the foregoing of its future business rates income stream from the Clifton site to enable the Council to prudentially borrow the capital required to deliver a scheme of enabling works. The Chair noted that this is a standalone decision for this Enterprise Zone and should not be viewed as setting a precedent for other emerging projects on Enterprise Zones or other sites in the future.

Resolved:

(i)             That the LEP Board notes and comments on the progress made to date on the delivery of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Zone Programme.

(ii)            For the LEP Board to endorse for Combined Authority approval, the proposal regarding the use of future business rates for the Clifton Enterprise Zone in Calderdale as detailed in para 2.16 and the associated conditions of funding as detailed in paras 2.16(i) – 2.16(vi).

(Led by: Caroline Allen, Author: Julie Haigh)

The Board considered a report by the Senior Executive Support Officer in relation to private sector membership of one of the Combined Authority’s Committees.

The term of office of an existing Member of the Business Investment Panel (BIP), Colin Glass, is due to expire on 26 September 2021. The report proposed extending the term of office by one further year as a reflection of the contribution made to the work of BIP and recognising that the membership of the panel is under review.

The Chair made a verbal recommendation to the Board to co-opt a representative from business organisations onto the LEP Board. In accordance with the LEP Constitution, the Board can co-opt individuals onto the Board for a one-year tenure.

The Chair asked for the Board to agree the nomination of Sandy Needham as the co-optee for the role of Business representative.

Resolved:

(i)       The LEP Board note the contents of the report.

(ii)       That the LEP Board recommend an extension of the term of private sector member Colin Glass by one further year to 26 September 2022 and propose this to the Combined Authority at their next meeting.

(iii)      That Sandy Needham be co-opted on to the LEP Board for a period of one year.

(Led by: Brian Archer, Author: Ian Smyth)

The Board considered a report of the Director of Economic Services which provided an update on developments around the COVID-19 crisis, including the delivery of products and services in response.

Since the last meeting of the LEP Board the Government had move to the fourth stage of the roadmap out of lockdown on 19 July 2021. This meant the end of many of the restrictions that have been in place in Leeds City Region during the pandemic, some since March 2020. This will have a positive impact on businesses and the Combined Authority and LEP will continue to work with Local Authority partners to provide support to help businesses recover from the pandemic.

The Board discussed the proposed refresh of the Economic Recovery Plan which is overseen by the Economic Recovery Board. Key proposals for the revision include producing a new central economic forecast, putting the Mayoral Pledges at the heart of the economic recovery, focusing on projects that will be delivered regionally to implement the plan and having a smaller, targeted focus on where Government investment will be required. 

Members were pleased to see the breakdown of data from the Employment Hub to show detailed information on participants meaning a continued focus on inclusive growth. The Board were informed that all performance indicators and targets that the LEP and Combined Authority have will have an inclusive growth aspect and this will be implemented as soon as possible. The Chair thanked the Head of Business Support and their wider team for their continued effort in supporting the Leeds City Region in recovering from the pandemic.

Resolved: That the LEP Board notes the updates in relation to COVID-19 and the proposed approach to a new version of the Economic Recovery Plan.

(Led by: Alan Reiss, Author: James Hopton)

The Board considered a report of the Director of Strategy, Communications and Policing which provided an update on the latest economic and business intelligence and activity and intelligence around understanding the impact of COVID-19 and EU Exit.

Activity in West Yorkshire’s town and city centres has reached levels comparable to summer 2020 according to data from Geolytix’s Retail Recovery Index. Levels of activity differ throughout the region with Huddersfield seeing activity at 50% above its pre-pandemic baseline, whilst Hebden Bridge, Ilkley and Wetherby have also seen activity above their pre-pandemic baselines.

Members asked why there was such disparity between levels of activity and were informed that, although further analysis was needed, there are several reasons that have been given. Larger city and town centres have suffered more from the fall in footfall from COVID-19 restrictions and the move from office to home based working. Other leisure destinations, such as Ilkley and Hebden Bridge, are benefitting from the increase in people spending leisure time in their local areas.

The latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) with he Chambers of Commerce shows a strong rebound in activity in Quarter 2 of 2021. The QES also asked questions about businesses’ plans for returning to the workplace and found that among service sector companies, only a quarter expect to return to 100% of staff in the office full time. Half expect to adopt a hybrid model and three quarter of these expect staff in only two or three days a week.

The Board were informed that this was the last meeting that the Economic & Transport Analysis Manager, James Hopton, would be attending as he is leaving the organisation. The Chair thanked James for his hard work and wished him all the best for the future.

Resolved: The LEP Board note the latest intelligence around the economic impacts of COVID-19 and EU Exit and considered how this related to their work and future work plans.

Resolved: That the draft minutes of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 24 June 2021 be noted.

The next meeting will be held on 15 September 2021

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 15 September 2021.