Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room 1, Wellington House, 40-50 Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 2DE

Items
No. Item

75.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Mayor Tracy Brabin, Helen Featherstone, Simon Pringle, Cllr Pandor and Cllr Swift.

76.

Declarations of Interest

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.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of pecuniary interests at the meeting.

77.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

Minutes:

There were no items that required the emption of the press and public.

78.

Minutes of the meeting held on 26 January 2022 pdf icon PDF 365 KB

Minutes:

It was noted that Sandy Needham and Helen Featherstone attended the previous meeting.

 

Resolved: That the minutes be approved with the corrections to the attendance.  

 

 

79.

Committees Update Report pdf icon PDF 240 KB

(Led by: Angela Taylor, Author: James Young)

Minutes:

The Business, Economy, and Innovation Committee had met and been updated on the Manufacturing Taskforce, a discussion around the Fair Work Charter and held a workshop on future priorities. Members had favoured a mission led approach with targets for 2030 and an emphasis on productivity, skills, green advice for businesses and attracting and retaining people and businesses in the region. The committee also discussed the need for leadership on manufacturing at a regional level.

 

The Climate, Energy, and Environment Committee had met and considered the prioritisation of the West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan which had an indicative allocation of £40 million of gainshare funding. Members discussed transport decarbonisation as well as the carbon impact assessment methodology which had been published and would help inform the assessment of future schemes.

 

The Culture, Arts, and Creative Industries Committee had met and welcomed the latest national policy developments which aimed to focus expenditure on culture outside London to other regions. The Committee were also updated on the work of the Creative Catalyst.

 

The Place, Regeneration, and Housing Committee had met and discussed the levelling up white paper and the possibility of tracking progress of investment against it. Additional funding from the Brownfield Housing Fund had been received but with an ambitious delivery timetable and a call for projects would be issued. The Committee considered the risks associated with inflation in the construction industry and the impact this could have on projects.

 

The Transport Committee had met and expressed concern regarding the reduction in services from Arriva and Northern as well as the Bus Services Improvement Plan with a response awaited from Government.

 

Resolved: That the updates from the Thematic Committees be noted.

 

80.

Fair Work Charter pdf icon PDF 178 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided an update on the development of the Mayor’s proposed Fair Work Charter. A summary on the development of the Charter set out the establishment of an expert steering group and the launch of a public consultation which was scheduled to run until Easter.

 

It was vital that the consultation reached as many people as possible and had input from a variety of interest groups and sectors. Discussion particularly centred around how best to engage small and medium-sized enterprises given that the Fair Work Charter could present greater challengers for them as opposed to larger businesses with HR functions. Members called for a streamlined approach which could succinctly outline areas for improvement targeted for SMEs, including the possibility of separate asks for large employers and SMEs. The Board noted that emphasis had been placed on targeted consultation with SMEs and that a co-designed approach would continue to be favoured.

 

Members felt the five aspects of fair work identified in Appendix 1 were comprehensive and the right fit for the Fair Work Charter. The Board discussed that by framing the Fair Work Charter in terms of its benefit for employers as well as for employees could be another route to promoting the consultation that was underway.

 

Resolved:

 

(i)            That the update on the development of the Fair Work Charter, including the launch of the public consultation process, be noted.

 

(ii)          That the LEP Board’s comments around opportunities to maximise awareness and engagement of the region’s employers with the consultation be noted.

 

81.

Levelling Up White Paper - Update pdf icon PDF 249 KB

(Led by: Ben Still, Author: Liadan Buggy)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report that provided an update on the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper.

 

Members noted the 12 missions to be achieved by 2030 set out by Government in the White Paper which were attached at appendix 1 and welcomed the medium term and mission led approach.

 

The Board expressed its disappointment that West Yorkshire had not been included as an Innovation Accelerator given the strong track record of the region in this area. Representations are being made to seek to ensure that West Yorkshire would be next in the next tranche as an area for an Innovation Accelerator.

 

Members noted that additional funding to accompany the missions set out in the White Paper had yet to be announced and enjoined Government to deliver funding which was more flexible and matched the scale of the region’s ambition.

 

Resolved: That the content of the paper and the opportunities for West Yorkshire, including the opportunity for West Yorkshire to be next in line as an area for an Innovation Accelerator, be noted.

 

82.

LEP - Next Steps pdf icon PDF 234 KB

(Led by: Ben Still, Author: Emma Longbottom)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Board considered a report that set out the current position regarding LEPs following the launch of the Levelling Up White Paper.

 

Members reflected on the strong partnership between the private and public sectors historically in the region and the intention from the Combined Authority to deepen those relationships in the future.

 

Although funding streams from Government would not be channelled through LEPs it was envisioned that they would continue to provide strategic leadership and champion business growth in the region.

 

Resolved: 

(i)            That the report and the future arrangements for the LEP be noted.

 

(ii)          That the next steps set out in 2.14 - 2.16 in the submitted report be agreed.

 

83.

Mayoral Update

Minutes:

Members were provided with an update on the activity of the Mayor which included welcoming trade delegations from Japan and India, progress on an employment and skills agenda for the Adult Education Budget, a meeting with the Commissioner for Cultural Renewal and progress on the delivery of White Rose train station.

84.

Economic Update pdf icon PDF 229 KB

(Led by: Alan Reiss, Author: Tom Purvis)

Minutes:

The LEP board noted the Economic update provided.

 

85.

Corporate Performance pdf icon PDF 121 KB

(Led by: Angela Taylor, Author: Alice Rowland)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The LEP Board noted the Corporate Performance update provided.

86.

Draft Minutes of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority held on 3 February 2022 pdf icon PDF 171 KB

Minutes:

The LEP Board noted the draft minutes of the Combined Authority held on 2 February 2022

87.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on 15 June 2022.

Minutes:

The next meeting of the LEP Board would be held on 15 June 2022.

88.

Chair's Closing Remarks

Minutes:

As it was Sandy Needham’s and Rashik Parmar’s last meeting, the Chair wished to thank them both on behalf of the Board for their contributions.