Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Barry Collins and Peter McBride.

There were no pecuniary interests declared by members at the meeting.

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

Resolved: That the minutes of the West Yorkshire and York Investment Committee held on 7 November 2018 be approved and signed by the Chair.

The Committee considered a report on proposals for the progression of, and funding for, a number of West Yorkshire Combined Authority supported projects, including West Yorkshire plus Transport Fund (Transport Fund) and Growth Fund at stages 1, 2 and 3 of the Combined Authority’s assurance process.

Members discussed the proposals for the progression of the following seven schemes which were detailed in the submitted report:

·         Investor Readiness Support Programme

·         Transformational – A1620 Leeds Northern Outer Ring Road Improvements

·         Corridor Improvement Programme Phase 1 – A647 Dawsons Corner

·         Corridor Improvement Programme Phase 1 – Dyneley Arms

·         Corridor Improvement Programme Phase 1 – Fink Hill scheme

·         Corridor Improvement Programme Phase 1 – A650 Newton Bar scheme

·         Institute of High Speed Railways and System Integration – Phase 1

The meeting was attended by Professors Lisa Roberts and Peter Woodward from Leeds University who gave a presentation on the Institute of High Speed Railways and System Integration scheme.

All schemes presented to the Investment Committee were recommended for approval by the Combined Authority

In addition to the recommendations made regarding the High Speed Rail Institute, the meeting also wished it to be noted that the Combined Authority’s contribution to the scheme will be capped at £13.047 million regardless of any future increases to the total scheme costs.

The Committee also considered the Business Growth Programme (BGP) which has had a change request report assessed in line with the Combined Authority’s assurance process.  This was for an extension to the expenditure approval of the BGP to capitalise on the on-going successful uptake of the scheme by businesses across the region and further details were provided in the submitted report.

The Committee was also provided with details of the following two decisions made through delegations to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director since the last meeting:

·         Wyke Beck Flood Alleviation scheme

·         Mytholmroyd Station Park & Ride

Summaries of the schemes’ business cases were attached as Appendices 2 – 8 of the submitted report.

Resolved:

(i)         In respect of the Investor Readiness Support Programme, the

            Investment Committee recommends to the Combined Authority:

(a)        That the Investment Readiness project proceeds through

decision point 2 and work commences on activity 5 (full business case with finalised costs).

(b)        That an indicative approval to the Combined Authority’s

contribution of £1.429 million is given (which will be funded from £714,500 from the Leeds City Region Business Rates Pool and £714,500 from ESIF), with Full Approval to spend being granted once the scheme has progressed through the Assurance Process to Decision Point 5. The total project value is £1.429 million with funding already secured.

(c)        That future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathway and approval route outlined in the submitted report including at decision point 5 through a delegation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director following a recommendation by the Combined Authority’s Programme Appraisal Team subject to the scheme remaining within the assurance tolerances outlined within the report.

(ii)       In respect of Transformational – A1620 Leeds Northern Outer Ring  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

Resolved:  That the minutes of the Business Investment Panel held on 6 November 2018 be noted.