Agenda and minutes

Venue: City Exchange, 11 Albion St, Leeds LS1 5ES

Note: This meeting will be held in City Exchange, Leeds 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 

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Minutes:

There were no declarations of pecuniary interests at the meeting.

2.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies had been received from Councillor Swift, Councillor Jeffery and Sir Roger Marsh.

3.

Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

Minutes:

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

4.

Governance Arrangements pdf icon PDF 180 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report which set out the governance arrangements for the Finance, Resources and Corporate Committee.

 

The terms of reference were attached at appendix 1 to the submitted report. Members noted the wide ranging aspect of the terms of reference which would enable the committee to consider matters that are urgent or do not align with other committees.

 

Members also discussed designating an inclusivity champion to ensure that inclusive growth commitments were met and identify opportunities to go further on the inclusivity agenda. Cllr Pandor was appointment as the inclusivity champion on the panel.

 

Resolved:

 

(i)               That the governance arrangements approved by the Combined Authority at the Annual Meeting on 24 June 2021 be noted

 

(ii)              That the proposed areas of work be noted.

 

(iii)            That Councillor Pandor be approved as the inclusivity champion on the committee.

5.

Financial Performance Report pdf icon PDF 168 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report which set out the 2020/21 final outturn and the 2021/22 financial position as of 30 June 2021.

 

Members noted the challenges in the achieving a balanced budget in 2020/21 because of the pandemic with action taken to manage the risks and impacts on budgets. There had been a timing difference in the costs of the election with more costs than expected falling in the 2021/22 year. Much of the surplus from the 2020/21 year would be ear-marked to cover the election costs.

 

The Capital programme expenditure budget position was attached at appendix 2 and a report on the 2021/22 capital position to date would be brought to the next meeting.

 

Bus funding and concessionary travel were identified as posing a significant challenge and was a huge part of the Combined Authority’ expenditure.

 

The 2021/22 budget would continue to be monitored and a report would be brought to each meeting of the committee.  

 

Members had the following questions and comments:

 

·       That there was a potential opportunity to unlock or fast-track funding around key policy areas such as business recovery and the climate emergency. It was noted that pipeline development funding had been allocated for these priorities and the key challenge was bringing these schemes forward and finding capacity for committees to allocate funding

·       That it would be useful to have a concise summary or dashboard of the capital funding programmes, with spending deadlines and progress of spend to better enable oversight.

 

Resolved: That the financial position be noted.

 

 

6.

Corporate Plan, Corporate Performance and Business Planning pdf icon PDF 172 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided an update on business planning and the corporate plan for 2021/22.

 

Business plans for each directorate had been reassessed to ensure the mayoral pledges and priorities were reflected. The plans would provide a clear forward look at the key milestones and decision points expected throughout the year.

 

The Corporate Plan was in development and would show how the mayoral pledges and priorities are reflected in the work of the Combined Authority as well as the organisation’s wider commitments and deliverables for the 2021/22 financial year.

 

A public facing Corporate Plan for 2021/22 would also be produce and would set out the key priorities of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and LEP in an accessible and transparent way for the public

 

Members noted that Key Performance Indicators for the 2021/22 year would be brought quarterly to the committee and the previous year’s KPIs were included in the submitted report.

 

Members had the following questions and comments:

 

·       One of corporate performance 2020/21 year end results flagged in red was HS2 and NPR and it was vital that the was driven forward and government delivered this for the region.

·       The possibility to design targets for the region outside of the Combined Authority’s corporate targets. Targets discussed included rise in income level, decreasing unemployment, inclusive growth targets possibility set by place.

·       It was recognised that the Combined Authority was one of several partners involved in achieving these regional targets which could be included but not necessarily as a key performance indicator.

·       That it was vital for partner council officers to be included in discussions around KPIs.

 

Resolved: That the report be noted.

7.

Budget Planning Overview pdf icon PDF 170 KB

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided a budget planning overview.

 

It was noted that the development of next year’s budget would be impacted by several strategic factors where there remains significant uncertainty.

 

Members noted that timetable to progress the budget work as well as the plans to consult partner councils and the wider public.

 

The Committee discussed the best way to consider the granular detailed analysis around individual schemes. Members discussed the possibility of forming a working group to consider the substantive moving parts playing into the 2022/23 budget as well as local at the granular details of schemes around delivery and efficiencies. A proposition would be worked up and brought back to the next meeting of the committee

 

It would be useful to meet with the directors of finance from each local authorities to ensure joined up thinking and best value for money.

 

Members suggested taking aspects of the budget and examining them in more detail at Committee could be a good approach. The transport levy was suggested as a topic of interest.

 

That business engagement, through the LEP, along with public engagement would be essential.