Agenda and minutes

Apologies had been received from Councillor Pryor, Martin Booth, Neville Young, Simon Wright, Peter O’Brien, David Sidlow.

Sue Cooke declared that the University of Huddersfield and 3MBIC were involved in a consortium in a bid for the innovative entrepreneurship tender for workstream three of the entrepreneurship programme. Martin Stow declared that Nexus was part of the same bid.

1.       To highlight Appendix 1 to Agenda Item 9b 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 report. 

2.       To consider whether or not to accept the officers’ recommendation in respect of the above information as set out in paragraph 8.2 of Agenda Item 9b.

2.       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 Appendix 1 to Agenda Item 9b 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 that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

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

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 October would be approved at the next meeting of the Committee.  

Members considered a report that set out the latest economic and business intelligence in the region.

Members had the following questions and comments:

·       That the use of data would be vital as to unpick the short term impacts of the pandemic from the longer term ones.

·       That bounce back loans form the government were time based and manufacturers needed patient capital.

·       That there were challenges for businesses around supply chains and increasing costs.

·       That importance of increasing productivity and for people to invest more and be highly trained and efficient in their work.

·       Data around new bank accounts and the use of a sector by sector approach to help to target support.

·       That the pandemic had had a disproportionate affect and more information was needed around the equality, diversity and inclusion impacts to provide a strategic context for the region and to help target interventions.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

Members considered a report that set out a proposal to launch a pilot innovation challenge competition as part of the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival 2022. 

Members were supportive of the competition and had the following questions and comments:

·       That the circular economy and health were suggested as themes for future challenges.

·       The importance of getting corporate partners involved early on to help design the competition so they are more invested.

·       Broaden the competition out to include a wider audience to encourage maximum participation.

·       That the suggestion of onward support for ideas stemming out of the competition was a good approach to take.

Resolved: That the report and the committee’s comments be noted.

Members considered a report that set out plans for the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival

Members were supportive and suggested that the festival should showcase innovation success from businesses in the region as well as be as inclusive and diverse as possible.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

Members considered a report which set out the work underway on development of a future pipeline.

·       That training programmes for leadership and management skills were difficult for many SMEs to identify and access.

·       Innovation support would be an important area of focus for the pipeline.

·       ERDF funding end approach in March – a short term concern for replacement funding.

·       That the priorities listed at 2.8 of the submitted report were strong and captured what the Committee had emphasised.

·       To identify a target on leverage to evaluate the programmes.

·       Members welcomed the commitment to undertake equality impact assessment as part of the scheme developments.

Resolved: That the report be noted.

Members considered a report that provided an update on delivery of the entrepreneurship programme.

Work was underway to deliver 3 interconnected workstreams with an emphasis on supporting business to consumer operators.  Members noted the targets on the programme particularly around EDI. Members asked about the referral route and were informed that the website was the best point of entry.

Resolved: That the report be noted

Members considered a report that provided an update on the business accelerator fund.

Members discussed how the Committee would interact with the accelerator. The performance of the fund would be reported to the Members. The Committee would also have a role to play in determining how the money be reinvested. Members asked for sight of ongoing invests made to provide comment on the emerging portfolio. 

Members also asked about the possibility of leveraging private sector funding in terms of match funding. The Committee noted that the investment criteria would be established as an environmental social governance fund.

Resolved: That the progress on the establishment of the West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Limited Partnership, and the recent endorsements by the LEP Board and approval by the Combined Authority to allocate £21,650,000 of the anticipated £26,000,000 of recovered Growing Places Funding (which represents 83.3% of the total anticipated returned funding) to be invested in the West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Limited Partnership be noted.

Link to the meeting of the Employment and Skills Committee held on 29 October.