Agenda item

(Led by: Mark Roberts, Author: Caroline Allen)

The Interim Chair presented the report to the Board and updated the Board verbally on changes to membership on committees as a consequence of the current vacancies on the LEP Board itself.

In respect of the recommendations before the Board:

In relation to the recommendation at 10.1 it was noted that expressions of interest needed to be sought for a Substitute LEP Member on the Combined Authority and the Interim Chair sought authority from the Board to nominate a Substitute.

In relation to the recommendation at 10.2 the following changes to Appendix 1 were put forward to the Board at the meeting:

·         Employment and Skills Committee – Shirley Congdon to be nominated to the committee and the role of Deputy Chair.

·         Transport Committee – Mark Roberts to stand down and Amir Hussain to be nominated as the LEP Board voting member.

The Interim Chair also updated the Board on the outcome of the recent recruitment exercise for new private sector members on the Combined Authority’s committees. Proposals were tabled at the meeting as a supplementary appendix 2 to the report in relation to the recommendation at 10.3.

It was highlighted that 50 applications were received for roles on the committees which reflected how positively the LEP is perceived in the region. From the 50 applications, 24 nominations for appointments were being put forward to the Board. These appointments if agreed would improve the diversity on committees with female representation increased to 40% and BAME representation at 20%. The Interim Chair stated that there is more work to be done to increase representation but progress is being made and that should be celebrated.

The Board expressed their thanks to all officers and members involved in the recruitment process.

Resolved:

That the LEP Board:

(i)               Nominates Mark Roberts to be the LEP Member on the Combined Authority and authorises the interim Chair to nominate a Substitute LEP Member on the Combined Authority.

(ii)             Confirms its current nominations for private sector LEP Board membership (and roles of Deputy Chairs) on the Combined Authority’s committees as set out in Appendix 1 subject to the following:

·         Employment and Skills Committee – Shirley Congdon to be nominated to the committee and take the role of Deputy Chair.

·         Transport Committee – Mark Roberts to stand down and Amir Hussain to be nominated as the LEP Board voting member.

(iii)            Nominates private sector representatives to committees to be appointed by the Combined Authority at its Annual Meeting, in accordance with Appendix 1 of the report and the proposals in relation to new private sector representatives as tabled at the meeting (Appendix 2).

(iv)            Nominates Mark Roberts to be a member of TfN’s Partnership Board to be re-appointed at the TfN annual meeting, together with Amir Hussain as a substitute, noting that TfN current practise is to co-opt the LEP’s representative on the Partnership Board to the TfN Board.

(v)             Notes that the Interim Chair will attend any meetings of external bodies and represent the LEP on other bodies or Boards as required where the role falls to the LEP Chair.