Agenda item

Strengthened Local Enterprise Partnerships

(Led by: Alan Reiss, Author: Katie McLean)

Minutes:

The Board considered a report of the Director of Policy, Strategy and Communications on Strengthened Local Enterprise Partnerships.

 

Members discussed the report which sought decisions on remaining issues, including geography, so the Leeds City Region’s future Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) arrangements comply with the Government’s requirements set out in the Strengthened Local Enterprise Partnerships review.

 

It was noted that the deadline for the LEP to be compliant with the Government requirements is 31 March 2020. 

 

In respect of geography, it was acknowledged that the LEP’s first preference is to maintain the status quo covering the whole Leeds City Region.  However because of the Government’s requirement to remove overlapping geographies, the Leeds City Region LEP Board had previously agreed to seek to create a new LEP covering the whole of West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and York.  Unfortunately, following lengthy discussions there is insufficient support in the membership of the York and North Yorkshire LEP for a merger to go ahead at the present time.  In the absence of a representative from North Yorkshire being able to attend, Councillor Carl Les had sent the Chair of the LEP Board an email outlining North Yorkshire County Council’s views in respect of the report which were shared with the meeting.  It was noted that North Yorkshire County Council did not support the proposal for districts to have non-constituent status.

 

The Board therefore reluctantly agreed to change its geography to comply with Government guidelines for local enterprise partnerships from 31 March 2020.  The new LEP would continue to be known as the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and will cover the districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.  It was stressed that strong partnership arrangements would continue to be maintained with regional partners to ensure that the region’s economic priorities continue to be delivered and future investment continues to have maximum benefit for the wider region’s economy.  In noting the financial implications through meeting Government’s requirements, the Board welcomed the ongoing discussions to keep the situation under review, working collaboratively with partners and Government to ensure maximum benefit is delivered for the region and its constituent authorities. A report on proposals for maintaining existing strong partnership arrangements within a new formal governance structure would be brought to the next meeting.

 

The process of change was noted and it was agreed that a letter be sent to Ministers from the LEP Chair prior to the end of March 2020 confirming compliance with the terms of strengthening LEPs.

 

Resolved:

 

(i)        That the Board recognises that while maintaining the current arrangements are its first choice, this is outside of the Government’s requirements as set out in Strengthened LEPs. The Board therefore  reaffirms its second preference for a single LEP covering the whole of West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and York as required by the Government’s Strengthened LEPs review, but notes that achieving this arrangement requires the agreement of key stakeholders across that region including the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding LEP, which is currently not forthcoming.

 

(ii)       That subject to the merger not proceeding, the Board agrees to revise the geography of the Leeds City Region LEP to the local authority areas of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield from 31 March 2020, while retaining the name of Leeds City Region and proactively strengthening collaboration with neighbouring LEPs.

 

(iii)      That the Board endorses the ambition of district authorities in the Leeds City Region to secure non-constituent status of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority or future Mayoral Combined Authority, and notes that consideration is being given to the establishment of a Joint Committee for the Leeds City Region, York and North Yorkshire.

 

(iv)      That the Board notes progress on the work underway to recruit future private sector LEP Board members that reflect the diversity of the City Region and enable the LEP to meet gender balance requirement and otherwise ensure the LEP complies with Government’s requirements.

 

(v)       That the Board affirms its commitment to ongoing discussions and keep the situation under review, working collaboratively with partners and Government to ensure maximum benefit is delivered for the region and its constituent authorities.

 

Supporting documents: