Agenda item - MCA Preparations

(Lead Member: Cllr S Hinchcliffe, Director: Alan Reiss)

Resolved:

(a) In respect of MCA Governance, the Combined Authority approves:

(i) That decision-making in respect of the Non-Mayoral Functions be carried out under current arrangements, subject to the outcome of any future general review of committee arrangements, and any amendments to be made by the Head of Legal and Governance Services under delegated authority and in consultation with the Chair of the Combined authority to facilitate their implementation.

(ii) That authority be delegated to the Head of Legal and Governance Services, in consultation with the Chair of the Combined Authority, to make any amendments to existing governance arrangements to facilitate the implementation of the new Non-Mayoral Functions.

(iii) That the Head of Legal and Governance Services be authorised to extend the remit of the Independent Remuneration Panel to include any other allowances should such a review be needed at any time in the next 12 months, and to determine and pay an allowance or expenses to the members of the Independent Remuneration Panel.

(b) In respect of the organisational structure:

(i) That an amendment to the Combined Authority’s establishment be approved to create an additional Director position and separate out the current Policy, Strategy and Communications Directorate.

(ii) That the proposed role profiles and approach to recruiting to the subsequent vacant position be endorsed, delegating finalisation to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director, in consultation with Members as set out in paragraph 2.54 of the submitted report.

(iii) That authority be give to the Combined Authority’s Managing Director to implement interim arrangements if required.

The Combined Authority considered a report of the Managing Director on Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) preparations which:

· Provided an update on work underway to become an MCA and to implement the ‘minded to’ devolution deal agreed between West Yorkshire Leaders and Government on 11 March 2020.

· Sought approval on the decision-making arrangements for new Non-Mayoral Functions.

· Sought approval on the proposals to recruit and appoint an additional Director post to accommodate the extra functions that will result from the move to an MCA.

It was reported that the Mayoral Order had been debated and passed in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Members welcomed the confirmation of the landmark West Yorkshire devolution deal. It was noted it had taken many years to finalise and the Chair thanked both Members and officers for the achievement.

Progress across the three areas of the MCA Ready Programme – Partnerships, Organisational Readiness and Deal Implementation was outlined in the report. It was noted that Combined Authority officers are working closely with the Electoral Services Manager at Leeds City Council in order to prepare for the election of the Mayor in May 2021. It was agreed that the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council be appointed as the Combined Authority Returning Officer (CARO), supported by the Combined Authority’s Managing Director as one of the Deputy Combined Authority Returning Officers.

The Authority considered and approved the recommendations in respect of the decision-making arrangements for the new non-mayoral functions and MCA governance which were set out in the report. It was reported that the Assurance Framework had been revised to include the Mayoral Combined Authority’s role and remit including the Mayor’s role in decision-making and this had now been formally approved by Government.

Members considered the review of the organisational structure which had been undertaken and discussed the proposed amendments which included an additional Director post. The Authority approved the proposed amendments and endorsed the role profiles and approach to recruiting to the additional Director position.