Agenda item

(Led by: Angela Taylor, Author: James Young)

The Board received updates from the six Thematic Committees at the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The Business, Enterprise and Industry Committee (BEIC) endorsed the West Yorkshire Business Accelerator Plan which had previously been discussed by the LEP. The committee also received a report on the three strands of the entrepreneurship initiatives. The first two strands offering one-to-many support about how to set up a business and support for new business are now running and are achieving the desired targets of involvement. The third strand of the initiative offering support for larger business start-ups had its tender closed on the 15 January, and further updates to the board can be provided once the outcomes are known.

Discussions were held regarding the amount of overlap between the BEIC and other committees such as the Employment and Skills Committee and the Climate, Energy and Environment Committee, and there is a desire to discuss and understand each committee’s work in more detail. The Manufacturing Taskforce has met for the first time, breaking down into five further sub-committees who will reconvene to discuss ideas.

The Climate, Energy and Environment Committee had discussions regarding the decarbonisation of transport, the carbon impact of Combined Authority schemes, and nature recovery. Committee members are keen to further some of the discussed work outside of meetings, and the establishment of sub-committees may be a means by which to achieve that aim. A report was received regarding the Social Housing Decarbonisation fund, and there was a presentation given by the Northern Power Grid.

Members noted that there is finance being made available by banks and other organisations to support decarbonisation schemes. In many cases the projects do not meet the criteria to be awarded funding, however if the Combined Authority was to ensure these criteria are met, the extra funding may become available. Members noted the suggestion and the potential opportunities to obtain funding for the Leeds City Region and offered to take it forward outside of the meeting.

The Place, Regenerations and Housing Committee has approved the West Yorkshire Mass Transit Statement of Intent. The Committee has a large interest in the Brownfield Housing Fund and will be able to provide strong input into the direction of new developments to further inclusive growth within the region.

The Culture, Arts and Creative Industries Committee is working to outline its aims over the coming years, with a focus on mass participation and those, especially from areas of deprivation, who are not typically engaged with the arts. The committee will make use of the Cultural Framework endorsed by the LEP Board to help with narrowing down the aims of the committee. Discussions are also being held regarding how to support cultural events within the West Yorkshire region to encourage engagement and investment, as well as create new opportunities for inclusion and employment.

The Creative Catalyst project is ongoing, and LEP members were encouraged to consider if they would be interested in becoming a mentor for the creative industries. Members noted that a partnership between business and the arts can be beneficial for both parties, and so should be encouraged as widely as possible.

There is a project alongside the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage to establish a Young Poet Laureate of the year award, as well as a project to deliver a story to every child across Leeds simultaneously to encourage reading and participation.

The Employment and Skills Committee engaged in discussions regarding the best implementation of the Adult Education budget to increase the utilisation of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee and also provided feedback on the draft Local Skills report. The Combined Authority has been invited to apply for one years’ delivery of skills bootcamps for adults to retrain key skills. The first Green Skills taskforce meeting was also held and led by the Mayor.

The Transport Committee discussed the lack of economic assessment or timetables relating to the Integrated Rail Plan, which the committee will discuss and provide feedback upon.

It was raised that the cancellation of Arriva buses in Wakefield and Kirklees will negatively impact a range of residents and there remains an argument for a government subsidised bus service.

It was noted that Patrick McLaughlin has been elected as Chair of Transport for the North, and that the forum plays a key role in communicating the concerns of the North to the government.

The Managing Director noted that questions have been raised regarding how work is shared between the committees. Minutes of committee meetings will be shared between committees so there is a mutual understanding of the conversations that were held and officers will be available in each meeting to advise about forward planning and the potential for linked themes on upcoming agendas.

Some themes, such as health and inclusive growth, are broad and do not have a bespoke committee but periodic updates to all committees on these themes will provide an insight into potential links.

Themes such as decarbonisation may be relevant to more than one committee and so the same report may be presented at multiple meetings. It is important to allow any relevant committee to provide input but to also be mindful of which committee is most suited to make a formal decision on a given paper.

The Chair provided an update from the LEP network meeting regarding the future of LEP Boards. The Chair noted that the government is generally assured of the importance of LEP boards as a link between the private and public sectors. The larger questions surround what the role of the LEP may be if it is to change, but it is suggested that LEPs will help to drive the agenda of the democratic institutions with which they are affiliated. It is recognised that there is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach, but that partnership working is more beneficial than having no links at all. It is recognised that the upcoming Levelling Up White Paper will provide more detail on the future of LEPs and this will provide a basis for future discussions.

Resolved: That the LEP Board notes the updates from the Thematic Committees.