Agenda, decisions and minutes

In the event of a fire, please await direction from venue staff who will help assist with the evacuation.   Please do not return to the building until instructed to do so by the fire warden(s).

The meeting was held at Turnberrie’s Community Centre in Thornbury.  The Chair, Metro Mayor Dan Norris, welcomed everybody to the meeting.  The evacuation procedure was set out.

To receive apologies for absence from Members.

There were no apologies for absence.

Members who consider that they have an interest to declare are asked to: a) State the item number in which they have an interest, b) The nature of the interest, c) Whether the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest, non-disclosable pecuniary interest or non-pecuniary interest. Any Member who is unsure about the above should seek advice from the Monitoring Officer prior to the meeting in order to expedite matters at the meeting itself.

There were no declarations of interest declared under the Localism Act 2011.

To consider and approve the minutes from the West of England Joint Committee Meeting held on 1 July 2022.

The minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2022 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive announcements from the Chair of the West of England Joint Committee.

There were no Chair’s announcements.

WRITTEN PUBLIC QUESTIONS (written procedure)

1. Any member of the public can submit a maximum of two written questions in advance of this meeting.

2. The deadline for the submission of questions is 5.00 pm, at least 3 clear working days ahead of a meeting. For this meeting, the deadline for questions is 5.00 pm on Monday 23 January 2023.

3. Questions should be addressed to the Chair of the meeting and e-mailed to democratic.services@westofengland-ca.gov.uk

4. Under the direction of the Chair, wherever possible, written replies to questions will be sent to questioners by the end of the working day prior to the meeting.

5. Please note - under the Combined Authority’s committee procedures, there is no opportunity for oral supplementary questions to be asked at committee meetings.

6. The written questions and replies will be circulated to committee members in advance of the meeting and published on the Combined Authority website.

PUBLIC STATEMENTS

1. Any member of the public may submit a written statement (or petition) to this meeting.

2. Please note that one statement per individual is permitted.

3. Statements must be submitted in writing and received by the deadline of 12 noon on the working day before the meeting. For this meeting, the deadline for statements is 12 noon on Thursday 26 January 2023. Statements should be emailed to democratic.services@westofengland-ca.gov.uk

4. Statements will be listed for the meeting in the order of receipt. All statements will be sent to committee members in advance of the meeting and published on the Combined Authority website.

5. Please note:

If any member of the public wishes to attend the meeting to orally present their statement, they are asked please to notify the Combined Authority’s Democratic Services team of this at the point when their statement is submitted and by 12 noon on the working day before the meeting at the very latest.

For those presenting their statements at the meeting, up to 3 minutes ‘speaking time’ is permitted for each statement. The total time available for the public session at this meeting is 30 minutes.

4 questions from 2 individuals had been received.  The questions and the Metro Mayor’s responses were circulated and published on the Authority’s website.

Six statements had been received from Members of the Public.  The statements had been circulated and published on the Authority’s website prior to the meeting.  The following individuals attended the meeting and addressed the Committee for up to three minutes each on the topics of their statements:

1.     Dave Redgewell

2.     Robbie Bentley

The Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership to be invited to address the meeting.

Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Budget Setting Report 2023/24

§  I note that overall LEP Grant Funding that has been attracted into the region is now circa £22.4m over the Medium-Term Financial Strategy period. Uncertainty does still remain in relation to the annual notification of the reduced £375k LEP Capacity Core Grant which creates volatility in terms of medium-term budget setting however the LEP holds a modest unearmarked reserve to manage the financial risk in this respect.

MetroWest 2

§  Alongside the wider MetroWest rail programme, it’s fantastic to see a request for funding to support the first delivery stage of MetroWest 2 project, including the construction and opening of Ashley Down Station.

§  This investment will be a considerable step towards unlocking the anticipated connectivity, decarbonisation and economic benefits for the Combined Authority region and North Somerset.

The Chair of the Authority’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee to present the comments of that Committee.

The Chair of the Authority’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Councilor Winston Duguid, addressed the meeting.

He echoed the comments of the Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership Board and reflected projects could be better coordinated if North Somerset Council was fully integrated within the Authority and would be cost neutral were this to happen.  In respect to Metrowest 2 he urged that the project be moved as swiftly as possible.

To consider and approve the Budget in respect of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for 2023/24. Change request approvals are also included as part of this reporting process.

The Committee RESOLVED:

(1)   To approve a 2023/24 contribution of £110k per each West of England Unitary Authorities, (to be reviewed for 2024/25 onwards), as match funding to attract the government’s LEP Capacity Funding;

(2)   To approve a £160k drawdown from the LEP General Reserve to fund the shortfall in 2023/24 LEP operating costs;

(3)   To approve the LEP Budget for 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 1;

(4)   To Comment and Review on the LEP revenue forecast for 2022/23 as set out in Appendix 2;

(5)   To Approve a £120k drawdown from the LEP General Reserve to fund the shortfall in the 2022/23 LEP Capacity Core Grant;

(6)   To approve the change requests for schemes within the Local Growth Fund programme as set out in Appendix 3;

(7)   To approve the change requests for schemes within the Economic Development Fund programme as set out in Appendix 4.

(8)   That Officers review the role, function, value for money and performance of IBB and consider the current funding arrangements, presenting a report detailing the findings and any key recommendations to the Joint Committee in June 2023.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris introduced the report and stated that the report set out the proposed 2023/24 budget for the Local Enterprise Partnership.?Change requests for the Local Growth Fund and Economic Development Fund also formed part of this report.

The recommendations were moved by Metro Mayor Dan Norris and seconded by Councillor Kevin Guy.

Mayor Marvin Rees moved the following additional recommendation:

That Officers review the role, function, value for money and performance of IBB and consider the current funding arrangements, presenting a report detailing the findings and any key recommendations to the Joint Committee in June 2023.

This amendment was unanimously carried.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris added that this was already underway and an independent mid-term review would be commencing the following month.  He hoped that this would show that Invest Bristol & Bath (IBB) was fundamental to all the Authority’s work in putting the region on the national and international map.

  [voting arrangements: Recommendations 1, 3 & 7 – Decision required majority agreement of Committee Members in attendance, or their substitutes (one vote representing each Authority) and excluding the West of England Combined Authority Mayor. Recommendations 2, 4, 5, 6 - Decision required majority agreement of Committee Members in attendance, or their substitutes (one vote representing each Authority) and including the West of England Combined Authority Mayor].

The recommendations were unanimously agreed.

The Committee RESOLVED:

(1)   To approve a 2023/24 contribution of £110k per each West of England Unitary Authorities, (to be reviewed for 2024/25 onwards), as match funding to attract the government’s LEP Capacity Funding;

(2)   To approve a £160k drawdown from the LEP General Reserve to fund the shortfall in 2023/24 LEP operating costs;

(3)   To approve the LEP Budget for 2023/24 as set out in Appendix 1;

(4)   To Comment and Review on the LEP revenue forecast for 2022/23 as set out in Appendix 2;

(5)   To Approve a £120k drawdown from the LEP General Reserve to fund the shortfall in the 2022/23 LEP Capacity Core Grant;

(6)   To approve the change requests for schemes within the Local Growth Fund programme as set out in Appendix 3;

(7)   To approve the change requests for schemes within the Economic Development Fund programme as set out in Appendix 4.

(8)   That Officers review the role, function, value for money and performance of IBB and consider the current funding arrangements, presenting a report detailing the findings and any key recommendations to the Joint Committee in June 2023.

To secure approval from Joint Committee on key decisions and associated funding (where applicable) related to this project within the Combined Authority’s Rail programme.

The Committee RESOLVED:

(1)   to approve the Full Business Case and the award of £13.811m from the Economic Development Fund for stage 1 of the project and the allocation of a further £31.855m for the remainder of the project in line with the current anticipated final cost;

(2)   That an urgent review of the current project governance be undertaken to ensure effective delivery and that appropriate oversight was in place for key funding partners concerning project delivery and finance.  The approval and implementation of this review, and any enhanced governance proposals, be delegated to the Combined Authority Chief Executives and Chief Executives of the West of England Councils.

Metro Mayor Dan Norris introduced a report which set out requests for funding to support the next stage of MetroWest 2 project which would deliver the first of the three new stations which were planned to be constructed and opened as part of the project.

The recommendations were moved by Metro Mayor Dan Norris and seconded by Councillor Toby Savage.

In seconding the recommendations Councillor Toby Savage moved an additional recommendation as follows:

“That an urgent review of the current project governance be undertaken to ensure effective delivery and that appropriate oversight was in place for key funding partners concerning project delivery and finance.  The approval and implementation of this review, and any enhanced governance proposals, be delegated to the Combined Authority Chief Executives and Chief Executives of the West of England Councils.”

He stated that he welcomed the progress on Metrowest 2 and the recent planning approval this week for North Filton Station.  He placed on record his thanks to the planning team at South Gloucestershire Council for the speed that this planning application was determined.  This project would benefit both residents and businesses in this area and help make a sustainable community and attract visitors from across the region.

Councillor Savage ask for clarification of the Economic Development Fund (EDF) breakdown.  The Interim Chief Executive stated that this would be approved and clarified by the meeting of S151 officers.  It was confirmed that this would include the S151officer from North Somerset Council

Cllr Steve Bridger thanked colleagues for the support for Metrowest Phase 1 and welcomed the work on Metrowest Phase 2.

Upon a vote this recommendation was carried.

Mayor Rees welcomed the new stations opened up at Ashley Down & Henbury.  

[voting arrangements: Decision required majority agreement of Committee Members in attendance, or their substitutes (one vote representing each Authority) and excluding the West of England Combined Authority Mayor].

The recommendations were unanimously approved.

The Committee RESOLVED:

(1)   to approve the Full Business Case and the award of £13.811m from the Economic Development Fund for stage 1 of the project and the allocation of a further £31.855m for the remainder of the project in line with the current anticipated final cost;

(2)   That an urgent review of the current project governance be undertaken to ensure effective delivery and that appropriate oversight was in place for key funding partners concerning project delivery and finance.  The approval and implementation of this review, and any enhanced governance proposals, be delegated to the Combined Authority Chief Executives and Chief Executives of the West of England Councils.