Agenda and minutes

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

The Chair thanked South Gloucestershire Council for hosting the meeting, welcomed attendees to the meeting and introduced his colleagues:

• Cllr Toby Savage, Leader, South Gloucestershire Council
• Mayor Marvin Rees, Bristol City Council
• Cllr Dine Romero, Leader, Bath & North East Somerset Council
• Cllr Donald Davies, Leader, North Somerset Council

The evacuation procedure for the venue was then announced by the Chair.

The Chair then informed everybody present that the meeting was being recorded and that the recording would be available to view after the meeting on the Combined Authority website. Any individuals present who did not wish to be filmed were asked to indicate this.

It was noted that apologies had been received from Professor Steve West, Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership Board and from Cllr Stephen Clarke, Chair of the Combined Authority Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

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.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting as a correct record.

The Joint Committee RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 19 July 2019 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

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

The Chair shared the following news about the Combined Authority’s recent activities:

1. Local Industrial Strategy:  The region’s first ever Local Industrial Strategy, developed by the Combined Authority and the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) had been launched, working with regional businesses and organisations, as well as central government.  The strategy set out how the Combined Authority and its partners need to work together to build on local strengths around creativity, collaboration and ingenuity to secure clean growth to benefit all the region’s residents.

2. Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area flood prevention and wildlife protection scheme: This multi-million pound flood defence and wildlife scheme had taken a significant step forward by securing planning approval.  The project, jointly funded by the LEP would reduce the risk of flooding whilst also improving the ecological value of the area. The Avonmouth Severnside Enterprise Area itself aimed to bring 12,000 jobs to the area. It included 17km of improved sea defences and around 85 hectares of wetland areas for ecological mitigation.

3. Launch of Green Business Grants:  The Combined Authority was receiving a lot of interest in the new £1m fund to help small and medium-sized businesses improve their energy efficiency. Green Business Grants were available across the region, including North Somerset.  Grants of £1,000-£15,000 were available for improvements to the energy efficiency of buildings, as well as for buying items such as electric vehicles and other energy-efficient equipment.  This new fund would help businesses make their buildings and activities more energy efficient and help protect the climate and local environment.  The closing date for applications for grants from businesses was 1 November.

4. Dr Ina Goldberg:  The Chair advised that he wished to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr Ina Goldberg, Careers Lead and interim Vice Principal of Oasis Academy Brislington, who was one of only three finalists to be shortlisted in the category of Careers Leader of the Year at the Careers Excellence Awards 2019.

To receive any comments from the Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership.

It was noted that the Chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board, Professor Steve West had given his apologies for the meeting.  It was also noted that Professor West had provided an update on the LEP Board’s recent activities at the meeting of the West of England Combined Authority Committee held earlier that day.

To receive any comments from the Chair of the Combined Authority’s Overview &
Scrutiny Committee.

It was noted that comments from Cllr Stephen Clarke, Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee had been presented at the West of England Combined Authority Committee meeting held earlier that day.

To receive any comments from the Combined Authority’s Boards.

The Chair advised that following on from the constitutional changes agreed in July, the 4 newly established Combined Authority Boards (dealing respectively with Planning & Housing, Transport, Business and Skills) had all held their first meetings in September.

The specific comments from the Boards about items on this agenda had been taken into account in terms of report preparation.  The comments had also been circulated in advance of the meeting and would be available to view on the Combined Authority web site.

Questions:

Any member of the public can submit a maximum of 2 written questions. Questions should be addressed to the Chair of the committee and sent to democratic.services@westofengland-ca.gov.uk

For the 4 October meeting, questions must be submitted and received by the deadline of 5.00 pm on Monday 30 September 2019.

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.

Petitions / statements:

If you wish to present a petition or make a statement at this meeting, you are required to submit this in writing by 12 noon on the working day before the meeting to democratic.services@westofengland-ca.gov.uk  

For the 4 October meeting, this means that your petition/statement must be submitted and received by 12 noon on Thursday 3 October 2019.  Please note that one statement per individual is permitted. 

Statements will be listed for the meeting in the order of receipt.  In presenting a statement at the meeting, members of the public are generally permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each if they so wish. The total time available for the public session at committee meetings is 30 minutes. Within the time available, every effort will be made to enable individuals to verbally present their statements; at the discretion of the Chair, speaking time may sometimes be reduced depending on how many public items are received.

Please note that all public items will be circulated in advance of the meeting to the committee members.

3 questions had been submitted in advance of this meeting, as follows:

1. Christina Biggs - subject: Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways rail plan 2018 postcards

2. Christina Biggs - subject: WECA rail study

3. Sandy Hore-Ruthven – subject: Creative Youth Network – The Courts project

The Chair advised that written replies had been sent to all questioners in advance of the meeting.

5 statements had been received in advance of the meeting, as follows:

1. Sandy Hore-Ruthven & Mark Coates - subject: Creative Youth Network - The Courts

project

2. Dave Redgewell - subject: Transport issues & bus strategy

3. Nigel Bray - subject: Transport issues & Bath-Warmley light rail consultation

4. Christina Biggs - subject: Local transport issues

5. Leeza Awojobi - subject: Creative Youth Network - The Courts project

At the invitation of the Chair, and in accordance with the constitution, those in attendance were given the opportunity to present their statements.  It was noted that the full text of the statements had been circulated to committee members in advance of the meeting and would be available to view on the Combined Authority’s website following the meeting.

To receive any petitions to be presented by any member of the Joint Committee.

No petitions had been notified for this meeting.

Report enclosed.

The Joint Committee considered the latest Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Invest Bristol and Bath (IBB) revenue budget outturn report (agenda item 11).

The Chair highlighted the following points:

1. The Combined Authority acted as the accountable body for a range of funding streams on behalf of the West of England councils and the LEP. 

2. Appendix 1 of the report set out the latest LEP budget forecast.  This showed the current spend projection was £1.76m higher than the original budget.  This was £414k more than reported to the last meeting due to the inclusion of estimated spend against Planning Delivery Grant.   The overall net budget position was balanced with all spend being matched with increased grant funding received and approved use of reserves.

3. Appendix 2 set out the latest Invest in Bristol and Bath forecast revenue position.  The current forecast was for spend to breakeven with budget.

4. The report also included a recommendation to approve the inclusion within the LEP budgets of £1.76m to be fully funded by additional grants and reserves brought forward from 2018/19.

The report recommendations were then moved by the Chair and seconded by Cllr Davies.

The Chair then moved to the voting on the recommendations.

The Joint Committee RESOLVED:

1. To note the LEP Budget as set out in Appendix 1.

2. To approve the inclusion within the LEP budgets of an additional spend of £1.76m to be fully funded by additional grants received and reserves brought forward from 2018/19 as detailed in paragraph 2.1.

3. To note the IBB Budget as set out in Appendix 2.

Report enclosed.

The Joint Committee considered the latest report on the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) One Front Door funding programme (agenda item 12).

The Chair highlighted the following parts of the report:

1. A set of delegations proposed for decision making on schemes within the approvedprogramme as shown in Appendix 1.

2. To de-risk Local Growth Fund spend by March 2021, it was proposed to swap Local Growth Fundand Economic Development Fund funding between the MetroWest Phase 1 and Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension projects.

3. There was a proposal that a further £404k of Local Growth Fund be awarded to Bath College toaddress cost increases on the Catering and Hospitality, Education and Training Hub.

4. In line with current processes for managing reported scheme changes, approvals sought within the Local Growth Fund, Economic Development Fund and Revolving Infrastructure Fund programmes were set out in Appendices 3 and 4 of the report.

5. In line with the delegation granted by the committee in July, members were asked to note that the Full Business Case forInvest Bristol and Bath had been approved for funding through the Revolving Infrastructure Fund.

The report recommendations were then moved by the Chair and seconded by Cllr Savage.

The Chair then moved to the voting on the recommendations.

The Joint Committee RESOLVED:

1. To approve the delegations for changes to schemes within the approved programme set out in Appendix 1.

2. To approve the reallocation of £4.624m of LGF from MetroWest Phase 1 to the Cribbs Patchway MetroBus Extension and substitution of the equivalent EDF.

3. To approve the change request and award of £404k for the Bath College Catering and Hospitality Education and Training Hub as set out in paragraph 3.3. 

4. To note the submission of the Full Business Case for The Courts and confirm the project remains part of the LGF pipeline.

5. To approve the change requests for schemes within the LGF programme as set out in Appendix 3.

6. To note that Invest Bristol Bath is to be funded at £1m per annum from 2020/21 through the Revolving Infrastructure Fund (RIF) for a period of five years, subject to review after year three to assess outcomes delivered by the service and there being sufficient revenue funds held within RIF.

7. To approve the change requests for schemes within the EDF and RIF programmes set out in Appendix 4.

Report enclosed.

The Joint Committee considered a report providing an update on the regional placemaking project (agenda item 13).

The Chair highlighted the following points:

1. The report set out the background to the development of this project.  The scope of the project covered 4 areas:

* A design review service to be established in each of the 4 West of England unitaryauthorities under the shared banner of “Design West”.
* Taking forward the establishment of a Placemaking Champion role, once the design review panels were up and running, to provide an opportunity for an independent local advocate of quality placemaking.
* The development of a Placemaking charter for the region – this would be an aspirational statement of intent, designed to inspire buy-in from across the built environment sector and local communities to the regional priorities for inclusive and sustainable growth.
* A training and development programme to support unitary authority members and officers in the context of the project.

2. The report also sought approval for the use of £75k from the Planning Delivery Fund to deliver the project.

3. The proposal had been discussed in detail at the September meeting of the Planning & Housing Board, and the report recommendations reflected the Board’s views about how best to take this project forward.

The report recommendations were then moved by the Chair and seconded by Cllr Savage.

The Chair then moved to the voting on the recommendations.

The Joint Committee RESOLVED:

1. To endorse the proposed work programme including the development of the West of England Placemaking Charter and the process for appointing a West of England Placemaking Champion, after the design review panels are up and running.

2. To approve the use of £75,000 from the Planning Delivery Fund to deliver the West of England Placemaking Project.

Report enclosed.

The Joint Committee considered the quarter 2 progress report on the 2019/20

Business Plan (agenda item 14).

The Chair highlighted that regular reporting on progress in delivering the Business

Plan was a key element of the Combined Authority’s overall performance

management and reporting framework, which was reviewed annually with

Government.  The detail of the second quarterly report was set out at Appendix 1 and

the key risks to delivery were recorded in the Corporate Risk Register summary set

out at Appendix 2.

In response to a question, it was noted that it was anticipated that public consultation on the key principles of the bus strategy would take place in early 2020.

The Joint Committee RESOLVED:

- To note the quarter 2 update on delivery of the 2019/20 Business Plan.

Details of the decisions taken at this meeting and the draft minutes of this meeting will
be published on the West of England Combined Authority website as soon as possible
after the meeting.

In closing the meeting, the Chair advised that details of the decisions taken at this meeting and the draft minutes of the meeting would be published as soon as possible on the Combined Authority website.