Agenda item

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

The Chair advised that the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee had submitted comments for consideration at this meeting, following on from their meeting held on 27 January. The comments had been circulated in advance of the meeting and were available to view on the Combined Authority web site.

Cllr Stephen Clarke, the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee then presented the written comments, which had highlighted the following points:

1. North Somerset Council joining WECA

Mayors and Leaders were already aware of Scrutiny members’ concern that it had not been possible to take forward the proposition of North Somerset joining WECA in advance of the next WECA Mayoral election scheduled for May.  Scrutiny members had agreed that to hold an additional meeting(s) specifically to discuss how North Somerset Council joining WECA could potentially be taken forward as soon as practically possible after the Mayoral election.  Scrutiny members noted that all authorities concerned would need to agree to take this forward.  

The specific questions and issues that Scrutiny members wished to understand and explore, were likely to include:

- how we can seek clarification from / lobby the government about the extent of additional resources and devolved powers that could be secured for the region through North Somerset joining WECA; and compare this with what each authority is seeking through further devolution.

- how to take forward discussions with government about this happening outside of the WECA Mayoral electoral cycle.

- in the meantime, how can we ensure the maximum degree of involvement of North Somerset in WECA arrangements.

2. West of England Housing Delivery Strategy (agenda item 12)

Scrutiny members recognised that the housing delivery strategy was essentially about how to accelerate the delivery of housing utilising the available tools, mechanisms and funding available to WECA and delivery partners. 

They emphasised though the critical importance of accelerating affordable housing across the region.  This needs to be seen in the context that individual unitary authorities have more ambitious affordable housing definitions than that defined through national planning policy.  The local authorities need an agreed definition of affordable housing and this should be included as a definition in the housing delivery strategy to make clear what is meant by these words. Implementing the strategy must help deliver these local ambitions by accelerating delivery and maximising new affordable housing. 

Scrutiny members also noted that the strategy does not have formal, fixed targets but has been constructed to support existing Local Plans and the draft Spatial Development Strategy and updated/new Local Plans as they are developed.

3. Bus network recovery (agenda item 19) and Transport Decarbonisation study (agenda item 20)

The Scrutiny Transport sub-group had fed back comments following a detailed briefing given to them by officers on 21 January.

Scrutiny members had highlighted the following points:

* They would like to be kept informed of the position once a clearer view emerges from government about the National Bus Recovery Strategy and any proposed transitional arrangement e.g. a Bus Recovery Partnership with the Combined Authority. 

* It was noted that as part of the previous Bus Strategy work, officers had developed a framework to evaluate the relative costs and societal benefits of bus services and that an evidence-based tool had accordingly been developed that would help evaluate future tenders for bus services based on key principles included in the Bus Strategy. It was noted that the views of the Transport Board on this framework would be sought at their February meeting and Scrutiny members welcomed the offer that was made by officers to share this framework tool with them.

* In terms of the potential options that may be highlighted through the Transport decarbonisation study, and whilst recognising the significant scale of this challenge, Scrutiny members were particularly keen that as much as possible was done to help prepare for and enable zero-emission vehicle use into the future. 

4. WECA annual business plan 2021-22

Scrutiny members generally welcomed the plan and the clarity of the information set out. 

In terms of the four Business Growth objectives set out on page 12, whilst appreciating there was a lot of activity behind these objectives, it was felt it would have been helpful to include specific objectives in relation to clean business growth.

In terms of the Corporate Risk Register at Appendix 2, it was suggested that an additional risk should be added around the risk of extreme weather events.

It was also felt that it would be important to consider, in the context of WECA’s business plan moving forwards (and the Climate Emergency Action Plan), the implications of ‘The Sixth Carbon Budget’ report (the UK’s path to net zero) published in December by the Climate Change Committee.

5. Finance reports

Scrutiny members had received a full briefing on the six finance reports and generally welcomed the proposals in the Investment Fund report.  It was noted that (given the Mayoral election and with a longer break than usual between committee meetings) the finance reports sought approval of a number of delegations to officers to help ensure in particular that progress could continue to be made on projects included within the approved £350m investment programme – whilst understanding the need for this, Scrutiny members asked to be kept informed about delegated decisions as they are taken. 

In relation to Treasury Management, Scrutiny members would like to be involved in discussions around developing an ethical investment programme.