Agenda item

The Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

1. To approve a Transport Levy to the constituent councils of £19.5m for 2022/23, with a recharge of £2m applied to North Somerset Council, as detailed in Figure 6.

2. To approve 50% of surplus investment income achieved in 2021/22 to be transferred to the Treasury Management Reserve to cover the risk of capital losses and/or lower financial returns in future years.

3. To approve the Combined Authority budget for 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix 1.

4. To note the Combined Authority forecasted revenue outturn for 2021/22 as detailed in Appendix 2.

5. To approve the Mayoral Budget for 2022/23 together with the funding contribution from the Combined Authority, (Investment Fund), budget of £645k as set out in Appendix 4.

6. To note the Mayoral Fund 2021/22 forecasted revenue outturn as detailed in Appendix 5.

7. To note the Financial Reserves Policy as set out in Appendix 6.

8. To approve ‘opting in’ to the Public Sector Audit Appointment Framework for the commissioning of external audit services for the period 2023/24 to 2027/28.

9. Forgo the transfer of £384k of the 2021/22 transport levy into a Transport Smoothing Reserve and approve investing one-off funding of £384k in further support to regional bus services to protect routes, particularly in rural areas and other communities not well served by public transport, during 2022/23, the details to be developed by the Head of Strategic Transport Integration in consultation with Transport Board members.

10. To approve the creation, and transfer, of £950k from the 2021/22 Transport Levy to a specific earmarked reserve to fund anticipated additional costs of maintaining continuity of bus services prior to the re-tender of major bus routes in August 2022.

The Combined Authority Committee considered a report which sought approval of a revenue budget for the Mayoral functions and for the West of England Combined Authority for 2022/23. (agenda item 9).

Cllr Savage moved an amendment to recommendation (9) and asked for a short adjournment while the amendment was discussed.  On return the amendment was moved by Cllr Savage and seconded by Cllr Guy as follows:

“9. Forgo the transfer of £384k of the 2021/22 transport levy into a Transport Smoothing Reserve and approve investing one-off funding of £384k in further support to regional bus services to protect routes, particularly in rural areas and other communities not well served by public transport, during 2022/23, the details to be developed by the Head of Strategic Transport Integration in consultation with Transport Board members.”

Cllr Guy stated that it was important that rural bus services be supported but that the bulk of the responsibility lay with the Government.  The Metro Mayor stated that he was having ongoing discussions with local MPs on this matter.

The Director of Investment and Corporate Services was asked to address the meeting on the work that was going on to ensure that the Combined Authority was as efficient as possible.  He stated that regular meetings between the authorities took place.  To formalise this good practice an additional narrative would be brought back to the April Committee meeting.  Upon receiving this reassurance Cllr Savage stated that he would not be moving an amendment to recommendation (5).

Upon agreement of this amendment, the recommendations were moved by Metro Mayor Norris and seconded by Cllr Guy.

The voting arrangements for this item were as follows:

Recommendations 1, 3, 5 - Unanimous vote of the constituent councils excluding the Metro Mayor, i.e. the Metro Mayor does not have a vote;

Recommendations 2, 8, 9 & 10 - Majority vote of the constituent councils including the Metro Mayor

Recommendations 4, 6, 7 - To note only – no voting or decision required

The Combined Authority Committee RESOLVED:

1. To approve a Transport Levy to the constituent councils of £19.5m for 2022/23, with a recharge of £2m applied to North Somerset Council, as detailed in Figure 6.

2. To approve 50% of surplus investment income achieved in 2021/22 to be transferred to the Treasury Management Reserve to cover the risk of capital losses and/or lower financial returns in future years.

3. To approve the Combined Authority budget for 2022/23 as detailed in Appendix 1.

4. To note the Combined Authority forecasted revenue outturn for 2021/22 as detailed in Appendix 2.

5. To approve the Mayoral Budget for 2022/23 together with the funding contribution from the Combined Authority, (Investment Fund), budget of £645k as set out in Appendix 4.

6. To note the Mayoral Fund 2021/22 forecasted revenue outturn as detailed in Appendix 5.

7. To note the Financial Reserves Policy as set out in Appendix 6.

8. To approve ‘opting in’ to the Public Sector Audit Appointment Framework for the commissioning of external audit services for the period 2023/24 to 2027/28.

9. Forgo the transfer of £384k of the 2021/22 transport levy into a Transport Smoothing Reserve and approve investing one-off funding of £384k in further support to regional bus services to protect routes, particularly in rural areas and other communities not well served by public transport, during 2022/23, the details to be developed by the Head of Strategic Transport Integration in consultation with Transport Board members.

10. To approve the creation, and transfer, of £950k from the 2021/22 Transport Levy to a specific earmarked reserve to fund anticipated additional costs of maintaining continuity of bus services prior to the re-tender of major bus routes in August 2022.