Decisions

At the Combined Authority Committee held on 4 December 2020, an allocation of £2m was made to strategic masterplanning from the Investment Fund. The committee also delegated the approval of feasibility and development funding applications for specific proposals to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent councils.

The Milsom Quarter masterplan was subsequently awarded funding of £454k through this delegated authority on 4 March 2021 (Officer Decision Record 01.03.21 refers).

Funding of £80k for the Yate Urban Living Opportunity Area & Charfield was approved through delegated authority (change request) on 20 May 2021 (Officer Decision Record 03.05.21 refers).

Strategic masterplanning applications against the £2m allocation (including the above) were brought forward for confirmation/approval as follows:

- Milsom Quarter (Bath & North East Somerset) - £454k (as per Officer Decision Record 01.03.21)
- Yate Urban Living Opportunity Area & Charfield - £80k (as per Officer Decision Record 03.05.21)
- East Fringe, including Junction 18a (South Gloucestershire) - £350k
- Severnside (South Gloucestershire) - £300k
- Parkway Station (South Gloucestershire) - £250k
- Frome Gateway Framework & Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Bristol) - £300k
- City Centre Development & Delivery Plan (Bristol) - £266k #
# note: this allocation was proposed on the basis that the balance of funding for this masterplanning proposal (the proposal is for £500k in total for this Development and Delivery Plan) will be considered through a future Investment Fund report to the Combined Authority Committee.

In addition, it was proposed that work on the Western Harbour placeshaping vision be taken forward for funding (£155k) through the Housing and Regeneration Enabling Fund.

The Chief Executives of the West of England constituent councils were consulted on these proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

Strategic masterplanning applications against the £2m allocation confirmed/approved as follows:
- Milsom Quarter (Bath & North East Somerset) - £454k (as per Officer Decision Record 01.02.21)
- Yate Urban Living Opportunity Area & Charfield - £80k (as per Officer Decision Record 03.05.21)
- East Fringe, including Junction 18a (South Gloucestershire) - £350k
- Severnside (South Gloucestershire) - £300k
- Parkway Station (South Gloucestershire) - £250k
- Frome Gateway Framework & Infrastructure Delivery Plan (Bristol) - £300k
- City Centre Development & Delivery Plan (Bristol) - £266k

In addition, it was agreed that work on the Western Harbour placeshaping vision will be taken forward for funding (£155k) through the Housing and Regeneration Enabling Fund.

Delegated authority has been granted to the Combined Authority Chief Executive to take decisions on the award of Green Business Grants (through the Low Carbon Challenge Fund) in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities.

Green Business grant applications were considered as follows:

Green Business grant applicant: First Class Comms Ltd
Sector: Information and communication
Local authority area: North Somerset
Project description: Installation of 5 variable refrigeration heating/cooling systems to serve office premises
Project timescale: May-June 2021
Approximate annual savings analysis of the proposal:
* Annual greenhouse gas emissions: 4.2tCO2e
* Annual energy use: 29.4% on electricity use
* Annual energy cost: £1,318 on energy bills

Green Business grant applicant: 299 Lighting Ltd
Sector: Manufacturing
Local authority area: Bristol
Project description: Refurbishment of premises through LED lighting and a Solar PV system to power upgraded lighting and reduce overall electricity consumption
Project timescale: May-June 2021
Approximate annual savings analysis of the proposal:
* Annual greenhouse gas emissions: 19.5tCO2e
* Annual energy use: 40% on electricity use and offsets 138% electricity
* Annual energy cost: £6,074 on energy bills

Green Business grant applicant: Bodywise UK Ltd
Sector: Manufacturing
Local authority area: South Gloucestershire
Project description: Installation of solar PV to a warehouse roof
Project timescale: May-June 2021
Approximate annual savings analysis of the proposal:
* Annual greenhouse gas emissions: 9.70tCO2e
* Annual energy use: Offsets 249% of electricity use
* Annual energy cost: £3,022 on energy bills

Green Business grant applicant: Bristol Bike Project (CIC)
Sector: Wholesale and retail trade
Local authority area: Bristol
Project description: Upgrading all existing lighting (fluorescent tubes and halogen) to LEDs to reduce electricity consumption
Project timescale: May-June 2021
Approximate annual savings analysis of the proposal:
* Annual greenhouse gas emissions: 6-20 tCO2e saved per £10,000 grant
* Annual energy use: 14.3% on electricity use
* Annual energy cost: £671 on energy bills

Green Business grant applicant: Smith Consult Ltd
Sector: Professional, scientific and technical activities
Local authority area: North Somerset
Project description: Installation of Solar PV panels on the roof of the office building to generate electricity and reduce carbon footprint
Project timescale: May-June 2021
Approximate annual savings analysis of the proposal:
* Annual greenhouse gas emissions: 2.9tCO2e
* Annual energy use: 53.7% offset electricity use
* Annual energy cost: £910 on energy bills

The above applications were assessed by officers as meeting the required criteria in terms of value for money, deliverability and financial viability.

The Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on these proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

1. To award £7,481.50 to First Class Comms Ltd in relation to their Green Business Grant application (ref: GBG088).
2. To award £14,397.88 to 299 Lighting Ltd in relation to their Green Business Grant application (ref: GBG093).
3. To award £10,697 to Bodywise UK Ltd in relation to their Green Business Grant application (ref: GBG104).
4. To award £2,815 to Bristol Bike Project (CIC) in relation to their Green Business Grant application (ref: GBG089).
5. To award £4,274.29 to Smith Consult Ltd in relation to their Green Business Grant application (ref: GBG097).

Owing to the need to manage scheme changes, including any necessary funding swaps to ensure full grant spend in advance of the next Combined Authority/Joint Committee meeting, the following delegations to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the West of England unitary authority Chief Executives were granted at the 29 January 2021 meeting of the Combined Authority/Joint Committee:
- Approval of changes to funding profile and programme for schemes within the current Local Growth Fund (LGF), Getting Building Fund (GBF), Economic Development Fund (EDF) and Revolving Infrastructure Fund (RIF) programmes.
- Approval of the reallocation of funding for schemes in the approved LGF/GBF programme including swaps with the EDF, and exceptionally the Investment Fund.

The 29 January committee also provided the following delegation in the context of the Investment Fund programme:
- In advance of the next meeting of the Combined Authority Committee, to delegate the approval of changes to funding profile and programme for approved schemes to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent councils.

A number of recommended changes to schemes were subsequently identified for approval.

Appendix 1 sets out the changes requested for schemes in the LGF/GBF, EDF and RIF programmes. These include a number of further LGF funding swaps between schemes in the B&NES and North Somerset programmes, and between LGF and EDF. These seek to achieve a ‘no worse off’ principle for any individual Unitary Authority, seeking to maximise the use of total grant funding available for the region.

Appendix 2 sets out the proposed changes in the Investment Fund programme. These include:
- The planned drawdown of an additional £685k for Mass Transit from the ‘tail’ for this project to progress the Strategic Outline Business Case.
- A request to increase funding for the Masterplan for the Yate Urban Living Opportunity Area and Charfield of £80k which could be accommodated from the £2m allocation for masterplanning for which a delegation to the CEOs was granted by the Combined Authority Committee in December 2020 (see also Officer Decision Record 05.05.21)

- A request to draw forward a further £2.449m of the allocated funding for MetroWest Phase 2 to the business case development phase, with no increase in funding overall.

The Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on these proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

1. To approve the changes to schemes within the current Local Growth Fund/Getting Building Fund, Economic Development Fund and Revolving Infrastructure Fund programme as set out in Appendix 1.
2. To approve the changes to schemes within the current Investment Fund programme as set out in Appendix 2.

This scheme sits within the Rebuilding Business Pillar of the West of England Recovery Plan.

The scheme opened for applications on the 22 March 2021 for a 2 week period, closing on 4 April, with the submission of over 2,000 applications via the online application system.

The assessment process resulted in a recommendation that £916,111 should be awarded to 182 businesses; this would generate an additional £500,000 in match funding, and an expected employment uplift of 272 new jobs and 798 safeguarded (a more detailed overview of the applications received and approved is included in Appendix 1).

The applications recommended for approval cover a broad range of sectors, products and services including ICT equipment (both manufacturing and creative industry based), machine tooling, support for marketing campaigns/strategies for new products/services and the development of new business educational services. A number of CICs and established local organisations were also recommended for funding, extending the reach of the fund into the wider communities of the region.

The Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils were consulted on this proposal and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the Business Growth grant recommendations (see detail in Appendix 1), i.e. a total award of £916,111 to be distributed to 182 businesses, noting the generation of an additional £500,000 in match funding and expected employment uplift of 272 new jobs and 798 safeguarded.

Delegated authority has been granted to the Combined Authority Chief Executive to approve the Adult Education Strategy 2021-22 in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England constituent councils.

On 15 April 2021, indicative adult education budget allocations for the 2021-22 academic year were approved under delegated authority. Confirmation of these indicative allocations is subject to providers successfully agreeing a Curriculum Delivery Plan with the Combined Authority for the 2021/22 academic year.

To enable the Curriculum Delivery Plan process to take place for the 2021-22 academic year, an Adult Education Strategy for 2021-22 has been developed.

The strategy (see enclosed Appendix 1 for full detail):
* responds to the regional challenges and needs agreed within the Local Industrial Strategy and the associated Employment and Skills Plan.
* responds to key challenges and issues identified within analysis which constitutes the 2021-22 evidence base.
* supports the regional recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
* builds on the policy development achieved through the devolved Adult Education Budget in 2019-20 and 2020-21 (including through the mid-year growth allocations).
* responds to key challenges and issues identified within the devolved Adult Education Budget in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils were consulted on this proposal and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the Adult Education Strategy for 2021-22.