Issue - meetings

(1)      The broad approach to prioritising the UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding across the three themes was noted.

(2)      The wider skills investment to reduce the demand on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for this activity was noted.

(3)      The timescale and next steps for the development and approval of the outline UK Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan at the WMCA Board on 15 July 2022 was noted.

(4)      The further work requested by constituent authorities to review the methodology for allocating resources to better reflect the principles of levelling up was noted.

The board considered a report from the Executive Director of Economic Delivery, Productivity & Skills and the Head of Insight - Economic Delivery, Skills & Communities providing an update on progress towards developing the WMCA’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan.

The Executive Director of Economic Delivery, Productivity & Skills highlighted a letter that the Mayor and the Chair had written to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities expressing the WMCA’s frustrations at the parameters and processes associated with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme that were imposing national restrictions in a way that was preventing the WMCA from being agile and responsive, and working against the principles of greater devolution. A response to this letter had yet to be received.

The Chair confirmed that at this stage, the WMCA only needed to develop a single high-level plan containing a broad indication of where its collective priorities would be. It did not need to agree individual projects or to confirm the local distribution of funds, which would be agreed at a later stage in discussions between the Mayor and constituent authorities.

The Executive Director of Economic Delivery, Productivity & Skills noted that the Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan would only cover constituent authority areas, and that the non-constituent authorities would be agreeing their own plans applicable to their geographic areas.

Resolved:

(1)      The broad approach to prioritising the UK Shared Prosperity Fund funding across the three themes be noted.

(2)      The wider skills investment to reduce the demand on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for this activity be noted.

(3)      The timescale and next steps for the development and approval of the outline UK Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan at the WMCA Board on 15 July 2022 be noted.

(4)      The further work requested by constituent authorities to review the methodology for allocating resources to better reflect the principles of levelling up be noted.