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Agenda and decisions

Venue: This meeting will be conducted virtually using Microsoft Teams

Contact: Dan Essex, Governance Services Manager 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies for Absence

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

Apologies for absence were received from Nick Abell (Coventry & Warwickshire LEP), Lee Barron (Midlands TUC), Councillor Ian Brookfield (Wolverhampton), Councillor Shaun Davies (Telford & Wrekin), Councillor Julie Jackson (Nuneaton & Bedworth), David Lane (Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee), Councillor Seb Lowe (Rugby), Councillor Peter Nutting (Shropshire), Tim Pile (Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP) and Mandy Thorn (The Marches LEP).

3.

Minutes - 24 July 2020 pdf icon PDF 162 KB

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were agreed.

4.

Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

Noted.

5.

Chair's Remarks

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

The Chair reported that Councillor Maria Crompton had been appointed Portfolio Lead for Public Service Reform & Social Economy and chair of the Public Service Reform Board.

6.

Update on Annual Planning and Delivery 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 197 KB

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

The changes to the high-level portfolio deliverables that were approved as part of the WMCA Budget 2020/21 were noted, and the amended list of portfolio deliverables were approved.

7.

Appointment of WMCA Returning Officer pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Presented By: Tim Martin

Decision:

(1)      Martin Reeves, Chief Executive of Coventry City Council, was appointed as the West Midlands Combined Authority Returning Officer until further notice.

 

(2)      It was noted that that the Returning Officer intended to appoint Helen Paterson, Chief Executive of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, as his deputy.

8.

Extending Term of Office for Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee Chair pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Presented By: Tim Martin

Decision:

(1)      David Lane was appointed as the independent member and chair of the Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee for a further 12 month period (to include the approval of the WMCA’s 2020/21 annual accounts).

 

(2)      It was agreed that the Head of Governance would undertake a recruitment exercise to ensure that a new independent member could be appointed for a four-year term effective from September 2021.

9.

Financial Monitoring Report 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 413 KB

Presented By: Councillor Bob Sleigh

Decision:

(1)      The financial outturn position as at the end of July 2020 was noted.

 

(2)      The latest forecast for 2020/21, incorporating the estimated impact of COVID-19 was noted.

 

(3)      The key actions to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 in 2020/21 and bring the forecast position back within budget was noted.

 

(4)      The use of one-off reserves totalling £2.0m required to bring the forecast position back within budget was noted.

 

(5)      It was noted that an update on the Medium-Term Financial Planning position for the period 2021/22 to 2025/26 would be provided in November’s Financial Monitoring report.

10.

Comprehensive Spending Review Representation and Economic Recovery Update pdf icon PDF 316 KB

Presented By: Councillor Bob Sleigh / Councillor Ian Brookfield

Additional documents:

Decision:

(1)      The Comprehensive Spending Review representation, to be submitted to the Treasury on behalf of the WMCA, was agreed.

 

(2)      The update on economic recovery, following the July board paper on this

topic, was noted.

11.

Inclusive Communities Portfolio Update pdf icon PDF 135 KB

Presented By: Councillor Brigid Jones

Decision:

The updates and planned activity within the Inclusive Communities portfolio were noted and endorsed, including:

 

·       the recent changes to the Young Combined Authority;

·       the proposed renewal and refocus of the Leadership Commission; and

·       other WMCA activity to embed equalities, diversity and inclusion.

12.

Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee - 14 July 2020 pdf icon PDF 123 KB

Presented By: David Lane

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

13.

Wellbeing Board - 17 July 2020 pdf icon PDF 130 KB

Presented By: Councillor Izzi Seccombe

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

14.

Investment Board - 20 July 2020 pdf icon PDF 135 KB

Presented By: Councillor Bob Sleigh

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

15.

Strategic Economic Development Board - 20 July 2020 pdf icon PDF 184 KB

Presented By: Tim Pile

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

16.

Transport Delivery Committee - 20 July 2020 pdf icon PDF 148 KB

Presented By: Councillor Kath Hartley

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

17.

Investment Board - 10 August 2020 pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Presented By: Councillor Bob Sleigh

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

18.

Strategic Economic Development Board - 20 August 2020 pdf icon PDF 167 KB

Presented By: Tim Pile

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

19.

Housing & Land Delivery Board - 7 September 2020 pdf icon PDF 125 KB

Presented By: Councillor Mike Bird

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

20.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - 7 September 2020 pdf icon PDF 118 KB

Presented By: Councillor Lisa Trickett

Decision:

The minutes of the meeting were agreed.

21.

Young Combined Authority - August/September pdf icon PDF 491 KB

Presented By: YCA Representative

Decision:

The update on recent activity was noted.

22.

Exclusion of the Public and Press

In accordance with s100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be exclused from the meeting for the following item of business as it was likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as specified in paragraph 3 of the Act.

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

The public and press were excluded from the remainder of the meeting.

23.

Enabling the Development of the Arden Cross Multi Storey Car Park (HS2 Interchange) Site

Presented By: Councillor Bob Sleigh

Additional documents:

Decision:

(1)      An Investment Programme funding allocation of £5.419m for development costs towards the development of the Arden Cross Multi-Storey Car Park was approved.

 

(2)      The need as a West Midlands region to show a positive commitment towards the development of the Arden Cross Multi Storey Car Park was agreed.

 

(3)      A repayable grant from the WMCA to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council of up to £169m was agreed in principle to deliver the works at the HS2 site, which would be predicated on:

 

(i)       the WMCA and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council identifying reliable, sufficient and secure income streams to repay the £169m investment;

 

(ii)       the WMCA being adequately satisfied that the proposal was affordable and that the risks associated with the investment were acceptable to the WMCA;

 

(iii)      the WMCA’s constituent authorities supporting the agreement and in particular noting the exposure to the under-write risk;

 

(iv)      the proposals progressing through the WMCA’s assurance framework; and

 

(v)      final approval to any repayable grant by the WMCA Board.

 

(4)      It was agreed to receive a further report at a future date, requesting funding approval of up to £169m subject to the progression of this proposal through the WMCA’s assurance frameworks.

24.

Friday 13 November 2020 at 11.00am

Presented By: Chair

Decision:

The date of the next meeting was noted.