Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Adrian Andrew (Walsall), Councillor Maria Crompton (Sandwell), Councillor Shaun Davies (Telford & Wrekin), Councillor Seb Lowe (Rugby), Councillor Peter Nutting (Shropshire), Tim Pile (Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP) and Councillor Izzi Seccombe (Warwickshire).

(a)      Chris Nayor, Birmingham City Council

The Chair reported that Chris Naylor’s appointment as Interim Chief Executive of Birmingham City Council had now ended and he thanked him for the work he had undertaken in support of the WMCA.

(b)      Tony McGovern, Cannock Chase District Council

The Chair reported that Tony McGovern had stepped down as Managing Director of Cannock Chase District Council and he thanked him for the work he had undertaken in support of the WMCA.

(c)      David Jamieson, West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner

The Chair noted that this was the last meeting David Jamieson would attend before he stood down as Police & Crime Commissioner. He thanked him for the support he had given to the WMCA since it had been established in 2016 and wished him well in his retirement.

The minutes were agreed as a correct record.

(1)      The financial outturn position as at the end of January 2021 was noted.

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

(3)      The confirmation of 2021/22 Adult Education Budget, as verbally communicated at the WMCA Board on 12 February 2021, was noted.

(4)      The capital block allocations, including Highways and Integrated Transport Block, were approved.

(5)      The increase in the Investment Programme affordable limit from £801m to £871m and the provisional distribution of the additional £70m were approved.

(6)      Decisions regarding the £8.9m provided by Government to prepare for the Intra-city Transport Settlement were delegated to the Director of Finance, Managing Director of Transport for West Midlands and the Portfolio Lead for Transport.

(7)      It was noted that the acquisition of Victoria Lane steel works was to be funded from WMCA capital receipts.

(8)      It was noted that the WMCA intended to withdraw from the Passenger Transport Forum pay negotiations and enter into local government pay negotiations when practicably possible.

(9)      It was noted that the WMCA was assessing the impact from the Chancellor’s budget announcement on 3 March 2021 and would reflect the outcomes in an updated budget to the June 2021 Board.

(1)      The independent advice given to the WMCA by WSP on the first Five Year Plan was noted.

(2)      The need to adopt the ‘Accelerated’ scenario to deliver the first Five Year Plan and to set the region on course for net zero carbon by 2041 were agreed.

(3)      The delivery plans to accelerate the WMCA work on net zero were agreed.

(4)      The allocation of £5.1m from the Investment Programme to fund the development of the priority initiatives set out in the report was authorised, subject to the extension of the Investment Programme affordable limit being agreed.

(1)      The latest economic intelligence about how the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement had affected the region’s economy was noted.

(2)      The implications for the West Midlands of the 3 March Budget and ‘Plan for Growth’ were noted.

(3)      The response and recovery planning undertaken to date, including a review of the business support system and development of finance instruments to support growth companies, were endorsed and the further development of recovery plans with partners, linked to five major challenges set out in the report, was supported.

(1)      The full business case for Coventry Electric Bus City proposal under the Government’s Phase 2 of the All-Electric Bus Town competition was authorised.

(2)      The estimated cost of the project, which was inclusive of the £50m funding from the Government, was noted.

(3)      It was noted that the WMCA was the accountable body for the entirety of the funding package and any costs above the funding from the Department for Transport.

(4)      The allocation of £5m from the Investment Programme to fund the WMCA contributions to infrastructure upgrades was authorised, subject to the extension of the Investment Programme affordable limit being agreed.

(5)      It was noted that the scope and delivery of the project continued to be refined and that the risks to scope and delivery uncertainty were mitigated by the project’s risk management strategy.

(6)      The delegations to the Monitoring Officer and the Director of Finance to enter into the various funding agreements and contracts which would be reasonably required to enable delivery of the project were approved.

The revised Code of Conduct was adopted, following consideration of it at the Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee on 4 March 2021.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were noted.

The minutes were approved.

The report was noted.

Friday 11 June 2021 at 11.00am.