Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received from Nick Abell (Coventry & Warwickshire LEP), Councillor Maria Crompton (Sandwell), Councillor Shaun Davies (Telford & Wrekin), David Jamieson (West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner) and Councillor Izzi Seccombe (Warwickshire).

The minutes of the meeting were agreed as a correct record.

Noted.

(1)      The West Midlands Combined Authority consolidated revenue budget was approved. This included:

(a)      the budget requirement for transport delivery 2021/22 comprising three elements:

(i)       £114.7m a year to be funded from the existing transport levy mechanism;

(ii)       £3.9m to be funded from grant awarded by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee; and

(iii)      a transfer from earmarked reserves of £3.9m.

(b)      the West Midlands Combined Authority delivery budget requirement for 2021/22 of £141.9m comprising of five elements:

(i)       £129.7m Adult Education spending to be funded from Adult Education Budget funding devolved by the Department for Education;

(ii)       £5.1m to be funded from other devolution deal grants;

(iii)      £4.6m to be funded from Constituent Authority fees (fees to remain at the same level as 2020/21);

(iv)      £0.4m to be funded from Non-Constituent Authority and observer fees (fees to remain at the same level as 2020/21); and

(v)      £2.1m to be funded from other income, including a £1.2m use of reserves created from WMCA’s share of 2020/21 Business Rates.

(2)      The inherent risks included within 2021/22 budget assumptions were noted.

(3)      The Mayoral Office budget for 2021/22 of £0.8m to be funded from additional Mayoral Capacity Funding of £0.8m was approved.

(4)      It was noted that there would be no Mayoral Precept during 2021/22.

(5)      The West Midlands Combined Authority indicative 5 year Medium Term Financial Plan was noted.

(6)      It was noted that a full Strategic Plan would be completed following the 2021 Mayoral election, to inform the annual Medium Term Financial Planning exercise to be completed in 2021/22.

(7)      The Capital Programme was approved.

(8)      Authority was delegated to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Portfolio Lead for Finance to make any final changes that might result from the final Local Government Finance Settlement.

(9)      The following policies and strategies were approved, as required by statute:

(a)      The West Midlands Combined Authority Treasury Management Strategy;

(b)      The West Midlands Combined Authority Capital Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Statement; and

(c)      The West Midlands Combined Authority Pay Policy Statement.

(1)      The update on culture, following the 11 January 2019 report to this board on this topic, was noted.

(2)      The proposed regional strategic priorities for culture were agreed.

(3)      It was agreed that the Cultural Leadership Board and Culture Officers Group would be responsible for co-ordinating regional activity to make progress on these strategic priorities.

(1)      The full business case for Dudley Interchange was approved.

(2)      The budget and funding for delivery of £24.1m to include the bus and metro interchange, utility diversions and highway works was approved.

(3)      The revisions to the allocations of Transforming Cities Funding as agreed by the Strategic Transport Officers Group were endorsed.

(4)      The capital and land contributions valued at £3.5m from Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council towards the delivery of the scheme were noted.

(5)      It was noted that as construction and utility scope for the scheme were not yet finalised, the project team would need to flexibly manage the scheme in order to maintain the overall budget. This would need to be managed in a way that ensured the benefits were not materially affected and appropriate change control processes implemented to manage any changes.

(6)      The delegation of authority to officers as set out within the report was approved.

(7)      It was noted that Dudley Interchange had a Benefit to Cost Ratio classification of ‘medium’ and that the overall level of economic benefit was £33m.

(8)      The interface with the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension construction programme was noted.

(9)      It was noted that no contracts would be let until all funding was secured, signed and sealed and the confidence in being able to accommodate any future revenue costs falling to the WMCA was to the satisfaction of the Director of Finance and the Monitoring Officer.

(1)      The progress made on managing road safety across the region, and the priorities agreed through the Regional Road Safety Strategic Partnership, were noted.

(2)      The range of activities delivered by partners across the West Midlands throughout 2019/20 to date totalling approximately £6m were noted.

(3)      It was noted that the reduction of Killed and Seriously Injured had reduced by 6% since the target was set and that, in absolute terms and taking population growth into account, this equated to a reduction of 8% overall.

(4)      The development of the Regional Road Safety Action Plan and the commitments by regional partners to deliver the measures during the period 2021- 2024 were noted.

(5)      It was noted that the Regional Strategic Road Safety Partnership would finalise the action plan for publication.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The minutes of the inquorate meeting were approved.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The report on recent activity by the Young Combined Authority was noted.

Friday 19 March 2021 at 11.00am