Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Patrick Harley (Dudley), David Grady (University of Wolverhampton), Neil Rami (West Midlands Growth Company), Aleks Subic (Aston University), Councillor Sharon Thompson (Birmingham) and Councillor Martin Watson (Warwickshire).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Patrick Harley (Dudley), David Grady (University of Wolverhampton), Neil Rami (West Midlands Growth Company), Aleks Subic (Aston University), Councillor Sharon Thompson (Birmingham) and Councillor Martin Watson (Warwickshire).

The Chair thanked the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre for hosting the board as well as the accompanying tours. He welcomed how opportunities like this showcased and demonstrated the region’s development in battery technology within the UK. It was hoped that future board meetings would be held at other venues across the region. The Chair fed back on some of his discussions with the Government on the region’s progress with its investment zone, and he hoped that within the next six months a representative of the Government would undertake a visit.

The Chair also welcomed the West Midlands Growth Company to its first meeting since joining at a non-voting member of the board.

Agreed as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held of 25 July 2024 were agreed as a correct record.

The progress of programme delivery was noted.

The board considered a report of the Executive Director of Strategy, Economy & Net Zero on an overview of the programme to enable it to monitor progress and direct its ongoing delivery.

Since its last meeting, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government had agreed and released year 1 funding of £5.1m. This would fund early capital work at all three key sites as well as vital capacity. As a result of this confirmation, £270,000 would be forwarded to each local authority hosting an investment zone site for delivery capacity, as intimated previously and addressing  recent requests for year 1 capacity funding.

With regard to progress on the programme as a whole, there had been considerable work undertaken by local authority and WMCA officers to progress business cases for capital allocations and the regional programmes. Promotion of the investment zone was still progressing well through the development of propositions and direct engagement with investors.

Resolved:

The progress of programme delivery be noted.

(1)      The Supply Chain Transition full business case was approved.

(2)      The allocation of up to £12.5m from the West Midlands Investment Zone flexible funding was approved.

(3)      It was noted that the full funding award was dependent upon the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government being satisfied with the WMCA’s progress and plans for spend, under the current annual allocation and review model, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government receiving the funds from the Treasury as expected.

(4)      Authority was delegated to the Director of Strategy, Economy & Net Zero, in conjunction with the Section 73 Officer and the Monitoring Officer, to enter into a contract worth up to £12.5m to deliver the Supply Chain Transition programme after the conclusion of an appropriate procurement exercise.

The board considered a report of the Executive Director for Strategy, Economy & Net Zone seeking the approval of the full business case for a Supply Chain Transition business support programme to operate from April 2025 to March 2029. The programme would support 225 small and medium-sized enterprises across the WMCA and Warwick District Council areas to pivot into new supply chain supplier opportunities created by the capital investment into the investment zone, through intensive technical advice, grants for research and development, and higher-level management training. Approval was sought for the allocation of £12.5m of the flexible funding to facilitate the programme, subject to the funding arrangements with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle sought clarification of the proposition and the amount that was being required for approval at this board meeting. The Head of West Midlands Investment Zone outlined that the Annual Delivery Plan to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government included the allocation of funds up to £15m for business support, R&D and skills funding; £12.5m of which was proposed for allocation to the Supply Chain Transition fund, with the remaining £2.5m (indicated for Skills development activity) to be subject to a business case in 2025/26 financial year.

Resolved:

(1)      The Supply Chain Transition full business case be approved.

(2)      The allocation of up to £12.5m from the West Midlands Investment Zone flexible funding be approved.

(3)      It be noted that the full funding award was dependent upon the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government being satisfied with the WMCA’s progress and plans for spend, under the current annual allocation and review model, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government receiving the funds from the Treasury as expected.

(4)      Authority be delegated to the Director of Strategy, Economy & Net Zero, in conjunction with the Section 73 Officer and the Monitoring Officer, to enter into a contract worth up to £12.5m to deliver the Supply Chain Transition programme after the conclusion of an appropriate procurement exercise.

Thursday 5 December 2024 at 10.00am.

Thursday 5 December 2024 at 10.00am.