Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Lee Barron, Jonathan Browning, Councillor Steve Eling, Councillor Roger Lawrence, Councillor Paul Moore, Tim Pile, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Stewart Towe and Councillor Ian Ward.

Apologies for absence were received from Lee Barron, Jonathan Browning, Councillor Steve Eling, Councillor Patrick Harley, Councillor Roger Lawrence, Councillor Paul Moore, Tim Pile, Councillor Izzi Seccombe, Councillor Michael Stokes, Stewart Towe and Councillor Ian Ward.

The Mayor welcomed Councillor Adrian Andrew (Walsall), Councillor Mike Bird (Walsall), Councillor Matthew Dormer (Redditch), Councillor Julie Jackson (Nuneaton & Bedworth), Councillor Tony Jefferson (Stratford-on-Avon) and Councillor Jonathan Lester (Herefordshire), who had been recently appointed as members of the WMCA Board, to their first meeting. He thanked Councillor Sean Coughlan (Walsall), Councillor Bill Hartnett (Redditch), Councillor Dennis Harvey (Nuneaton & Bedworth), Councillor Lee Jeavons (Walsall), Councillor Tony Johnson (Herefordshire) and Councillor Chris Saint (Stratford-on-Avon) for their contributions to the work of the WMCA during their time as members of the WMCA Board.

The Mayor also welcomed Dawn Baxendale, Birmingham City Council’s new Chief Executive, to her first meeting and noted that this was the last meeting that Alan Franks, Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council’s Managing Director, would attend before he retired. He thanked him for the support he had given to the WMCA during his time in post.

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

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

A plan of items to be reported to future meetings of the WMCA Board was noted.

The forward plan of items to be considered at future meetings was noted.

(1)       The outcomes of the public consultation were noted.

(2)       The constituent council responses to the public consultation outcomes were noted.

(3)       Consent to proceed with submission of the Governance Review, Scheme and consultation outcomes to the Home Office was granted.

(4)       Authority was delegated to the Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority, together with the Monitoring Officer, to approve the draft order once received from Government, in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer and Chair of the West Midlands Fire & Rescue Authority.

Councillor Syeda Khatun presented a report on the outcomes of the public consultation on the scheme to enable the Mayoral WMCA to assume governance of the West Midlands Fire Service, including letters received in support of this direction from key stakeholders.

At its meeting on 3 March 2017, the WMCA Board supported the West Midlands Fire & Rescue Authority’s broad proposals for the transfer of its functions to the Mayoral WMCA. A governance review had been undertaken, which examined the existing governance arrangements and proposed a new model under the Mayoral WMCA. A Scheme then detailed the roles, accountabilities and powers required by each individual and body in the proposed new governance model.

The report set out the results of the consultation exercise undertaken with constituent councils in October/November 2017 and a public consultation undertaken January - March 2018. The appendix to the report provided a detailed breakdown of the responses received to these consultations.

Councillor Peter Hughes, Chair of Overview & Scrutiny Committee, reiterated the view of his committee that there should be a clear split between the advisory/review responsibilities of the Mayoral Fire Advisory Committee and the statutory scrutiny responsibilities of Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved:

(1)       The outcomes of the public consultation be noted.

(2)       The constituent council responses to the public consultation outcomes be noted.

(3)       Consent to proceed with the submission of the Governance Review, Scheme and consultation outcomes to the Home Office be granted.

(4)       Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive of the West Midlands Combined Authority, together with the Monitoring Officer, to approve the draft order once received from Government, in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer and Chair of the West Midlands Fire & Rescue Authority.

The draft findings of the Leadership Commission report were endorsed and supported for publication in June 2018.

Anita Bhalla, chair of the Leadership Commission, presented a report setting out the draft findings of the review into how opportunities could be improved for people from those communities and groups that were currently under-represented within the leadership of the West Midlands.

The remit of the commission was to undertake the first comprehensive audit of leadership in the West Midlands across public and private sectors. Its draft report outlined why inclusive leadership was critical to the health of the region, and presented new data to inform the understanding of the current profile of leadership across sectors. The recommendations contained within the commission’s report drew attention to the actions it was considered were required to create conditions for long term change in inclusive leadership and how to support leadership aspiration through removing barriers to progress.

Councillor Brigid Jones welcomed the report and looked forward to seeing greater diversity amongst the membership of the WMCA Board. She stressed the need to ensure the upper age limit for the proposed Youth Combined Authority was set at a level that ensured younger people were actively participating. In respect of working with the business sector to develop inclusive leadership, Councillor Bob Sleigh stressed the need to ensure that this was undertaken in partnership with the organisations concerned. Ninder Johal noted that the business sector would have a key role in delivering the recommendations.

The Mayor expressed his thanks to everyone that had been involved in the Leadership Commission for the contribution they had made to this important piece of work.

Resolved:

The draft findings of the Leadership Commission report be endorsed and supported for publication in June 2018.

The final outturn position for 2017/18 was noted.

The board considered a report from Sean Pearce, Director of Finance, providing an update on the WMCA’s finances as at the end of March 2018. The report provided a summary of the final outturn for both revenue and capital spend against the reported forecasts, a summary of the Investment Programme along with current commitments, and a summary of the balance sheet.

Councillor Brigid Jones noted that a number of the schemes contained within the Investment Programme related to the Commonwealth Games 2022 and their delivery was therefore time critical.

Resolved:

The final outturn position for 2017/18 be noted.

Authority to approve the award of the Employment Support Pilot was delegated to the Director of Productivity & Skills, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead for Skills & Productivity.

Councillor George Duggins presented a report outlining the actions required to allow the Employment Support Pilot Contracts to be awarded to enable a June 2018 start date.

In August 2017, the Government announced an award of £4.7m funding to the WMCA for an innovative pilot to support those that were hardest to help into employment. A number of Employment Support Pilot awareness events were held throughout April to promote the opportunity to local stakeholders and potential applicants. The procurement process was scheduled to be completed by the end of May and the release of funding from the Department for Work & Pensions was dependent on delivery commencing by 29 June. To allow this, the contracts needed to be let before the WMCA Board next met on 22 June, and therefore delegated authority was sought for the Director of Productivity & Skills, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead for Skills & Productivity, to approve the award of the contracts for the delivery of the pilot.

Resolved:

Authority to approve the award of the Employment Support Pilot be delegated to the Director of Productivity & Skills, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead for Skills & Productivity.

The resolution passed on 8 December 2017 to authorise the West Midlands Combined Authority to submit an application for the Midland Metro (Penalty Fares) Order to the Secretary of State for Transport was confirmed.

The board considered a report from Tim Martin, Head of Governance, on the need for a second resolution to confirm the decision of the WMCA Board on 8 December 2017 to promote a Transport & Works Act Order for the Midland Metro (Penalty Fares) Order. This would provide the WMCA with the necessary powers to make changes to the penalty fares on the Midland Metro.

Resolved:

The resolution passed on 8 December 2017 to authorise the West Midlands Combined Authority to submit an application for the Midland Metro (Penalty Fares) Order to the Secretary of State for Transport be confirmed.

The resolution passed on 8 December 2017 to authorise the West Midlands Combined Authority to submit an application for the Midland Metro (Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Land Acquisition) Order to the Secretary of State for Transport was confirmed.

The board considered a report from Tim Martin, Head of Governance, on the need for a second resolution to confirm the decision of the WMCA Board on 8 December 2017 to promote a Transport & Works Act Order for the Midland Metro (Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Land Acquisition) Order. This would provide the WMCA with the necessary powers to extend the existing Midland Metro tramway system in Sandwell and Dudley. The proposed extension would connect with Midland Metro Line 1 at Wednesbury and run via the existing railway corridor to Dudley town centre and on to the Waterfront/Merry Hill and terminating at Brierley Hill.

Resolved:

The resolution passed on 8 December 2017 to authorise the West Midlands Combined Authority to submit an application for the Midland Metro (Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Land Acquisition) Order to the Secretary of State for Transport be confirmed.

(1)       It was noted that Nextbike UK Ltd had been awarded as the preferred supplier for the West Midlands Bike Share Scheme following the procurement exercise.

(2)       It was noted that the contract would be signed following the WMCA Board approval.

(3)       The mobilisation of the West Midlands Bike Share Scheme was noted.

Councillor Bob Sleigh presented a report on the progress of the West Midlands Bike Share scheme and on the next stages of delivery.

The West Midlands Cycling Charter was adopted in September 2015 and outlined the key principles amongst partner organisations required to deliver a step change in cycling across the West Midlands. The West Midlands Bike Share scheme sought to procure a concessionaire to operate across the West Midlands on a zero cost basis, with no funding required by WMCA or constituent councils. Following the procurement exercise, Nextbike UK Ltd was contracted to provide 5,000 smart (non-electric) cycles within the West Midlands over a five-year term. Nextbike would provide the infrastructure and a high quality maintenance regime for the cycles and docking stations over this timeframe.

The scheme would have a headline sponsor appointed, which was currently being negotiated by Nextbike UK. Any sponsorship deal reached would adhere to the WMCA’s existing sponsorship protocol.

Councillor Bob Sleigh thanked Stuart Everton, Black Country Director of Transport, and his team for all the work they had undertaken to deliver the scheme to date.

Resolved:

(1)       It be noted that Nextbike UK Ltd had been awarded as the preferred supplier for the West Midlands Bike Share scheme following the procurement exercise.

(2)       It be noted that the contract would be signed following the WMCA Board approval.

(3)       The mobilisation of the West Midlands Bike Share scheme be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Housing & Land Delivery Board held on 21 February 2018.

In respect of the availability of land remediation funding for smaller sites, Gareth Bradford, Director of Housing & Regeneration, confirmed that discussions were being held with Homes England regarding this, and he would report to a future meeting of the Housing & Land Delivery Board on the outcome of these discussions.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 21 February 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Investment Board held on 13 March 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting held on 13 March 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Audit, Risk & Assurance Committee held on 16 March 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 16 March 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 20 March 2018. Councillor Peter Hughes, chair of the committee, noted that the meeting had looked particularly at the scrutiny arrangements undertaken by local enterprise partnerships within the region.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 20 March 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Investment Board held on 26 March 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 26 March 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Transport Delivery Committee held on 9 April 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 9 April 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Strategic Economic Plan Board held on 12 April 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 12 April 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 16 April 2018. Councillor Peter Hughes, chair of the committee, noted that the meeting had reviewed the draft WMCA Annual Plan 2018/19 and had made a number of suggestion improvements to its content prior to its consideration by the WMCA Board.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting on 16 April 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Wellbeing Board held on 20 April 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 April 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the meeting were noted.

The board received the minutes of the Investment Board held on 30 April 2018.

Resolved:

The minutes of the meeting held on 30 April 2018 be noted.

The date of the next meeting was noted.

The date of the next meeting was noted.