Governance Type

Strategic Leadership

Purpose

Overall responsibility for developing and delivering the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP)

Overall responsibility for developing the strategy and delivering Public Service Reform (PSR)

Deliver the current devolution deal

To negotiate and deliver further devolution deals

Approval of future devolution deal development, to determine strategy on investment decisions

Allocating resources through the Combined Authority budget & income streams such as devolution deals

Determination of Transport strategy and spending priorities

To operate a Cabinet model with Constituent Member Leaders ‘sponsoring’ a portfolio

To consider and determine applications for Constituent, Non-Constituent and observer status

To work with partners to develop the Midlands Engine

To work with Government to develop and influence national policy To set up the fees for membership

Accountable to

Membership of the West Midlands Combine Authority

Membership

·       Mayor

·       Two elected members from each ConstituentCouncil

·       One elected member from each Non-Constituent Council

·       The Chair or one Board member from each Non-ConstituentLEP Member

Observers

·       Police & CrimeCommissioner

·       West Midlands Fire & RescueService

Chair

·      At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) a Chair will be elected- appointed by Constituent Members

·      At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) up to two Vice Chairs willbe elected – appointed by Constituent Members.

Voting

Any matters that are to be decided by the Combined Authority Board are to be decided by consensus of the Board where possible.

Where consensus is not possible the provisions of this section in the Constitution shall apply as follows:

Each Member of the Combined Authority Board is to have one vote and no Member including the Chair is to have a casting vote.

Subject to the requirements below any matter put to a vote will be decided on a show of hands. A decision will require a two thirds majority of Constituent Members appointed by Constituent Councils present and voting and where Members appointed by Non-Constituent Councils are permitted to vote a simple majority of all Members present and voting.

Note: if all Constituent Members are present (7) two thirds will be 5.

Any matters put to a vote concerning the matters set out below shall require a unanimous vote of all Members appointed by Constituent Councils present and voting:

i.         approval of land useplans

ii.       such other plans and strategies as determined by theCombined Authority

iii.      financial matters which may have significant implicationson Constituent Councils’ budgets

iv.      approval of borrowing limits, treasury management strategy includingreserves, investmentstrategy andcapital budgetof the CombinedAuthority

v.       agreement of functions transferred by the Constituent Councilsto the Combined Authority

vi.      anychange ofvoting rightsto allor anyMemberappointed bya Non-Constituent Councils

vii.    approval of specific proposals for individual co-optees tothe Combined Authority

viii.  use of general power of competence within the LocalDemocracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, including in relation to spatial strategy, housing numbers and the exercise of any compulsory purchasepowers

ix.      establishment of arms-lengthcompanies

x.       approval to seek such other powers as may be appropriate andany new powers granted by central government and imposed on the CombinedAuthority

xi.      material amendments to theConstitution

xii.    changes to transport matters undertaken by theCombined Authority.

For the avoidance of doubt unanimous will be construed to mean that all Members appointed by Constituent Councils present and voting, vote in favour of the relevant decision.

On the request of any Member of the Combined Authority, supported by two other Members appointed by separate Constituent Councils before a vote is taken, the voting on any question shall be recorded so as to show whether each Member present gave their vote for, abstained or against that question or did not vote.

A Member may demand that his/her vote is recorded in the minutes of the relevant meeting.

The proceedings of the Combined Authority are not invalidated by any vacancy among its Members or any defect in the appointment or qualifications of any Member.

Members appointed by Non-Constituent Councils will be entitled to vote on the matters set out below.

Members appointed by Non-Constituent Councils may vote on the following matters:

i.                  adoption of growth plan and investment strategyand allocation of funding by the CombinedAuthority

ii.                the Strategic Economic Plan strategy along with its implementationplans andassociated investmentactivity being undertaken using funding provided to or by the Combined Authority

iii.               the grant of further powers from central governmentand/or local public bodies that impacts on the area of a Non-Constituent Council

iv.               land and/or spatial activity undertaken by theCombined Authority within the area of a Non-ConstituentCouncil

v.                public service reform which affects the areas ofNon- Constituent Council(s)

vi.               areas of Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) activity relevant to the Non-Constituent Councils through geographical location or as part of a jointcommittee

vii.             all Combined Authority matters concerned with education, employment and skills, enterprise and business support, accessto finance, inward investment, business regulation, innovation, transport, environmental sustainability, housing, economic intelligence, digital connectivity andregeneration

viii.           future use of business rate retention funding generated beyond that retained within new and existing EnterpriseZones

ix.               specific decisions to bid for and allocate revenue andcapital funding provided to or by the Combined Authority for use in economic development activities

x.                investmentactivity relatedto transportand connectivity,not funded by the transport levy and current Maintenance and Integrated Transportblocks

Any vote including Members appointed by Non-Constituent Councils and other Non-Constituent Members will be carried on a simple majority subject to the requirement that there is a majority of two-thirds of Constituent Members, present and voting.

All decisions of the Combined Authority should be made in accordance with the following principles:

i.   proportionality (meaning the action must be proportionate tothe

results to be achieved)

ii.       due consultation (including the taking of relevantprofessional advice)

iii.     respect for humanrights

iv.     presumption in favour of openness and transparency

v.       clarity of aims and desiredoutcomes

vi.      due consideration to be given to alternative options toguard against any form of predetermination in any decisionmaking process

vii.    the public sector equalityduty.

Quorum

No business shall be transacted at a meeting of the Combined Authority Board unless at least one Member from five separate Constituent Councils are present.

A meeting of the Combined Authority will not commence unless there is a quorum of Members present. If a meeting has not commenced within 15 minutes of the time specified on the summons and agenda, the meeting shall be postponed, unless the Clerk has announced to those present a valid reason for the delay.

If during any meeting of the Combined Authority Board, the person presiding at the meeting declares a quorum of Members is not present, the meeting will be adjourned for 15 minutes. If at 15 minutes, there is still no quorum present, the meeting shall be adjourned.

All business which would have been considered at the meeting or which has not been completed when the meeting was adjourned, shall stand referred to the next ordinary meeting unless arrangements are made for an extraordinary meeting to consider that business or the business, or part of it, is dealt with as a matter of urgency.

A meetingwill notbe consideredinquorate where,the numberof Members present falls below that specified above for the sole reason of a Memberor Members being unable to act on an individual items because of the need to temporarily leave the meeting due to a conflict ofinterests.

Frequency

The Board will meet at least monthly. It is anticipated that normally two meetings will be required each month to deal with business.

Allowances

There shall be no Basic Allowance or Special Responsibility Allowance payable to any Member. The reimbursement of any travel or subsistence expenses will be the responsibility of the Combined Authority.