In the interests of transparency, the following members all disclosed their service on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority:-

·         Councillor Dodds

·         Councillor Watson

·         Councillor Riaz

·         Councillor Winnard

ACTION: City Solicitor

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 January 2021 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Yusuf Patel - 01274 434579)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 7 January 2021 be signed as a correct record.

ACTION: City Solicitor

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Yusuf Patel - 01274 434579)

No requests were made to remove the restriction on a report or background paper.

No referrals were made at the time of the publication of the agenda.

No referrals were made to the Committee.

The Strategic Director Place will submit a report (Document “Y”) which updates members on devolution in West Yorkshire and the benefits for Bradford and the region. It also outlines the progress being made by Bradford Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in taking forward the main work streams and Governance in preparation for the new Mayoral Combined Authority for West Yorkshire.

Recommended –

Members are requested  to consider and comment on the progress made on devolution in West Yorkshire.

(Julian Jackson – 01274 433766)

At the commencement of the meeting, the Chair welcomed all those members of the Regeneration & Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee who were in attendance as observers.

The Strategic Director Place submitted a report (Document “Y”) which updated members on devolution in West Yorkshire and the attendant benefits for Bradford and the wider region. It also outlined the progress being made by Bradford Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority in taking forward main work streams and governance in preparation for the new Mayoral Combined Authority for West Yorkshire.

The Strategic Director, introduced the report and explained that the devolution order had been made by Government on 29 January 2021. He stated that there were significant benefits to devolution, including increased funding and influence. He took members through the new powers that would result from devolution and highlighted the particular benefits to Bradford. These would include funding to develop a masterplan for a new city centre railway station and support for an Enact early hub. Members were advised that significant progress had already been made on the new railway station and that the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) was holding a series of workshops in respect of devolution issues.

The Managing Director of WYCA joined the meeting and explained in detail the elements of the devolution order, explaining that, while some elements  had immediate effect, others would come into force with the election of a Mayor in May 2021.

The Chair queried the governance arrangements that would be in place to ensure fairness and accountability. He was advised that there would be comprehensive scrutiny of all functions to ensure that the original objectives of devolution held true and that each of the five Local Authorities within West Yorkshire would continue to be represented. Arrangements were already in place to ensure that objectives were shared.

A member welcomed the report, stressing that one of the reasons devolution was so important was the benefit to everyone living within West Yorkshire as a result of economic and transport improvements. He complemented the team in achieving progress to date but highlighted that plans and policies must be explained clearly to ensure that the new body was both relevant and accessible.

Another member queried the challenges the Council would face in implementing change and was advised that they included preparing to be a mayoral combined authority and ensuring that all opportunities were maximised. Practical issues to address included the challenges of climate change and the immediate issues of COVID-19.

The Managing Director of WYCA concurred with that view, stressing that WYCA had an economic recovery plan in place to facilitate recovery post pandemic.

He also stressed that consultation was ongoing in respect of connectivity across the District, particularly with regard to improving bus use.

The Chair then asked how priorities had changed as a result of the pandemic and was informed that the pandemic had been enormously disruptive to the priorities which had previously been established and that it would have significant ongoing consequences,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.