To appoint a Chair for the purpose of this Joint Corporate, Environment and Waste Management & Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Resolved –

That Councillor Farley be appointed as Chair for the purpose of the Joint Corporate, Environment and Waste Management and Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Action:  City Solicitor

(Members Code of Conduct - Part 4A of the Constitution)

To receive disclosures of interests from members and co-opted members on matters to be considered at the meeting. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

Notes:

(1)       Members may remain in the meeting and take part fully in discussion and voting unless the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest or an interest which the Member feels would call into question their compliance with the wider principles set out in the Code of Conduct.  Disclosable pecuniary interests relate to the Member concerned or their spouse/partner.

(2)       Members in arrears of Council Tax by more than two months must not vote in decisions on, or which might affect, budget calculations, and must disclose at the meeting that this restriction applies to them.  A failure to comply with these requirements is a criminal offence under section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. 

(3)       Members are also welcome to disclose interests which are not disclosable pecuniary interests but which they consider should be made in the interest of clarity.

(4)       Officers must disclose interests in accordance with Council Standing Order 44.

Councillors, Hasan Khan, Watson and Mohammed disclosed an interest as Members of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Transport Committee respectively.  They did not participate in the meeting as Members of their respective Bradford Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

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. 

(Asad Shah - 01274 432280)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “A”) gives progress, plans and performance for West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The report includes details on shared ambitions, regeneration, transport, public service reform and partnership working. It also describes this work in relation to the priorities, challenges and opportunities for Bradford District.

Recommended –

That this is an update report on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Overview and Scrutiny Chairs, Deputy Chairs & Overview and Scrutiny Members are asked to consider the key issues set out in the report and appendices. Areas for attention or for consideration by the Leader and/or Executive are to be raised through the meeting.

(Jamie Saunders – 01274 434123)

JOINT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY UPDATE REPORT ON WEST YORKSHIRE COMBINED AUTHORITY (WYCA) AND LEEDS CITY REGION ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP (LEP)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “A”) provided progress, plans and performance for West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) and Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP). The report included details on shared ambitions, regeneration, transport, public service reform and partnership working. It also described that work in relation to the priorities, challenges and opportunities for Bradford District.

Headline information was also presented which was tailored for the three Overview and Scrutiny Areas brought together for the joint meeting.

Following a detailed presentation a Member requested clarity between the WYCA and LEP.  The Managing Director of WYCA explained that the LEP was a voluntary partnership established in 2010/11 involving the public and private sector.  The body must comprise of a private sector Chair and include a balance of private sector members and elected leaders of the constituent local authorities.  WYCA was a local government body, established under statute, with a remit to support and drive forward regeneration, infrastructure and transport investment and to undertake key transport and development services.  Both bodies were supported by an officer organisation which undertook the Boards’ policies and actions.  The LEP developed strategy and policy aimed at meeting both the current and the future needs of the city region’s economy.  Spending accountability lay with the WYCA.

The WYCA Corporate Plan’s statement that it had helped 732 households in the region to reduce their heating bills by installing energy saving measures was discussed and it was questioned how that work could be expanded.  In response it was explained that the programme around warm homes began as part of the Green Deal and when that funding had ceased the LEP had used its own resources to carry on that work.  One issue was that the available funding from Government was ‘revenue’ funding and there were strict criteria for those funds.  The Housing Standards Team had developed an energy programme and aimed to access funds from other sources.  It was stressed that Government restrictions would be relaxed through devolution. 

A Member expressed concern that people affected by benefit caps and with limited funds were not in properties which were able to access the ‘warm homes’ schemes.  He questioned the connection between creating pathways to develop the skills of residents within communities to have the ability to take advantage of energy deals/energy management.  His comments were acknowledged and it was agreed that many programmes were demand led.  WYCA was evolving and aimed to assume a different model where schemes were built up from communities.

The impact on funding received from the European Union following Brexit was queried and it was explained that EU funds were managed by Government.  The WYCA/ LEP had a role to play through the European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) committee to influence programmes.  The Sustainable Urban Development strategy SUDS fund provided £15m for regeneration and energy efficiency.

In the context of Brexit work would be required  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.