West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Thursday 4 December 2025, 11:00am - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Thursday, 4th December 2025 at 11:00am 

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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  2. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  3. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  8. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  9. Melissa Liburd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Helen Ellerton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  13. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  14. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  15. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  16. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  17. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  18. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  19. Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council)
  20. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  21. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  22. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  23. Melissa Liburd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  24. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  25. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  26. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  27. Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  28. Melissa Liburd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  29. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  30. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  31. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  32. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  33. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  34. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  35. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  36. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  37. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  38. Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council)
  39. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  40. Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council)
  41. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  42. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  43. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  44. Rachel Jones
  45. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  46. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  47. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  48. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  49. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  50. Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council)
  51. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  52. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  53. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  54. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  55. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  56. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  57. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  58. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  59. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  60. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  61. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  62. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  63. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  64. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  65. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  66. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  67. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  68. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  69. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  70. Mandy Ridyard (West Yorkshire Business Board)
  71. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  72. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  73. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  74. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  75. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  76. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  77. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  78. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  79. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  80. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  81. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  82. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  83. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  84. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  85. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  86. Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair)
  87. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  88. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  89. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  90. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  91. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  92. Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance
  93. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  94. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Cllr Peter Kilbane (York Council)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  8. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  9. Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  11. Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance
  12. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  13. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  14. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  15. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  16. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  17. Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance
  18. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  19. Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  20. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  21. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  22. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  23. Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  24. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  25. Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council)
  26. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  27. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  28. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:00
queries yes councillor Lam yeah thank you mayor obviously from July we've been
expecting an update on White Rose rail station we discussed it briefly last
time and there's still nothing this time so are you in a position to give us an
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:00:17
update please Thank You councillor Lam I was also asked about this on message the
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:27
and the BBC, we are so nearly there near a conclusion of this stalling. As I've said
many times, this was a scheme before my time. It's not how we do it if we were going to
do it again. We've got ourselves in a position where it's about agreements between two different
parties. We have invested in White Rose. We want the diggers to be back. We are
working, my teams are working flat out to try and support a conclusion. But I've
said before that we hope to have activity on site in the new year, is what
we hope, but it is not in our gift. It is down to others. But we are pressing and
and making the case about what can we do to help.
So I know it's very frustrating for all concerned.
It's frustrating for trans -penile and it's frustrating for everyone.
But we wouldn't do this again in this way.
Councillor LAM.
Thank you.
I appreciate the update.
Is it possible that members could get a private briefing at least so we can understand where
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:01:33
we are and what's likely to happen next?
Ben.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:01:36
Yes, we'd be happy to offer that.
and our expectation is to still be able to bring a paper to the next command
authority meeting in January.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:01:44
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:47
But thank you to the public for their patience as well
because it's deeply frustrating when it's out of our gift
to solve this problem.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:01:54
So thank you for raising it.
Okey doke.
Otherwise, are we content to accept the minutes?
Brilliant.
Thank you.
Okey doke.
That is an accurate record.
Right.
Moving on to the mayor's update.
Well, since we last met in October, so much has happened.
So bear with me as I try and rattle through the events.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the Global
Mayor's Summit as part of C40 and COP30 meeting with mayors,
leaders and innovators from across the globe to discuss how
we can accelerate local approaches to address
climate change.
I'd like to put on record my thanks to Bloomberg Philanthropies for generously supporting my
attendance at the conference.
At the end of October, I attended the Regional Investment Summit in Birmingham, where I was
championing investment opportunities in the region alongside the Chancellor, and ministers
the third of these conferences organised under successive governments.
And from a mayoral perspective, it was the best one yet, and we got some fantastic meetings
with some good outcomes.
I've also had a series of ministerial engagements including the Energy Secretary Round Table
with Mayors, the Secretary of State for MHCLG, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the
Transport Secretary. Most of these were ahead of the autumn budget, as you would imagine,
where I took the opportunity to press the case for our region, which I'll come on to
later. I was also able to welcome Miata van Buller, the local Growth and Devolution Minister,
leads last week alongside with Councillor Lewis where we worked with,
were shown around Seacraft and the ambitions for their Pride in Place money,
the 20 million pounds that's going to be invested in Seacraft and the Minister
also met with my inclusivity champion Fatima Khan Shah talking about
communities and social cohesion. Last week, as you know, we had the autumn
budget, loads and loads of positive announcements for West Yorkshire. A two
billion pound integrated settlement for the next four years, moving us forward in
devolution, giving us those freedoms, flexibilities that we've been talking
about since I became your mayor. We're going to transform our economy with this
integrated settlement. The Lead City Fund giving their City Council more control
over how business rates can be spent. The devolution of the National Housing
delivery fund with over a billion allocated notionally to West Yorkshire.
The overnight visitor levy that you'll know mayors lobbied for with hundreds of
millions of pounds to deliver, apologies, so we we can raise funds to support the
growth of our economy. I misspoke about hundreds of millions for us it is not
hundreds of millions from the visitor levy it's probably one or two but for
some regions it is very impactful funding fiscal revenue. Access to 500 million
mayoral revolving growth fund, at least 90 million will come to our region and
one of five place -based budget pilots which gonna help us transform the way in
which we're delivering public services and this is obviously on the back of the
30 million for innovation, the 25 for the creative industries and it's such a lot
and honestly thank you to partners, officers, working alongside government to influence
their thinking and shape the announcements. There's a paper later in the meeting where
we can begin to get into what impact the announcements have on our overall budget which we will set
out at our next meeting in January. Key to influencing the budget has been the mayoral
council and the right to request process for further devolution which as you know the visitor
levy wouldn't have happened and the mayoral council is taking place today.
I've had to give my apologies unfortunately due to this meeting but I
know colleagues are discussing employment and skills devo and strategy
with the Secretary of State for work and pensions. At the October combined
authority meeting members requested as we've heard the White Rose Station we've
covered that off. These negotiations as I say at that pivotal stage and we will
have something in the papers for the next meeting. And just to really
reassure you we are fully committed to working partnership to deliver this
project for the community and for business because it's going to be a
catalyst for growth and opportunity across our region. So let's turn to the
rest of the agenda unless there's any comments on Mayor's update? No thank you.
So, moving on to item 6, the Weaver Network, Fairs, Ticketing and Retail Strategy.
No decisions today on the setting of fares, but this looks to outline what the policy
is we're going to use to determine what fares will be.
And this is a really exciting development moving us on in that Weaver journey, that
integrated transport network, making it a reality, helping local transport be better
connected.
If I could pass directly to Helen Ellington, head of transport policy, to speak to this
item.
Thank you, chair.
The fairs ticketing and retail strategy has been developed to set out the CAs strategic
Melissa Liburd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:07:25
ambition for an integrated multimodal fairs ticketing and retail offer.
We are coming to the CA today to ask for endorsement of the strategy following discussion at transport
committee in October and an informal member session earlier last month. The
intention is that the strategy will return to the combined authority later
Helen Ellerton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:07:46
next year with a full roll out plan including project design and this
strategy will therefore through that be balanced through commercial and
financial considerations as affairs will be a key part of that of that mix. The
The strategy responds to the local transport plan which is moving towards adoption over
the next few months and a multimodal approach recognising that bus will come first but mass
transit and rail are also part of the Wever network.
The purpose of the strategy is to guide development of that multimodal fares, ticketing and retail
offer and under the Wever network the key elements include an integrated journey planning,
ticketing and a mobile app.
The emerging proposition that is set out in the paper will continue to be developed through
the strategy and service development, customer insight and engagement will all be really
important in shaping that process.
The strategy will guide the CA through that transformation to make bus franchising operational
from April 27 and through a kind of affairs ticketing and retail perspective to make sure
that we hang on to those principles that are set out there and the policies through the
local transport plan.
The draught strategy includes a set of objectives which are in the paper at section 3 .18 and
a target proposition which we will be working through with a short -term plan which is also
in the paper through to a longer term which builds into that multimodal approach.
That's all I was going to say but thank you and happy to take questions.
Thank you Helen.
any questions on the strategy? Councillor Anderson and then Councillor
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:09:33
Holdsworth. On page 20 under paragraph 4 .1 there are no risks currently arising from
this report. Now are we sure that there are no risks? So for example risks that I
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 0:09:45
could foresee is that if we were to bring forward say allowing disabled
people to use their bus pass before 9 .30, welcome as it is, if you were able to do
You would have done it just now so there must be a risk as to why the reason you're not doing it just now
So you do I would have expected that to be put in here. I would have also expected
To see something about the financial envelope. Are you working within a financial envelope?
It's gonna be constrained or have you got an open you can spend as much money as you like or have you been told?
By Kate that you must do this and you can only spend X amount on it
I would have expected those things to be constraints that were put into it.
Otherwise the public might think they can deliver, get more than they are actually going
to get.
Not just those exclusively but I think we need to put more risks in the plan.
Thank you for that.
I think it is important to remember at the moment that this is a strategy, a draught strategy
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:10:48
which sets out that ambition.
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 0:10:49
There are a number of risks around that which will come through in the wider bus franchising
approach.
In terms of that funding piece that you recognise, we were just setting out in the paper, the
strategy sets the ambition and the plan and approval for that plan will come through later
in the year for which the considerations around that financial piece will be done.
that so the plan to deliver the strategy will be set within that context. Thank
you Ben. Thank you Jed. I mean Council Anderson knows because we've had
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:11:30
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 0:11:31
conversations in the lead up to this meeting that the way that we handle
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:11:34
handle risks in these sections of these papers is something that we're
looking at. We have to strike the right balance between going into the risks
involved in the delivery of a strategy that's being sought for endorsement or
approval today where the document itself actually doesn't cause
those risks to change. So we always try and strike the right balance. I
think the steer that Councillor Anderson is giving us as officers is for us to
think a bit more about the risks of the delivery of the strategy that are
material to the paper and hence are material to members in their decision
about whether to agree to the strategy or not, in which case point well taken. But what
we won't do is go into every possible risk associated with the implementation and delivery
plan because that's for a future paper. Thank you. Councillor Holtz.
Thank you, Mayor. It's a similar question, I think, to Councillor Anderson's. Has the
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:12:34
West Yorkshire Combined Authority is extremely keen to encourage disabled people to return
Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council) - 0:12:38
to work or expand their working hours. I wondered why it was that people with disabilities cannot
travel on busses until after 9 .30 in the morning with reduced or exempt fares and is this something
that could be considered given that it seems to be a bit of a clash with the stated objectives
of encouraging people into work? Thank you, Councillor Holdsworth. It's something
that I've been very keen to look at because far too many people with a disability want
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:13:09
to work but there are too many blocks in the way. I've been lobbied from many
angles of people who older people who want to travel before 9 .30 people with a
disability young people want free travel care leavers etc so when we get this is
the point of franchising we can then once we've got this strategy on fares
and ticketing we can then knowing the financial envelope then decide where
where we want to put those incentives but your passion for equity and equality
is shared with most well all people around this table because it's really
important that it is fair but only once we know the full quantum of opportunity
on fares will we be able to take those decisions so councillor Lamb and
councillor Hinchliffe. Thank you Mayor and there's data in the papers about
people's views from the survey on pricing.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:14:10
What I'm curious to know is how people's bus usage relates
more to frequency and reliability than pricing
and where the strategy sits in terms of,
from your point of view, Mayor, which is most important.
Is it protecting frequency and reliability?
I think in an ideal world we'd like everything, but the world's not ideal and patronage is
going down. And what I'm keen to understand, is it going down because people are concerned
about the price of the ticket, or is it going down because they're concerned they can't
get where they want to go when they want to go, or that the bus on an hourly service won't
turn up and then they have to wait two hours for it?
I think the general answer is all of those things are important, but haven't we seen
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:15:02
In Keithley with the one -pound ticket the patronage has gone up because it is very much a magnet for patronage if it's
If it's cost effective and Helen
Thank you. So and the
the mayor has just said and all of these things are important and I think it's about how we
Melissa Liburd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:15:19
Create that balance across the network and the fair structure what this strategy is doing is setting out an ambition through those objectives
around creating a fair structure and creating options in there that help us
understand how best to place that fair in the relative context of everything
else that's under discussion as well through that. Thank you. Councillor Hinchliffe.
Yes just to reassure Councillor Holford really because this obviously had extensive
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:15:47
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:15:51
discussion at Transport Committee as well. As you can imagine there's lots of
and we had a motion in Bradford precisely to support the
support of the people who had travelled before 9 .32 with
disabilities was one group that came up and also the fact that
we are all corporate parents as well and care leavers are very
important to us that also came up. Those two groups were
particularly promoted specifically but not exclusive
to other groups as well. There's lots of other interests
around that table of people who obviously rightly we wanted to
and support them with transport, but we do need to see the quantum before we can make
those decisions I think. And we had a motion in Bradford precisely about people being able
to travel before 9 .30 with disabilities and that's something one of our members particularly
wants to see happen, but as you say, Mayor, it is about getting the quantum and then being
able to make those decisions. And having control of the network is going to mean that we're
going to have more of that power in our control, aren't we?
But also what's really important from this strategy is that we have that integrated plan
that is sophisticated, easy to use, ergonomically designed, but also gives us the opportunity
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:16:52
for extensions into rail, into tram, into electric bikes and so on. So it's really important
we get it right and we future proof it at this point.
Okay, any further comments? No, thank you all so much.
Okay, so are we happy to accept the recommendations of the Weaver Network Fairs ticketing and
retail strategy? Those in favour? Those against? Any abstentions? No, thank you so much.
Okay, moving on to another bus related item, Mayor's Fairs update.
You'll have heard from the previous item how important it is for those simple fares.
Our Mayor's Fairs scheme already started to deliver on that promise, having supported 83 million journeys,
delivering £76 million in savings to passengers since 2022.
This paper sets out an extension to that scheme while we wait for the government
announcement of our level of boss funding we're going to get next year. So
if I could hand over to Melissa Liburd, Head of Passenger Experience, to present
the paper and welcome to the CA, I think for the first time, is my understanding.
Thank you very much. You are welcome. Over to you, Melissa. Good morning everybody. So I'd like to take
opportunity to remind members that we were the first region in the country to introduce a capped
Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:18:27
fare scheme which was launched back in September 2022. Our scheme also includes the inclusion of a
cap on day ticket as well as a single journey ticket compared with the national scheme. We're
now in the fourth year of this scheme having seen considerable benefits, obviously Mayor Braben's
just talked about the impact of some of those which has been fantastic to see. Our scheme as
Melissa Liburd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:18:51
as the National Capped Fair Scheme has evolved over time and back in April of this year bus
operators here in West Yorkshire joined the National Scheme creating a dual reimbursement
process whereby we are topping up some of the subsidies. We probably never envisaged
the scheme running as long as it has but have continued to extend the scheme but we absolutely
recognise the benefits it provides to our communities. Whilst the National Scheme saw
increase in the capped fare rising to £3 in January of this year. Here in West
Yorkshire we held our fares and we delayed that until April and we held
them, having held them sorry, for nearly three years at £2 previously. Even now
our single journey cap is still 50p less than the national scheme, helping
to bring costs more in line with inflation but whilst also trying to
to ensure that bus travel remains accessible and affordable for passengers right across our communities here in West Yorkshire.
So prior to central government's spring budget statement in June of this year, the national scheme was assumed to end at the end of December, at the end of this month,
and in good faith we also extended our scheme to align with this, but as we know, the government then announced the extension to the national scheme in March 2027.
apologies. So as we transition to franchising it is hugely important for
our customers that we continue to maintain stability in the network and
with our fares. So everything you've just heard obviously in the previous item
sets out a clear vision of how we want to manage our fares and ticketing in the
future and the mayor's fare scheme is a key part of this strategy. I think it's
also fair to say of equal importance decisions that we take now and in the
future will have implications on the fair structure under a franchise network. We're
only 17 months away from our first services operating under round one in April 2027, so
it is really imperative that we do get things right. Our scheme is underpinned by basic
funding and of late we have been constrained by the confirmation about what our future
integrated settlement funding for 2026 -27 is going to be, which meant that we couldn't
take a medium -term view of what our arrangements need to be after December
of this year so the paper has set out how this can be funded and therefore the
purpose of this paper is to seek agreement to extend the scheme by three
months to allow us to do that very piece of work as you set out now. Thank you.
Thank you very well laid out excellent any comments on this paper thank you
Councillor Anderson.
Just two quick points.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:21:27
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 0:21:34
One is on appendix one which is embedded within the document in paragraph 1 .3 I asked at the
briefing I got for an answer to bullet points one and two that by bullet point one you would
have a 15 % increase in bus parentage by 2025.
now I accept that 2025 is not finished yet so I know you can come back at me on
that one but are you achieving that one and the other one was five
percent increase in weekday modal share of bus now it's not because I'm against
what the mayor's doing it's just making sure that we're using the BSIP money for
the correct purposes soon otherwise we might need to prime something else in
and that money needs to be taken off of it so it's making decisions and the
Another one is, another question I keep asking is
about the elasticity and the tolerance of price.
So if you increase something by 50 pence, for example,
how many less passengers would you get?
And if you reduced it by another 50 pence,
how many extra passengers would you anticipate getting
as a result of it?
And is there any tolerance in that price mechanism or not?
Thank you, Melissa.
Yeah, so if we start with the last one around elasticity,
So there's lots of modelling options that are going on exactly as you've described to look at what we need to do in terms of
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:22:51
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 0:22:53
potential sort of phase in the future
So we would need to come back to you on that one
But we are absolutely committed and that kind of work is going on in the background
Regards to your first point which was around the patronage and obviously you did answer the point
We do need to wait till the end of the year for those fixed, you know to get a more of a sense of
our patronage and what the percentage looks like.
So again, we can come back to the committee
with more of an update.
And I'm really sorry, but I did miss your,
it was one of the questions that you asked,
and I missed that one.
No, that's fine.
We'll part with that.
Thank you.
I think that's a good action to take away,
just that understanding of the impact of Mayors' Fair
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:23:35
and also reductions, et cetera.
And remember, we are still 50 %
Under the cap of three pounds, which I think the public do recognise we're trying to help in a cost of living crisis council
hinge cliff
Just to manage expectations a bit as well
I'm not sure it's ever going to be as straightforward as saying 50p plus 50p means that fewer passengers
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:23:58
Because there's other things we're all doing like
Pushing segregated busways in increasing timetable increasing the network, you know
the network reduction has an impact on patronage because people obviously can't use a bus anymore.
So there's lots of moving parts of this and I think when we've looked at it before at
Transport Committee we've not been able to get to a straight line to say plus 50p equals this
many number of passengers. So I just want to manage expectations of what we're likely to see
in this committee going forward. We all know what's needed is a mixture of a greater network,
better coverage and better fares and achieving the sweet spot of that is a challenge.
And reliability as well and it does echo the question that Councillor Lamb raised earlier.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:24:47
It is such an interconnected piece of encouragement to get people to use the bus. It isn't just
reliability, it isn't just fairs, it is a multitude of expectations from the public.
I think actually you've both covered the point I was going to make, which was essentially
that the kind of elasticity that Councillor Anderson is talking about, their starting
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:25:12
assumption is all other things being equal, and I think what you're hearing is that all
other things haven't been equal in recent years, but I think the point about bringing
a note back that sets out what we do know absolutely in in line with
councillor Hinchliffe's view that we have to manage expectations given we're
given plans for bus franchising is sensible to set out that kind of what we
do understand about the nature of the bus market at the current time. Thanks and
certainly does echo what the public have been saying to me in some areas across
West Yorkshire Wakefield for example what's the point of the mayor's fair if
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:25:47
boss doesn't come. I've just lost confidence in the boss so you know it
could be a free boss but if it's not coming you're not going to use it so
that's a very good response so thank you very much for that Melissa.
Councillor Holsworth. Thank you Mayor. It's just a quick question on point four risks and
mitigations potential service cuts by operators may require the combined
Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council) - 0:26:11
authority to subsidise service or reduce a network and then four point three
There remains a risk that the reallocation of £4 million of funding from network enhancement
reduces the combined authority's ability to respond to future as yet known network reductions by commercial bus operators.
What do we think the response might be? Should commercial bus operators actually cut even more
routes and, if you like, we've already spent the money in
improving or maintaining the costs of the mayor's fairs?
It's a very good question and one of the challenges for us is to keep those relationships with
the bus operators to a point where they don't think, well, we may not win the franchise,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:26:56
let's just walk away from West Yorkshire. So it is a balancing act and to make the offer
to our bus operators that actually this is a great journey to be on to deliver a franchise
bus network for West Yorkshire and definitely that is the direction of
travel for the whole country that busses are becoming franchised but that's why
it's in that section because it is a potential risk as we have seen bus
operators withdraw routes and it has been difficult to then reinstate
especially if they just change the timetable rather than withdrawing all
together. Councillor Hoswell. Yeah I'm just very aware that the first group have
completely withdrawn from Cornwall.
So they've taken all their network out of Cornwall.
Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council) - 0:27:43
And that is a concern.
I'm not suggesting that that would happen in West Yorkshire.
It's a very different area.
But it is kind of there, that possibility.
That's why it's in the risks section.
Did you want to comment there?
No?
OK, thank you so much, and those poor people of Cornwall
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:28:02
with no bosses.
Okay, let's just approve the extension to the scheme to the 31st of March 2026 and in
so doing allow for work to be done to consider a further extension beyond this time, potentially
to the 31st of March 2027.
This decision for a further extension will be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation
with myself and Chair of Transport Committee the extension to March
the 31st 26 requires a reallocation of four million pound of available B -SIP
funding. All those in favour of the recommendations please raise your hand.
Those against? Those abstaining? Thank you so much. That is approved. Okay moving on
to another boss related topic
consultation on proposed withdrawal of six school bus services
Really important piece of policy for the CA and which board members will recall
We approved an updated policy of this when we met back in July and following that approved policy
We've been out to the six schools identified
undertaken a consultation on our proposals
I would now like to hand over to Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe to introduce the paper and then Rachel Jones
Heading mobility services to present the paper. Thank you, Susan
Thank you, ma 'am. And this proposal is obviously been at some time has been through scrutinists twice. I think and through
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:29:41
Transport committee a few times as well. So there's been extensive
Conversations about this and thank you to everybody
members of the public who took part in the consultation and fed back.
We have listened and the Combined Authority officers have worked hard on each of those
particular routes to find what the best accommodation is for children living in that area.
In some instances that means changing the commercial bus service to make sure it services
those schools better.
In one instance it means actually withdrawing the proposal.
So I'm happy for officers to go through the detail doctor steal their thunder
But I'm satisfied we've got to a good place with this proposal after lots of conversations. Thank you councillor Rachel
Very much
councillor Hinchliffe and Mayor Braben to put me glasses on thank you and good morning everybody and so yes as you will be aware we
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:30:34
Went through a statutory consultation process earlier in the year to review and update the travel to school policy
As you will know, this saw very good levels of engagement with over 3 ,700 respondents.
This policy was approved by yourselves, as we have already mentioned at the Combined
Authority meeting back in July, and it sets out where the Combined Authority will use
its discretionary powers under the Education Act of 1996 to provide dedicated home -to -school
bus services to secondary schools within West Yorkshire to support travel for children and
young people aged 11 to 16 years old.
And this policy is separate to the statutory duty for local authorities to provide free travel to school and to support
Rachel Jones - 0:31:20
Young people who are eligible for free travel. So since approval in July we've been through a further detailed
Consultation process regarding six dedicated school busses that are out with the new policy
And where we thought where we considered there to be a potential suitable alternative
either a suitable walking or active travel route, or a public transport service.
These six goals were also referenced in the report that was approved by the Combined Authority in July.
So the consultation process was open for four weeks from the 29th of September until the 26th of October.
Now to ensure that the consultation received appropriate levels of engagement and response,
A targeted approach was adopted with parents and carers of current service users the schools themselves
Local councillors and MPs and these are all contacted directly by us
And we also asked schools to share details of the consultation with parents where the combined Authority did not have direct contact information
And also to share it with the feeder schools as well the feeder primary schools
So as you'll have seen in the papers
We received 129 sponsors altogether and these were from parents and carers of young people using the services or planning to use the services
In future. We also got responses from young people themselves and also to the schools involved
The st. Mary's menston feedback was also endorsed by the local MP and an Ilkley town councillor
And we also got feedback from two other politicians that was consistent with what was provided through the actual formal consultation process
So we've undertaken a detailed analysis of all the responses received regarding each school and dedicated bus service
By looking at all the comments that we got from the respondents
Undertaken an appraisal of all the feedback received looking at the value for money
And yeah value for money for the service where that is a consideration and completing a two -stage equality impact
Assessment in order to reach the recommendations that appear in the report
We have listened and reacted to what people have told us through the consultation process.
Further information and detail about the consultation process can be found in the appendices.
So as a result of the feedback, we are proposing to retain one service and withdraw five services.
On the service that we're proposing to retain, as I say, we thought that there was a potential
safe walking route.
Parents and carers told us that there wasn't, so we went out and did some survey work ourselves.
And we concluded that indeed there wasn't a safe walking route, which is why we are and proposing that that particular service is
Retained and
But in order to make the the sort of when we're looking at the withdrawal of the five other services in order to do
this we are as councillor Hinchliffe as and
So mentioned as well looking to make tweets to the public bus and to a public bus service to accommodate the needs of young people
at one school
There is a commercial solution in another case and we're looking at merging some dedicated school services
To provide a cost effective alternative at another school. So taking each school and recommendation in turn
It is proposed that the combined Authority approves with effect from the 1st of September 20 26
the retention of service
S62 which is and serves Coburn and Lawrence Calvert Academy and Leeds as I say based on there being no suitable active travel
public transport alternatives for students at the current time
The withdrawal of service s99 which serves Appleton Academy in Bradford based on there being a suitable public transport
alternative already available to students the withdrawal of service
B50 which serves Beckfoot in Bradford based on it not meeting the combined authorities value for money criteria
And that the combined authority will look to work with operators and to introduce a revised timetable for public bus service
615 that will meet the needs of students the withdrawal of service c6 and which serves crossley and
Heath grammar school in Halifax on the basis of it falling outside of the scope of the combined authorities travel to school policy
It not meeting the combined authorities value for many criteria and that there is an alternative
commercial school bus service and
Provided by coach travel services that can accommodate the students that currently use that that service
The withdrawal of service SM 25 which serves as st. Mary's Menston Catholic Catholic voluntary Academy in Leeds
Based on it not meeting the combined authorities value for money criteria and there being suitable public transport alternatives for students
And then the withdrawal of services and s64 and s66 that serve Titus salt school in Bradford
But replace them with one service the s69
And this is based on the s64 not meeting the combined authorities value for money criteria and there are already being suitable public transport
alternatives for most students who use service
64 and sufficient capacity on the new service s69 for the remainder of the students
I'd also just say that the combined authority notes are set out in the recommendations
That's the combined authority education transport team will work with local councils schools
internal partners and parents and carers to ensure that the proposed changes meet
the needs of students that have identified with special educational
needs or disabilities and you have an education health and care plan or an
education health and care plan pending and that the combined authority will
work with district partners to ensure that where active travel is expected
expected to form part of journeys undertaken for those schools where
Services are removed. That's appropriate active travel training is made available in advance of September
2026 and then just finally and mayor brave in on average around 200 pupils asset are in the report
Currently use the six services which represents around 1 % of the total number of young people
Using dedicated bus services on a daily basis
I'd also add that thousands of young people already use either walk -in or a regular public bus service to get school each day
with around 50 % of young people currently using regular busses
each day to get to their school already.
Finally, and as set out in the policy,
we're obviously mindful of the opportunity that franchising
should present to us in the future in terms of making changes
to the existing network, obviously to the benefit of young people
to travel to school in future. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Rachel, and it is your first attendance at the CA as well.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:38:03
So thank you so much for that incredibly thorough rundown and I'm sure whilst we understand
what's going on it will be very important for parents and those pupils who are going
to schools to have all of that detail.
So you can now take a breath.
Thank you.
Any questions on that very detailed report?
Thank you.
Councillor Lamb.
Yes, excuse me.
Thank you, Mayor.
I'm going to support the recommendations on this paper today, but I think there's a bit of context missing which leads to an important question
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:38:34
That we're in a better place because of the consultation that's been done
We wouldn't have been there if it were not for the challenge that was raised at this meeting and the work of scrutiny
on this and
When I made the challenge in July, it didn't seem particularly welcome at that time
I have to say when I was at the board, so I hope there can be some recognition
and acknowledgement that it was absolutely the right thing
to raise it, the right thing that scrutiny has done.
I'm grateful that you have listened and taken action.
But what lessons have been learned
to make sure we're not in a similar position in the future,
both in terms of dismissing genuine challenges
and constructive points, but also
in terms of making sure we do the consultations properly
First time I'd not have to be forced to do it again
Thank You councillor lamb. I would suggest we're never forced to do anything
Well, this is a team sport and we're happy as you know to take scrutiny
councillor Hinchcliffe, I
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:39:36
Just can say obviously
Scrutiny is welcome and is something we as local authority leaders are used to on a regular basis
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:39:47
So it is a very helpful part of the process. But of course, I think it's important to thank the parents and
and children who have contributed to this as well and conversations with schools as
well on the ground. All that information has been very useful in getting us to this position
today. Thank you.
And of course all that information helps us when it comes to franchising further down
the line. Councillor Halsworth.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:40:11
Thank you, Mayor. I absolutely understand the principle of not supporting academically
Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council) - 0:40:17
selective schools but what I would say is that I've had a lot of correspondence from
the parents of young people who attend Crossley Heath who live in the Greed London Stayman
Ward and unfortunately there's no way that walking or cycling would mean that they could
get to Crossley Heath school from where they live.
Now you're quite right, there are commercial bus services but as I was saying earlier to
Rachel, the problem is the bus stops.
And this won't mean anything to anybody, really.
But it stops at Godfrey Road, which
is just above Colderdale Royal Hospital.
And that then leaves a walk of over a mile
uphill to get to school.
Now, where I think there is a problem
is that we're also trying to improve the environment
by discouraging people from driving cars.
And I think that the problem is that the carers and parents will drive their children to school,
or if not, if they've got more than one child, as the proposed commercial alternative to
the school bus is going to cost, I understand, £1600 a year, if you've got two children,
that's quite a lot of money, and it would be cheaper actually to put the pair of them
in a taxi.
So I think that's a problem in terms of our concerns about the environment.
And I do also think that in a way there's a presumption that perhaps the children who
attend Crossley Heath have wealthy parents and that's by no means necessary.
It's not true.
And there are a whole mix obviously, but for some parents to try and find £1600 to get
their child to school if they can't take them themselves is an awful lot of money.
So I just wanted to raise those concerns because there are an awful lot of concerned parents
in my ward who have been raising them with me and I just wanted to make sure that perhaps
this point was brought into the open. I can see how it would work perfectly in Leeds.
When I was working in Leeds I used to see loads of young people queuing to get on the
bus. So thank you.
Thank you, and I'm sure those parents were part of our consultation at council scullion
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:42:38
Thank You council holds worth quite right and it's sometimes hard to
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:42:47
compare apples and pears with with leads and places in Colton Dale and the rural areas cancer holds worth is right around
Greek and Barkers land Rippon done wish worth and so on
Initially seemed on the map as though there was a public service
alternative and actually the bus network the officer subsequently found through further work
Just is limited and is just not not suitable and counsellors all work. Councillor Holsworth is absolutely right that actually
there's some distance to walk and up hills and so on and
that does result in place like the call today with more students being driven to school and
And what has happened is that coach travel services, who already operate quite a lot of the routes to Crossy Heath School,
are offering to provide a dedicated bus service on a commercial basis.
I hadn't heard the figures that Councillor Holsworth talked about.
But certainly in terms of other schools, schools pay, parents pay, other arrangements are made.
and certainly we will help the school to look into that.
The key thing here in terms of the overall strategy
of where we're getting to towards bus franchising
is what is the quantum of money we're talking about
and how is it distributed
and how much subsidy do we give to particular things
and in this case, given the commercial offer is there
on the same route to the same school
and to the school door,
The combined authority won't be contributing towards the cost of the service
But that means that full cost recovery will be the expense of the parents or as I said the school
Which is what happens in many many other areas. Thank you
Thank you for that clarity. That's very specific to Calderdale. It's much appreciated. Thank you councillor. Love. Yeah
Thank you, ma 'am. My question about lessons learned
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:44:41
answered
Ben. I thought it was answered by Councillor Lindstrom,
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:44:50
but I can pick it up if that's helpful. The key thing is, as Councillor Lindstrom said,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:44:57
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:44:58
that we welcome scrutiny, and Councillor Anderson and I meet regularly to talk about the work
of scrutiny and how that is influencing the work of the and changing the work of the combined
authority. I think in terms of this, the work that was started over July, the scrutiny session
that was held was used, I think, for three reasons. One was that we would the – it
helped resolve any confusion about the difference between the bringing of a policy and the application
of that policy. And we've been able to separate that out much more clearly, as Rachel has
done today and show that the second point,
that the consultation that was undertaken
would be separate to the consultation on the policy.
And that's been done in the way that Rachel has described.
The third thing, I think, is one that we have definitely
picked up on, which is ensuring that the wording
of our recommendations is very clear
and that there's no ambiguity in what we're saying.
And again, we've tried to take those lessons on board.
So I hope that shows we've definitely been listening to just really always welcome scrutiny's engagement in the work
Thank you
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:46:23
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:46:26
I'm not sure what more we can say now, really
Thank you. Obviously if there's still questions that you want to raise council lamb. I'm sure you can do that
outside of this meeting if there's things that you still feel you would like to know.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:46:39
Okay, any further comments on that item? No? Thank you so much.
So are we happy to recommend we retain one school bus service to Coburn School,
Lawrence Calvert Academy in Leeds, and withdraw five school bus services to Appleton Academy,
Beckford School, Crossley Heath Grammar, St Mary's Catholic Voluntary Academy,
and title salt school effective from the first September 2026 those in favour of
the recommendations please raise your hand thank you those against any
abstentions thank you very much one abstention Councillor Holtz -Löf thank
you okay moving on to item 9 healthy working life plan this is an update to
our plan we've already approved this previously at the CA but in line with
the government's guidance for developing regional get Britain working plans this
amends the plan we agreed earlier this year.
We were ahead of the game, I think,
with a wider focus on regional labour market challenges
and actions for healthy working life system partners
to mobilise to address the challenges.
Could I hand over to Felix Kumianpofo, please,
director of inclusive economy, skills, and culture,
to present the paper.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor.
As you just set out, earlier in the year,
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:48:05
we produced our work and health plan that allowed us to set out what the evidence was
saying and how we would then as a group of partners work together to support people who
were economically inactive, particularly due to health reasons.
And as we've said before at this meeting in West Yorkshire, there are about 100 ,000
or so people in that category.
We've developed that and that has allowed us to then move on
on the work we're doing with Healthy Working Life using all
the funding that has come to us.
The government produced a national, at the national level,
the government produced the Get Britain Working Plan and all
areas were then required to produce local versions of this.
So what you've got today is ours.
It simply updates what we've got, as the mayor said.
We did not go to town to do a full report again, so you'll see this one does not have a lot of the evidence and outcomes and indicators, because we've done all that work.
What this does is to broaden out the scope so that where we initially reported or focused very heavily on economic inactivity, this looks wider at the labour market.
and the challenges within that.
And again, as you will see,
we end up focusing on three broad areas
as exact alignment with the work we've done before.
System leadership and how we as a group
can work together to make sure the system
is working for our residents.
Person -centred support to make sure
that we are leaning in to lived experience
and we're using that to design public services
and then to deliver that.
and then making sure employers, especially small businesses, have all the support they need to be able to do what they have to do.
So the DWP signs this off if you are minded to approve it, and it then allows us to have the base, the policy base, to direct the rest of our work. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much Felix. Any questions on healthy working life? Councillor Lamb, Councillor Anderson.
Yes, thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:50:18
Two points on it, sir, and I made these to Felix privately as well, so there won't be
a surprise.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:50:28
So the first one is it read to me like an organisation with a big HR department writing
to organisations with big HR departments, and a big part of this is actually delivering
to small business.
And the two points, as someone who runs a small business, it didn't feel like it was
aimed at people like me, employing a small number of people. And the second aspect of
that was the only reason I know about any of this is because I sit at this table. If
I was purely a small business person, how would I know that I could access any of this?
And so I think there's a bit of where it's really important that we do this, but I think
the language and support needs to be aimed
at those companies where the HR department is also,
the chef is also, the cleaner is also,
the person running payroll and doing plumbing and so on.
And that we also raise enough awareness
that people know there's help available to support them.
Because it is a big challenge when we have to support people
with all manner of health problems
and one person can be 25 % of a workforce,
and it needs to be aimed differently in that setting.
So it's a really important piece of work, really valuable,
but it's just making sure it is properly aimed
at small businesses and easy for them to access.
Thank you, and I do agree with you
that SMEs could potentially really benefit from this,
and I was at an event where I was asked a question
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:52:04
by a woman from Kirklees who ran a window cleaning business.
small business but if you lose one member of staff it does impact on your
outcomes. I'll take all the questions Felix then come back to you.
Councillor Anderson then Councillor Hinchliffe.
Just briefly, in paragraph 12 you've only outlined one appendix, appendix one which is the actual Healthy Work Life Plan.
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 0:52:24
It doesn't append anything as to, you've mentioned in your presentation that
you've come up with the outcome but the baseline measures and also who's going to do it.
is going to be the economy partnership that are going to assess whether you have actually
delivered against those measures or is it us or who is it that is going to, I'm not
saying you have not done it by the way, I'm just saying it's not in the report.
Thank you. Councillor Hinchliffe. So, yeah, partly to answer colleagues' questions
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:52:58
there, but also I just think to put it into a bit of life around this subject as well,
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:53:02
This is a very obviously inevitably a dry paper, but just just to show how important employment West Yorkshire is
They're obviously funded by the combined authority. I've got a case study here of a woman who was registered in the summer
Economically inactive on benefits facing mental health challenges, obviously low confidence
The tail at support that was given Bradford through employment West Yorkshire with skills assessment CV support
counselling with vs and VCS partners
addressing barriers and building her confidence meant she was able to attend
Recruitment
Opportunity and match to local businesses attended recruitment more recruitment workshops meet the employer sessions
And now she's successfully being offered a position in the hospitality sector in Bradford and is now working training in that that role
And I just that's from August till now
So it just shows that there is transformation of people's lives if we get this right.
And I do think working with the combined authority through the local authorities in employment
West Yorkshire and then connected with the VCS sector as well, really supporting people
where they're at to get them into employment opportunities.
And the business, I won't say the name, but the business that this person's been matched
with and has now got employment with is a small business actually in the hospitality
sector.
And because the local authority is close to those SMEs, then we can access those opportunities.
So I think it just shows what the size of the prize is here and just a bit of flesh
on the bones. I thought that would be helpful really, just by the structure that we've got
in place and we need to make sure that's sustained going forward.
I think that's really a point well made regarding the 360 about people's lives, that it's not
always, let's look at your CV and then you're ready to work. There are many other obstacles
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:54:51
to work. And particularly, I know it is a challenge for business when you have someone
in front of you that has been unwell and the confidence that you need as a business to
take somebody on. So we're working very closely with businesses to give them the confidence
and support. And also, for example, getting graduates into SMEs and supporting that relationship
We are doing a lot of that hands -on guidance that is the difference between success and
failure in an employment situation.
Councillor Scullion.
Thank you.
Councillor Hinchliffe prompted me to add one from Calderdale.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:55:35
I was slightly sceptical about some of this really in terms of that kind of targeted thing
and particularly around the health aspects.
And I've got an example from Tomerton, in the far end of our borough, where our local
employment hub with combined authorities helped set up a stall in Tomerton Market.
You know, it's the messages going to where people are rather than making them go to an
office in Halifax or Leeds, going to where people are, that one -to -one personalised support
email, phone, the whole person thing as you say in terms of somebody having had a mental
health episode in the background and working through that. But the other thing, it comes
back to what Councillor Lamb said, actually what our team locally have been doing very
much is actually talking to employers and making those connexions. I think the challenge
for us is, and as Councillor Hinchliffe said, this person just got a job in September and
put something in our local Halifax Courier paper about this.
But the question is how do we actually really push that and scale it up?
And that's why the trailblazer and accelerator money is very important.
We really need to roll this out actually and get some publicity about it, that people are
genuinely getting jobs.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Mandy, business advisor.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:57:12
Thank you, Mayor. I think it's a fantastic paper and a great piece of work. Healthy businesses
Mandy Ridyard (West Yorkshire Business Board) - 0:57:17
need healthy people and healthy people need healthy businesses. They're symbiotic and
so the collaboration within this is absolutely trailblazing, I think, and will change that
dynamic. We need businesses to understand, if they don't already, what they can do to
best maintain a healthy workforce so that people don't drop out, but also they need their talent pipeline in front of them to be increased
because many businesses are talking about skill shortages. And this is one of those solutions.
I think the point that you make, Councillor Lamb, is really important about engagement into what's going on in the ecosystem.
And that's always been a challenge as a business myself. I didn't even know that the labyrinth existed, let alone how to find my way through it.
So the work that we're doing around a Team West Yorkshire approach through all stakeholders
will help with that.
The new website as we work on that will help with that.
But it's on all of us to make sure that businesses in our areas know more about what is available
to them, either through the combined authority or partners, and this is one of those opportunities
to get more involved.
Thank you.
Any further comments?
Super.
would you like to respond to Felix?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:58:34
I will very briefly Mayor if that's okay. The point about not enough SME
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:58:42
approach, we'll take that on board and see what more we can do but I just want to
reassure the councillor that that is very much not the case and almost
everything we've done has actually been with small businesses because a lot of
The evidence tells us that it's a small business
that's struggled the most to either find the information
or to be able to support employees
in the way that they need to be.
So the work that we're doing with the pilots
that have been launched and the incentive programmes
that are out there are almost, not exclusive,
but almost all of it geared towards SMEs.
Constanze has another question about governance
and then about documentation.
So we have the Healthy Working Life board, which the mayor chairs or co -chairs with the
ICB.
There's a programme board that I co -chair again with the counterpart from the ICB, and
they report into this board and into the economic committee.
In terms of documentation, we can never win.
So I could have packed this and I think Ben put his foot down there, you know, said, right,
too many documents in this sort of crack back.
So we had to sort of strip some things back.
We have shared everything with you.
So you have the work and health plan that has come here
already, you have the evidence base behind it,
you have all the delivery plans that have gone in,
which we are using to inform the work that we're doing,
you have all the documents that we
use to set up these various boards and the programmes
that we talked about.
But I'm very happy to share all of that with you,
again, if that is helpful.
But rest assured, we can't move a penny without two million pages of delivery plants and KPIs
signed off by two million boards ending up in the treasury before anything goes anywhere.
So we've got that and I'm happy to share that in the ad dashboards being pulled together.
I think the other questions were sort of dealt with in the round, so I'll leave that.
Thank you.
There might be some hyperbole there about the millions of pages.
Just a little bit.
But then...
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:00:54
Just to respond to Felix's point that it is true that I am trying to get officers to write
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:01:00
shorter combined authority papers and put detail and lengthy documents into annexes
and I'm going to continue to do that. Thank you.
Okie dokie, good stuff. That's what we like. Brevity. Can the CA approve the Healthy Working
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:01:14
Life Plan? Those in favour of the recommendations, please raise your hand. Thank you. Those against?
Those abstaining, thank you.
Moving on to item 10, Region of Learning and Creative Strategy and Adult Skills Plan.
This focuses on one of my key commitments when I was re -elected last year.
We cannot achieve our economic ambitions without improving the skills of West Yorkshire's residents
and this strategy is key to delivering that.
A key element is the Adult Skills Plan, considered at the recent Economy Committee and has been
refined based on a steer by the committee so thank you to Councillor
James Lewis for the leadership there. I'll come over directly to you Felix to
talk us through the paper. Thank you Mayor. When adult skills was devolved to the
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:02:06
combined authority a few years ago we had to pull together what at the time was
to that as the adult education budget strategy that now has come to the end or coming this
year to the end, early next year to the end of its work and life.
This region of learning and creativity strategy will replace that and it will reset using
the paper that has just come before and the evidence that we referred to and other pieces
of evidence that will help us reset and just set out very clearly what our strategy is
and how we are going to take what you approved in December last year, the local growth plan
around the importance of skills and creativity as one of the five key priorities in the local
growth plan, how we are then going to blow that up into a set of actions that we invest
in. So that work is underway. And what you've
got right now is not the draught strategy document, but we are developing that in tandem with
The Adul skills plan is a commissioning document.
It's a market facing document, which
tells the training providers and colleges out there
what we will be buying as a result of all the work that's
going on.
Normally, we'll bring this one second,
but we have to bring it now so we are ready to go to market
in time to deliver.
So the reassurance I'm giving you
is that the strategy is being developed
at the same time as the plan.
They're reinforcing each other, but we need the plan hopefully approved by you today so
we can get ready to go to market, and there will be no gap then in our provision.
This is based on evaluation that we've done, which sets -which helps us to understand what
we're doing right, what we've not done right since adult skills was developed to us.
And the adult skills plan then takes it on from there and gives a sense of what we're
looking to prioritise.
In the Lookout Good plan we said we will prioritise, make sure we work to half the number of people
with no or very low qualifications and we'll increase the number of people with Level 3
qualifications.
This is beginning to put that in action.
It's a region wide ambition so it doesn't mean we'll do the same thing everywhere.
We need to make sure we are meeting people where they are but that is the overall ambition.
These are the priorities that we are hoping you're happy to approve in this plan.
Thank you.
Certainly when we talk about tackling the cost of living, if people have greater skills,
they have more opportunities to earn.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:04:35
Just alongside this, it's a different topic, but just for the board's knowledge, that two
of our local regional projects in the region of learning, the libraries for primaries and
also the work that we've been doing on just completely escapes me. The libraries for primaries
in West Yorkshire is now a national programme and the poet laureate, thank you Felix, the
mayor's young poet laureate that was a regional project has now also been rolled out nationally.
So we are really ahead of the curve when it comes to how you approach learning in the
that it's not just about GCSEs it's also about that those soft skills as well so
I'm really pleased that libraries for primaries in particular 15 million has
been allocated to primaries and secondaries to have libraries across the
country so we did we did take a leadership position there. Are there any
comments on this particular approach to the skills plan? Thank You councillor Lamb.
Yeah, thank you, Mayor. I'd like to propose that we add the irony, I'm not sure if it's
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:05:56
one word or two, to the strategy, but to put lifelong ahead of learning. And I think this
is actually one of the most important pieces of work that the Combined Authority can do.
And the reason I say that is reflecting back to my school days when the digital and technology
offer was one computer on a trolley and a Betamax video that got wheeled out on the
last day of term every year.
You're not that old.
Councillor Lamb, you're not that old.
I know it's a surprise, but yeah, and I can see I'm not alone in the room either.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:06:29
And did that equip me for the economy of today?
No.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:06:33
We have to keep learning and adapting all of the time.
And you imagine while schools are a very different place now
with whiteboards and all manner of technology,
the pace of change is huge.
And I think we have to create a culture where people don't see it
as a weakness to be constantly learning.
We have to be ready to adapt in all of our workforces.
And I think putting the words lifelong at the head start
of this strategy would really send a clear message to people
that that's what we should all be doing.
we should all be looking to learn, develop our skills,
and that is how we're gonna get more productivity
and keep developing and growing as a society.
Thank you, our strategy is definitely that escalator
of learning, you can get on and off at any time
in your life, and our mantra is every day is a school day,
we're all open to learning.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:07:24
I'll come back to you Felix when I've taken some questions.
So Councillor Hinchliffe?
Yeah, I mean, we've had a few conversations
about this paper and I think this is probably came out you know early to be
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:07:39
able to change the paper but I think three point ten obviously talks about
increased investment in level threes qualifications but just going on what
council lamb just said you know that lifelong learning is really important
and it's not everybody can start at level three so the investment in level
one level two is very very important otherwise we're never going to get
people to level three you've got to start somewhere so I just some
Reassurance that that is going to be in there and reviewed accordingly. Thank you. Thank you
Unfortunately, we have too few people in comparison to other regions at level three and level four
So that is our challenge as well, isn't it?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:08:14
Councillor and just again, hopefully this is just a yes or a no from Felix
What are you saying
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 1:08:24
In appendix three
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:08:29
Cllr Barry Anderson (WYCA Scrutiny Chair) - 1:08:32
on page 37 within it, the outcome measures, bearing in mind the answer you gave me to
the previous paper, are they in existence as well and there is a board set up to monitor
the outcomes framework and we've got the basic starting measures that we're starting already
with.
Any other further questions for Felix?
Thank you very much.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:08:59
The last one, the economic committee as we have it has responsibility for this in our
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:09:04
structures before it reaches this board.
So we have the governance arrangements to pick that up.
We have a lot of evidence that we use to do this.
And again, very happy to share.
So that was a bit more than one word, yes.
but I'm trying to be helpful.
On the lifelong learning, I will just cheque with the team
to make sure we can do that, not because there's an issue,
but because in this world, there's
a particular technical connotation
to lifelong learning and what we call it.
And if we're not careful, we might then shoe on ourselves
to give a sense that we are only doing something here, which
is called lifelong learning instead of what you actually
mean, which is a bit broader than that.
So we'll take that away.
and if there's nothing there, then obviously we'll do that.
That's absolutely fine.
The point about level three and progression,
completely take it on board.
When you read the adult skills plan,
you see the priorities that we are focusing on.
One is about progression.
And obviously if you don't have a level one,
you can't do a level two.
If you don't have a level two, you can't do a level three.
The importance though for the level three point
is that that is where you begin to build resilience
in your labour market.
So the more we stick with levels one and two
and not work on the progression to level three and above,
the more our labour market is at risk of shock.
When right now we are in the middle of a transformation
in our economy through AI,
the people best placed to adapt and to upscale
are the people already scaled up enough
to be able to even realise they need to do this.
But as I said, this is a region wide ambition and so the pace of change will be according
to where each area is and what is required to support people.
So, we know there's no, yeah, that's all.
Thank you.
Thank you, Felix.
Any further comments?
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:11:07
So, are we happy to approve the adult skills plan?
Those in favour of the recommendations, please raise your hand.
Those against?
Those abstained?
Yes, James.
You nearly bought a house then.
Lovely.
Thank you so much.
Okay, moving on to item 11, business planning and budgets.
This, as the report explains, is about the work done so far to prepare 26 -27 budget,
the steps we need to take to present a balanced budget in January, and I'm really pleased
to see the integrated approach that links our budget to key priorities and outcomes.
Clearly, there are significant challenges, but also there are so many opportunities as
we work through the funding position and prioritisation exercise.
The draught mayoral budget for 2016 -2017 is included for consultation and scrutiny ahead
of final approval in January, and also sets out the proposed 2 % increase in the transport
levy to support bus franchising.
More work to do over December to close the gap and ensure financial resilience, but I'm
very encouraged by the progress and the clear plan to mitigate pressures.
As we've all understood earlier in the meeting, we are still waiting for final confirmation
from government of the B -SIP monies.
So can I ask Kate Taylor, our Director of Finance and Commercial Services, to introduce
the report and take us through any questions.
Thank you.
Thank you, Chair.
So as has been set out through this meeting at the time of publishing this paper we hadn't had the budget announcement
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 1:12:42
In there, so we were missing a crucial part of information around our funding going forward
We now have that and we are working at pace
Over the next month to get to a position and we'll be working with partners working with leaders
over there to the end of the calendar year to be able to bring a balanced budget to this
combined authority in January for approval. The business planning process
has continued in light of that. The budget processes run as part of the
integrated business process so we understand effectively what people are
looking to achieve and then adding the pounds into there so giving us
assurance that the budget will reflect the resources needed to deliver the
activity that we set out in our corporate plan for 26 -27. As it's been
set out, the majority of the financial pressures
sit within transport, particularly
within the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme,
which is our only statutory demand -led budget in there,
and the continuation of activity previously funded
by BSIP in there.
The report does discharge our statutory duty
to lay, effectively, the mayoral office budget open to you
for scrutiny and consultation.
and that will then come forward for approval in January and the combined authority has
the time to raise any questions around that for the mayor to respond to. Next steps as
I say will be working through the implications and we look forward to bringing something
back in January. Happy to take any questions. Thank you so much Kate. Any questions on the
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:14:27
and a number of changes throughout December. Okay, thank you so much. So, can I get noting
and approval? So, can we note the approach and work to date on 26 -27, including priorities,
funding assumptions and emerging risks, and approve the draught mayoral budget for 26 -27
for consultation scrutiny ahead of final approval in Jan? Note 26 -27 budget will include a 2 %
increase in the transport levy to support franchising and note that further work will
continue in December to develop a balanced 26 -27 budget for approval in January.
Those in favour of the recommendations? Thank you.
Those against? Those abstaining?
One abstention? Councillor Lamb.
Thank you. Okay, moving on.
Item 12, governance arrangements. A couple of membership changes to our committees,
details are in the report but if I could ask Nikki Doyle our assistant director
for legal governance and compliance to introduce paper and talk us through and
I hope I pronounced your name right Nikki.
It's Diehl. Mayors this is a paper in relation to a procedural matter as you
Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance - 1:15:45
know each year at the start of the municipal period we invite the five
constituent councils to nominate members to sit on our various committees. There
are occasions of course throughout the year where changes are
requested and we have received notification from Leeds City Council
regarding a wish to make a change to a membership and that being the place
regeneration and housing committee. They wish to terminate the membership of
Councillor Jessica Lennox and replace her with Councillor Mary Harland.
They have also further provided formal notification that they wish to nominate to an existing vacancy,
that being Councillor Pauline Graham to be nominated to that vacant position of deputy member to Councillor Kate Haigh on the Scrutiny Committee.
The recommendations that are set out in paragraph 2 in the report are there for you to consider. Thank you, Mayor.
Thank you. Any comments on these changes? No? Thank you. Are we in favour of the recommendations?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:16:53
Please raise your hand. Thank you. Anyone voting against? Any abstentions? Thank you.
Moving on to Item 13, devolution. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, a brilliant announcement
we had at the Budget about our integrated settlement and key to that is agreeing the
outcomes framework that's going to go alongside it and this paper gives us an
update on these preparations alongside the work I've been doing to influence
government to deepen and widen devolution further through to the right
to request process. Sarah Eaton, Director of Strategy, Communications
and Intelligence, would you talk us through the paper please, thanks.
Thank you Mayor, so as I think I've said at previous meetings we're hoping to
and update for transparency papers just to show the work that is taking place, both on
devolution and the integrated settlement work plan. The work plan we update after every
meeting in line with milestones that are kind of changing and moving, but it is attached
in an appendix there, so we're just trying to make sure that we've got, that programme
is running smoothly. We will be fetching different bits of that programme to yourselves as time
progresses but obviously it's time bound with kind of some of the key national
deadlines that we're kind of working towards. So just in terms of the rights
requests now which you just talked about and the paper just gives an update on
where we are on that kind of process so in October we received a letter from the
Undersecretary for the State of the Devolution faith and communities about guidance about
how a shadow rights request might be working and this is in advance of the
formal process coming into place once the devolution and community empowerment bill
works its way through parliament and is enacted. So basically starting to kind of work out
how this might operate in practise really. And we've seen some successes quite recently
around that kind of right to request. So the visitor levy which I think was also announced
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:18:55
in the budget has been kind of widely reported on now but we can start to see how this might
help shape and move us along that kind of devolution journey in terms of being able
to propose further powers and funding and partnerships which will expand that kind of
devolution framework.
So we have been asked to give some ideas forward under this kind of shadow process.
What we've done is rather than try and come up with anything new is we've reinforced some
of the measures that we've previously asked for, particularly around 16 to 19 skills and
around innovation and I think previously we've talked about being able to
kind of devolve, have full devolution for the local skills improvement plan and
delivery of adult skills provision within prisons so that we've got that
full ability to kind of look across the skills system but also around DEFI
capital investment as well and in terms of innovation we know at the minute that
money does come into the region but that we haven't got full devolution of that
so our right to request our focus on other things that we've previously worked
the government about in terms of this approach. The government has got six months to come
back to us around this and letting us know whether or not those activities have been
supported and obviously we'll keep you all informed about that as time moves on. But
clearly a really good opportunity for us to see how that lever will help us move along
that devolution journey as we move forward. I think at the time of writing, as everyone
else has said we didn't have the full integrated settlement quantum and the
paper kind of outlines that but as people will know and we got just short
of two billion pounds one point two billion pounds of that was for
transport and local infrastructure we haven't had the bus figures as Kate said
yet but clearly this is giving us you know real opportunity to kind of
progress the work that we're looking at across across the piece and that's quite
fundamental to the work we are doing under the outcomes framework. As you will see we
are in negotiation with the government at the minute. Up to now that has been looking
at the measures that form part of the outcomes framework and also that overarching set of
outcomes. We have had some conversations with government, we submitted a really small set
of outcomes and that was to give us the maximum flexibility we could have in this space to
deliver against our priorities, predominantly setting the local growth plan. They have been
through that negotiation they have been expanded out and that is to enable us to be able to
kind of measure the work that we will be taking forward.
We have developed in the region a broader outcomes framework that will allow us to look
at the whole of the work that we are doing across the combined authority with our partners

10 Region of Learning and Creativity Strategy and Adult Skills Plan

so that we have got that consistent measurement of impact which I think feeds into some of
conversations that we've had previously under other items but we will be held to
account for the the outcomes framework that is linked to the integrated
settlement so that now we've got that quantum we're now in the space where
we're starting to look at target setting against some of the measures that we're
working with government to kind of agree on and what I've set out in that that
that paper is that the timetable unfortunately because the quantum
comes slightly later than we anticipated we will now be moving into January and
February before we kind of finalise those outcomes but hoping that they will
be signed off by ministers in mid -February.
So that work is now taking place in earnest.
Some of the timescales that I've been working to
have been condensed.

11 Business Planning & Budgets

12 Governance Arrangements

13 Devolution

And finally, I think one of the work streams that
is starting to get up and running now
is around governance.
And what we're flagging in the paper is, obviously,
the bill will create a number of changes
relating to the government's strategic authorities.
And now we've got to start looking at what
the implications of that will be.
So as a result of those changes, we will need to ensure that we've got appropriate oversight
and alignment around the seven areas of competence.
So we will be bringing that work back to a future meeting of the Combined Authority in
due course once that work has been completed.
And I'll stop there now.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
And certainly those outcomes, we want those outcomes to be as few – outcome expectations
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:23:12
to be as few as possible from government so we can make our own decisions on this money,
otherwise it's not devolution.
So, thank you for the wrangling that your team have been doing with government to get
it to work for us, because obviously we're in a new landscape, we're just working our
way through new responsibilities.
So I think if we can work as hard now to get it right, as much as capacity allows, so that
then we don't have to unpick it further down the line.
And there are many other things that we've lined up to be put on the list for Right to
request, one of which is careers, to devolve careers to mayors.
To Councillor Lamb's point about businesses and being able to identify opportunities for
careers for young people that reflect our business needs in a way that sometimes you
don't get that if that's operated from the centre.
So it's a really exciting time for our combined authority and for all the lobbying, we're
now finally here, so let's make it work for us.
Any questions?
No questions? I'm astonished there are no questions on devolution. We could talk about
it all day, Sarah and I. But thank you so much. So are we happy to note the progress
made to prepare for the implementation of the devolution bill, including our right to

14 Project Approvals

request submissions for further devo, key preparations for the integrated settlement,
including the development of a comprehensive outcomes framework, all those in favour of

13 Devolution

recommendations. All those who are against any abstentions? No, thank you so
much. Finally, the last couple of items moving on to item 14 project approvals
investment priority five delivering sustainable integrated inclusive and

14 Project Approvals

affordable transport. This next project relates to transport and an update to
just one scheme in particular Harrogate Station Gateway. We recognise the
importance of this scheme to North Yorkshire Council as a promoter and to
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as joint funder. You're aware
of our decision to fund the scheme in 2024 and our role has remained focused
while allowing those responsible for delivery to address all matters required
to deliver this project. Could I ask Simon Pope, please, our Transport Capital
programme director to take us through the recommendation. Thank you, Mayor. For
context, the Harrogate Station Gateway Scheme involves improvements to walking,
cycling and bus infrastructure in the vicinity of Harrogate Railway Station.
Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:25:45
As you point out, the command authority granted full approval to the scheme in
March 2024, subject to conditions. Discharge of those conditions has been
delayed due to further scheme development by the promoter and the
legal challenge against North Yorkshire Council in relation to the traffic regulation orders
that are proposed to be introduced on completion of the scheme.
Traffic regulation orders provide the basis for the Council to legally enforce parking,
waiting and loading restrictions.
Those orders may be varied by the Council at any time, subject to the Council following
the necessary statutory process to do so.
For members' clarity, North Yorkshire Council is the authority responsible for making the
regulation orders and a clear separation of roles in this regard between them as
the Highway Authority and both the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority as joint funders of the scheme.
We're therefore recommending that the Combined Authority approves this change
request to extend time scales only for completion of delivery from October 2025
to August 2027. The Combined Authority's funding contribution of 11 million
pounds that was approved in March 2024 remains unchanged. This extension of time
will allow North Yorkshire Council the opportunity to address matters required
in order to discharge remaining conditions including clarifying their
intended approach in relation to the current legal challenge and to progress
delivery of the scheme once in a position to do so. Thank you. Thank you
Simon. I wonder if Councillor Kilbane would like to say anything?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:27:20
Yes, thank you chair and just for clarity, obviously I'm here representing City of York
Council affiliate of West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Cllr Peter Kilbane (York Council) - 1:27:28
So I'm not speaking, certainly not speaking on behalf of North Yorkshire Council or for
that matter York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.
However what I can say is that the station gateway scheme in York is nearing completion
of the first phase.
Anyone that's been to York recently will see the massive difference it makes when you come out of that station
You you can see all of the city walls and it's the it's the kind of entrance to a city that a great city
like York deserves so
Thank you to the command authority for the support with that particular project and it does make the whole area look warm and welcoming but
The main purpose of it is to increase those bus passenger journeys is to increase the foot journeys to
The station is to increase those cycle journeys and it will be doing that making people less car dependent on travelling to the station
So all I can say from your perspective the scheme there is looking really good and will be very successful. So, thank you chair
Thank you. And this is a historic arrangement isn't it since we were previously
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:28:36
Responsible for funding projects and now they have their own mayor things have changed any comments on this item. Yes councillor lamb
Thank you, Mayor. Just wonder if someone could talk to the risks around the legal challenge
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:28:49
and if there's any consequence of not taking this decision today and deferring it to wait
and see what happens with that. I'm not clear what any consequences of that would be, but
obviously there are some concerns and issues and it's not identified as a risk even to
to steal Councillor Anderson's London in the risk section around that legal challenge.
So could you just help us understand where we are with that and what the potential implications
are?
Thank you.
Happy to come to Simon or Nicky.
Simon, you happy to take it?
Yes, I can do.
Nicky, feel free to jump in.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:29:25
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:29:28
So the risks that were identified in the business case summary that the company, the main paper,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:29:32
Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:29:33
relate to our approved funding for the scheme in line with the current approach, but no
Councillor Anderson's earlier comment about making those risks a little bit clearer.
They don't in this instance relate to the risks that are owned by North Yorkshire Council
as the authority responsible for the traffic regulation orders, but we can certainly look
at that in terms of our approach to future papers.
In terms of the risks to North Yorkshire Council in terms of in delivering the scheme and addressing
their legal challenge, the current requirements from government are that they enter into a
contract for construction by April 2026 to avoid or to guarantee funding availability
from government.
Obviously, if the legal challenge to the traffic regulation orders was upheld, there are various
options available to the promoter to address that, involving either remaking of those orders,
modification to those orders, or indeed modification of the scheme to reduce the requirement for
traffic regulation orders to be introduced.
We are continuing to liaise with both the North Yorkshire Council and the York and North
Yorkshire Command Authority to better understand what their proposed intentions are in relation
to how they are going to respond to that legal challenge.
We will delay our decision in terms of discharge of conditions until we satisfy ourselves that
the promoter has the appropriate actions in train.
Thank you.
Any further clarification you need to add, Nicky?
No, I think Simon's dealt with it completely correctly.
Councillor Lamb, we are not the order making authority,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:31:02
Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance - 1:31:06
so the risk really rests with North Yorkshire County Council,
but you make a valid point in regards to the funding element of it
and discharge of conditions,
and we'll consider that very, very carefully in due course.
Thank you. Yes, Councillor...
Apologies, not from the floor.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:31:28
It's the Combined Authority meeting. Apologies. I know you've come from Harrogate, I understand.
Yes, thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:31:31
Thank you, and I think you've had a conversation with our officers, so thank you for coming and your contribution.
Councillor Lamb.
Yes, so the other bit of the question was, is there any implication for the funding of not taking this decision today?
Thank you.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:31:51
Nikki?
Simon?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:32:02
There are some elements to this in relation to action that needs to be taken by North
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:32:07
Yorkshire in regards to some contractual elements, but if this matter was deferred, this would
Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance - 1:32:15
just mean that the change request, which goes to the heart of the scheme, would be delayed
further and it would be reasonable to make that decision today given that the
narrow decision that we're making today is in relation simply to extending the time period.
Thank you so my understanding is that they are in a that we have a duty to
deliver this monies but that we were holding for them to deliver a project
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:32:37
and there is no reason why given the situation they're currently in there is
no reason why that should be withheld. Is that correct Simon? Yes that's correct.
Although just for clarity today's decision is to extend the duration of time that the
scheme promoter has to deliver the scheme. The discharge of conditions which
Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:32:56
is delegated to an officer's level is a separate decision that
needs to be taken once we satisfy ourselves that the promoter has discharged
those conditions in full.
Ben, just to give us that clarity.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:33:19
So what Simon is saying is that the decision to, just checking Simon, the decision today
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:33:21
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:33:26
is subject to conditions, offices will determine whether the Northridge Council have discharged
those conditions before any funding is released.
Okay, Councillor Holdsworth.
Just quickly, I raised this point with Simon earlier in my briefing.
Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:33:42
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:33:47
Simon, I asked if there was a financial cost possible to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Cllr Sue Holdsworth (Calderdale Council) - 1:33:50
If the appellant through Walton's solicitors actually won the case, would we lose any money
if we vote it to proceed with agreeing to pass on £11 million today.
And you had your answer, so Simon if you'd like to – Nicky?
The decision today, Councillor Holds, relates to extending the time period.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:34:16
The decision in relation to the approval to proceed which releases the funding is a delegated
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:34:22
decision which Simon has already highlighted is subject to certain conditions being satisfied.
those decisions are yet to be made. That is great clarity that this is just to
extend the time scale so that's the decision we're making today which is
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:34:40
very helpful we got that in the end thank you so much. Okay so any further
comments? Right let's take the approval so can we approve the change request for
the Harrogate railway station Gateway scheme to extend the time scale for
delivery to the 30th of August 2027 to enable completion of delivery with
future approvals subject to assurance tolerances. Those in favour of the
recommendations thank you those against those abstentions
Councillor Lam thank you so much. Okey -doke moving on to finally the
minutes for information this report provides members with details of
of previous committees published since the last CA meeting.

14 a) Project Approvals – Investment Priority 5 – Delivering Sustainable, Integrated, Inclusive and Affordable Transport

And the next meeting is January the 22nd.
And I just want to take this moment
to wish you all the very merriest of Christmases
and New Year.
And Santa's helper, who put the sweets on the desks.
For all of us, I'm very grateful.
So Merry Christmas to everyone.
Thank you.
And can we vacate the room swiftly?
Because I know that Mandi Rijad has a very important event
in here in short order. Thank you all so much and again Merry Christmas.

15 Minutes for Information and Summaries of Committee Meetings

16 Date of the Next Meeting

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Rachel Jones
Interim Head of Transport Policy
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
View profile Rachel Jones