Finance, Resources, and Corporate Committee - Wednesday 4 March 2026, 2:00pm - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

Finance, Resources, and Corporate Committee
Wednesday, 4th March 2026 at 2:00pm 

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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  2. Rotimi Olorunfemi Committee Services Officer
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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member
  8. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  9. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  10. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  13. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  14. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  15. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  6. Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member
  7. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  8. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  9. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  10. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  8. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  9. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  10. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  13. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  14. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  15. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  6. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  7. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  8. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  9. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  10. Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  13. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  14. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  15. Webcast Finished

1 Apologies for Absence

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:04
Welcome everybody and today's meeting of the Finance Resources and Corporate Committee.
We have a massive agenda as always so we're going to get straight into the business.
Ritibi, any apologies?
Yes, we are from Councillor Jeffrey and ASMA Iqbal.
Thank you so much.

2 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Rotimi Olorunfemi Committee Services Officer - 0:00:22
Declarations of interest.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:24
Do any members have interest they wish to declare in any item?
No.

3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

Thank you so much. Great. There are no items requiring the exclusion of press or the public but thank you councillor
Anderson for coming to keep us all in line

4 Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance, Resources and Corporate Committee held on 27 November 2025

minutes of 27th of November 2025
Any comments or questions on the minutes?
No, thank you so much content to confirm them as an accurate record

5 Organisational Performance 2025/26 - Quarter Three Update

We are thank you moving on to item 5 corporate performance update
This report provides an update on the CA's organisational performance at Q3 2025 -26.
It reflects progress across the five West Yorkshire Plan missions,
together with our ambition to be a high -performing, mature strategic organisation.
May I ask our Director of Strategy, Sarah Eaton, to speak to the item.
Thank you, Mayor.
So as you just outlined, this is our quarter three update on performance against the 25
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:30
priorities that are aligned to the five missions in the West Yorkshire Plan.
I think as you'll see in the report, there's been some movement on the performance update
for this quarter.
In particular, I think you'll see actually the number of activities that have kind of
completed or on track of increase from 11 % to about 21%,
which is kind of good progress.
The number of areas that are on track are now around 60%.
So you'll see overall in terms of the overall positioning
that there's been quite a good movement,
I think over this quarter into that positive area.
As a result of that, there's been a drop in the numbers
that are kind of not on track.
A slight increase on the numbers
that we think are not gonna be achievable in this period
from kind of 2 % to 4 % overall
in terms of the overall positioning. I think if you look through the report what you'll
see is that across mission one, Prosperous West Yorkshire, really performing strongly
in that mission at the moment. There's particularly been some movement around employment and skills
and you'll see there that the number of businesses that have been engaged in employment and skills
activities increased as have the number of learners, so adult learning is really on track
and progressing well, so really strong performance across that mission. I think the second mission,
Happy West Yorkshire, what you'll see there I think is again we were reporting just underperforming
at the last quarter across this mission but that has turned around this time around and
that's predominantly linked to additional activity taking place around culture. So there's
been a shift around some of them and movement in some of the programmes that have been delivered
in that space which I think particularly around the pitches and libraries in primary school
etcetera. So good progress there.
Our next mission around Well Connected you'll see kind of a similar picture to the last
quarter where we've got a number of areas that are kind of just reporting as amber at
this particular point in time and they are some of the big programmes that they've got
in place particularly around mass transit and bus franchising and asset strategy. I
you will see in the paper are descriptions of where we are trying to bring those areas
back on track by refocusing or resetting programmes. There has also been some positive movement
outside of this quarter particularly around assets which has been tracking as amber for
a while. We have had some new resources coming into the organisation and there has been some
significant movement around asset management conditions. So you will see things that are
starting to kind of be moving as a result of some of the mitigating actions that have
been put in over that last quarter.
On the fourth mission, some other positive things that I think have happened in that
area around the local transport plan.
So we know that all the consultations taking place and I think that's coming to the CA
next week for approval.
So some really good work.
In sustainable, I think you'll see that some of the areas that were still flagging as amber
are still there.
I think you'll see in the beginning of the report there's some KPIs that look like they're
underperforming, particularly around the capital programme, and that is directly as a result
I think of some of the reprioritisation that we've done as an organisation. There's quite
a number of KPIs flagging, but they are flagging because we've actually taken a more prioritised
approach to the work that we're doing rather than having numerous schemes if we looked
at that. So even though they're flagging as AMBA, that's because of some direct action
that we've taken as an organisation. And then I think finally on our mission around Safe
by Shocha you'll see that there's continued strong progress across the piece on that with
all of those areas kind of flagging strong performance at this particular moment in time,
so really good storey to tell around that mission. High performing, again similar picture to
last time round, some good progress made on the evolution integrator settlement but some
areas where particularly around value for money that were kind of a similar picture
to last time. I think all of this is, you know, noting there's some really cross -cutting
themes I think coming out of this period that is worth us having a think about really and
is flagged in the paper around kind of some of this is showing some of the complexity
and alignment and delivery at pace of some of our major programmes really and they're operating
and some really complex landscapes.
And some of that is subject to kind of external policy changes as well and funding and timings
which we're kind of taking account of over this period.
I think some of that is going to be supported by the integrated settlement that's coming
in with certainty around the budget which has given us that ability to kind of have
a really good plan into the future around some of that activity.
I think some of this is showing increased demands for better insight and some of our
major programmes are now at that stage where they require substantial evidence, insight
and modelling and consultation and they are all landing at the same time so there is something
there around for us to think about in terms of our organisational programmes. There is
obviously something that was mentioned last time around volatility and change control
which is extending some of the critical paths and all of those things are things that we
looking at as part of the mitigation around some of the areas that are not on track at
the moment to get us to a better position at the end of the year. I think there's also
some emerging issues from quarter two, I think lessons learned, we are doing quite a bit
of work at the minute around lessons learned around particular areas and making sure that
we're embedding that across the organisation, that we're using that to kind of inform future
projects and programmes, particularly where that's involving kind of complex activity
that's underway and that's going to drive some of the work that we're doing around our
of excellence around project and programme management in the organisation. So lots of
things there that we need to build into our work towards the end of this year but into
the coming year as we think about what we're going to be measuring performance on next
time around. There's also something about embedding that performance management culture.
This is really strong information that is helpful for us in terms of managing where
we are, showing transparency about delivery but enabling us to really think about where
we need to kind of move the shift as an organisation to kind of deliver.
And I'll stop speaking there and if anybody's got any comments, I'm really happy to kind of pick you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:07:48
Super, thank you. As you say, some really good stuff in there
and some stuff that we can learn from as we move forward in this new maturity and the integrated settlement.
So, Councillor Scullion.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:08:01
Thank you, Mayor. I'm very impressed by the report and bringing all this together.
I don't actually think we get, or we make enough noise about some of the things we have
done.
We've been very steady, really, in many ways, and that kind of, this is a picture of steady
achievement really.
I think the final bit of the paper, I think, gives us some things to focus on in terms
of where we go next, where we build on that things.
I think the phasing, you might say, well, of course, it meant that we didn't meet some
of the performance outputs that we talked.
I think it's good, the phasing, because we've
learned from that.
And we've learned as councils, as well as
the combined authority, not to over -promise and under -deliver.
I think it means that we've got a better outcome in terms
of things that are on time, on budget,
and actually deliverable, really, that people recognise.
I don't think the phasing is a bad thing at all, really,
and pipelining that we've had to do.
I think it does raise questions in terms of, I don't think you said this specifically,
Sarah, but I think we've learned in the last year some to think about capacity, particularly
with bus franchising coming down the road, whatever, sorry about that, but capacity in
terms of what's there in the councils and in the combined authority as partners of delivering
towards all of these government expectations
and our own residents' expectations.
So capacity is one of the things that's continued
to help we got the structures right.
I think the other thing is agility, really.
It sort of almost feels, whenever you have one of these
kind of state of the nation sort of annual reports,
you think, phew, that's great, that's a lot of work done.
But actually, the opening out of the next phase,
and we had heads down negotiating with government and doing all these things and so on.
And we are actually just on the doorstep of the next phase, the bus franchising and so on.
And we are going to have to be agile and adjust some of these things really.
So I think there's lots of learning in this report and I'm pleased to hear that officers
are actually trying to draw that out because I think the Mayor is right, you know, we're
and we need to have those lessons drawn out and learn from them very quickly. Thank you,
Matt. Thank you. As always, a fantastic contribution.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:10:35
Thank you, Councillor Scollion. Also, for me, it's very important that we ensure that
we have the resources when it comes to data and intelligence. And obviously, as we expand
as an organisation, where can AI help us as it helps other organisations of this size
to take away some of the repeated work that potentially would give us more time to be
more agile and flex our resources in a more productive way.
So we're asking businesses out there to be more innovative.
I want to also make sure as an organisation we take those opportunities.
We are a region of digital excellence and innovation.
We should make the most of the partnerships
that we've already got to help us.
We will need data.
We will need to be able to work at speed as well.
So in our new phase, I think making the most
of the great community we actually sit in is no bad thing.
Any further comments?
I think a lot of this productivity
is down to Bradford City of Culture.
Well done, Bradford.
Here, here to Bradford.
Jocelyn.
Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member - 0:11:47
With reference to the points on performance management and capacity, are we sure we have
sufficient people with the right skills who are able to facilitate the processes that
are obviously very complex and moving rapidly and many interconnecting factors.
But I'm concerned also looking later on in the papers that we have under spends and we
have a vacancy savings and I'm concerned that especially legal and finance are
they possibly slowing down some of the decision -making is this an issue should
we be aware of it do we need more investment in those areas thank you Joe
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:12:26
Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member - 0:12:27
thank you mayor and there is a huge amount of work going on at the moment in
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:12:33
terms of that constant move and development of the operating plan as
well as keeping an eye on future state all the time.
So we're already in design for what the transport services organisation and team will look like
12 months, 18 months, 24 months from now and beginning to actually get a pipeline together
through the resourcing plan of what skills we need to bring on board for that now.
In addition to that, we're actually trying to make sure that we've got a framework that
we can try and call upon that from a permanent or whatever level of requirement we have,
whether it's a fixed term, permanent, more quickly.
So that our time to recruit, as we'll come on to later,
gets swifter, and that we address that need
and equip more quickly.
We're even looking to make sure that we've actually
got somebody who is very solely responsible
for that within my team, and that's their absolute job
to do to make sure that this is connected to
how we develop people, what our succession plans look like,
Any new resource that we're bringing in all about that end outcome and what we need to be and look like so way
It's it's work in progress. I completely take on board your your comment and
And then and noted it is something that we are
Permanently working on at the moment and making sure that we actually plan we have a people work stream within our bus franchise in
Part of the organisation and our programme of work on there who are looking at those things
We have the same with mass transit. We have the same internally and I bring those all together
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:14:10
I think the question was more about the corporate services and legal etcetera and they carrying
vacancies.
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:14:18
And I would say the same applies, they are part of it, they're not done in isolation,
so as those projects are pulled together, as we move more into a project management
style organisation, those projects identify early enough on what legal and what commercial
and what finance support they require and that helps that pipeline for us to understand
what we need. So we're in the process of sometimes moving people across projects or understanding
when we need to recruit for that. It's quite early on in that process but we are beginning
to actively move into that space now and that address, so that does address the core part
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:15:01
as well. I think with maybe our next, where we get
to this subject particularly, it would be good to have an update on where you're at
when it comes to understanding and horizon scanning the teams that we need. I think it
would be important to understand just to deal with that particular question. Ben?
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:15:25
Thank you, Chair. Just to say I think trusting race is a very valid point. One of the pieces
of work in addition to those that Joe's outlined is that we are looking at what
is the right senior structure for the franchising model and I think we have
concluded that the current structure and siting of functions within directorates
needs to change for the operational model and we are in the papers for the
combined authority that we published tomorrow putting forward not a proposal
but the recognition that we will need to bolster a capacity at that senior level
and seeking a mandate to progress that work over the coming weeks. So we
recognise there are changes still to be made because the challenge we're going
to face is certainly from the first years of bus franchising we'll be running the
current system while also running the new system so how we do that efficiently.
And then the other point I'd make is we aren't shy from bringing new resources into the organisation
where we need to, but we do insist that there's a strong value for any case in that regard
and also that we're bringing in skill sets that are transferable as the needs of the organisation change.
Thank you.
Okay, thank you. Any further comments? Sarah?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:16:44
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:16:47
I think just going a little bit further on that point,
I think part of the work that we've been doing this year has been very much around the business
and budget planning integrated work and we've brought into that this year workforce planning
which will be continuing to strengthen. So as people have been developing their business
plans in direct rates they've been really thinking about the resources and that has
driven and supported the development of the budget. So I think very much around understanding
where we need to deliver and what do we need to do with that, both from a budgetary perspective
but also from a workforce perspective. So I think that work, that business and budget
plan is also something that is maturing within the organisation and is getting us so that
every time we do this we are much clearer about what we need to kind of deliver some
of the big things that we are committed to deliver.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:17:31
Thank you Jocelyn. Any other comments on this paper?
Are the committee prepared to note the Quarter 3 performance against key performance indicators
25 to 26? Yes, thank you.

6 Financial Performance 2025-26 Q3

Moving on, item 6, financial performance update 2526 quarter 3.
This provides an update on that position covering the year to date revenue and capital out turns,
the latest full year forecast and an overview of quarter 3 treasury management.
Can I ask Kate Taylor, director of finance and commercial services to introduce the item.
Kate.
Thank you, there.
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:18:07
And just know that the 2526 budget is now the revised budget that you saw the amendments in November
They went through and were approved as part of the budget paper by the CA in January
So I now reporting against that revised 2526 revenue budget that are in there
To use kind of the words around steady the financial position continues to be steady in there and is holding we are showing an
8 .8 million improvement against budgeted surplus at Q3.
That improvement is largely driven,
again as we've just picked up,
from the release of growth asks
that haven't been drawn down across the organisation.
The vast majority of those being related to staffing.
At the point of the year that we are now,
given the lead time it takes to get people in,
we have dropped those out
where there is not an active plan in recruitment
to get that person into the organisation by the year end.
Those requests as Sarah's outlined have then been factored into the budget planning for 26 27 and that budget contains
Then the resource to deliver those activities
So essence that is a one -off gain that has been reset through into the 26 27
As the committee will be aware the 26 27 budget required 10 million pound of support for me and art reserves to balance that
Therefore that improvement in the position goes some way to mitigating that and building those reserves back up so that we continue to have
Future financial resilience in there the year end out turn report which will come in the summer
Will make that final or based on the position
We'll ask for the final approval around use of reserves and what we ask you to approve us for to do
the capital forecast for the year is now at
$366 .93 million which is a reduction of $51 .7 from the Q3.
The majority of the spend is within the transport capital programme.
Again that budget is reflected, that approved within February 25 so it doesn't include the
work that has been ongoing across the last few months with district partners to reset
that capital programme.
Report also updates on the Q3 Treasury management position and confirms that there are no issues
with the potential indicators.
I think just to note as well the report is in a different format that you have seen.
There is quite a significant amount more of information, particularly within the appendices
that are in there for it.
Hopefully you found that useful and helpful to have and we're looking to continue reporting
in that manner kind of going forward to give greater visibility for you.
Happy to take any questions.
Thank you.
Any questions?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:20:45
Yes, justly.
Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member - 0:20:50
I'm at risk of sounding like a broken record.
I worry that the concept of an improved surplus, because having a surplus is never a good thing,
really.
I appreciate that we want increased reserves for the next following year, but really we
should be trying to spend everything.
And if of this 3 .3 million improved surplus, 2 .2 million is additional investment income,
which we couldn't have planned for anyway.
and one million is from directorates basically not having enough people.
So I think I'm concerned that although it sounds like good news, it's not really because
it jeopardises the projects that we actually want to achieve within this year.
Thank you.
Kate?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:21:32
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:21:35
Yeah, I mean I think you know in terms of wording in there, we use the word I guess
improved because it has improved from the Q3.
clearly as you can see the link forwarding to Sarah's paper on there. I guess from a
reporting perspective the numbers report what has happened and what is due to do. You know
kind of the business I guess and it comes into Jo's bit around moving the business forward
to make sure we have got those people in place to be able to deliver. It's certainly not
a, just to give you assurance in there, it's certainly not a kind of coordinated strategy
for example, on behalf in terms of upholding those off to mitigate and give
an improved position that isn't kind of a directive that has come through.
Jocelyn Manners-Armstrong Independent Member - 0:22:21
No, no, of course not. I wasn't suggesting that. I was just reminding, trying to remind us about what we're here for,
what we're actually trying to achieve. For example, you know, there's two
million underspending skills, especially in the boot camps, and I appreciate that
has been a delay, but I still worry these things are really
important for the future of the area and that's we shouldn't be saving money there. We should be spending
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:22:45
Thank you. Your point is very well made the the landscape in which we have been in however has been quite tumultuous
so late announcements of funding streams or
funding streams coming to an end
And then not recruiting because we don't know whether that the money is going to be coming back in for a different iteration of it
I think that's true around skills
I won't spend absolutely every single penny, but when there are other
expectations from government with changing timetables and whether you can roll over monies
It was to devolution is on its way. It is not complete that we are often
at the you know
Dependent on changes at the centre, but your point is very well made. We have says an organisation. We want to spend every single penny
Susan, Councillor Hinchcliffe.
Yeah, I think it's a good and useful debate actually.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:23:36
I think perhaps there's something officers can take away about looking at our own processes to make sure we can,
as soon as, as Tracey says, as soon as the decision is made at government, we make sure it's as quick as possible being implemented here.
So is there something we can do about our own sort of time and management at this side?
Because obviously we're always going to be buffeted by national things, as you said, Tracey.
say, but let's just examine ourselves and make sure we intervene as quick as possible
and when to get something to go.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:24:05
I think there was a period as well when we were concerned about the financial outcomes
and we were thinking, and I know that leaders were being, managers were being told do you
actually need this role because we need to make sure that we're actually spending every
penny properly and that people aren't sat on salary and then have no project. But now
with an integrated settlement, we have great flexibility
to move people around.
So faced with the choice of somebody on salary
not doing anything, how do you reassure the public
that that's a good use of money?
But now we can be much more agile
with the integrated settlement.
So I'm looking forward to this decreasing
as we become more self -sufficient.
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:24:49
I think all those points are absolutely right.
And again, just rolling forward to the combined authority papers, which are taking a significant
paper on the integrated settlement, setting out those spending areas, which over a multi -year
period, which will allow exactly the things that the council of interest has set out in
terms of making sure that once those agreements are in place, the teams can move as rapidly
as possible.
But I think Jocelyn's challenge to us isn't absolutely fair.
Good.
Okeydokey.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:25:20
So are we happy to note the financial position as of the 31st of December 2025?
Thank you.
Note the updated 2025 -26 revenue forecast showing a surplus of £15 .6 million.
Thank you.
And note in the quarter three Treasury management update.
Thank you.
Okay.
HR management information.

7 HR Management Information Quarter Three 2025/26

This is a nice segue into something we've already been discussing.
this is quarter 3 2025 26 October to December. Jo Denn, Assistant Director for People and
Transformation if you'd like to speak to this.
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:26:00
Thank you Mayor. So as you can see we've had a slight increase in sickness in that particular
quarter over and above what we've experienced before but it is in line with other authorities.
is we are expecting that to come down and we believe that our sickness and sickness
reporting is within tolerance levels.
I absolutely took on board quite a bit of feedback previously around that gap in terms
of understanding what people are.
There are a number of actions that we have been addressing as a result of that.
Some of them are practical around how we are working with our leaders and managers in terms
of actually working more closely with people to understand that and another activity is
a system -based one to make sure that actually it's not optional to actually not put anything
in terms of when you've been off sick. So we are closing that gap and will continue
to do that. I think moving through one of the biggest
concerns, it is the stress and mental health and the continued growth of that particular
reason for people's absence. We regularly look at how we can improve this and that's
proactively by trying to engage with employers and our colleagues in advance of anything
and methods that we can put in place to try and help address that and also the action
we take should anybody be off with that particular reason. And if that comes through within two
weeks people are referred to an occupational health to actually make sure that we actually
put the right things in place to actually support those people and listen to them and
get that feedback. We're always trying to grow in this particular area and make sure
that we try and share with colleagues, we work with other CA members to actually understand
what they do to and local authorities.
I think that there's a little bit of positive news in terms of some of our reporting in
that we had managed to stop the decline of people, particularly with disabilities, choosing
not to report that and we've now begun to slow its progress actually make an
inroads into that and we have less people and we will continue to do that
across all of our EDI groups but as discussed last quarter it's quite a
tricky time for people it's not something that we can actually make
people do we're working with people all the time to try and encourage them and
build up trust so that people feel confident and comfortable in letting us
in sharing that information with us, but it is optional for them.
Our employee turnover, we've just touched on that,
and I think that it is really interesting because we've got three reports here
that come as separate reports, but we are all working really closely together
in terms of how we can always improve those things.
And employee turnover is, I beg your pardon,
and time to recruit is a really big one for us in terms of being able to respond and that
agility. So that is improving but we will look to continue to improve that further.
And the employee turnover and retention rates are also reporting as positive. Sometimes
maybe we could do with a little bit more turnover in terms of being able to bring in some fresh
to push ideas, but as we grow, we are trying to do that as well.
Any questions?
Thank you, Jo.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:29:49
So the challenge for me is the time to recruit, whilst the numbers say it's now 100 days,
is it?
It still feels quite extraordinary in this market that is taking this long.
I do understand that police and crime, because we're vetting, can take forever, and you need
to be better for the serious information that you have access to.
But if we want to recruit from outside and it still takes us a hundred days, why does
it, and I know you've brought it down, which is very welcome, why is it taking so long?
There's a number of reasons.
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:30:23
Some of that's a notice period that's written into that, so often it will depend on where
the person is coming from in terms of how many days we need to wait for them to join
us from that recruitment process.
Some of it is we do vet people who are not in police and crime as well, and that can
have time into it and some of it is we're not responding quickly enough
ourselves sometimes in terms of our response to the market.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:30:52
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:30:56
What's your ideal, where would you like to be? I'd like us to
separate that information out a little bit more so that we can
understand and see and then we can target the specific areas so where we
We have people who only need a month's notice,
have a separate target for the ones where we have three months
so that we can actually be really clear on our management
data and information and address that.
I think the second thing for me, which we are working on behind
the scenes, is making sure that we can do more digitally.
So it's a very manual process, and that is probably why it
often takes time.
So in terms of leaders and managers prioritising when
you've got 100 applications that come in for a job,
you know, that's really quite tricky and we've got to get smarter and get technology and the AI and those kind of things to
Help us with that so that it's not it's not it's it's more streamlined and more efficient
And that is part of our target going forward
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:31:53
So you'll have somewhere a timeline where you want to where you want to get to Susan
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:32:03
Yeah, I'm noting you've you've worked harder at making sure that the representation of applications is better balanced because you've been
better with your advertising, which is good.
I suppose that's not necessarily, though you say,
translated through to the actual targets
you've got in the authority.
So I'm just wondering, obviously, some of this
is long term.
So it's like those, I think we talked before
about those relationships we have with education providers
across West Yorkshire over time to make sure young people are
thinking about the jobs here as an ambition,
that they too can work here.
You live beyond West Yorkshire, you can.
but obviously we want our young people in West Yorkshire to see the fantastic transport
ambitions this has and that they're part of that. So is there some long -term programme
that we're thinking of putting in place so that our young people are starting from an
early age to see that and our colleges support their ambition and then we come through with
better applications to get the jobs that we need filled?
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:33:00
Thank you, Councillor. There is and it needs further development. So where we've started
with that is in apprenticeship work and in graduate recruitment work. I've been to Bradford
and a number of other colleges myself working with the people, the right people within those
centres to try and get that loop and that feed through. We need to develop that more
and that's part of the whole resourcing plan. It is all connected in terms of the graduate
how we bring people in, how fast we bring people in,
and then how we develop them
when they're in the organisation.
So absolutely noted, we do do something,
it needs further work, and that is something that, again,
we've got in the plan for this year, so that we can do that.
I think in addition to that,
our teams collectively go out to our colleges and universities
universities do open days, we try and promote us as an organisation as much as we possibly
can and that's shared between taking people who have joined us through that route, so
our graduates and apprentices along with some different HR or our communications team and
we do have a timetable for that that we go through to make sure that we're promoting.
Susan?
Yeah, just to note, I was at a jobs fair in Shipley recently and WICA had a stall there
which was good to see.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:34:31
So I see the intent is just making sure
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:34:33
we be consistent over time.
I think it will be interesting to just have a conversation
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:34:39
outside of this meeting about how we can improve
whilst we have diverse cohorts coming through to interview,
then that's not reflected as you pointed out, Councillor.
How do we ensure that, one, obviously the candidates
are right, but making sure whether it's diverse
interview boards, what are the changes we can make to ensure people feel as relaxed
and as able to be their best version of themselves in the interview process so they have a better
chance of getting through potentially? What's the sticking point there would be good to
unpick? Ben, you wanted to come in on this point?
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:35:20
Thank you, Chair. I was just going to ask Joe to say, thinking your answer, which was
comprehensive didn't mention apprenticeships quite as much as I would have, which I think
is worth talking about the apprenticeship programme. I think the other thing is the
challenge, there's always a balance isn't there and we are trying to bring in people
at the start of their careers equally. We've got a number of demands that actually want
to experience people that can hit the ground running. So that's always a challenge.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:35:50
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:35:52
Thank you. Joe? Thank you. Yes, we do and I can add we can talk about maybe what we
maybe would like to see in the report. That might be helpful out of the meeting
if we want to see some further information around our graduates and
those particular numbers and our apprentices. We have the number right in
front of me in excess of 150 apprenticeships going on across this
organisation, not to mention what we do in terms of developing that outside of the organisation.
And we are aiming to increase that further.
And some of that is people who are existing in the organisation who take on friendships
and we are developing them and supporting them through that, and some of that is around
people coming into our organisation off apprenticeship schemes.
We look into continually growing that.
And as we move into an operational side of the organisation
with our new transport services and taking on our busses
and those kinds of things,
that will give us an even greater opportunities
to bring people through that route.
And that is being planned as part of that future workforce.
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:37:02
And if I just may say on the Healthy Working Life Board,
we've lots of ideas and schemes
that we're encouraging businesses to do
to keep their workforce well.
let's not miss the opportunity to actually have us as a test bed, whether that's bringing
in creative opportunities or bringing in the pharmacist or the nurse to do flu jobs on
site. Are there other innovative ways that we can keep our workforce well that we should
be leading the way in that space? Okay, any further comments? No? Thank you. Okie dokie.
So, if we are happy to note the information relating to the CA's workforce and actions
taken to improve workforce management and support, we are.
Thank you.

8 Pay Policy Statement

Pay policy statement update.
This presents the CA's pay policy statement for the financial year 26 -27, alongside pay
policy statements for 24 -25, 25 -26 for endorsement.
Can I come back to you, Jo, to introduce this item, then I will also bring in Nicky, Assistant
Director of Legal Governance and Compliance, to clarify one point arising. Thank you.
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:38:19
Thank you, Chair. So the Pay Policy Statement is something that we introduced last year.
and
This was something and this is the point that Nikki will be able to clarify that we
We now realise is a statutory requirement
Which Nikki can clarify?
But we were we were actually presenting this information anyway irrespective of that
So there have been some small changes to that policy that have been around
around updating detail around job titles.
The biggest change in content really is the bit around flexibility,
which I particularly would like members to note.
And as we've described, we've described...
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:39:14
Sorry, on titles and flexibility on titles?
No, I beg your pardon.
Jo Dent Assistant Director People & Transformation - 0:39:18
So the list of details that we've actually changed, Mayor,
there are some of them that are quite detailed,
like it's not the COO's role anymore,
it's the Assistant Director of People and Transformations title.
And so they're quite small detailed changes to the policy
that was shared last year.
The key significant difference is the one that we've made some additions
to the flexibility within pay.
And as we have reported, that's really in line with trying to make sure that we have
got the ability to bring the right people into the organisation.
However, it is still very robust in terms of how we do that and even though we do have
this in our policy, there is only one person that we have actually applied any different
flexibilities to in the last 12 months. So business cases must obviously be presented
for anything that takes us away from the standard of our recruitment policy and pay policy.
and all other points in the pay policy are as they were last year.
So I'd like to ask if there's any questions.
Nicky?
Thank you, Hugh.
Thank you, Jo.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:40:42
Nikki Deol Assistant Director Legal, Governance & Compliance - 0:40:45
I just wanted to clarify, the legislation doesn't explicitly mention combined authorities,
but we are within Congress with local authority, families, so legally we sit within that framework,
and whilst Section 38 of the Localism Act does explicitly state combined authorities,
we are under a requirement under later regulations. So I just wanted to clarify that for you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:41:05
Thank you. Any further comments? No? Okay. Are we happy to approve and endorse the Pay
Policy Statements appended to the report? We are. Note the updates outlined in Section

9 Draft Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2026/27

3 .5. Agree the paid policy statement of 2627 to be published on the CA's website. In favour
of the recommendations raise your hand. Those against, any abstentions? Thank you so much.
Draught treasury management strategy statement 2627. We are asked to review and provide comment
on the strategy which will go forward to the CA next week for formal approval. The treasury
management strategy is a statutory requirement, sets out the guardrails and prudential limits
to be applied to management of our treasury functions.
If I could turn to Kate, Director of Finance and Commercial Services, and I thank you for
the extensive detail in this section of the report.
Very useful, thank you.
Thank you, Mayor.
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:42:10
As we point out, we are required to have a treasury management strategy that needs to
the CIFRA code so it is largely a compliance led statement which drives a lot of the content
that we are required to have in there and certainly those of you from local authorities
will be very familiar with it from your own authorities where you are also required to
have them.
Clearly strong treasury management is absolutely crucial for us to ensure that we are maximising
our cash position to generate income which supports the operating model but also provides
you know, kind of funds to support additional work across the region in there as well.
There's a strong link between capital plans for 26 -27 in there in terms of driving that.
So broadly our Treasury Management Strategy sets out four main areas.
So it talks around planned capital expenditure, how that will be funded and the capital financing
requirements, i .e. that will be supported by borrowing.
It talks around the minimum revenue provision, I'll come back to that.
It sets out how we will borrow money and the rules around that and also how we will manage money that we invest as well
so four main areas
We have reviewed some of our limits in light of the integrated settlement
Which will mean that we are carrying more cash and we will need some additional
Flexibilities to be able to to invest for that so that keep me in shawls that we're able to manage that money effectively
And we've done that in consultation with our Treasury management
advisors as well for that. What I will draw your attention to is recommendation 2 which
asks you to approve the minimum revenue provision statement or comment on it I should say. So
the minimum revenue provision is the mandatory annual charge. We're required to show that
in our income and expenditure and it's paying off the principal debt for any capital expenditure
that we have borrowed for effectively in there. There are a number of methods that you can choose
under the statute to do that and we are proposing for expenditure after the first of April 20,
2008 even, that we will be using the asset life method that is consistent and that's a straight
line method and MRP will be charged from the financial year after that expenditure has been
occurred or the asset bought into life. So that's a key statement for. We also just draw your
attention to Appendix 3, which sets out the responsibilities for myself as Section 73
officer.
In there, there are some changes that are implicit within that statement, effectively
recognising the scale and the importance of Treasury management investment is becoming
greater across kind of local authority for that.
Those are reflected in the CIFA role of the CFO in CAA guidance, and they're also supported
by our scheme of delegation and finance regulations
across the CA as well in terms of that.
So that takes you through three recommendations
that are in there.
Happy to take any questions or comments.
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:45:13
I'm pleased to see as well the prospects for interest rates,
because given the volatility of what's
going on in the world at the moment, who knows anything?
So it's incredibly useful to have that forward side.
You will have your own view about what
we can and can't stomach.
but I think if we're in trouble everybody else is as well.
Yeah, I mean
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:45:34
interesting often in times of conflict interest rates will raise up in terms of their which was actually in terms of making more money
on cash that you have in the bank. You do tend to benefit
from that. Obviously the converse of that is it pushes in place on cost as well. So there is a payoff
through that. It is extremely volatile market at the moment.
At the moment and Treasury management advisors have said it is probably in a certain the last 12 months have been the most volatile that
They have known and it's very difficult to predict at the moment
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:46:09
And also just for members if if you haven't managed to read appendix one
I think it's always useful to understand the economic climate in which we are all operating
It's not always in our gift. Is it what's going on?
Out there and we will be as agile as possible any questions on this
Thank you, Susan.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:46:29
Last year, we had budgeted for a certain amount of income
from treasury management, and we overshot that.
I'm just trying to find in here where
we are with that this year.
As in for 2526?
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:46:42
So we have 25 million in the Q3.
We have 25 million in budget for 2526.
We are overperforming by 2 .2 million,
which is not insignificant.
So historically we had actually been budgeting for around four to five million per random. So we rebase that in the 25 26
Budget to be more in line and we are we've got 27 million pounds in the 26 27 budget that has just gone through the CIA
So we've we based that we will need to continue to look certainly the 26 27
We are continued to keep an eye on that as we understand kind of when the integrated settlement will hit
Working obviously with yourselves through the capital expenditure and work as well
So we are continuing to look at that and we'll report that through in your management
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:47:30
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:47:31
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:47:35
Kate Taylor, Director West Yorkshire Combined Authority - 0:47:41
Yeah, so this year we have we've got about 27 million coming at the moment on forecast
Historically actually the year before we made our 42 million
It was significantly more.
Obviously, we then did the forward payment to yourselves
around the capital payment and revenue payments,
which reduced our cash balances
so we can't achieve that same 40 million this year.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:48:04
And I would say that the projects that we are announcing
at March 12th CA are real evidence of us getting under way,
spending that money, getting it out of the door
for these big capital projects.
Ben.
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:48:21
Actually, I think Kayce made the point I was going to make of sorts, which was we still
don't have a sustainable funding model for combined authorities nationally, and we've
still got considerable financial uncertainty around the cost of us franchising. The model
itself was a deficit model, so we know that it's going to cost us. And so actually Kayce's
approach of trying to build a prudent approach to income that's coming in from all sources
and build our reserves to help us deal with the inevitable market fluctuations
that will happen in the local West Yorkshire bus market is I think essential right now.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:49:00
Absolutely we're undergoing two huge, well many, a number of huge projects with
many variables so whilst you've got a grip of it it's a really big and
important time for us when it comes particularly to bus franchising.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:49:16
Thank you. Any further comments? No. Thank you. Are we happy to consider and endorse
the draught Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2627, approve the Minimum Revenue Provision
Statement paragraph 3 .37, note the changes set out in Appendices 3 and 4 relating to
the Section 73 Officer's responsibilities. In favour of the recommendations please raise
your hand. Thank you. Those against? Any abstentions? Thank you. Okie doke, that draws us to the
end of the meeting but can I thank you for your attendance and contribution but also
additionally as some of you will know the Combined Authority will shortly consider a
paper following a governance review of the organisation including potential changes to
our committee structure and depending on the outcome of that decision this may be the last
meeting of this committee.
I want to express my sincere appreciation to all
members of this committee for your guidance and
insight, dedication, and hard work that have made a
real difference.
You've strengthened our financial stewardship and
supported our corporate responsibilities and helped
to build a mature and solid foundation for the next
chapter for the combined authorities.
So, thank you all, and that is the end of the meeting.
Thank you.