West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Thursday 22 June 2023, 11:00am - Feedback Tab - Start video at 0:38:50 - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Thursday, 22nd June 2023 at 11:00am

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Speaking:

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Mayor Tracy Brabin

1 Membership of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority

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Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor (Kirklees Council)
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
Cllr Rebecca Poulsen Bradford Council
Cllr Claire Douglas
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
Luke Albanese, Director of Mass Transit (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Melanie Corcoran, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
Mr Ian Parr, Governance Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

2 Apologies for Absence

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3 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

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4 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

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5 Minutes of the Meeting of the Combined Authority held on 25 May 2023

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Item 5 - Combined Authority meeting 25 May 2023 - Draft minutes

6 Mayor's Update

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7 Committee Arrangements and Appointments

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Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

8 Representation on Outside Bodies

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Mayor Tracy Brabin

9 Officer Arrangements

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Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

10 Constitutional Arrangements

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Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

11 Corporate Governance Code and Framework

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Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

12 Member's Allowance Scheme

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Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

13 Scrutiny Annual Report 2022/2023

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Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

14 Calendar of Meetings 2023/2024

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15 Crisis in the Cost of Living and Doing Business

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Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Mr Mark Roberts, Interim Chair LEP Board
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Melanie Corcoran, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

16 Local Visitor Economy Partnership

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Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Claire Douglas
Cllr Rebecca Poulsen Bradford Council
Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
Mayor Tracy Brabin

17 Partnership Working with West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board

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Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

18 Assurance Framework post LEP integration update

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Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

19 a) Investment Priority 2: Skills and training for people

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Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

19 c) Investment Priority 4: Tackling the Climate Emergency and Environmental Sustainability

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19 f) Investment Priority 5: Future Transport

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Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Melanie Corcoran, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Claire Douglas
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Claire Douglas
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin
Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mayor Tracy Brabin

19 k) Investment Priority 6: Culture and Creative Industries

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20 Minutes for Information

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Item 20 - Minutes for Information

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Disclaimer: This transcript was automatically generated, so it may contain errors. Please view the webcast to confirm whether the content is accurate.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:00:14

Good morning, everybody and welcome to this West Yorkshire Combined Authority, A G M and it's at the annual general meeting of West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and can I just say it's great to see you are and also to our new members but I'll come to that in a moment and just remind everyone if you would like to speak it is the button on the right.

and if you just indicate and I'll bring you into the conversation,

1 Membership of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority

so the first item is to note the membership of the authority for the next municipal year, as set out in the table at Appendix 1 and in terms of changes in membership can I formally welcome Councillor Scullion previously substitute member now as the leader of Calderdale council, the appointed member on the Combined Authority, and thank you John, for your leadership so far, even as a Deputy and also on the climate committee at that you now taking on as well. So you are very welcome also if I could welcome Councillor Claire Douglas, the leader of City of York Council and York appointed member, it's so great to see you here and congratulations on your win and I'm sure you'll be a valuable member on our see, a also Councillor Alan Lamb, as one of our two Conservative members on the authority you are incredibly welcomes, and I know you'll give us great scrutiny, as you should

during items that we're discussing, so thank you for that, with that in mind, I wonder I actually I'll just say hello to Fatima Khan Shah, if you would stand up for me and just to say hello,

Fatima is our new inclusivity champion that is supported by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, but also the integrated care board, helping us as an organisation close the health inequality gap

across West Yorkshire and tackle Inc inclusion and diversity challenges, so thank you so much for attending and for members of the public who've joined us today as well, so just for new colleagues I wonder if you could just quickly whizz around the table

just to introduce ourselves so you get an understanding of who's who thank you so. I'll start tracing the men.

according to Ben Steele, chief executive of the common authority,

Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:02:34

and Caroline Allen and head of legal and governance here.

Caroline Allen, Head of Legal & Gov Services (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:02:39

should be on the leader of Kirklees, council.

Cllr Shabir Pandor (Kirklees Council) - 0:02:42

Councillor Jane Scullion, leader of Calderdale council.

Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:02:45

Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield council,

clocked up loss-leader City of York Council.

Cllr Rebecca Poulsen - 0:02:56

Rebecca Poulsen, leader of the Conservative group, on Bradford council.

Cllr Claire Douglas - 0:02:59

Good morning, everyone, Councillor Alan Lamb, leader of the Conservative Group, on Leeds City Council.

Cllr Alan Lamb - 0:03:04

hello Councillor Sue Holsworthy and Liberal Democrat political balance

Cllr Sue Holdsworth - 0:03:12

member for call detail.

later on Mark Roberts, interim chair of the LEP.

hello everyone and Luke Albanese, I'm the director of mass transit for

Luke Albanese, Director of Mass Transit (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:24

the Combined Authority.

accommodate everybody, on Simon booked and on executive director for

Simon Warburton - 0:03:30

transport to the Combined Authority.

hello, Angela Taylor, Director Finance and Commercial Services for the

Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:36

Combined Authority.

tied into direct policing events in place.

Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:41

Melanie Corcoran, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:44

hi Melanie, corker and director of transport policy and delivery at the Combined Authority, for

which they interim director of inclusive economy, skills and culture at the Combined Authority

Openreach chief operating officer at the Combined Authority.

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:56

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe - 0:03:59

Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford council.

James Lewis leader of Leeds City Council.

Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:04:05

I, Ian Parker and his editors offset for the Combined Authority.

there is a quiz at the end, you have to tell us what it really does,

Mr Ian Parr, Governance Services Officer (West Yorikshire Combined Authority) - 0:04:12

and Ian, I wonder other any apologies or absences,

2 Apologies for Absence

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:04:17

a full house that is fantastic, may I also take this moment to acknowledge that it's going to be Mark Roberts last Combined Authority meeting as he steps down from the role of interim chair member of the LEP Board at the end of June. Can I take this opportunity personally to thank you Mark for all that you've done over the last year

really creates waves and also built real trust in SMEs, particularly across our region. So thank you for all you've contributed.

You are also on the board

for the LEP, but also here on the Combined Authority, and I wish you really the best in the future with all your future plans. Recruitment is underway for Lecher and once completed, the proposal is that they will join the Combined Authority's Lead Member. However, it's unlikely that will be in place in time for our next meeting, which is July, the 27th, and to ensure that we retain private sector representation on the authority is proposed and existing LEP member is invited to represent LEP Board for that meeting. I'm sure members can support that that interim proposal. Finally, the report also seeks approval for the proposed voting rights for the City of York Council Combined Authority member and the LEP member, as set out in paragraphs 2.8 to 2.10. So can Members confirm their agreement to the full set of recommendations as set out in paragraph 10 of the report?

3 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

4 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

5 Minutes of the Meeting of the Combined Authority held on 25 May 2023

yes, thank you so much, so, moving on to item 2, we haven't got any apologies item 3 declarations of interest do Members have any interest they wish to declare No, thank you so, moving on item 4, exclusion of press and public there are no items identified as containing exempt information now MOU item 5 moving on to the minutes of the meeting of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority 25th of May any comments.

6 Mayor's Update

no, we're content to see these as an accurate record. Thank you so much, OK, OK, so, moving on to the Mayor's updates,

it's quite substantive because of the nature of this, a GM

and looking at the past, but also to the future,

and it gives us an appropriate moment to pause briefly and to reflect on the year we've had and honestly what a year it's been and to think that this time last year Boris Johnson was our prime minister,

it's quite extraordinary, the fall from grace and the changes in political landscape, but over the last 12 months we have achieved so much. We've introduced mayor's fares, the 2 pounds singles and deli capsule for 50 saving passengers millions, and it was then soon copied by government we persuaded the government to bring TransPennine Express into the operator of last resort and public control, allowing the new management to bring an end to the dispute on rest day, working which I hope will bring passenger improvements soon, and I'm reassured that July the 21st will be when we will see stabilisation of TransPennine route. I went to my first trade mission to India bringing back a thousand jobs in the process. More than 43,000 adults were enrolled on training courses thanks to our 65 million a year. Adult Education budget, a rising number of adults on training courses to add to the previous year 2000, more learners in low-paid work were able to access courses thanks to the decisions that we made locally, we'd made progress on mass transit, putting together a team to oversee the delivery of the project we signed a new partnership with homes England which will drive forward the delivery of thousands of new homes over the coming years. and we've invested in culture and the creative industries working on a northern cultural corridor concept. With Andy Haldane, the chair of the Royal Society, the arts and the success of the Wild Barn of Leeds 2023 was greater than even, I expected. It was incredible, inspiring women into construction and securing a lasting legacy for the barn,

but of course, despite all of these successes, it has been an incredibly challenging year for many, despite the investment we're making into our economy, many households across the region are really struggling to hundred thousand families in which Yorkshire rely on food banks. Almost a quarter of children are growing up in poverty, and the news of continuing increases. Inflation that are impacting us all will be felt most harshly for those who can least afford it. The resolution Foundation estimated that low-income households are experiencing inflation up to a quarter higher than those who are better off, and that's why our cost of living fund has been so vital. Supporting our local authorities to reach nearly six and a half thousand additional households with practical help to support people experiencing poverty. Now the evaluation of the first year of the scheme is in the papers that we've got with us today, and I would urge everyone if you haven't read it. Please do have a read to see how important that supporters being and the impact it's had on the people of West Yorkshire and I'm really proud that we've been able to step in where government have failed. I'm also pleased the energy price emergency grant has been able to reach businesses previously untouched by our business support programmes, helping firms in need during a difficult year. But that's the year that's just gone now we look forward to the year ahead last week we formally launched our West Yorkshire Plan, agreed when we met

in May and the five missions that we have for 2040, we're committed to creating a brighter West Yorkshire that works for all and will do this by becoming a more prosperous West Yorkshire, with an inclusive economy that has more well-paid jobs, a happier West Yorkshire, there's great places and healthier communities are well connected. West Yorkshire with a strong integrated transport system, a sustainable West Yorkshire that makes lives greener and a safer West Yorkshire that allows everyone to flourish over the course of the next year will be making progress on each of these missions, and the items on today's agenda are a great example of how we are going to start that work and continue with the work that we're already got underway. With seven and a half million pounds of investment in digital and green skills, two and a half million being committed to our better homes hub which will enable retrofitting measures across all housing tenures across our region. The beginning of an accessibility programme for all of our 64 train stations across West Yorkshire that are in a hurry currently have poor accessibility and improving the scheme to complete or circulate cycle routes around Leeds city centre. and I'm really thrilled, we're agreeing the next steps, as I mentioned, in our closer relationship with the West Yorkshire integrated care board, building on the joint upon appointment of Fatima as our inclusivity champion for West Yorkshire and I'm particularly delighted in the commitment to a senior programme manager in our violence reduction unit taking a public health approach to tackling violence, a fantastic example of how we're intervening early and tackling the causes of crime.

For Decision

7 Committee Arrangements and Appointments

and that's just some of what we'll be approving later today. Much more to come, not least on bus reform, mass transit and building a more prosperous, inclusivity, inclusive economy. So on that note, let us move on to the next item, which is Item 7 Committee arrangements and appointments. The purpose of this item is to establish committee arrangements for the new year and seek approval to ease arrangements at the time of the papers being published. The schedule of membership at Appendix 13 was incomplete, as we were awaiting nominations from Leeds City Council to the three scrutiny committees. We now have those nominations which are Corporate Scrutiny Councillors, Jen Dowson, Paul Ray economic scrutiny, Councillor Gohar, Alma's transport infrastructures, scrutiny councillors, Kelly Brookes and Isaac Wilson and further is proposed, that Councillor Jane Scullion will be appointed as Deputy Chair of the governance and audit committee. I'd like to pass over to Caroline Alan head of legal and governance to talk us through the recommendations. Thank you, Caroline,

Caroline Allen, Head of Legal & Gov Services (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:12:44

thank you, Mayor, as you say this paper formally appoints the committees of the Combined Authority, both the statutory and non-statutory ones, together with proposing the specific terms of reference for each of those which are set out at Appendices 1 to 12, the proposed appointments to each the voting arrangements, the chairing and Deputy Chair arrangements and the quorum

in that sense appendix 13 to the document is a helpful reference because much of this information is come is contained within that in a table form which sets out for each committee the different membership roles, including Combined Authority members, local authority co-optees, LEP Board members, private sector representatives and ex-officio Advisory Rent, it also sets out the proposed voting and chairing arrangements referred to in the substantive report. I should say that no substantive changes are proposed this year to either the committee structure or the terms of reference nor the types of membership and voting arrangements which remain as the previous municipal year,

as you've alluded to, many individual membership has changed in some instances following nominations from local authorities, and you provided that verbal update in terms of those additions not shown in that table.

I would also draw out that there are some vacancies within them, it is at present in respect of LEP member representation, but a recruitment exercise is underway to appoint new LEP Board members. following which it is anticipated that wider representation will be proposed on to the Combined Authority's committees.

Finally, the report also makes recommendations in relation to the appointment of independent persons, as set out at paragraph 2 20. It is a legal requirement to appoint at least one independent person to act in relation to complaints concerning allegations of a breach of the members' code of conduct and men. Two independent persons I referenced there for approval summer. Unless there are any questions, the recommendations are set out at 10.00.1 to 10.5, subject to the additional verbal appointments you reference. Thank you.

8 Representation on Outside Bodies

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:14:48

Thank you, so which Carolina we happy to agree those recommendations thank you so much for moving on to item 8 representation on outside bodies, this items to confirm which combined authority members are to represent the Combined Authority on external bodies, the proposed appointments are set out in the appendix and going to take that, as read, are we happy to agree the recommendation to approve the appointments? Yes of to

our thank you, ma am, please could I just say on this item for TFM Board there was also a requirement for a private sector which has traditionally been a LEP Board or member. We picked this up at the LEP Board. I, just like it noted in the paper, there are other outside bodies such as MP 11 and also them PPIF, but I think it's important to just capture now that the LEP is being integrated into the Mayoral Combined Authority. Thank you.

That's incredibly helpful. Thank you, and the contribution from

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:15:41

private sector members on TfN were always incredibly valuable and that's no to Caroline. Thank you. Thank you for that. OK. Moving on

so are we or are we happy to agree the recommendation to approve thank you

9 Officer Arrangements

moving on to Item 11?

the corporate governance code and framework, this is the

owner, sorry, I've missed one Item 9 officer arrangements this report seeks approval to delegations to officers it's only a minor amendments proposed to the arrangements and shown in the appendix Caroline anything further to add.

I think I should just start with an apology, because I realised the

Caroline Allen, Head of Legal & Gov Services (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:16:23

appendix to this report,

although it contains the minor revisions, doesn't show them as track changes,

sad just spotted that perhaps if I just spend a moment in highlighting what those alpha members they are contained in the appendix but they're not shown, as, as I say, as tracked, changes are not as easy to locate

so check, if you just bear with me one moment, I

pick those up. the first changes to add an addition to the general responsibilities for all directors set out at para 2.9 of that appendix, which is to add to the list of general compliance requirements the important one of safeguarding to explicitly draw that out, so that's there as 2.9 G

in terms of the chief executive's delegations there was a slight error in the previous,

scheme so footnote 14 to that confirms that the purpose of this scheme,

there's a restriction in terms of the chief exec, carrying out the role of data protection officer and not senior information Risk Officer,

as I say, these are minor, but it's the fact they're not tracked change to seem sensible to highlight them

under the head of legal and governance services, section five we have got

this. This isn't a change in terms of the substantive delegation, she's at 5.00.7 to negotiate and settle claims up to a certain value. What it does at footnote 24 is clarifies that that value, which remains at 75,000

is the sum excluding legal costs and any sums covered by insurance, so it's providing that clarity as to what the 75,000 refers to

and confirming that it in relation to any settlement above 50,000. That's consultation with the Mayor and the Director, Finance and Commercial Services in that statutory role

a similar amendment in relates to the chief operating officer at 6.00.2 just confirming as value requirements in the same way.

and I believe that is that is it so apologies for having to go through that

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:18:34

thank you for your Eglise that you can find those track changes within your documents, so thank you for that, Caroline, are we happy to approve, thank you so much. Okido.

10 Constitutional Arrangements

moving on to Item 10, which is constitutional arrangements, are for transparency, the meeting is asked to confirm the Combined Authority's constitutional arrangements, the new mean municipal year which aren't considered elsewhere on the agenda, Caroline, can you talk us through those changes,

Caroline Allen, Head of Legal & Gov Services (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:19:03

yes, thank you Chair this again.

As a matter of good governance, we bring forward the Constitution for its approval each year where we are proposing substantive changes. They are contained in separate items on the agenda and this report references some minor amendments at table 1 at Appendix 1 to that which really are matters of typographical and clarification errors. I think the report also points out that during the course of the year, I've also made further minor clarification and update changes to the Constitution and under my delegated authority, but this is a formality in terms of

seeking that approval. So we were clear as to the up-to-date Constitution. Liz next municipal year thanks

11 Corporate Governance Code and Framework

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:19:47

thank you, and can I seek the approval of Members to the documents contained at Appendix 1 and the remaining unamended constitution documents linked within the report. I can't thank you so much moving on to Item 11 corporate governance code and framework, this is the annual review of the organisations code of corporate governance the combined authority is asked to note and approve the changes to the current code of governance, and to endorse the plan to continue to review the code over the summer, with findings brought to the governance and audit committee and Combined Authority for consideration in autumn 2023. Alan could you talk us through that? Please,

yeah, thank you very much. Members over Code of Corporate government

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:20:28

sets out principles that public body, how public bodies should operate, and we then hold ourselves to account too. It is, generally speaking, reviewed annually. What proposing this time is that there is we've met, we've done a new show review to make some immediate changes

which, so the code has been reflected to sorry. The code has been updated to reflect the change from having LEP panels to Combined Authority committees, the integration of the LEP into the Combined Authority and having private sector representatives on decision making committees. The expansion of our inclusive engagement activity beyond our digital platform to ensure that we listen to

diverse communities and engage with diverse communities more and then, finally, the adoption of the West Yorkshire Plan and the annual state of the region, so it's been updated to take take account of those few things. However, as colleagues know, there is a an organisational change programme going on at the moment, for example, or as mentioned in a later paper, there's a review of our assurance framework, so it makes sense for us to continue to keep this under review and bring back a further draft in the autumn to take account of the next stage of those changes.

12 Member's Allowance Scheme

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:21:34

Thank you, Alan and members happy to agree the recommendations at paragraph 10. Thank you so much. Moving on to Item 12 Members' Allowance scheme, this item is to consider and approve the combined authorities Members' Allowance scheme. Caroline, would you like to talk us through this?

Yes, thank you, Mayor, yes, this the scheme, as proposed, is attached

Caroline Allen, Head of Legal & Gov Services (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:21:53

as Appendix 1 to the report. There are three proposals for change and that we are putting forward for members' consideration this time round. The first is in relation to the integration of the LEP into the Combined Authority. There were previously two separate members allowance schemes and we have merged those into one document, so we haven't so. That's just the clarification. I think to avoid there being two schemes in their.

so hopefully that money is relatively straightforward.

The second change to the more substantive one, and that relates to the to payment of childcare and dependance expenses, and, at the request of the mayor, a review has been undertaken of the level of expenses paid in relation to childcare and dependence, recognising that this could create a barrier preventing members from contributing to the democratic process. So the proposal before members is to bring the hourly childcare rate in line with the UK living wage as determined by the living Wage Foundation and on current figures. These are right that will bring the hourly rate from 7 pounds 65 per hour to 10 pounds 90 per hour.

The second proposed in relation to dependants. We are proposing that that claimed at the hourly rate charged by Adult Services Department for domiciliary, home care and those changes are reflected in the draft scheme and subject to Members' approval. Today,

the third proposal that we were bringing forward is one to remunerate our independent members on the governance and audit committee. So in line with our legal requirements, we currently have not just one, but actually two independent members on that committee and one of those who actually chairs that committee for us.

are they all? Those roles are currently unremunerated,

but those independent members do provide a valuable contribution to the work of the committee, and the proposal here is that we move to a form of remuneration.

We've done a benchmarking exercise, we've looked at what other combined authorities pay, what are the similar authorities pay have to say it is quite wide ranging in terms of trying to do a benchmarking, and so what we've proposed in this paper is that we've looked at the LGA recommended daily rate of 3 300 pounds a day and working with officers that work closely with those members identified how many days they're likely to to to be a contributing to the proposal here is that the chair is paid 800 pounds per annum on the basis of six days' work and the member thousand pounds per annum so that the scheme is put forward for members' consideration with those three proposed amendments. Thank you

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:24:34

thank you so much, and I would encourage all members to share the opportunity to get support for childcare and caring so that people can attend and take part in

in committees, and so on. it should be that you are excluded because you can't afford childcare,

are we happy to?

13 Scrutiny Annual Report 2022/2023

agree the recommendation to adopt the Members' Allowances scheme as set out in Appendix 1, including amendments proposed to the scheme set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report, lovely thank you so much Okido, moving onto calendar of meetings final item of the annual meeting matters, this presents a calendar for the municipal year and then maybe some changes to the dates proposed.

I am so sorry my pages must be sucked together, apologies go backwards to Scrutiny annual report Item 13 this item presents the 22 23 Scrutiny annual report this is the second joint annual report we've received, which summarises the work completed by all three of our scrutiny committees in the 22 23 municipal year. can I hand over to Alan to briefly take us through?

absolutely thank you Mayor, so

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:25:51

the this is the scrutiny, the anime any report from the three scrutiny committees we have three Scrutiny Committees now around corporate transport and infrastructure and economy, the report sets out the topics that the scrutiny has been.

that Scrutiny Committee has been looking at, for example, the corporate committee, looking at our budgets and business planning processes for the year, the transport and infrastructure committee have in particular looked at real-time information systems, decarbonisation and housing and economy Scrutiny. Committee, in particular has reviewed labour market evidence looked at the adult education budget, delivery a range of our economic programs and also had a discussion about future economic strategy and, in addition to that, to set out on the final page of the report, there has been a Mayor's question time at each of the additional committees and the topics that were asked about are summarised in report.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:26:46

thank you, and can I just give my thanks to the members of the scrutiny committees because I want to lead a Combined Authority that is transparent and open and the critical friendship of those members on the scrutiny committee really helps with our thinking

and it is a welcome challenge so thank you to those members.

going forward and look forward to going to the question times

14 Calendar of Meetings 2023/2024

in the months ahead. Are we happy to note the report summarising the work undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Committees? We are great, thank you so obviously I was rushing to the end because this is the end of the and annual meeting matters and this is the calendar of meetings for the municipal year.

PART 2 - OTHER BUSINESS

15 Crisis in the Cost of Living and Doing Business

there are some changes, as I mentioned to the dates proposed the transport committee to accommodate members' diary commitments. Can we approve the calendar of meetings in the appendix great stuff? Thank you. So that brings that the annual meeting business to a conclusion, and now we can get on to the other agenda items for discussion. Great stuff

Okido, so item 15, the crisis in the cost of living and doing business.

The people and businesses of West Yorkshire are continuing to struggle with the cost of living and doing business and, as I mentioned earlier, inflation is proving a harder challenge to deal with with businesses and households really feeling the burden, as interest rates have increased dramatically, leading to higher mortgage costs, rental costs and financing costs for investment. The Combined Authority has stepped in sport, households and businesses with a variety of schemes, such as the Med cost of living emergency fund, the energy price emergency fund, and we recognise that to better support the by shorter economy now and whenever the next crisis hits we need increased devolution from Westminster. So many of our challenges are longer term than Covid or the sharp increases in the cost of living, but with proper devolution we can put West Yorkshire in a much better position. Can I pass over to Alan Rees for any further points thanks

thank you very much for so this. This paper provides an update to the

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:28:53

Committee about the current economic situation and then runs through the some of the programmes that the Combined Authority agrees to put in place at the back end of last year in order to support businesses and households across West Yorkshire in response to the crisis in the cost of living. Very briefly, inflation and people have picked this up from the the news. Inflation is increasingly looking to remain high and that is leading to continued

pushing up interest rates, making housing generally speaking more expensive for mortgage owners, particularly those who need to remortgage in the near future, and renters as well.

There are, we've done local analysis and this was presented to the Combined Authority at the back end of last year as well around the proportion of West Yorkshire households who are in significant degrees of significant levels of poverty and, in particular,

there are. The data shows that around one in three West Yorkshire households remain in fuel poverty despite the energy price guarantee.

There's also information that shows that food bank use across Yorkshire as a whole increased by around a third between 2021 and sorry between 2021 22, and to instruments to 23

so the Combined Authority in the autumn

considered what action can be taken in order to help tackle the cost of living and doing business crisis, and there were two key programmes by the Combined Authority agreed to the first was a 1 million pound energy price emergency grant scheme which opened in December and that has provided grants up to 5,000 pounds to enable small businesses across all sectors to implement energy saving and renewable energy investments which helps to improve

the resilience of the businesses to future energy price hikes

and as of this month we've completed 71 projects with nearly a quarter of a million pounds worth of grants paid out and more in the pipeline.

the second

programme that was set up was the mayor's cost of living emergency fund, which was in particular, designed to help the voluntary and community sector via local authorities, to help people with food, warmth and mental health,

and the evaluation of that programme is published today and attached to the paper the interim evaluation, and because we've been that the programme is being delivered in two tranches. Firstly, a million pounds over the winter that has just passed and then a further 2 million pound programme, and the evaluation is being used to shape the delivery of the of programmes under the with the remaining 2 million over the coming year. So the fund has provided financial assistance via each local authority to voluntary and community sector organisations to help them to help people most in need, and so far it's managed to touch nearly six and a half thousand people against an original target of just over 3,000, so it has had some demonstrable impact on supporting those most in need. across the region, so in terms of next steps.

particularly with regard to the the those two programmes, the first is that the the emergency energy grants programme is will come to an end, but will be immediately replaced by the business sustainability programme, which was approved by the Combined Authority earlier this year, and then the mayor's cost of living emergency fund will also continue with a further 2 million pounds

worth of funding to be delivered in a similar fashion over the next 12 months.

thank you for that. Thanks so much, and can I thank all of those

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:32:31

partners that delivered on the ground to our communities. They really went above and beyond. I mean, doubling the numbers from what we hoped to what was delivered is just extraordinary citizens, advice Bureau in particular. I really did step up, so I want to thank them for all. They've done at our local authority leaders for acting so swiftly that we were able to turn it around in a matter what felt like a weeks to make sure that money got out as swiftly as possible. Have we any comments

yes, Mark,

thank you for it, and I'm great to see the initial impact on on value for money in the evaluation of the cost of living fund. I guess just beyond value for money, have there been any learnings for how we've spent the first million pounds that would change the way or improve the way, potentially that we could spend the next 2 million pounds as

Mr Mark Roberts, Interim Chair LEP Board - 0:33:21

we as we go here, appreciating that this was set up quickly and just interested in what we've learnt in the programme to date so that we could perhaps make it even better when we spent two thirds of the funding. Thank you

great question, thank you yeah, thank

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:33:36

you, it's a very, very good question and indeed that was the the purpose of the

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:33:40

the purpose of commissioning the evaluation to start with was in it precisely for that purpose, so that we could

so that we could take into account those changes, I think there are a number of

things that have have come out of it, and some of these are about validating the approach we took actually so

so firstly one of the key lessons then, Will, which will make sense for everybody, of course, is the real needs not to be overly prescriptive in how the money should be spent and instead consult properly with the communities most in need.

and consult them meaningfully,

the second is not to be overly centrally again, prescriptive about how the money is spent, so one size does not fit all, and we need to make sure that provision is properly addressing local local gap since different demographics and so on and also thinking about the or how how you fill in gaps in other services that are existing in each.

each area,

there were some issues that came through around the need to collect information about the people who are being supported

which feels like it might be,

I guess, intrusive or bureaucratic, and actually it's really important for helping to shape future future programmes.

There are some questions that have arisen around demand on the voluntary sector generally,

so there's a there's a kind of that. There are some questions about the sustainability of certain organisations in the voluntary sector that I think needs to be looked at with the next group of the next part of the funding, and then the final piece is

not to be overly prescriptive about specific geographical areas where the money goes because there are people living in poverty everywhere so, Even in even in

places where, on a map showing the low relative rates of deprivation as one and it looking like an affluent area, actually there will be people within that area who are also in need, so some view a few lessons learnt which which the evaluation has thrown up which of course will be embedded within the planning for the next session next them programme

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:35:45

and then can I ask it have we widening eligibility for businesses to access the energy money from business to business to business to consumer is that correct fell? Yes,

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:35:56

Melanie Corcoran, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:35:59

yes, so the the the the original, the original criteria out widen the access to, and it's one of the first

programmes we've done

with business to consumer rather than business

to business lending, because of

because where we can do that now, so we put some interesting learnings from that

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:36:14

here that obviously opens it up to retail and hospitality in in a way that wasn't available before

yes,

so it is good to know, I know something,

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:36:23

his thank you so much for that Bill,

good stuff, so are we happy to note the latest economic evidence as well as the

policy intention, I'm so sorry Susan

now I just thought

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe - 0:36:37

it was worth sort of deliberating a bit on as many statistics which are very concerning actually I have to say.

into child poverty rates and people in fuel poverty,

and of course we hear in the news that inflation is stuck, a 1 7% think it is at the moment not coming down, and that is concerning for our residents, our businesses and our authorities, in fact because we're all subject to those increases so I just want to really welcome the Combined Authority. emergency cost of living fund, I think it has been useful across the region and I welcome its continuation.

and just looking at some of these figured out of work, claimant count, for example, is quite high compared to the national average, and

I know we've got a great skills programme that works with all local authorities as a partnership of six authorities getting things done.

but I just

wonder if we can just have a look at that with the with the six authorities working together, see what more we can do in that area, because increasingly, households with only one person, it must working households are living in poverty, and that's no, that's not their fault was it? Let's face it as a, what can we do to help and to sustain those going to get higher income somehow? These are really challenging issues. I know there's no easy answers. However, I want to make sure we've done everything possible to support struggling families in Bradford and the wider region, and if we can put a little bit of work around that see what more we can do, I'd be grateful. Thank you

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:38:14

and thanks, I think also the data is really important, we gather this data because that's gonna help us make decisions going forward about where we best put this money, and also what is concerning is those people who are out of work, want claimants who are long-term sick because they're waiting for

operations or wherever it's long Covid so we're doing a piece of work looking at that specifically as well but yes, our research and intelligence team have been incredibly helpful gathering this all together to help us make our decisions so happy to approve

16 Local Visitor Economy Partnership

great stuff. Thank you so, moving on to item 16 local visitor economy partnership, this outlines the next important stages of our application for West Yorkshire to become a local visitor economy partnership, and this has been the result of a partnership between the CIA and all five of the region's local authorities. We know West Yorkshire is already on the map for visitors thanks to vibrant cities and heritage, rich towns, offering cultural masterpieces and spectacular scenery in abundance with the likes of happy Valley and Gentleman Jack literally showcasing our region on the telly seemingly every every night and as being a real

a magnet for tourism

for people, particularly for

some reason

for gay

women from Tokyo, seem to want to come to

Calderdale because they loved Gentleman Jack,

we welcome the over 65 million

visitors in 2022 and employ over 55,000 people in the visitor economy and this joint application is using all of our combined strands and will allow us to represent every aspect of Russia's tourism sector focusing on attracting more visitors and helping businesses to thrive. So if I could hand over to Phil Wycherley to take us through the details,

Phil Witcherley, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:40:05

thank you Chair so. this is another iteration of this this work, so we could. We came to the Combined Authority meeting in March to talk about this, and since that meeting we've been working on with with other local authorities in the region to put this local visitor economy partnership application together and it's been a work of it's been a result of excellent partnership across the local authorities and us.

It's important to note that this is responding to the visit England d CMS national process around tourism and it's an opportunity, if only a starting point, to begin to join up the work at regional strategic level, celebrating the unique assets we have both been at local authorities but also providing an overarching structure within the West Yorkshire region to support the sector which

have been really hard hit in recent years both because of Covid and because of the cost of living crisis we've just been talking about and to attract more visitors from overseas and from other parts of the country on the bid itself, and it's very much setting out the starting point of all partners and is a commitment to work together in the space going forward. There's quite a technical detail in the report

but it's important to note that while we put this in this won't be the final time this comes, so we've we've commissioned a destination management plan which is going to provide more detail in terms of a forward look for the tourism sector and our ambitions and we're going to convene a group with people from the visitor economy sector to help us develop and shape this work going forward

and we hope to find out from visit England as access in the beds later later this summer already autumn and we will we will come back for a further iteration of this in the autumn to the Combined Authority meeting.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:41:48

thank you for allowing this building as well on the opportunity that the I years of culture givers.

to really celebrate our region as each year of culture rolls into the next, so we've got a lot to sing and dance about literally yes, Councillor Wilson,

thank you. Yes, I've certainly welcome the report. Coming back to us

Cllr Claire Douglas - 0:42:05

just a couple of things for clarification under the decimate management plan, section 2.2 point 5

says the consultant is working with local authorities and also is now engaging with the wider stakeholders. Will that include elected members, particularly those in cultural areas, because I've had no engagement at all over this from anybody as an elected member, obviously clearly I know I, one of many represents a barrier, cultural, tourist, heavy area, and also on the structure point to point 3.4 and what are the plans for who's going to represent local authorities on that? Is it going to be officer led or member-led? Have we had any thoughts and discussions about that as well?

Cllr Rebecca Poulsen - 0:42:52

fell.

so.

Phil Witcherley, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:42:56

on destination Management Plan.

the engagement is led by local authority officers in each area, so we we are planning on bringing in a wide range of stakeholders into that discussion, so we'll pass that that feedback on and obviously given where you represent in Worth Valley and the tourism assets and there are I hear your point, in terms of the membership of the governance, that's still, that's still to be decided, I think what what we're trying to achieve is having kind of a working level group which will definitely be officers, but also having a representation group, including,

ink, including a check by by the mouth and a variety of people from the visitor economy sector and the regional, the regional representation. So I think this is all still to be worked through in terms of the detail of governance, but we can, but that point can be noted as we kind of take this forward to the next stage.

Thank you, Councillor pulse and Councillor Lamb

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:43:50

yeah. Thank you

Cllr Alan Lamb - 0:43:53

two points, if I may. Firstly, what have we learnt from welcome to Yorkshire his demise, good and bad?

Obviously it was a powerful brand, but what's the learning as we focus on this and try and build a successful West, Yorkshire tourism brand actually doesn't make the same mistakes and linked to that. One of the weaknesses, I would say, was a lack of measuring of impact, and I think it's really important that we get that right from the start and I'd like to be able to sit and say with comfort actually, if we spend more money on this, this will be the

economic impact, or actually it's happening anyway, whether we get involved or not, and from the current measuring in the framework. With welcome to Yorkshire and felt like you could do that, so is that something that we're looking to address?

Thank you tell

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:44:40

them so on the way, the welcome to Yorkshire thing is a huge topic and

Phil Witcherley, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:44:44

one I can't really respond to fully fully right now, but just to say.

one of the challenges we've got in our region compared to other regions, as we don't have something like welcome to Yorkshire existing in place at the time this is happening, so that's the kind of Yorkshire wide challenges all of the parts of Yorkshire looking at how they respond to this,

I think in terms of the outcome driven and and focus of this, I think that's a really important point and at the moment.

there is no kind of funding allocated to this from either the national government or kind of at the regional level, and we're in the paper alludes to.

the potential to consider consider some of some of again shared being put towards this, if that were to be the case, that would have to be linked outcomes, and that would have to be measured because that that it, that is both the right principles in terms of our investment but also how we're measured against the government for our devolution deal in terms of our investment so we would be trying to maintain that

and,

and in response to the visit England process

that has followed, that's followed a national review of organisations like welcome to Yorkshire across the whole country and are and how that that needs to evolve to support the visitor economy nationally, so some of those learnings have been taken both for local and a national level,

thank you fail, it might also be worth noting that,

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:46:01

Yorkshire leaders have been talking about this as well. So Ben would you come in on that please

sorry, thank you, Mayor, and so I think.

Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:46:16

two things, Councillor V and so the review the food talked about was, could the debate review and that that kind of sets the framework for for how these elver organisations might work in the in the future, so so this paper is kind of adhering to to those to those principles, as the mayor says, the there was also work at the at the Yorkshire level looking at how you might take the Elvir proposals from across Yorkshire and combine them, not in a kind of practical sense, but in a in a governance and in a working together, collaborative sense, in order that the the power of the Yorkshire brand

is not lost and is not diminished through the fact that different organisations were involved in it so so we can will happily bring some future papers back that explain how that works and then how this work fits into that abuse.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:47:07

so it's a twin track, so there's a Yorkshire band that there's also our own identity, which is quite different, said North Yorkshire may be and we're deepening that that branding for our for our region so very happy if we raise that you know have more detail for you yes can

get to quit porn or welcome the response I think it's crucial that when that's coming back we have sight of the learning,

Cllr Alan Lamb - 0:47:31

so that we understand what went wrong and how to make sure that doesn't happen again,

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:47:40

absolutely. I am a very helpful question. Thank you OK Doke. Are we happy to approve the joint application for our elver and endorse the development of a funding proposal,

17 Partnership Working with West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board

obviously, subject to the assurance framework we are brilliant? Thank you so much. Moving on to partnership, working with the West Yorkshire integrated care board, tackling inequality and inequity, and injustice, including health inequalities and socio. Economic disparities are priority areas of focus for myself, the West, Yorkshire Combined Authority and the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership. West Yorkshire leaders have come together, recognising the value of collaboration and partnership, working around inclusivity and health determinants, and there's a commitment to work together on these issues and jointly resource a small team to catalyse system change. there's a strong base and potential to grow the national recognition for the leadership role that West Yorkshire plays in this area of work. Now the agreement sets out how we can further collaborate, move from mutants from mutually beneficial but separate work to a greater level of more strategic investment in shared capacity and shared work programmes. The purpose of the agreement is to codify the existing strong relationships between our two bodies at West Yorkshire level to describe our relationship more formally and to set out the framework for greater partnership working together. Now I'll hand over to Alan just to take us through that, if I may,

thank you very much. So

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:49:15

we know that around 80% of the things that generate and sustain good health are things outside of healthcare services. and that includes the wider conditions that people live in, so how they are born,

but rather the conditions that they are born into the conditions that they are, there are around them as they grow work, live in age and the wider set of forces and systems that shape the conditions that they live in from and on on a day-to-day basis and clearly good health is vital, vital to and enjoyable meaningful life and a crucial determinant of economic prospects both at an individual, local, regional and national level, and so the contribution of combined authorities and local authorities is hugely influential in the health of the population and and therefore, we believe that any powers or resources that we have, the we can control and influence should look at ways of positively maximising the impact that they are having on the populations on the population's health, so as we don't deliver health services we can influence but the health of the population and so we have a shared mission with integrated Care Board and our view is that by working in partnership we can develop and deliver better policies, programmes and services that will improve the lives of people in West Yorkshire, we want to be,

we are, our shared ambition with the with the integrated care board is to be a region that understands and invests in the in in in health over lifetimes, both for our current population and for future generations, and so we have been building on the joint work that we have previously done to develop in a partnership agreement which is attached which, which proposes in the future how the ICB and the Combined Authority will work together on achievement of shared objectives,

and that also looks to codify the existing strong relationships that that that exist already and, in particular, with a proposal for the

for the Mayor to become a member of integrated care Partnership Board alongside the chief executive, the combined authority and also for the chair of the integrated care board to become a member of the C A Place regeneration and housing. committee,

and then the second paper that is attached is a is a programme of work which sets out the the initial proposals for how we would look to. work together on these on these joint ambitions and that's split into three sections. So firstly, health and inclusivity in all policies to this is about looking for all those opportunities across all of the things that we do, whether it's transport or skills or creating good jobs or housing, etc. For us to be ensuring that when we're developing those policies, programmes, investments that we are looking to harness them to maximise the benefits to improve health and inclusion. The second is around programme delivery, where there are some specific programmes, such as on housing and on the cost of living, where we are working together to deliver those programmes, and then the third thing is around future ambition, which is about influencing the future landscape, and the Combined Authority and the ICB are engaged in a number of national forums to help shape policy for the future in order to achieve,

in order to achieve the aims that we've we've set out, so recognising that everything that we do can if we harness it correctly, it can help to benefit the population of West Yorkshire, even though we are not delivering health services directly.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:52:56

Thank you. Thank you so much Alan and it was always frustration that we didn't have responsibilities for health and we knew that there were so many problems that we didn't we didn't have the powers to help solve, and I think this is a really innovative way, a partnership that can work collectively across the whole of West Yorkshire

understanding where we can add team or later resources and be more efficient and get better outcomes, and suddenly, Fatemeh is going to help us as well with that work and I'm I'm really hopeful that we will see in the next 10

yeah, so some good substantive changes Susan.

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe - 0:53:37

yet absolutely health is a very important part of the work we all do,

and I think we're the combined authority can play a big part, is the wider determinants of health of sufferers, we're talking about the previous item about better economy, more money in people's pockets, better jobs etc we since we did the devolution deal we do actually now have more health devolution, but it's the combined ICS integrated care system of West Yorkshire, which is are our health partners as well, which, obviously, and as involvement the Deputy Leader of Calderdale as well in principle so things have moved on on the health agenda and I think it is a good time to have a good partnership between the economic side of health if you like the combined authority and the wider determinants give people better health lives and the social care.

operations, the the the Aussie, acute side of health, on the other side of devolution, which is through the West, Yorkshire ICS, which Rob Webster and Cathy, lead such thought. It was worth clarifying that, as also life moved on since the first devolution deal with.

Thank you for that clarification and Councillor Poulsen.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:54:46

Yes, thank you.

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe - 0:54:50

I think it's quite obviously an exciting move forward for the Combined Authority, something traditionally we've not had very much to do with I think we just need to be careful that it is results driven and we do see improvements that we're feeding into in health across the whole of of West Yorkshire or to some of the systems are different in the NHS, the the the geography of it, so it's not quite straightforward

and we do need to make sure you know, we're not duplicating some of the existing systems that are in place. There's been a lot of changes in the NHS systems and the work that our local authorities, public health and the NHS are doing. We don't want to just put in extra bureaucracy and not achieve anything, so I think we need to be mindful of that and make sure it is outcomes driven

thank you,

thank you, and it's always a good reminder that we don't want to

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:55:37

repeat work that is being done elsewhere, and I think this is

why it's going to

be, hopefully, a really

positive move

that we don't end up with we, we currently have two silos trying to do similar

things that have similar objectives

if we come together then we don't have to

you know we have opportunities to be more agile and to and to respond most swiftly. with greater innovation around the challenges that face

citizens of West Yorkshire, but there was a a good reminder there, Councillor Paulson, thank you any further comments, yes, Councillor Jeffery.

Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:56:17

just for information in Wakefield, we've already sort of started this as a pilot scheme,

our corporate director for social care and adults

is also the head of health, so we contain them label and work well and it's been recognised as a pilot scheme

across across the region and nationally so it does work and and there isn't the duplication because we all work very closely together

just as point of information for everybody it works brilliantly in Wakefield.

thank you for your leadership on that Councillor Jeffery, and we are

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:56:53

all learning from each other and it's team effort, so thank you very much for that. OK,

are we all happy to endorse this approach and support the work and approved

18 Assurance Framework post LEP integration update

the signing of the attached partnership agreement and reciprocal governance between the integrated care board and the CA through extension of membership of Place and Regeneration Committee to the ICB chair,

we are, we're all happy, thank you so much OK. Moving on Item 18 assurance framework, this is post LEP integration update due to the changes we mentioned previously to the LEP constitution and governance arrangements following the approval of the LEP integration plan, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority assurance framework needs amending this paper and the attached appendix sets out the proposed revisions, the Combined Authority requested to review and approve the proposed

revisions,

and an update on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority assurance framework peer review is also included. Can I pass to Alan for any further comments and can you keep

speaking for long enough for me to get a glass of water and then

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:57:56

absolutely I shall be speaking for long enough to get your query to go across the water

so the key changes in this that it's it's not a wholesale review. It's been updated to take account of the changes with Alec, with less integration, so where the LEP functions have been integrated with Combined Authority functions, the necessary changes have been made. We've also because the ending of European funding, some references that were in or around how European funding is to be managed to have changed as well. There are a few other revisions that have been made as a consequence to changes within the organisation and then the final point to says that the peer review that we have been carrying out has been making really good progress. We've had loads of engagement from people across the region, key stakeholders. We are working through the recommendations from that and and we'll be bringing forward further proposals in the near future about or other changes to the assurance framework to make sure that is that it is as robust as it needs

to be, but

also it continues to enable a swift delivery of our projects, programmes and investments.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 0:59:06

Thank you so much Alan, and it's really important that it is likely save robust, but it enables us to deliver at the speed in which we want to go. So I'm thank you for those amends and

any comments.

happy to approve the proposed

revisions to the assurance framework. because of changes required because of the lack of integration, and to note the update on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority assurance framework peer review or happy to approve, thank you so much Okido, moving onto project approvals. ITEM 20. This is investment priority to skills and training for people. This report provides details of one program that's recommended to the Combined Authority for progression through the assurance process, and I'd like to invite Councillor Lewis as our lead on skills and then fill Wycherley

to outline the scheme for consideration.

So can I

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:59:59

come to you, Councillor Lewis,

underwear on an item on digital skills, on the wrong screen on my device, I'm on one moment, they are well, I will say, well, some finding the correct page is just a on on a leaf project, despite the contribution of the employment and skills committee we have representatives from the Council's

19 a) Investment Priority 2: Skills and training for people

Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:00:21

providers and employers and we've worked really closely on developing.

these works with

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:00:28

everybody involved in it. and, and the committee has like, I say, does take

intuition in in contributions from everybody involved, the ones that were being asked to date to take forward are ones that have come out of that.

that work with

the Committee, and is recognised that the further progress needs to be made on developing digital skills and a green employee support programs

moving forward. Is it's a an area we need to develop more in West Yorkshire

and that's the

recommendation when asked to look at today. Thank you.

Thank you so much into it. Then the Committee will remember that

we committed to a thousand green jobs for young people

and we are

other our target of a thousand

which is really pleasing, but we know that in order to deliver on our climate emergency plans and retrofit etc. We are going to need a digital skills, green skills and so on and skills support for

Alan Reiss (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:01:35

businesses, so are we happy to approve this programme or any comments happy to approve

lovely that dare ditto recommendations as set out in the report? Thank you so much. So. Moving onto investment priority for tackling the climate emergency and environmental sustainability. This report provides details of three schemes that are recommended to the Combined Authority for progression through the assurance process and I'd like to invite Councillor Scully in as a lead on climate and then Liz Hunter our director of policing, vibrant place to outline the four schemes for consideration casa skirling

thank you very much Mayor, and this is very much a report of many parts, and I think that's one of the things that the climate committee does is basically connect up the various things that contribute to

carbon reduction within the region, can I just say a few words by way of introduction in this report and there's a lot in it first of all about the better homes hub.

item, we know that actually to achieve our aim in terms of

2038, we've actually got to retrofit 680,000 homes. No, this report does not cover all of that, but it provides a start really very much a start, and we know that this has a real impact on our earlier report. To do with the cost of living and fuel poverty,

there's a lot more pace to be gained. There's a lot of skill to be gained, as I say, this is very much a start

and the particular thing that's in front of the Combined Authority today is basically considering the business case.

to lay the foundation for the programme and to request

910,000 pounds of development funding and details are in the report to build further business cases for the individual projects.

and as the as the report notes, we will actually need a lot more funding to give this area attention, but this is very much about building the foundation, so that's a better hubs element of this, this report,

the second part of the report,

I should possibly declare an interest here as somebody who

has been badly flooded more than once, but is to do with the water management within our our region.

and there is a particularly, I think, innovative part of that, the landscapes for water. which involves a partnership with the National Trust, I think it's an indication of the way that we're going in terms of the Combined Authority and the climate committee in terms of looking for partnership, maximising our leverage to bear down on the challenge of climate change, the second part of that is about cello

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:04:23

Dean Inn in Bradford always loved to see mentions of while wildlife meadows always very nice actually real function in terms of managing

Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:04:34

water. with within our area,

and the

the ask there is a boat.

our funding agreement with the Irish Rivers Trust for expenditure up to 41,000

and all of those taken together are part of the work of the climate committee in terms of moving us forward

to tackle the question of reduction carbon, thank you

thank you for your leadership on it and also the partnership work that you've developed

that's the way to get things done is now and Liz, I wonder if you've

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:05:08

any further comments.

thank you and Councillor Dowling outlined it all, just to mention, as as rightly said, the better homes her

rugby for development funding,

19 b) Investment Priority 4: Tackling the Climate Emergency and Environmental Sustainability

and there's also a bit in a for the net 0 accelerator, where there might be additional to the recommendation.

on your slur on your kind of your paperwork at 3.00 3 6 is 2.5 8 5

19 c) Investment Priority 5: Future Transport

and that's subject to to the confirmation of funding from government, so it's it being the development money that Councillor Scully in mentioned, plus that helps us take forward the better homes of work.

thank you so much. And are we happy to approve the three schemes and remaining programme costs for natural flood management, flood risk and drainage drainage programme outlined above to progress through the assurance process and indicative approvals of the CSF funding

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe - 1:06:02

contribution, full approvals of the CSF funding, contribution for delivery and development costs and approval of future assurance pathways and approval routes. The detailed recommendations are in the report. Are we happy to approve

lovely? Thank you so much for that. Moving on to investment priority 5 future transport, this is five schemes that are recommended for progression through assurance. I'd like to invite Councillor Hinchcliffe as Chair of West Yorkshire Transport Committee and then Melanie Corcoran, director of transport policy and delivery to outline the schemes for consideration

thank you very much, Mayor, so you'll see a list of schemes in this paper that have already been to Transport Committee. There are numerous and varied,

and the schemes are listed today for approval are all very good mentoring schemes, which was going to help quite a lot of people. They

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:07:00

are all decision Point 2, so it's still got a way to go in terms of

Melanie Corcoran, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:07:03

getting through the assurance framework we just discussed to get out to to delivery, but just things like the rail accessibility package of 64 rail stations enabling disabled access across the region. I think it's something we're very welcomed by many residents who really need greater accessibility to leisure work and social opportunities and then of course got mobility hubs, Leeds city centre, the cycling routes that have been needed for a while there and a bus enhancement package as well, so again, everyday transport that people rely on that hopefully will improve with the investment. The Combined Authority is making

Melanie Melanie,

thank you this, thank you, so the the real

accessibility package is a programme that's been led by northern and they have insufficient funding to to look at all the stations in in our patch and therefore we are supplementing that programme with some of our CRR SDS funding and working in partnership with them. so that will be able to get more from on a

all stations will benefit to a certain extent, but we've prioritised 44 of our stations, where there'll be more work done to make them

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:08:13

accessible to passengers, so the total value of the scheme is 20.0 4 2

Cllr Alan Lamb - 1:08:20

4 5 million and the contribution that the Combined Authority is making is 5 million. The funding recommendation is that we release

3 3 7

thousand

and 100 pounds a home to allow the development of the work, as Councillor Hinchcliffe said, from the strategic outline case, to a full business case, so that we can make progress on that particular scheme

thank you so much, are we happy to approve the schemes outlined to progress out, yes, Councillor Lamb?

yeah, thank you ma, I forgive me if this as a slightly tenuous link among them out of tone, but the the the people I represent and the sort of areas I represent wouldn't forgive me if I didn't make the point that for a lot of communities the they seemed to be locked out of all of these improvements. The I represent Weatherby which is on the outer north-east of Leeds, and there's a lot of other rural

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:09:20

communities that simply don't have the same level of access to public transport and the plans are in place. Don't seem to be doing anything to address that. I accept it's a difficult thing to do,

but one of the things I'm keen to do with a voice around this table is to try and push that agenda, and I'd welcome the opportunity to work

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe - 1:09:38

with all of you to actually say yes, difficult. That's something, we should try and make things better in those communities and there are quick wins we could go for

and I hope that's perhaps something within the spirit of this that can be taken on board, and we can look at opportunities to improve public transport for all parts of West Yorkshire, not just the ones that are easy to do.

Thank you, Councillor Lamb, and can I say to the people of Wetherby that took part in our consultation on mass transit we added quite a large cohort of individuals who did contribute, so people are very engaged in transport,

Councillor Hinchcliffe, if you'd like to respond, yeah, I

just wanted to come in and I absolutely agree, so I think we all want the same thing, which is better public transport for all our residents. It solves so many problems and economically climate change. Everything I think the challenge of got is the national financial position, which is, you know, bus recovery, grant cut visa cut and

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:10:35

therefore we're grappling to try and maintain the bus network we've

Cllr Alan Lamb - 1:10:41

got, and where is we've got ambitions and a goal as local councillors to improve services and expand the network. That's what I think we all want to do and regardless of party politics, you know, we're all councillors, we sit around residents' meetings and that's what we hear from our residents. So I don't assure you that we're all driven to do absolutely everything we can to connect the whole of the region together.

and just you know, if we have that collaboration without one voice,

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:11:05

speaking to government, about how important the funding of public transport is, I think I'd that be really welcome, so thank you for your contribution.

so if it's a

Councillor Lamb, then Councillor Wilson

yeah, just for follow up and note the kind of funding is an issue. It's not the only thing you have to have an ambition and daring to start with, so I'd just make the point that the the West Yorkshire Transport Plan map didn't include Outer north-east Leeds, didn't include Weatherby it was missed off

Cllr Claire Douglas - 1:11:34

and that that doesn't show an ambition for for all parts of the city, so I accept your point about funding, but there is more we can do within the the envelopes. We've got.

Thank you, and as I've said earlier, to be a data-driven organisation,

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:11:48

I'm lobbied for new air train stations

occasionally, and it's about the data we need to make it stack up as that value for money for the people of West Yorkshire but absolutely hear your points, Councillor Lamb, and working together, I think we can get a bit a better deal and a better connectivity for our region, so thank you much appreciated, Councillor Poulsen.

just something I've just noticed on the mobility hubs under the

Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:12:19

outputs and benefits in mentions East scooter facilities, including parking, and I didn't think we were allowed to use e-scooters on the public highway.

there are opportunities for pilots and you'll have seen in Liverpool that they had e-scooters as part of their mobility package, so my understanding is that we haven't as yet signed off e-scooters, we've

Cllr Claire Douglas - 1:12:40

got 300 electric bikes being rolled out in Leeds and really proud of that.

and e-scooters aren't currently

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:12:49

part of our thinking, but then can give us more of an update.

I think I suppose in New York you are correct this, there are certain pilot areas in the in the country of which we are not not one, so my understanding is that that is kind of future-proofing for the point where, when the government actually size what the national regulations around e-scooters will be but we will follow that up and secondary to note to members.

Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 1:13:14

yes, because at the moment we have a lot of anti-social behaviour issues with people using e-scooters, we're basically illegally and in communities so they are. They are a bit of an issue that probably do need to be addressed

and is quite a contradiction, but in Liverpool it's working really well for them

because they're controlled, so there is a there is that the jury is out really about the efficacy of e-scooters, but they do definitely get people out of cars

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:13:41

and on to other fossil ability, but like Benson's is future-proofing a

Cllr Sue Holdsworth - 1:13:48

mobility ups. The thank you raising Councillor scullion.

Thank you really welcome this report, particularly the aspects to do with accessibility, and it would be remiss of me whether be having been mentioned, not to mention Todmorden at the other side of the West Yorkshire region,

who have

had a number of announcements over the years that we're going to get an accessible station at Torridon and really really welcome this, maybe this will finally be the time when Todmorden actually gets a lift in a state, thank you,

thank you, Councillor scullion at Councillor Hollingsworth.

thank you my this was a point I raised at our briefing one of these

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:14:28

issues seems to me that you've got the accessibility, e-bikes,

Cllr Sue Holdsworth - 1:14:33

e-scooters, irrespective of the legality or otherwise, at the moment.

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:14:39

but an awful lot of will all buses that I have travelled on and a lot of trains refuse to take e-bikes and e-scooters because of the risk of and combusting, as I understand it, and I just wondered how this would

Simon Warburton - 1:14:54

would fit with somebody commuting on an e-bike to allow a station or a bus station. and then wanting to take their device with them, say to Leeds and then commute further on if the the operators aren't accepting transportation of these devices.

Thank you, because also when I when I trialled, any bike and commuted slower, I was able to take it on the train, but you have to pre-book, and that is a challenge for cyclists, that they're telling me that that is annoying for them, that they've got to pre-book their bike on the train, but there was there wasn't an assessment of type of bike, but maybe if I could come to Simon who might be a bit more of an expert than me,

thank you so, and certainly with regard to access of cycles sat inside

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:15:41

the the the the issue around having to pre-book,

as I understand it, that there should not be any particular issues that that users find e-scooters.

to come back to the discussion before are only permitted at present within those very small designated pilot areas, and so it's quite appropriate at this stage, regardless of the nature of the risk.

that the that the rail industry is is is not permitting

e-scooters onto vehicles because frankly they should have been able to get to the train station in the first place.

thank you for that clarification,

Okido, are we happy to approve or for schemes outlined to progress through to the assurance process and indicative approvals of the Combined Authority's funding contribution, full approvals overseas funding contribution, delivering development costs, and approval of future assurance pathways and approval routes

19 d) Investment Priority 6: Culture and Creative Industries

For Information

20 Minutes for Information

all happy to approve, thank you so much, that's great news, I'm really pleased that we've got the levelling-up money as well to improve our bus stations, to make them more welcoming places for for travellers, Okido. moving on to investment priorities, 6 culture, heritage and sport this is two schemes recommended to the CA for progression to through the assurance process and to help support our years of culture following on from the spectacularly successful Leeds 2023 and cookies you have music, these schemes will take place before the before the whether it's 2024 and they'll take place before the year that Bradford becomes UK's city of culture, so its culture Dáil will build on the

Phil Witcherley, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:17:27

strong screen, location and community assets for of the district from the Piece Hall in Halifax up to Todmorden and includes a programme of

Mayor Tracy Brabin - 1:17:34

many events including screen the heritage time of the Anne Lister festival. Wakefield 2024 will build on its brilliant assets across the district, including the Hepworth Yorkshire sculpture park and rooted in strong community engagement one event in the programme, which is really impressive, is the hatchling which will amplify, were Schulz's culture and creative ambition, generating commissioners and employment across creative and production services sectors and obviously act as the curtain raiser for Bradford City of culture 2025 fill anything further to add.

no, no, nothing further to add, on top of that, thanks

good stuff what a place to live West Yorkshire there is so much going on, can we approve the two schemes to progress through the assurance process and indicative approvals of the CSF funding contribution, full approval so the CIA's funding contribution to delivering development costs and approval of future assurance pathways and approval routes? all happy to approve that's fantastic, thank you all so much

so item 22, which is managed for information, but I would like to thank everybody for their attendance and contributions, and I know that some of us are will be staying or to have a conversation about the better homes hub, so thank you for that and just to end, I'd like to remind members of the date of the next meeting July, the 27

and draw this meeting to an end. Thank you all so much for your contributions. Thank you