Business, Economy and Innovation Committee - Wednesday 26 July 2023, 2:00pm - Feedback Tab - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

Business, Economy and Innovation Committee
Wednesday, 26th July 2023 at 2:00pm

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Speaking:

Start of webcast

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Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

1 Apologies for Absence

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Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

2 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

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3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

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4 Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 March 2023

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Item 4 - BEIC 29 March 2023 - Draft Minutes

5 Chair's Update

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Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)

6 Governance Arrangements

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Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

7 Economic Update

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Item 7 - Economic Update

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)
Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

8 Economic Strategy and EDI Plan

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Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative)
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

9 Investment Zones

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Item 9 - Investment Zones

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

10 Fair Work Charter

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James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative)
James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

11 Development and Delivery

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Louise Allen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

For Information

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12 Date of the Next Meeting

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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.

1 Apologies for Absence

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:00:00

go round and just do a quick introduction Miles.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:00:05

Miles, Langton governance, services officer.

Lisa Martin, Councillor for Roundhay ward in Leeds

Simon Beale private sector member.

an extra Shah

of a little bit of regeneration

planning transport for the council.

Mandy Ridgard let one member, one private sector member here.

there were today West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

the minority.

the result in West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Mitcham including West Yorkshire Combined Authority

and Holroyd West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

judge her case in West Yorkshire

Combined Authority.

Joe Byrne, West Yorkshire Combined Authority,

Tom Service, West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

favourable to private sector member.

Alan Williams, private sector representative.

Caroline Allen, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Deputy Director, legal governance and compliance

OK, thank you very much, we'll go on to

authorities.

the main one in the room, one.

and Felix grew up on a diet of for dressage economy, skills and culture.

anyway, locking Phoenix on my full his,

I'm talking to get on.

apologies for absence. We've got so Cook, gonna be a few minutes late, but we've got a list of the members who are good of given the policy miles.

Yes, Chair apologies for absence had been received from Dr Peter O'Brien, Councillor Sarah Courtney, Councillor Eric Firth, Jacqui Gedman, Dep Hetherington, Asmir Iqbal, Councillor Deb Nicholls, Councillor Peter Kilbane, Carl Oxford, Richard Paxman, Paul Price, paving dressing, Dr Martin Stow Bobby Thandie leave only and Neville Young

2 Declarations of Discloseable Pecuniary Interests

OK, thank you, but where we are because it will be sold that year. OK, thank you very much OK, I can do a declaration of disclosable pecuniary interest if that any, please can you make sure that you left Miles No

during and after the meeting, and if you are gonna, pay speak on any item, please. let me know the interest that you have, she will speak on any item.

item 3 exempt information,

3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

possible exclusion of the press and public,

4 Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 March 2023

I believe these aren't any exempt papers on the what face that's that's, because we don't need to go into private session item 4 minutes of meeting held on the 29th of March as a correct record,

I take that, yes, and very much

OK we move on to.

OK we could do it for myself,

let change, as you probably are a rarity, so my apologies if I'm telling you anything that you are not, but Matt Roberts, who was the interim lecture, he stood down her under the Combined Authority currently looking for a replacement chair who will also add to the Mayor's business adviser

there's also plans for the Mayor's business council which will bring together a range of businesses together.

of the five leaders were very keen to ensure we maximise the voice of business

to make sure that we actually

represent West Yorkshire, not just at Yorkshire, but beyond West Yorkshire as well

and internationally as well.

5 Chair's Update

there are also some changes to the directors and on my left and we've got feeling is coming and boastful,

why completely overlooked when I was

going round is a new director of inclusive economy

and this your third, it really.

when I say a few words.

I have two and a half to.

thank you very much Chair, and thank you words as the Chair service only my third here, it's

bedding in slowly. but the team has been fantastic, so I have

high high expectations of what we can do.

we've been through the papers, had a chat with the Chair prior to this in some fantastic agenda groups work, that's been done already, hopefully we can do a lot more, so thank you very much look forward to the time ahead

and can tender.

this last meeting of this committee and you're also going to Basel

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:04:39

Hill, so once again, thank you very much for your hard work and I've really enjoyed working with you over the last.

however, I haven't many mums who have been acting up

and I wish you all the best in your future ventures, A trying to say a few words to more than one

package out, it's been a pleasure serving as the lead director for

Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:05:03

this committee I know that this committee hasn't had a great turn out today and I think that's mainly because it's during the school holidays, it's been the Committee of the three Committee, I was the director for that's had the most private sector engagement and I think during the period whilst both whilst I've been acting director but also whilst I've been head of service working to this committee we've done in last year's was really really great things around developing economic strategy, developing from the business programmes, looking at things, new, innovative things like Northern gritstone,

the manufacturing Task Force, so it's a really really good platform, and in Felix you have got a fantastic director with a great track record and I'm sure we will go from strength to strength,

thank you.

confident, cheerful and once again.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:05:50

we wish you all the best in your future endeavours, Monday's unity, if you would

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:05:56

yeah I think it's really important say thank thankful for the workings and really making sure that the voice of business is being heard by the committee and it's great to see the work has been done in the manufacturing task force. Thank you for your support, space of Yorkshire but also the individuals involved and to try and change things up a bit workshops and stuff and I'm sure it's before the private sector members by saying that we we look forward to working with you to Felix,

OK Item 6 Gunners' arrangements.

6 Governance Arrangements

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:06:26

this is a General Gunderson day for information and it provides an overview of the governance arrangements for this committee.

approved by the Combined Authority on the 22 of June, including its terms of reference,

core membership and one meeting date,

I was also be appointed as Chair of the Committee somebody delighted I'm here again.

and the Deputy Chair ordinary held a LEP board

member, but that's currently vacant softly will fill that in it, ASAP

we actually undergoing a recruitment process, Philip board members,

and we hope that one or more points were made onto this committee and the Deputy Chair will be formally be appointed

so. surely anything, Caroline,

please do so.

and the Chair, I think you've covered that very succinctly, and I'm

Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:07:20

here if there are any questions about the contents of the paper or the governance arrangements more widely, and but hopefully most of that is is self-explanatory, thank you,

so this item is to know and any any feedback on any recurrent records

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:07:34

or even so we look forward to any comments or questions

no, thank you very much. Echoing from day,

7 Economic Update

as you know, inflation is a prove to be a lot more challenging than what was initially forecasted. Therefore the UK and Alistair input to the restructure economy. As a the has

wider, higher afield

interest rate rate. Interest rates are still going up

to try and ensure that we can be. We can control the economy, but things are quite shaping up

and this has been the quickest rate increase in decades. That's putting pressure on household budgets. Maybe we all feel, and I have constituents who actually feel you on a daily basis, mortgages and rented the like mortgages. I just go through the roof interest rates or sorry event, rental solicitors roof and

no we were hoping for a sharper, green shorts and bigger insurers come out

and Italy have we have have a other alternative economy, but what do that passenger Tom take us through the papers

and help us understand the macroeconomic situation and how it feels invest Yorkshire

and what impact that's got on this committee so Tom or to?

thank you Chair so yeah so interest rates increased

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:08:55

from four and a half per cent to 2 5%. It's obviously, people will be aware that there were around 0% for much of the last kind of for 13 13 years, four years or so, market expectations have tempered slightly

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:09:11

over the last few days, but they're still expecting further rate increases up to around 6%, depending on how how sticky inflation is and as the as the Chair said, when we were seeing this feeding strip feeding directly into household budgets, the rent rent prices across West Yorkshire increased by close to 100 pounds from March 2022 to 2023. The average mortgage in West Yorkshire has or will go up by around 150 pounds per month when, when people sorry, come off their fixed rates and stop and try to try to remortgage, but then on the business side we're also starting to see some of the challenges feeding through that and it's likely that will hit business investment between noise, already a problem within West Yorkshire and the wider economy. We don't invest as much as as much as we should in terms of what the Bank of England is kind of predicting or forecasting. They're expecting food and service sector inflation to remain German stickier and most more and increased at a that they didn't think would be the case. Going back kind of 12 months or so inflation by the end of this year is expected to still be around kind of 5%, which is of double whether Bank of England wanted to be.

Now some of the things that have fed into inflation coming down, albeit not coming down the shopping, as everyone would like, is we've had the energy price cap, that's not beneath the energy price guarantee, which is 2,500 pounds. The price cap is just shy of 20 100 pounds, so that's obviously welcome reprieve for families, but it's worth pointing out that in 2021 couples, around 200 pounds, so still a large increase in on the business side, they'll be businesses out there that have locked in soft futures contracts at rates they're far higher than where wholesale gas electricity prices currently are, so we're not out of the of the woods yet on energy in terms of overall inflation. So within the paper on 2.4, you'll see, I had inflation there 8.7% in the 12 months to May, we've now had updated figures so CPI is not 7.9% and core inflation has actually fallen slightly from 7.1 to 6.9%, but still far higher than central banks wanted to be. So it wouldn't surprise me if we, if we do see a few more interest rate rises, albeit the votes might get slightly closer and that what we are seeing is well. The food inflation problem still persists, food prices are going up around 18%, but for particular food, so, for instance, white sugar and olive oil. They're going up by roughly 50% year on year, and there's a whole host of a host of reasons for particular goods, going up a far quicker rate in terms of what interest rates are doing to businesses trying to raise money. What we're seeing is that SMEs are paying over 6% for new finance, it's to be expected to an extent SMEs pour more than large businesses, but that that divergence is getting wider now than it has been previously, so we're seeing SMEs paying around 2 comma 1 5% versus 5.8% across kind of all business sizes, and what we've seen is lending our finance for SMEs actually declining versus for larger businesses. It's going up, so what we're taking from that is that it could be one of two things. Either. Demand for finance is falling, as businesses are consolidating a bit and or finance providers are becoming a bit more conservative with with who they want to. We don't have enough data at this point to unpick that in terms of in terms of what's going on in West Yorkshire, there's probably the was a few messages, some witchy offer before on the labour market side, we're getting a lot of people into work still, and that is that's a good thing. Employee numbers are continuing to increase and increased between EFL and, albeit at a relatively slow rate, we seen an increase of about three and a half thousand employees across West Yorkshire between January and May, but not every district has been experiencing this so for instance, since January Calderdale hasn't seen employment growth likewise from April to May at Kirklees and Wakefield experience small drops, so it's not, it's not a uniform.

sort of,

positive news stories like a green shoot across the entirety of West Yorkshire, but it is good that we are getting people into work. The out of work claimant count on the flip side increased to 4.8% in May, compared with 3.8% in England. So you might be asking how this employment growth, but also alt-folk clinics' growth, what were what is likely to be happening, albeit we don't have the debtor, yet is there have been people that left the labour market and are now having to re-enter the labour markets because of cost of living increases

or that they might have been to, for instance, caring for someone but that might have changed and how they can go back into the workforce? So we're trying to understand this inactivity to active and the flipside to that in a bit more detail, but data on that is is scarce currently in terms of in terms of job postings. West job postings in West Yorkshire have been have fallen for three consecutive months, but vacancy rates are still a bigger problem here than they are across the country as a whole. So in April 20 to 23, the around 30,000 new job postings, which was 12% more than March, but 7% higher than April last year, and the biggest reductions were for jobs relating to IT. Business management and healthcare, job postings related to manufacturing and production, however, experienced a small increase month on month, so it might start to be seeing some of the manufacturing sector actually picking up a bit more as those energy costs have come down for businesses that have been able to

negotiate better, better prices in terms of businesses, business registrations and liquidations. We're still seeing a net increase in businesses, which is good. News, and registrations were particularly strong in Bradford and Kirklees and it's, and this was in Mayo, and the figures in May are the strongest they've been throughout 2023 sites. Good news, what we are seeing, however, is a sectoral split, so accommodation and food services are both overrepresented over represented in registrations and liquidations. So that's probably the different on a lot of these. A lot of businesses in this sector work on very low margins, so you'll probably see in quite a few of those companies, unfortunately going under due to what is going on, but you're seeing people want to go into that sector because they're spotting new opportunities, for instance, and then a final thing for me, the UK, we work with us on getting access to more sub-regional data. It's something that we've been working on for quite why and its constant kind of bugbear of please provide it to us in a more timely manner, but we've recently got access to sub-regional productivity figures for 2021, so between 2016 and 2021 GVA per hour worked, which is a major measure of productivity increased by 14.3% across the country versus 14.2% in West Yorkshire have what you'll see from the table below is that there are very, very stark differences in West Yorkshire, so for instance, productivity in Wakefield went up by 23.4% across those years versus 8% in Leeds. We don't know sort of, we don't have a specific reason why this is the care some of it may well be catch-up effects, some of it might be covered, effects which were not able to unpick currently, but the differences are very stark and if we want West Yorkshire to be found and also and is it's important that we're able to get productivity up in every every corner at every point within West Yorkshire

so thank you Chair, I'll pass back to you,

thank you, Chair Tom, for that comprehensive all day, any questions are coming,

Lisa

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:16:23

thank you very much, Chair, just on that last point, obviously I'm interested in in the it would be helpful to know what the baseline was so was is it that Leeds were starting at a much higher level than the others and therefore,

it's understandable why it's hernia at 8%, thank you.

thank you, sir, so good there is aspect of Meath was quite far ahead of the pack so there will be a bit of a catching up effect.

that would have happened, I think the

one of the concerns is that if you compare other areas where they have kind of one

sort of central city that a lot of people, folks, on the of business activities focused on the same effect isn't

softened from Leeds to to other areas,

so there will be a catch up effect going on but will

almost certainly be other effects that are contributing to Leeds growing at a slower rate than we would not like.

yeah, that's good.

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:17:29

thank you, Tom ha ha

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:17:33

yeah, just a comment really that appalling upon them, affecting Task

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:17:36

Force, comment on increasing productivity in the region, that there is now a programme called the productivity improvement programme, which is now in place, and so

manufacturers should really try and access that and it's really up to us to try to spread that message as far and wide as possible because it it should really drag that productivity in that sector and they,

yeah, for thank you there's always.

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:18:04

I think people will people will generally be aware, especially if you listen to me the last 12 months or so that productivity is this people focus on the cost of living problem, and rightly so. If we're able to crack, productivity would be able to fix quite a lot of the of the problems we face is an economy. Part of the reason why the UK has struggled particularly badly with the cost of living crisis is because wage increases haven't been as high as they have been in other areas. Savings rates haven't been as high as they are in other countries, are savings rates are as high as they are in other countries in part because we don't have those wage increases that have got us there. So if we're able to crack productivity and of to take a look at a productivity improvement programme,

as well as all the other programmes that have been going on, whether it be from central government or devolved government, if we're able to crack, that issue would be able to fix, or at least make easier when the next crisis comes when whatever that may be or look like,

thank you

Tom any more, it's Monday,

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:19:05

I entirely looked at the make-up of businesses in those separate areas

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:19:09

because, obviously, looking at GV, the make-up of the costs of those businesses will be very different for the additional business competing manufacturing business and that can be very transformative in terms of productivity figures.

so so we have them, we have them bits and pieces of that equally

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:19:28

reflective things like skill levels, whether it be via of cash levels or kind of self-reported, and there will be aspects of of these things are present

fundamentally, though the UK as a whole much of West Yorkshire has a productivity problem.

and within West Yorkshire we we suffer that at the sharp end and unfortunately, so

there are a lot of different things going on, whether it be around you know, better transport infrastructure would be would be very helpful, as you say, the sectoral make-up and attracting businesses that are in terms of high productivity sectors will also be part of it. but there is also

a, as well as getting getting the sector right, there are also businesses that sort of if you compare a business here to a business into Germany or France, or the US or Canada, that same business basically in the same sector with the same number of employees and what you will be less productive here than it is elsewhere so that that's what this this is ultimately why we've got things like the manufacturing task force as well as all of the over the different kind of policy research areas on productivity because it's unfortunately a UK wide problem that we're at the sharp end of.

accusing him of questions.

8 Economic Strategy and EDI Plan

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:20:38

OK, we'll move on to the next item on the agenda with cheese, economic strategy and equality, diversity and inclusion plan.

as you know, work is ongoing on the development of the economic strategy.

in the final on 1 July, West Yorkshire plan in John contest the event that took place in Leeds. the strategy will have a focus on delivering

one mission of the plan.

a prosperous West, Yorkshire, an inclusive economy and and well-paid jobs.

he also recalled that at the March meeting, members endorsed the development of the of the EDIS strategy to ensure our business support projects and services.

that meets the needs of David business founders from Christmas, Yorkshire,

this, following the Combined Authority's commissioning of the Nostell report from African Caribbean business ventures, looking at the barriers faced by black and African and black Caribbean business founders in accessing support

to alleviate the importance of this agenda, the EDIS strategy will now be embedded within the economic strategy and that's the right thing to do you need to be

hand-in-glove

and needs to be seamless in terms of how we delivery so can pass on to Joe barroom will take Members through the plans for the economic strategy, and then long it will come in.

an update as on VIII strategy proposals, and then members will hopefully have time for input, so Josh

02,

thank you Chair them, and they say a few words about their strategic

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:17

context for this and what we do on the evidence base and then pass to education monitor talk a bit more about the

immediate implications, linking back to the discussions at the last committee,

so as Councillor Vanda handoff said, since the group last met we've had the publication of the West Yorkshire Plan

that was launched by mayors and political leaders at an event in Leeds in June,

so it's great now that we've got that framework and that visions 2040 we've got ambition for West Yorkshire set out.

I think it's really important for us to have that as a region, particularly talking to stakeholders, government in particular, to be clear about who we are, what we want to achieve and and our aims and ambitions,

so the next stage of that work, that is to build on that framework of the West Yorkshire Plan,

that's why we're developing its economic strategy to set out how we're going to achieve those missions and those ambitions.

and how that will guide our investments as an organisation on behalf of the region,

so we do have a suite of existing policies and strategies that will feed into this, and part of the work is reviewing those existing strategies, understanding what's worked well in the past, what lessons we can learn what we want to bring into to the new economic strategy.

in addition to reviewing existing policies and strategies as a lot of work going on or other data so building on many of the points that Tom raised around productivity digging down into those figures more and studying the issues there, so we're refreshing our economic assessment we did in 2019 where there's new data available from the census data for example to to feed into that, but I think many of those of structural challenges do so remain, particularly around productivity that we talked about it that the last

in the last item we got a recommission of our regional economic model, the rents will be able to bring some forecast into this work to understand the potential scenarios for the economy.

we mentioned at the last Committee that we're gonna be commissioning an inward investment strategy to get some specialist expertise on on that area, so the last inward investment Strategy we had was done in 2014 so pre Brexit pre COVID, obviously a lot of changes there so so that will align with the ambition emissions but you know we will bring in some external consultants to provide some of the specialist expertise on that that element.

we have got a platform

from data city to look at different sectors of the economy, particularly the tech-enabled ones that don't come out necessarily is clearly in traditional sic code analysis or to be able to understand some of those new frontier companies where they are in West Yorkshire whether opportunities to attract more of those type of companies as other clusters and the links of those companies whether whether based

we're working with West Yorkshire universities as a network called Y pon, members of the Committee might have heard of previously, they've got some funding specifically to work with policymakers to help embed the academic evidence base into the policymaking process. We've got a West Yorkshire fellow that we're working with on on the strategy, and we picked up three themes in particular where we think they'll though they'll play an important role in this work, but while we feel we, we could really benefit from some of the academic expertise. So those themes are childcare, the implications that has on our economy from the perspective of economic inactivity as a barrier to people entering the workforce, but also, from the perspective of early years and child development, the impact that it has them and and as a sector in itself,

as a business owner in the challenges that the sector is facing.

we're looking at the informal economy.

part of this is, you know, we want to build an inclusive economy, so I think it's upon to try to understand that the faux aspect of what's happening in West Yorkshire and where there might be a role, and

you know what what we could do in some of that area and in part this is about that. There's not obviously a lot of data about the informal economy. You know each by its nature, so it's just trying to understand what what's out there, what my R and B, but to make sure no, we are being a clear, inclusive in our approach, the final theme that the WIPA networks, looking at the future of working age and the implications this has for West Yorkshire, and we were reflecting on

that that the huge opportunity of a a, I that the challenges but also can are where we are as a region in some of you, know that that basic digital skills and sought the gap between the I opportunity and even just getting some some basic digital skills in into certain parts of our economy. So we had a really interesting roundtable discussion at yesterday we, local authority, colleagues and academics, that's gonna, provide a framework for further research to happen, and it we've already identified a few quick wins and opportunities we can build on, but I think it would be useful to us to share them that the note of that that discussion with committee members for further reflections on on different opportunities

one final thing to mentioned in terms of the evidence is we're also really considering the role of health as part of this strategy, the impact it has on the economy, the impact that the economy has on people's health.

this reflects combined authority's role in closer engagement with the integrated care board, put the NHS joining up with them,

and we're bringing together a scientific advisory group

led by the Bradford Institute of Health research, to bring together some of the economists and most health experts to really unpick some of these issues in the synergies between those areas and those themes that we talked about working with wife and on will will feed into that group as well.

so this is quite a lot going on in terms of evidence, so alongside that, we are consulting widely with local authority. Colleagues, business groups, universities, we held a workshop in June with members of this committee and business representative bodies, its stock of future business support in the context of devolution and our ambition around FDI, and what our new flexibilities and freedoms mean for sectoral support, size of business support and the difference of challenges and opportunities we have there, so that was a really helpful workshop. The the notes of that have been circulated as part of the reading for for this committee, and there's a number of actions that the people will see in that note that we are continuing to work on and build on, particularly around a eager evidence base, monitoring data and also that clarity around partnership and and ways of working and further engagement

we've talked about EDIS and so to ensure that the ambitions are fully embedded within this work we've taken the decision to incorporate the proposed EDIS strategy that was discussed at the last committee into the economic strategy to really elevate the importance of the agenda and make sure that we're linking up the strategy with the delivery, so I'll pass over to Joshua Moore at this point to talk through that the work is going on a part 2 to embed that more closely

French,

Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:29:18

as was pointed out by by cancer and earlier at the previous committee meeting outlined some of the research and data that's going to inform the development of our EDIS strategy. which includes, obviously, the notes, the report and the recommendations set out within it,

and the intention is still to use these recommendations in the data we discussed last time, as well as to inform the media strategy and in its new status as part of the economic strategy

as has been mentioned.

I think this is a really big opportunity to kind of make sure that the strategic importance of EDIS is felt in and is firmly part of that economic strategy, it's a chance to ensure that specific actions reach across all areas of the West Yorkshire economy and to better support our diverse communities around the region as well, so in many ways the economic strategy is the kind of perfect vehicle to ensure that EDIS are visible and key priority and lever for us. to boost the economy,

there's also some implications, positive implications and opportunities for kind of effective consultation through embedding the media strategy within the economic strategy, so there's a big opportunity to kind of reduce stakeholder confusion or fatigue by effectively combining consultation activity on these on these pieces of work and I think the economic Strategy provides a really solid framework for effective consultation on this subject as well, I'm going to pass you over to Lorna now who's gonna take you through some of the plans for consultation on this subject over the coming months.

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:30:52

thank you Josh, so the next step for us is really to undertake engagement with steak stakeholders from across the region to gather their input into the proposed economic strategy and the EDI strategy. As part of that, we really want to ensure that we're engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders. Representative of the diverse of the region, that we serve, and we'd really welcome your input and suggestions on who we should consult with, as part of that, we've been working with our internal consultation team develop a proposed survey which will be shared via the advice platform, which is

you may have seen other service from the Combined Authority use that platform as well, so will share that link with you when it goes live, we want to like said one to get out as many people as possible. We'd also like to run some focus groups so we can get more detailed input into the proposals and again make sure that we hear from diverse voices across the region so again, any suggestions, please do let us know

committee members should have received an invite to a workshop on the 5th of September about the digital blueprint and we're proposing utilising that session to also gather members' more detailed views on the proposed strategy members think that's a good idea and would welcome your thoughts on this proposed approach just to flag as well one of the challenges that we've had is around data and the lack of business data in relation to the that kind of diversity of individuals that when in businesses in our region and terms being doing some work, from the census results

that were there's a question in there that asks whether people are self-employed when they run their own business, whether they have employees and only last week with those results published waked LA that with diversity information, so we will be looking at that and can share that with members to together as a more up to date it's still not it's still imperfect but it gives us a more recent

picture of the diversity of business founders in our region.

sorry.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:33:00

not sure, given very much Jill you walk to some, assuming that you're complicit in or you are for another item

is a work of village, right, OK and other is still going on,

okay, any questions or comments from

members.

listen then, Andy

sorry, I missed that date in September that you mentioned, could you repeat it?

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:33:27

the 5th of September.

can we make sure we look at access to finance as part of this, because one of the biggest barriers, I think for diversity is access to finance and within the region we have expertise in finance? and within space of Yorkshire we've got green space proposal going on looking at space technology to make green finance

more available, combining those two things together and owning it in West Yorkshire would be an economic opportunity as well as one that might help businesses and people in the region.

yeah, that's absolutely one of the things we're looking at, I think it

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:34:09

would be really useful to have a kind of a follow-up discussion with you on our proposals for that to get input, but yeah, it's very much a part of the plans and particularly on Friday I and one particular group for this barrier to them, so we would welcome a conversation

yeah, but it's also a saying that kind of in the development of this

Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:34:27

we've worked really closely with some of the retail banks, Lloyds NatWest in particular, so I think that that's an important part of this, as well as pushing our own kind of equity funds for developing an area

access to finance for diverse diverse business owners.

you are so.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:34:49

thank you and Joe it was really good to hear about Wipeout being plugged in to bring in some of the academic expertise into this piece

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:34:53

of work, so I just wanted to also highlight our some bilateral conversations that have been going on I, with University of Huddersfield academics led by Liz Hunter

and particularly around that healthy and we've got Professor Phil Brown, leading on health and housing, which seemed to chime in with one of the priorities, and also Professor Alex and Iquitos who's an expert in future mobility and sustainable transport, so I think those two connections they've not already thought had been made internally might be quite helpful.

thanks.

during the comeback it will not

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:35:33

just set yet, thank you note could only make

all in one month,

yes, thanks,

Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative) - 0:35:40

it was interesting to hear the focus on a lot of digital, what impact do Expedit have on jobs and productivity in particular based on the discussion we were having earlier on productivity physically given a tight labour market we have at the moment?

yeah, I think, is a huge the when the workshop was mentioned is on the

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:36:04

digital blueprint, which is work going on alongside that with with a eyes a sort of major theme on that and I think.

yeah, it's really trying to get the those while it's about opportunities challenges.

in itself, really unpicking that and what it means for the region, so think absolutely that's gonna be something that you know we really need to grapple with this one of the seven key themes across this and another spotted strategy as well.

Monday

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:36:31

yeah, not absolutely, I think.

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:37:11

as I say, we've got, we had the round table that we're gonna get a note from, so we're gonna kind of go through that thematically pick out some of the opportunities and I think once we've done that another step is it's what elsewhere are the other gaps as well, and if you know we do have things you know existing that that we can pull into that and I think you know alongside what Wipers doing we're also doing a lot of work considering the the literature and the evidence in one or another sources, not just not academic things, but that certainly could be something we could look into

further research.

diversity.

authorities have set timescales.

yeah, absolutely

current members, 80

Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:37:55

yeah, I can remember the name of the report, I think it's the business without barriers, imports re, FSB and talks a lot about

barriers to growth, essentially for for disabled business owners and help people with disabilities may be more likely to set up a business but then experienced barriers within growing up businesses.

adversity within that year.

pension settlements.

yeah, absolutely yeah, Stephanie on our reader

K, thank you very much, we've got a fire.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:38:30

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:38:33

yeah, I just want to flag up the made smarter programme that sort of really is therefore additional transformation. I just want you to actually ask whether there's anything that might come under that, because the digital transport they're made smarter does expect a certain level of digital readiness, so I think there's a little bit of a gap there that needs to be addressed, particularly for pdf businesses that might be a little bit further behind in that area anyway.

yeah, that's the exact issue is certainly the words come up in our

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:39:00

discussions around the sort of actual basic layer of digital skills are things I suppose yet against the latest.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:39:13

OK, thank you very much genuine questions or comments from members or a cafeteria.

OK item, 9 investment zones are.

9 Investment Zones

he probably aware that in spring,

the chancellor announced the investment zones, the that 8 million pound zone. design to increase rates of innovation, supporting the living agenda and increasing international inward investment into regions

since the announcement, the Combined Authority have been working in partnership with the local authorities,

the universities around West Yorkshire.

and are unable to develop a proper proposals,

the 23 focusing on is the health and care and and digital,

that is something that we need to reassign, make sure we will level up.

so what we will do is ask me, Mitchell, Cook McCullum, they will tell the committee, through the papers amichel the

yeah, thank you.

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:40:11

so I'm going to kind of give my update and kind of three parts, given that investments aunties working at considerable PIs, and so how could they cover what they are, what we're doing so far and the progress we've made and then the next steps so

as Councillor Pandor said there investments aren't really kind of looking at supporting the levelling up ambitions and the levelling of white paper increasing rates of innovation in areas that have low public and private sector R and D investment

innovation rates in general and also attracting inward investment into certain sectors or clusters.

every place, that's been selected for investments on will receive 80 million pounds that we delivered over five years, or 2024 to 2029, is the timescales and they can focus on five sectors that are outlined in the investments on perspective, and I think I'd put them in a report as well, and essentially there are three things that you can do with an investment on, you can have tax sites so you can have up to three 200 hectare tax aids and essentially what that means is you turn. The taps on tax incentives saw business in that tax out, for instance, could not after pair

employer national insurance contributions or stamp duty example,

there is also business rate retention sites and an area can have up to two of them, so that's 100% relief from business rates on newly occupied business premises of 25 years. and in. third, one is flexible spend, so this is capital and revenue proposals, so any kind of innovation centres, business support programmes, research and innovation and skills, and that's split between 14 60% or 40% of the million pounds can be spent on revenue 60% is on capital.

since we've met with the Department for levelling up housing and communities.

a few months ago we've been progressing up puzzle and first task was essentially to pick the sector and the geography that we focus on,

so our proposal can recognise there are a lot of strengths in the region we've got a lot of research, kind of expertise in health, tech life sciences and cannot the wider tech sector so the proposal boxes on amplifying the opportunities around the health tech cluster and then the wider tech sector for opportunities around creative tech and green finance.

focusing on critical technologies again like artificial intelligence and software, and also unlocking some skills or barriers that businesses may face.

about a month ago we passed a second ago, so that's all been approved by the Department for levelling up and we had one of the best submissions.

the review of the Mayoral Combined Authority, so that was really good to see and great work between local authorities, universities and the Combined Authority.

now, but essentially looking at what we're gonna do with the 80 million pounds and the governance of that so,

but we've currently got to get where that's taking place now, to see how we will deliver the investment on and then the next part is the interventions and in 2.1 5 I've given kind of one-off view of the things that would probably have gone to look at doing with this money.

and kind of focus on things like equity finance, access to finance, that Monday talked about their looking at accelerator or incubator programmes, even investment pots, to focus on some of the capital sites that before cursed in the bid so that would focus largely on the National Health Innovation Campus I proposals in Huddersfield, the Leeds, teaching Hospital Trust and also in Bradford.

there's also wider things on a research and development grants, leadership, training, mentoring, doctoral training, support.

and that's kind of moving at pace over the next few weeks being developed with local authorities and universities in a kind of a collaborative spirit.

to get this co-designed and reflect that the needs of what West Yorkshire would be able to do

over the next.

8 weeks. The next steps really are to finalise these interventions. Get them signed off by political leaders, the universities and, through a required course, sign the proposals and we'll have something in a bit more share by the end of August, hopefully test with the levelling-up department will then kind of look at consulting a bit further with businesses to make sure whether they're happy with what we've put forward, so we've had a series of work shops in the last few weeks, so it's basically take me back and say you know, based on what we've had discussed last time, what do you think how is it looking at any gaps

and then the next fears after that is looking at delivery and if models for this investment on, and then the government are very keen for us to get this up and running in quarter 1 2024, so

a lot to digest there, it's it's a moving beast, but I'm happy to take any questions.

any questions or comments from members

and

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:45:29

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:45:32

great report makes Los Angeles a very rapidly moving feast this, but one thing he mentioned is accelerator programmes, and there are lots of accelerator programmes around and then not always able to find cohorts to go on to them. for designing an accelerator programme. Can we maybe think about what it's targeting?

If that is what we decide to do, because I think start-up businesses, I can't find enough of them. The accelerator programmes I promote, so maybe that's not where the issue is, maybe it's in accelerating team leadership within businesses, for example with young leaders moving onwards. Something like that I don't know, but I think we need to think very carefully if that is one of our options.

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:46:19

yeah absolutely thank you, and I've been as as we develop these interventions over the next few weeks, we need to look at

making sure that we don't duplicate existing activity, can look at the need and the demand, and so the government expects, but quite motive.

kind of kiss forward about the outcomes, the outputs and objectives, why we use investments on money for this site, I think all those points are taken on board that

yeah, I mean we'd be better to design of legal labs or UK space agency

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:46:44

executive programmes into our programme where we're using their money to promote into our region than designing our own.

OK, so you end up.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:46:58

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:47:03

yes, and as you know, which were part of the investments on

partnership at the University of Huddersfield, and also the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre, so this is a really really exciting development for us all, and I just wanted to underline that

I've been working with the architects over the last couple of weeks that are designing the floor plan for the second building going on to that campus. we're designing a health innovation centre to go in there, so this programme is really really timely, it will allow us to really accelerate

the growth and attraction of companies to that site, so whether they be.

investment opportunities, and we know already that the West Yorkshire team is sending through many more of those health related companies to us, we want to talk to academics, etc so that's a really good sign that there will be interest and demand there and we also think it'll be great for existing businesses. So a bit like Paxman coolers that obviously Richard Paxman's involved in this this committee

that have got scope to work much more intensively with with our local universities and fast-forward their developments, Katy pays all those kind of good things, so I just really want to support and encourage everybody to to get behind this initiative, it will really transform and the areas particularly where,

for example, I in Huddersfield, could really benefit from a lot of higher level jobs and and this can act as a magnet for that

extra years successor,

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:48:29

you more commonly question birth income, the point is that the Health Innovation 17 in Huddersfield the third in development, there will be a massive boost for West Yorkshire,

it's gonna be a world-class facility and it will surely

make sure that we actually address this sort of issue that we are facing, but she will not do anything which he can do.

there's nothing really asked anything whatsoever said those absolutely right, it's a real, timely opportunity to kind of maximise the

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:48:59

opportunities of our regional assets, the businesses, whether that stop scale up

and cannot build on that pane of cluster of knowledge and expertise that we've got in the region

this is, this is the right opportunity to do that and,

we'll see the rewards, hopefully, over the next five years as things develop.

e-mail questions are coming from Italy.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:49:20

sorry, yeah and one of the things that was identified in the

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:49:25

manufacturing test for us was a shortage of a building, say them, manufacturing space,

is there any other any plans for any sites

to be developed

for inflexion purposes?

so we were still in the process of developing a lot of the

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:49:43

interventions, and some of them can't be shared necessarily just yet, but.

I think that kind of digital manufacturing and elements that linked kind of the health tech cluster panic opportunities where we could look at that, is that developed.

anymore? all

for

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:50:04

just to build on that and that economic strategy, the areas of focus

Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:50:09

are fallout, an economic strategy, that's exactly the type of thing we want to be looking at through that area.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:50:17

OK, thank you very much, Chair Catherine reels, but ends up we move on to early Sancuso, not into I think you have not really had a good exchange of views, thank you for that.

the next item be the Fair Work chatter.

10 Fair Work Charter

James would see it,

we've been working on this for some time because he was previously the the inclusivity panel,

radical through a framework, and

you know we were really be worried that this will

not assist, but other piece of the work that we will build in within the inclusive framework will fall off edges but I was really pleased that when Tracy became the mayor of Shropshire

you're one of the key pledges to actually do a Fair Work charter.

and the report will represent their progress, which had been made

so far after the public consultation last year.

the the chance to be further shaped by our key partners and

small business, and

also to be launched

in autumn Live obviously way plan.

he's well supported, and it's an opportunity to make sure that working conditions

not to Yorkshire weather far afield as well, improve 4 4 on a resident, so James without further rule, can I ask you to provide an update and then we'll have a competition thanks

great thanks Chair.

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:51:41

yes, so is this report, as you quite rightly say, provides a bit of an update

since the charter was last discussed in this committee in March last year doesn't time fly and so some of the key highlights within what's fairly

substantial report

are as follows, so are at the time when we last met we were very heavily into consultation mode and testing a very broad range of views on a draft charter and which had been co-designed by the mayor's expert steering group in that that's deemed routes fully listed in in the report and agreed may recall

that that process included usual online consultation but also some workshops including with businesses and chambers.

communities and actually been for all the private sector. Members off of the CA committees.

The results showed,

first of all, something really positive that there was great support for the idea of the charter, which was really welcome,

but it also indicated something a bit more troubling that actually, when we consulted with the smallest of businesses, they found it incredibly difficult to sign up,

not even just on day one, but probably in year one or you too. It would have been very challenging for them to comply with all the requirements. So we went into a period through the steering group of some deep engagement specifically with small businesses, and that was undertaking with some really practical and welcome help from our business representative organisation. So bombings, not here really instrumental in that. The Chambers and and also the CEAP CPI so they they've brought through their networks a whole series at 30 old small businesses who are listed on its logos listed in in in in the report. As a result of that deep dive engagement and the steering group

recommended some important changes of emphasis to the charter. So these changes are a fully fitted key. Really compared with many char, other chances are out there, so it's moving from what was essentially a really select and exclusive club to a much more inclusive community of all sorts of different types of businesses from a process of heavy compliance to getting small businesses and other types of employees into the tent and then embarking on much more of a journey of improvement in recognition, and

there was something about the tone which didn't which jot actually with a lot of can consult consultees so we've shifted that tone from which is bit more kind of around judgement to a spirit of development and support. So the finalised Charter as it stands is included within the report in the annex, and probably it's worthwhile flagging as well one of the key questions that we often come back to his. Why should anybody bother signing up to it? So businesses told us there were four key reasons for for signing up. It provides them with a toolkit and a pathway towards fair work. It helps them to recruit and retain good staff, it boosts the business performance because providing for work is great for

a profitability, sales and growth, and it reaps community based benefits, so developing a business community in creating peer group support and learning is really really important as a benefit to the people that enrol, so we hope

on that basis,

more than hope, yeah, we've got a real, strong ambition around signing up a minimum of 180 businesses on to the chart over the next 12 months, but including within that 180 30 early adopters, which is part of the reason for the report today

because of which we hope some will be.

Esther SMEs and and private sector representative organisations around this table, but we really want that those early doctors to cover a range of sectors, sizes and districts in different characteristics, so we can really then use them as ambassadors to communicate more broadly with business population so oppose their

and ask If Sarah wants to add anything at this point. around delivery arrangements. If not, then happy to answer any questions or through or from the Chair,

and you said you,

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:56:18

thank you so yeah, we just started to work in implementation how we can actually deliver this, and we're gonna, commission, an external

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:56:22

organisation, to help us deliver this for year one because he's very new territory, so we're gonna test out, see how it goes, evaluate and then and then build on that for the kind of future make choices,

Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:56:34

sustainable works for everybody going forwards. This is a stop-start with Jennifer's actually which is built on building Alt-J, has been really great to get some feedback in terms of anybody wants to be an early adopter, get signed to this, but also any feedback any concerns anybody might have at this stage that we can flush out before we get into actual implementation and I'd be really helpful.

thank goodness Cher certainly got her.

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:56:53

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:56:57

yes, vice chair, so my question is, if you sign up, what do you need

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:57:01

to do

as an MP or a small or a large organisation for method?

at this stage it's simple lot, quite rough and ready, but it's an

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:57:14

online form which you go through and it's done on a self-assessment basis, so you feel that in send it into us and then we take it from there.

thank you.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:57:30

yet what's happening in other parts of the country in relation to this and for success, obviously?

Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative) - 0:57:35

yeah

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:57:40

it's a, it's a, it's a really really important question, because when we started out in this journeys, the Chair mentioned Enoch quite some time ago,

there were quite a few.

New charges.

emerging with with tons of optimism and those included chart as in Great Manchester and London, and I think where they've had success, has generally been with some of the larger employers within their areas, but I think probably if

you know, you look.

who actually signed up, they probably struggled more with SMEs and engaging SMEs, we've had discussions with London, for example,

in terms of what they're trying to do, and they're always trying to retrofit.

a new charter that's relevant to SMEs and because the one that they're working with at the moment is just too complicated for smaller businesses to engage with, so there's that I think there's also the learning that we've had from the from the if you like the the private sector side of the Charter world you've got because but there's also something which has launched a year to 0 by dualling richer the good business charter and that's very much.

a big open door and we've taken a lot of learning from that, partly through our discussions with the FSB because they partnered up with Julian richer to design the chart for a semi access.

thank you very much, Chairman.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:59:12

any normal thing and it might impersonal thick, but is it possible to

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:59:18

change the word staff to people or employees? It always sounds very hierarchical, and I think that's it wasn't my fair were that's one of the things we're trying to to survive diminish, not not make

more prevalent.

Yes, thank you for that points really really well received. I think

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:59:35

this is partly a byproduct of how the charges can come into being. We've there's been a clashing of worlds, really, so we we've had business recognisance round the table, but also the unions as well, and that's something that probably should have mentioned. This is being a great piece of work in terms of code design, from people coming at it from different perspectives, but also using completely different types of language, so maybe workers, as opposed to employees

but yes, thank you.

any more questions or comments can celebrate

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 1:00:10

OK, thank you very much.

exempt report, James and celebrating book.

so are we asking the committee to seek interest or commitment of private sector members to be amongst the chancer with early adopters, so that's what are we agreeing to

Item 11 development and delivery?

11 Development and Delivery

the evolved growth services now in delivery from April 2023 and aims to make navigation of support for business easier

no naif this are a number of services that provide bespoke services, including system ability, productivity, digital transformation and enterprise.

in development are several services that support businesses, the skills needs and those in the creative and cultural sector

are the paper's central front or rear will outline the progress made on each of these services, we've got Lewis Allen, I read

who'll take us through the paper and we'll then have a confession feedback. and for a review of Lewis.

thank you Chair.

Louise Allen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:01:20

yes, for them, as chair said, the paper gives an overview of business support services in delivery and also in the pipeline.

the Committee will be aware that the above-ground service began in April and that aims to be the infrastructure to enable businesses to easily access the right support at the right time

and also, as Chair said, there are there's a number of services that have launched recently or are due to launch imminently, including support for high-growth, enterprise sustainability, innovation and digital support and the business productivity programme that Farah mentioned earlier is in delivery

and that is particularly attractive to manufacturers as Farah alluded to

we have the digital skills, green skills and skills support for business which has recently been approved as the Combined Authority and this committee will be invited to input into the could sign of that programme.

the business and skills support for creative industries will be presented at the Combined Authority tomorrow and again this committee will be update on progress and invited to. to input into that,

the UK shared prosperity fund appraisal process for innovation, expert and alternative business models is ongoing and this committee will be sited on the recommend day recommended proposals to take forward.

and I would just like to draw your attention to a few pieces of activity and in the innovation sphere,

so please add the West Yorkshire Innovation Festival to your diaries, which is 13th to the 17th of November,

and would really appreciate to promote this to colleagues and partners to come forward with event ideas we really want to raise the profile of innovation in the region and the web address for signing up to deliver an event is in the report.

the Mayor's innovation prize pilot completed earlier this year, and 10 young people win prizes to bring their ideas to life, which included mentoring support through innovate. UK and the mayor's innovation challenge, which will be launched towards the end of the year, will build on this and we are bringing the innovate. UK local action plan to life and Mandy has been heavily involved in these conversations and can give

more detailed updates on that piece of work. But in the meantime happy to answer any questions or take any comments.

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 1:03:50

Thank you very much for the report to the question. Do comments from

so.

thank you, Chair, outside which just a couple of things I'm on page 1

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 1:04:04

1 9 are under their access to finance section 8 mentioned in paragraph 2 1 5, that

the northern gritstone is all about spin-outs from universities of Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield, which is kind of true in its national sentence, but I just wanted to flag the conversation we had a couple of meetings ago here, that the investment going in from the Combined Authority is meant to encourage benefits from all our universities, not just leading our regions, I just wonder if that could be emphasised a little bit more to make sure that you know all the other universities are are sort of bought into that that approach to make sure because we have possibly a more diverse population in in the morning. while universities like Huddersfield anyway, sorry to make sure all our students get the benefit of that and our graduates at that will be, I think, something to keep emphasising,

and then the second question I had with about the creative industries, a programme which looked really exciting and I just thought I'd mention,

some work that we've been doing with Kirklees Council actually in terms of piloting and make a space within the university's Barbara Hepworth building to encourage.

students, graduates and local people, I, who are interested in fashion, design, textiles, those kind of creative

businesses and freelance opportunities where they need facilities that they may not have around the kitchen table, and so it's a pilot phase, it's been really successful and

and

that's coming to an end now and I'm just wondering if in future, versions and future phases of the creative industries.

packages of support that support from maker spaces might be something to consider because it's a very practical area that can help particularly early stage

entrepreneurs who don't have a lot of money and they need those kind of facilities which can be put together.

easily where there are other

similar facilities around them, so just you know, I accept that it's not part of this initial phase, but it would be an a really good element for future ones and I'm sure there'll be other places around the region which might have similar potential to do the same kind of thing, thank you.

monks' Monday

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 1:06:19

I'd like to Fauci's suggestion there because I think that make us

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 1:06:25

faces a fantastic way to create innovation and potentially new businesses, which is one of the the measures that we have in terms of how vibrant the region is, so I think that it would be really good, I think in terms of Louis's report, the West Yorkshire Innovation Network which I chair with the help of all the team here.

is a fantastic route that Sue is on as well, we'd just redesign that brings together all of the

the actors of innovation in the region and more nationally, as well as a number of other groups, we just redesign that if anybody has any views on what that should include would be very welcome, to listen to those and try and include it and with definitely trying to increase the diversity at the moment, so it's something that we've talked about a lot here today we're trying to reflect within that team too.

but innovation is is absolutely essential to economic growth, and diversity is essential to innovation, so anything that we can do to increase increase innovation in, as soon as mentioned, have to be first and foremost on our agenda, the M memorandum of understanding that was signed between India to Mukherjee from innovate UK and Tracey.

I think was last February. We need to get data together to reflect what we've achieved and that's something that we're driving at at the moment, but any health inquiry has round the table in terms of measurements of innovation then we're all he is on that because I think that's a a dashboard

that we have that can give us a grant 0

picture and what we're achieving is essential to getting more of the same and making sure we get value for money from all of the national initiatives that they are. It's important that we get a measure on West Yorkshire getting its fair share of those and it's something I'm very keen keen to promote, in terms of the West Yorkshire innovation festival that Lewis mentioned, the more help we can get from people here to promote that and to encourage people to either run. Events or go to events is something around making West Yorkshire the place to innovate

and I think some of the claims that we have for the region. So, for example, Bradford University is currently the place that is training the most post graduate students in a I in the country. All of those claims, if we haven't got them together, we need to get them together because it has to be part of our tagline for why West Yorkshire is the place to innovate. So I think that's really important. I still have some for Huddersfield to say, but there's all the other universities, and that's why it's important within the Northern gritstone fund, that we make sure that we pick up every university, not just that there are sub-groups

thank you very much,

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 1:09:06

you wanna come back on that Luther,

just thank you for your comments,

yeah yeah really appreciated the feedback in the comments or questions or comments from members.

more than a hundred or so.

right OK, thank you very much, members,

that brings us to the end of the meeting, the decide control of the date and time of next meeting

For Information

12 Date of the Next Meeting

on Wednesday, the 1st of November at 2 p.m.

what should we do it?

OK,

that's another meeting, thank you very much for your attendance, and the have a lovely evening made me

feel richer.

Mandy Ridyard (Chair)

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council)

Kirklees Council

Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative)

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)

Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Interim Director, Inclusive Economy, Skills & Culture

Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Louise Allen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)

Business, Economy and Innovation Committee - Wednesday 26 July 2023, 2:00pm - Feedback Tab - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

Business, Economy and Innovation CommitteeWednesday, 26th July 2023 at 2:00pm

Agenda

Slides

Transcript

Map

Resources

Twitter

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Speakers

Feedback

Votes

1 Apologies for Absence

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:00:00

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:00:05

2 Declarations of Discloseable Pecuniary Interests

3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

4 Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 March 2023

5 Chair's Update

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:04:39

Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:05:03

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:05:50

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:05:56

6 Governance Arrangements

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:06:26

Caroline Allen, Deputy Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:07:20

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:07:34

7 Economic Update

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:08:55

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:09:11

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:16:23

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:17:29

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:17:33

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:17:36

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:18:04

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:19:05

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:19:09

Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:19:28

8 Economic Strategy and EDI Plan

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:20:38

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:17

Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:29:18

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:30:52

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:33:00

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:33:27

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:34:09

Phil Witcherley, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:34:27

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:34:49

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:34:53

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:35:33

Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative) - 0:35:40

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:36:04

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:36:31

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:37:11

Joshua Rickayzen, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:37:55

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:38:30

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:38:33

Jo Barham, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:39:00

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:39:13

9 Investment Zones

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:40:11

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:45:29

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:45:32

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:46:19

Mandy Ridyard (Private Sector Representative) - 0:46:44

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:46:58

Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:47:03

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:48:29

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:48:59

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:49:20

Thomas Purvis, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:49:25

Mitchell McCombe, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:49:43

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:50:04

Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:50:09

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:50:17

10 Fair Work Charter

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:51:41

Cllr Shabir Pandor, Chair (Kirklees Council) - 0:56:18

James Flanagan, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:56:22

Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:56:34

Business, Economy and Innovation Committee
Wednesday, 26th July 2023 at 2:00pm