Finance, Resources, and Corporate Committee - Thursday 18 January 2024, 11:00am - Feedback Tab - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting
Agenda
Slides
Transcript
Map
Resources
Forums
Speakers
Feedback
Votes
Speaking:
Agenda item :
Start of webcast
Share this agenda point
Agenda item :
1 Apologies for Absence
Share this agenda point
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
Agenda item :
2 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests
Share this agenda point
Agenda item :
3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public
Share this agenda point
Agenda item :
4 Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 November
Share this agenda point
Agenda item :
5 Finance Update 2023-24
Share this agenda point
-
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
-
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
Agenda item :
6 Business Planning and Budget 2024-25
Share this agenda point
-
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
Agenda item :
7 Workforce Development and Publication of Pay Gap Reports
Share this agenda point
-
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
-
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
-
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mandy Ridyard (Chair)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
Agenda item :
8 Level 4 Devolution Framework
Share this agenda point
-
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Cllr James Lewis
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Cllr Cathy Scott (Kirklees Council)
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
-
Webcast Finished
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
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:06
welcome everyone to the finance resource and corporate committee and have we any apologies Ben?yes, we've received apologies from Councillor Geoffrey and Mandy Ridgard lovely thank you so much, and if I may, just take this moment to introduce.
Jocelyn Muñoz Armstrong, our new independent member, who is a very experienced non-executive director in public and private, and she is here to provide constructive challenge to our committee, so you are very welcome, it's your first committee, so I'm hoping that it's it's it's clear and any questions obviously please do raise them with our colleagues Super, so moving on declarations of interest to any members have any interested interests they wish to declare on any item.
2 Declarations of Pecuniary Interests
3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public
4 Minutes of the Meeting held on 2 November
5 Finance Update 2023-24
no, thank you and exclusion of press and public. There is no need for exclusions. Minutes of the meeting held last November. It seems like another world, doesn't it November and other any comments or questions are we happy to confirm they are accurate? Yes, thank you so much, so, moving on to the meat of the meeting, the finance update, this is the standard paper that comes to the committee to update us on the financial position at each quarter end and the paper considers the position at the end of Quarter 2 on revenue and capital spend. So Angela or I'd like to, if you would to explain the position in more detail. Angela
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:44
thank you me, as you said, this is the quarter 2 position, the timing of the quarters and these meetings means we just slightly misaligned, you will get 3 update in the March meeting of this committee, so you've quoted two figures.taking the revenue first, the PE, the position is showing a number of variances, but they are primarily timing differences.
so they should all write themselves by the end of the year, so we are at this stage saying that there is no information coming through from quarter to spend and income that suggests there are any unexpected pressures.
in the in the Budget at that point, obviously, since the quarter 2 figures were were done and reviewed with working, we work on the budget.
and the Quarter 3 review is now underway and there will be a revised forecast forming part of the papers, the budget paper for the February Combined Authority meeting the capital spend position worried about 30% of spend at Quarter 2. This is, it is always thus the Spencer tends to start slower and ramps up towards the end of the year. That's partly because we don't do and accruals during the year, so we we do this on the basis of what has been paid to partners and externally at the year end. We do make an adjustment for the work that has been completed, but not yet paid out, so the spend does tend to ramp up at the end of the year as it as it does for other authorities, but it is worth noting there's still quite a way to go, but there are a lot of schemes out there that a lot of things that are happening
in delivery stage, having got through the earliest stages, and the report is just for noting at this stage I said there was more interest in the budget paper in due course and quarter 3 at the next meeting, but if there are any questions or observations happy to take, thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:03:37
thank you any risk factors in this quarter, and there's none that have emerged from the quarter 2, we're obviously aware.Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:41
there are, there are risks that we have been considering through the budget preparation.there's always external factors that can come in, so we are, we are watching monitoring and there is always a pressure on boss, tendered services and concessionary travel, for example, which we say we will go into more detail in the budget papers at the moment they're not reporting overspends, but there is still there is still a or pressures to and managing the budget, but there is still this is a month of the year to go, so we will continue to monitor, we will never be risk free, but we we do what we can to monitor.
and and re forecast where needed.
thank you, I know it's a busy time of year for your team at any
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:04:27
questions Jocelyn.yes, just on the.
Mandy Ridyard (Chair) - 0:04:33
full year forecast outturn, I noticed an expenditure consultancy and professional services and indirect employee costs are both predicted to be quite significantly overspend. Why is that is that related to projects or is that overhead or,a good observation you're absolutely right, they are but with their
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:04:59
number of and revenue funded, projects like that flow through this budget, so we have aligned for thefor some of the the employee costs, some of the consultancy customer linen project re through the line non-staffing project costs, they will be matched out by income on the other side, so if there are timing differences, we will reconcile all those at the year-end and ensure that they balance out so they're not they're not creating additional pressure on the revenue budget.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:05:32
is there enough clarity on that line that we understand what exactly it refers to?given there has been a question, I think it would be helpful, we have
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:05:39
put in the in the draft budget because we have put a bit a little bit of a glossary, I think we should probably expand on that and we are looking during next year we have a new finance system,now live, we are now looking at how we use that to generate better reporting, better information, and I think some of these headings here are.
are ones that we have used in the past as we move to become?
of more diverse mayoral combined authority, I think we probably need to look at how we present this, and it might be an interesting one to bring some options back to a future meeting of the level of detail the sorts of headings that you'd like to see so we can make sure the information,
is is at a level that works for you and your decision-making, thank you, and as always we we've tried it as much as possible to move away
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:06:25
from things that would suggest we're not being as transparent as possible and opaque often looks like you've got something to hide so to make these papers as accessible as possible I as mayor have got gone from never looking at.budgets like this two and a half years ago to scrutinising them, so I will always say and make the case for.
colleagues across the organisation, particularly chairs of scrutiny committee, and so on, that we show as much detail as is necessary and needed for people to understand exactly what we're doing, what the position is, thank you any further comments.
Ben
thank you, Lord Mayor, I think one one pressure that I'm not sure will have come through at Quarter 2, but certainly there in quarter 3 has
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:07:11
been ICT pressures, we've had a number of cyberattacks and there is quite a programme to kind of rusty defend against those kinds of things I think we're finding that is quite a significant pressure both now and go forward and the other thing that won't be in these figures, but we need to be mindful of is the situation of Bradford Interchange.about which will be re more to the Combined Authority in in February
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:07:42
March, thank you, and as we saw with our friends at British Library, that a cyberattack is absolutely devastating for your budget and for your reserves, and so on, so I think that work is really important that we protect ourselves but as you say,there could potentially be other financial pressures depending on the interchange and the outcomes there, thank you any further comments.
6 Business Planning and Budget 2024-25
low note lovely, so we are happy to note the information, thank you so, moving on to Item 6 business planning and budget, this provides an update on the current state of business budget planning 24 25, building on the position considered by the CA in December and Angela if you could talk us through this again, thank you.
thank you, Mayor, or as we say this is a bit of a position statement whilst we're going through the detailed work on the budget.
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:08:34
in terms of business planning, because the budget starts with the business plan, we have got multi year outcomes which are attached as Appendix 1. These are drawn from the West Yorkshire Plan, the corporate priorities.and underpinning all of and flowing from all of these will be the detailed activities we will be bringing those to the budget meeting in the form of plans on a page that will give a a summary of the key actions and activities and beneath those will be detailed business plans for each team with with clear accountabilities for each activity that will be publishing in due course also and the the corporate plan is will also be finalised following on from plans on a page and the business plans that are approved in February and,
that will come forward in March, and we're very much trying to focus on a multi year business plan and a multi-year budget, and one that will be work ongoing throughout the coming year. So we move away from the cycle of the once a year budget and one business plan that we are looking across, ideally, a four year term, and we'll be developing that over the coming months the said the outcomes. The multiple outcomes are attached as Appendix 1 and this narrative in the paper that that highlights the key themes in those the 24 25 budget continues and we
we took a paper to a Combined Authority in December where there was confirmation that there is there is no capacity for an increase in the transport levy, so we've been seeking to to balance the transport pressures without recourse to a transport levy increase and and will be setting out that in more detail in the budget paper we took the general reserves Strategy and Treasury Management position to whose governance and audit committee last week and had some useful feedback from members of the meeting. Thank you and all of this will come together in the budget paper for the 1st of February. Thank you, thank you, and can I say I'm really pleased to see the draft multi year
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:10:49
outcomes because becoming more outcome focusedI think is the direction of travel that we want to send the CA in that it's the what we are delivering and the impact we have on people's lives. That is going to be our priority, any comments on this paper
7 Workforce Development and Publication of Pay Gap Reports
not as yet. Thank you OK, so to note for information, thank you. So I'm moving on to item 7 workforce development and publication of pay gap reports. The report is to share with the Committee information regarding our our workforce, the actions taken and progress made with regards to changing our workforce profile from that equality, diversity and inclusivity perspective, and also to share the gender and ethnicity pay gap. Reports also adjust to note, and I'm really pleased to be able to say that we have applied to be a living wage Foundation, accredited employer, but also this is incredibly important to me that, as the only woman metro mayor in the country being able to be
a lead C, A when it comes to our pay gaps, whether that's gender or ethnicity is absolutely a priority. We need to do our own levelling up in our own organisation and I think some of the initiatives that we have
set under way in the last couple of years, hopefully are starting to turn the tanker, to give us those better outcomes, but ot you Joanne
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:12:24
thank you ma. Thank you for that introduction to the paper, so you'll note from the paper that of the mayor says. The purpose of this report is to provide an update to the Committee on a number of workforce issues to give a an update on the progression that we've made with changing the workforce profile as the and the information shared in the Quarter 2 management information provides a lot more detail in terms of the breakdown of that workforce profile and the progress that has been made in a number of areas and to share with you the agenda and the police's two pay gap reports which, following and then being shared with you at this committee meeting, will go forward to be published on the combined authorities website and on the government portal with regard to the agenda pay gap, so the information shared in the report talks through the staff profilethe III measures and where the recruitment activity that we have been undertaking is showing some signs of positive progress across the range of protected characteristics, so the people that are joining us tend to be more diverse, they tend to be younger and they tend to be more willing to share with us the protected characteristics that they have, which is really important in us being able to consider that report on that and to address where we still have captain in our workforce profile.
in terms of the pay gap reports, there is evidence that they are closing, but the rate of that isn't as fast as we would like, and so we are doubling our efforts in terms of the actions that were taken to address those pay gaps in a number of areas the information also shows that the
this gives more detail in terms of what those steps are, so it shares with you information about the activity that were taken in relation to recruitment and retention.
where we're looking at workforce planning, so the
administer to pay gap gives more detail of the levels of roles across the organisation, I'm aware that gender profile is spread, we're looking at how we can impact on the the profile as we look to recruit more specialist and technical skills as we start to scale up some of the major programmes that are coming forward.
we're looking at a lot of learning and development activity, so there's particular programmes that detailed in there, where we are looking to take positive action again to address some of those gaps in the workforce profile.
and to make sure that, once we are bringing in a more diverse staff group, we're then able to development through the organisation and we can show some progress in terms of their career development, because the data, as you see, is showing that we have particularly gaps at a senior level, and even more so when you break that down in terms of women at a senior level, since I were looking at where we can put in place specific development programmes to address what the debtor is telling us and then there are a number of charters and accreditations that we have signed up for and there are action plans that have been developed in order to address the criteria, look at the gaps that we may have and again put programmes in place to
do the work to make sure that we are fully compliant with those the more detailed data of the pay gap is in the Pay Gap report, but I have to check any questions on on helmets in the paper.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:15:57
thank you, if you could just reflect the internal promotions, because this is important for us, that, in order to get more diverse leaders, we need to really enable our current workforce to go through the ranks to to the top. Could you speak to that? Please? Yes, I may. So theJoanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:16:15
data shows that we are fairly evenly spread when we look at internal recruitment and external recruitment which brings advantages, obviously because that's shown that people are progressing within the of within the organisation, they are finding career development route and they arelooking at the Combined Authority as a place to come and work and stay and progress, their career.
but the downside of that is that impacts on next door recruitment and being able to kind of refresh that workforce profile and be able to focus effort and retention or where the specific gaps are, but the fact that we are bringing in more people across that diverse range of protected characteristics then Gibson gives an excellent cohort in terms of that internal development and progression, and some of the work that we're doing linked into the recent HR system. That's gone live is around talent, management, succession planning and being able to have the tools to identify where that talent is develop. That talent be really clear about the career progression ladders take positive action in addressing that. I'm making sure that we can really develop people was the here answer that internal progression route to promotional opportunities is therefore them? Thank you, and certainly
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:17:35
the workforce. Since COVID we've got greater stability haven't we and it is pleasing to see that our sickness levels are lower than national average to yes, so retention rates are highJoanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:17:46
the feedback that we get is that people are feeling more, that this is a good place to work, they're telling other people that what a great place to work it is, and our attraction levels for the rules that we are repetitive is higher.Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:18:03
thank you any comments on this paper, yes, Susan sorry, I was gonnaJoanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:18:07
remark, as you say in May, that the sickness levels are low, and that is testament to how motivated and how how healthy you keep people hereCllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:18:15
as well, so that's that's good just on the diverse recruitment and do now therefore make sure you have diverse panels for every job that's recruited.that just some insurance, we do make that a requirement of the
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:18:32
recruitment panels and we are rolling out lots of briefings for recruiting managers.in terms of how to recruit well how to recruit
in accordance with the Combined Authority, recruitment toolkit and how to ensure that any bias, unconscious bias or otherwise is taken out of that decision-making process, so we do have a requirement that the panels are balanced then not always and it is something that we need to continue to address because obviously we were the recruiting managers come from the pool of recruitment MA or of manager levels that we know is not diverse, so it is something that we do need to continue to work on.
yeah, if you're just from a senior management point of view, it can just make sure that message goes out, that you know that that policy does need to be enforced and it is not taken very serious laughing at
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:19:22
your health absolutely, and that's where, when we have recruitment,Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:19:29
particularly at senior levels, I think our colleague panels have been invaluable and we might have taken a view about a candidate and then a colleague panel will be like. I absolutely couldn't work with that person because of such an such, and it's very illuminating, and I would say I always ask, when I can, the reception staff, however, when they came in and it's very eye-opening that people can be as sweet as and not in an interview and they were quite rude to the staff and it's taken the whole pictures of somebody when they're being recruited. So JocelynMandy Ridyard (Chair) - 0:20:05
I just wanted to ask if external people are ever brought into bolster panels when you're short of representation.thank you, yes, we we use external people in in a couple of ways, so
Joanne Grigg, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:20:15
we have a specialist in particular fields who can come and advise the recruitment panel, or where we're working in partnership and so on or a programme where we've got partners involved, we will ask partners to come and be part of that recruitment process as well, so we we do use external people in the process. It has just think it's really important to emphasise that when you're in a period of rapid growthMandy Ridyard (Chair) - 0:20:39
and you do an awful lot of recruitment and you need to it's very important that these principles aren't neglected and you keep them at the forefront of your mind, thank you and certainly that suggestionMayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:20:50
about external support to absolutely make sure that no interview goes ahead without that. Diversity is something that we can maybe take away and have a look at how we could achieve that and how costly potentially that could be, but as a priorityto Jocelyn point that we are going to be seeing rapid growth, particularly in transport, around mass transit, so we can't let speed be the enemy of our ambitions.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:21:17
Ben you wanted to come in, thank you, thank you, and I definitely I could agree with with those with those points and to answer a to twoBen Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:21:25
key points, one was that him on practically every senior appointment, we will always have one of upon authorities around the table as well and and often that's the way in which we also used to increase the diversity.both of the colour of the individual, but also of the perspective 4 4 for the roles, and the second is, I think we I think, were quite an interesting time now in terms of how embedded that belief in having a diversity and panels is through the organisation because we were shifting to our new HR payroll system so anywhere and that's more self service, so it'll be interesting to see it and more emphasis on the manager to ensure that their panels are are diverse. So that is why we will need to do quite a bit, I think, of internal communications, to ensure that those messages are
I I landed because there won't always be that the the HR people there to enforce them, so so we need is a very good test of whether it's where the EDIS truly bedded through the organisation, so a good chap,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:22:27
thank you and also just to reflect on the fact about the gender pay gap Mary Pelé Marshall was in the 1,800 s an academic who and an economist who went to Oxford or Cambridge then became a professor there and she coined the phrase.gender pay gap, so we have a long history of this and it's not going to be solved in you know in the next five years, but we as an organisation have to be a trailblazer in this space, so thank you for the work that you do and I know certainly bringing in the new HR.
8 Level 4 Devolution Framework
IT programme has been incredibly challenging for our HR team, so thank you for your determination to to also share that learning across the organisation, so thank you for the thoughts note, thank you, so let's move on to my most exciting topic on this agenda which is level for devolution to Sarah,
thank you Mayor, so obviously the paper is only the first paper that's
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:23:32
kind of outlining the the level for devolution framework, which is obviously marking a move towards greater devolved funding and powers to kind of eligible institutions who choose to participate, I think it's important to say that we've got great ambitions in West Yorkshire and whilst it doesn't fully meet our ambitions in terms of moving towards a single settlement, this is a really great.stepping stone for Zenith is is welcomed. The paper sets out kind of the content of the the level 4 framework. It kind of highlights some particular good examples of the things that are gonna be of benefits, whereas I am moving forward if we choose to take up this offer, in particular around funding simplification with consolidated possible berth for the Department levelling-up housing and communities funding and also integrated transport funding. That those consolidated pots, I think are are one of the the the great things that will give us some
additional flexibility moving forward, and I think the paper highlights that you'll see there some other kind of key areas round adult skills and affordable homes, and net 0 and also around that new concurrent power in respect of public health duty, in addition, the framework also gives us some other opportunities around the move to a general rather than a functional power of competence.
and because because this is now standardising devolution across across the country, we were also being given the opportunity to apply for powers to other areas of have previously been given and and also to look at any potential areas where we might want some technical and just adjustments to historic kind of legislation, so an example that's in there is there in the current.
and legislative requirements around the location of roundabouts and getting approval for roundabouts, which are currently sits with the secretary of state, so again we just potentially got that opportunity to kind of look at some probably.
activity that has taken place in the past. That would limit our ability to kind of move forward, so also outlined in the papers application process, them in terms of the timeline and readiness conditions that will need to meet. One of the key aspects of that is areas confirming that they will sign up today and implement the new scrutiny protocol, which is quite important, and you'll see in there that one of the proposals around scrutiny as to to kind of look at future working or relate relationships potentially and of moving towards a single scrutiny committee, and also there around how we might engage with MPs further in kind of arrangements. Are we eligible institutions will need to decide which parts of the framework they want to choose? It's up to them to decide what they want to take forward, but if we want to do so, we need to submit a formal letter by the 31st of January 2025 what kind of access of these powers speedily
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:26:15
before the next general election? The paper sets are kind of the workSarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:26:19
that we've been doing in West Yorkshire and we've been working quite closely out with our colleagues in councils to better understand the opportunities that are on offer and essentially where we are now. Is it kind of in a position where I think we've got agreement or we will be talking to partners about how we might submit that list covered by that deadline daywef RTC today are being asked to consider the the framework and the policy information and to kind of enter into that further discussion with government by through that submission of the latter I think what it's important to know is this does signal that intent to engage with government and there's a lot of work to do following on from the framework we are not signing up to anything specifically at that stage, each of the individual powers that are set out in the Framework will need to kind of have that conversation with government
as we move forward,
so that's kind of really important, I think, to know it as part of the paper
I think what is also important to know is that obviously this is the next step in devolution for us, and that's going to signal greater collaboration with our partners, a really important that we continue to work well together but timely I think that we've taken this opportunity to review our principles and the ways in which we work collectively together, that's gonna be an ongoing piece of work, that's gonna be really important over this period to make sure that we can maximise the benefits and that where that we're kind of working really well together of this clear period, so next steps were set out in the paper there.
obviously, getting approval to submit the letter is pretty cake.
but we will be through further detailed work on Scrutiny, protocol, Corporate Scrutiny, meeting tomorrow to consider this work and there'll be a working group of colleagues looking at this moving forward and then obviously we will be coming back to the CIA on the 1st of February, and then we'll be kind of working collectively together over the period I'll stop talking thank you so much, so I'm
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:28:05
gonna say thank you to the team who had to work over Christmas.to get this letter into shape and also to our leaders around the table, because this has been a collective effort to get this letter together at such speed to ensure that West Yorkshire is at the table when the further devolution is being discussed. This isn't what we want. We want a trailblazer deal that Greater Manchester and West Midlands have. We want that single settlement, that a single funding pot with all the flexibilities of it? But I feel this is a bridge, given that we were negotiating with the government that potentially were completely disinterested. I think the fact that we've got it over the line is all credit to our teams and to the political pressure that we exert, because this is one only for us. This is, of course, for other NCAs and new mayors coming down the track, but they will be able to
pulled down from this framework, what they feel that their region needs, so thank you again, Sarah, in new to the organisation, and you really did have to hit the ground running, so thank you Jane.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:29:11
thank you Mayor under perhaps if I could just express a tiny bit of disappointment, which is that there isn't a large amount of money that comes from central government with this, but there are some prizes really and absolutely endorsed this paper. I think the prize is not about the standardization of what the government are offering, but it's actually about what you mentioned in your introduction, which is the flexibility, the flexibility of spending money in the way that's right for West Yorkshire or replace Rennie.and I very much welcome the work that is in here, which is about the partnership, because in some ways it sets out the way in which we have actually tried to be trying to work together in partnership, so I think it expresses what we've already been doing and buildings built on that I think it also sends a message to government in terms of,
being serious, and you mentioned Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, actually this is West Yorkshire. We can be more ambitious than that and in some ways that's laying down a marker, St government, you know the price is actually, this is us. This is West Yorkshire in the north. These are the things. These are the sites that were we've set our eyes upon, and we really want to do well. Give us these powers, we will use them wisely and we will use them ambitiously for the people of West Yorkshire strongly strongly endorse this report.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:30:37
Thank you so much Jane, and certainly the fact that s sometimes people say Well, you're a new MCI, you've gotta wait your turn. Actually, as a Combined Authority with the growth deal we spent on time and on budget as Councillor Lewis often reminds me a billion pounds. We know how to do this, we have unlimited ambition for our region and this is an amazing opportunity for any iteration of government to seek growth. You invest in mayors, you give us the power and the money we can provide growth for the rest of the country. So thank you for your supportSusan de JMC, do you have your hand up, yeah sorry Susan then James so no?
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:31:17
so equally welcome this next step of devolution. I've always been a big fan of devolution to West Yorkshire, and I am very delighted we have it because without that we wouldn't be able to deliver a lot of our growth ambitions so all across West Yorkshire and we see that happening and that's really encouraging to see what we could do a lot more, as you say, Mayor, I just want it to sort ofsay that, obviously the all the documents here are sort of like a menu from governments out there really, so it's not necessarily the default deal that will come up with, but this is what is on the table, so we will be negotiation now. My understanding is to make sure we get the deal is right for us, so some of these things we will find tune and change as we go forward to make sure it fits West Yorkshire, and she wanted to do with you to make that point round. If that's OK, thank you and it isn't one size fits all. Each region has its own strengths
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:32:07
and this is just to move to the next phase. Where we say yes, we want level for devolution and then of course the conversations happen. JamesCllr James Lewis - 0:32:21
thank you ma is to follow on from Jane and Susan Arab.feel that being involved in devote a identify second decade now of West Yorkshire devolution negotiations, and I think the important point and fully agree with the recommendations here is about the need.
they need to move forward, I think sometimes could we can all be a bit frustrated about the slow pace we know we can deliver when we're given to leave devolution, and we know we're ambitious, as combined authorities, councils and of businesses and residents in West Yorkshire plus do a lot more, but this is the right step to take.
now we always will push for more, which was right for West Yorkshire, but we do need to move forward.
thank you and I are, as you know, with the famous musical at Hamilton,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:33:10
you've got to be in the room where it happens and we've got to be in the diva room we've got to be in that space Carthy, I wonder any comments.Cathy Scott (Kirklees Council) - 0:33:22
yes, thank you, we welcome this and I think it is.a way of pushing forward it's a partnership approach, and I I just think that we we are serious and they have to take seriously the work that we are doing and Councillor Scotland did say that there's not a lot of money that comes with this but we are able to take on the challenge that is good news.
Good stuff any further comments, no, thank you so were asked to note the recent publication of the Government's Level 4 Diva framework,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:33:52
which sets out guidance the powers and flexibilities on offer, also to note that work has been taking place across the partnership to consider the opportunities presented through level 4 and or,undertaken to develop our response agreed to submit a letter of application to the government by the deadline of the 31st of January, and to note that the initial submission of letter of application to the secretary of state does not constitute an irrevocable step and does not form part of the statutory process as outlined paragraph 2.1 3
I am happy to note super, thank you.
great stuff, but that brings us to the end of the meeting that was pretty swift, thank you all so much for attending and I look forward to our next meeting, when is the next one Ben?
the next one is 6th of February, coming pretty soon down the track,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:34:47
thank you.- FRCC - November Draft Minutes, opens in new tab
- Item 5 - Finance Update, opens in new tab
- Item 6 - Business Planning and Budget 2024-25, opens in new tab
- Item 6 - Appendix 1 Multi-year outcomes, opens in new tab
- Item 7 - Workforce Development and Publication of Pay Gap Reports, opens in new tab
- Item 7 appendix 1 HR Management Information - WYCA - Q2 2324, opens in new tab
- Item 7 Appendix 2 Gender Pay Gap 2023, opens in new tab
- Item 7 Appendix 3 Ethnicity Pay Gap 2023, opens in new tab
- Item 8 Level 4 Devolution, opens in new tab
- Item 8 Appendix 1, opens in new tab
- Item 8 Appendix 2, opens in new tab
Leeds City Council