West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Thursday 20 June 2024, 11:00am - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Thursday, 20th June 2024 at 11:00am 

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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  2. Caroline Norreys
  3. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  4. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  5. Cllr Habiban Zaman
  6. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  7. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  8. Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  9. Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  11. Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  12. Mandy Ridyard (West Yorkshire Business Board)
  13. Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
  14. Cllr Carole Pattison (Kirklees Council)
  15. Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council)
  16. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  17. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Caroline Norreys
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Myles Larrington, Committee Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Caroline Norreys
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  1. Caroline Norreys
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Caroline Norreys
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Caroline Norreys
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Caroline Norreys
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  6. Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  7. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  8. Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  9. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  10. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  13. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  14. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  15. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
  6. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  7. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  8. Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
  9. Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council)
  10. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  11. Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council
  12. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  13. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  14. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  15. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  16. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  17. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  18. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  19. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  20. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  21. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  22. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  23. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  24. Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council)
  25. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  26. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  27. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
  8. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  9. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  10. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  13. Mandy Ridyard (West Yorkshire Business Board)
  14. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  15. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  16. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  17. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  18. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  19. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  20. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  21. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  5. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Webcast Finished

Part 1 - Annual Meeting Business

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:07
Good stuff. Thank you and welcome everyone to the Combined Authority meeting. It's the first Combined Authority meeting of the second mayoral term and is great to see you all here. There's a Mayor's update on the agenda, so I'm not going to say too much in this opening, but we do have some new members around the table, so can I welcome Councillor happy Barnes' man, Deputy Leader of Kirkley, council, who's subbing for Councillor Cathy Scott and Carol Pattison, the leader of the Labour Group, in Coakley's very welcome, also with us for the first time, is Councillor Peter Kilbane the substitute Member for York City Council, so welcome to you to where are you are there? You are good to see you as we've got some new members. I wonder if he could just quickly run round the table briefly introducing ourselves. I am Tracy the Mayor
But still due indicative of a common authority.
Caroline Norreys - 0:01:03
apologies, Caroline Norris, Assistant Director, legal governance and compliance.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:01:09
Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader, Bradford
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:01:12
James Lewis Leader of this Council.
Councillor Howard Van Salmon Kirklees, Council.
Cllr Habiban Zaman - 0:01:20
Good morning, Councillor Alan Lamb, from Leeds City Council.
Peter Bryant, Deputy Leader of City of York, Council, which is a co-opted member of this committee.
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:31
Phoenix coming up for Dr for inclusive economy, skills and culture of
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:36
a Combined Authority isn't a directly pleasing amendment in place of amendment, Angela Taylor, Director Finance and Commercial Services Combined Authority, Barry Hoskins, Interim Director, passenger
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:45
Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:50
experience and assets, court authority moneyed Simon Warburton, unexpected Director of Transport,
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:53
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:55
Alan Reece, chief operating officer of the West, Yorkshire Combined Authority.
Mandy Ridyard (West Yorkshire Business Board) - 0:01:59
Imagine when she had chaired the business board and the Mayor's business adviser.
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council - 0:02:06
Sue holds us and pulls all Councillor Lib Dems'.
Cllr Carole Pattison - 0:02:12
Carole Pattison leader of the Labour Group, in that cuddles.
Denise Jeffery.
Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council) - 0:02:18
Jane Skelton, Leader of County Down.

1 Membership of the Combined Authority

Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:02:23
Marsden and then Committee Services Officer, thank you so much everybody, and you're all very welcome, so the first item, Mr notes,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:02:29
as it is our energy and there is a fair bit of chunk of the meeting that is business, so the first item is to note the membership of the Authority for this next municipal year, as set out in the table at Appendix 1, as I mentioned in my introduction, some changes to the membership of the CA as a result of the local election results set out in the paper, and this report also seeks approval for the proposed voting rights for the City of York Council Combined Authority Member and the West Yorkshire business board member, as set out in paragraphs 3.11 to 3.13, so could I ask Caroline Norris, Assistant legal Dora, a director of legal governance and compliance, take us through the report. Thank you
Caroline Norreys - 0:03:11
Thank you ma am yes, as the report sets out at paragraph 3.3 the membership of the Combined Authority is prescribed in the order, establish the Combined Authority back in 2014 and then amended in 2021 when we became a mayoral combined authority local authority membership of the authority has changed this municipal year and for the purposes of transparency it might be helpful if I briefly explain the statutory process behind this.
So in respect of the five West Yorkshire Councils, the order specifies that each council must appoint one member known as the constituent council member, by practice. This has always been the leader of each council. In addition, the order specifies a further three elected members from across the five councils should be appointed jointly by the councils so that the elected members appointed by the five councils as a whole ii, those eight members reflect as far as reasonably practicable the balance of political parties for the time being prevailing across those councils and these members are referred to in the order as a political balanced members. Following the local elections in May, each council has appointed its leader as a member of the Combined Authority unless details are set out in Appendix 1, and the political composition is for Labour members, Bradford, Calderdale Leeds and Wakefield, and one member from an independent group, the Community Alliance Coakley's
as a consequence, and in order to reflect the balance of political parties across West Yorkshire in accordance with the order, the three political balance members appointed from across the five councils for this municipal year comprise one Labour one Surrey one Labour Councillor Pattison from Coakley's one Conservative Councillor Lamb from Leeds and one Liberal Democrat Councillor Holdsworth from Calderdale and paragraph 3.7 of the report summarises the process that was undertaken in terms of achieving those nominations, those appointments
so said, Chair the membership is for noting by the Combined Authority, as appointments have been made by the respective Councils and and, as you've said, the report also proposes providing voting rights to the Chair of the West Yorkshire business board subject to certain limitations as set out in para 3 12 and to the York Member in respect of any decision which gives rise to a direct and significant financial liability for York Council. Thank you Chair, thank you and can I say
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:05:38
york's membership is really valuable as we look to the mayors across Yorkshire, with David Skeith in York, and North Yorkshire and Oliver Coppard in South Yorkshire, that I really do believe that we, those borders, are porous and we're going to be working more collaboratively across Yorkshire with a great Yorkshire brand actually so you're also incredibly welcome thank you very much, and so can Members raise their hand to confirm their agreement to the full set of recommendations as set out in paragraph 2 of the report?

2 Apologies for Absence

Lovely, thank you so much, thank you very much, Caroline, so Miles any apologies, please.
Myles Larrington, Committee Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:06:19
Apologies for absence may have been received from Councillor Douglas and Councillor Scott, thank you so much, and item 3 declarations of
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:06:26
interest to any members of interest they wish to declare which refer to an item on the agenda, no, thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:06:35
and item 4, there are no items on the agenda identified as containing exempt information item 5 of the minutes of the meeting of the Combined Authority on the 14th of March 2024 any comments or any questions.

5 Minutes of the Meeting of the Combined Authority held on 14 March 2024

No, thank you so much, are we content to see these as an accurate record, please raise your hand.
Lovely thank you so much moving on to item 7 or committee arrangements.

6 Mayor's Update

It's double checking, I'm sorry, I have missed the Mayor's updates and I'm sure you are waiting for it, so her here is the Mayor's update.
And it's the first, as I said, the first Combined Authority meeting of my second mayoral term. It's obviously odd circumstances with this being in the pre-election period of the general election and then just to say some of the exciting things I was hoping to bring to the see a today. I had to be sadly deferred until our next meeting to in July so July is going to be a great meeting full of lots of choices and lots of decisions to make. Can I just say also been the mayor of West Yorkshire has been the greatest privilege of my life and I really do think that I've been able, with the support of you and the stuff here and our local authority partners, to achieve so much delivering on every single one of my 10 manifesto pledges, one talking to the public about trust. I'm hoping that people are pleased to see that everything that we promised we have delivered, but also putting in place the foundations so we can motor on in the second term, and I really look forward to the next four years and extremely excited for our region. I know all of us around this table share the same goal of making lives better for the people of West Yorkshire, putting more money into people's pockets, and that remains regardless of political persuasion. We work absolutely on a cross-party basis in these meetings. That's always going to be maintained. As part of that, we agreed the West Yorkshire Plan last year committing us to that brighter region that works role, with five missions that were developed in partnership with councils, with universities, with businesses and so many others. We remain laser focused on delivering those missions and I've tasked Ben and the Combined Authority to have that focus to deliver for the public we serve. Last month I had the opportunity to make new commitments to the people of West Yorkshire in my manifesto and we're now looking at how we embed those commitments into the missions as we go forwards, developing that new strategy to tackle serious violence on our streets build those 5,000 new, affordable homes, deliver on our decision taken in the previous morality to franchise, the bus network and getting those really essential space in the ground on mass transit by 2028, driving forward our economy, making it easier to get around the region, unlocking growth, getting on with our plans for a better homes hub and driving forward the retrofitting of homes across the region, setting out how are we going to retrofit all the social homes over 600,000 social homes in West Yorkshire by 2038, creating a region of learning and creativity, reforming our skills system to support people to get the knowledge they need to succeed with a unique modular system of learning tailored to the needs of employers and learners, along with the creation of a West Yorkshire promise and employer accredited badge to help learners demonstrate, they've got the soft skills needed for the workplace. I was re-elected on a promise to focus on growing, a more inclusive economy, with more jobs and with more opportunities spread across the region, and that's why I've committed to delivering a new local growth plan on the agenda. Today. I'm going to really welcome your thoughts within the first six months of my term, setting out how we're gonna deliver on the first mission of the West Yorkshire Plan to create a more prosperous region with an inclusive economy, more well-paid jobs and, as I say, the biggest priority, putting more money into people's pockets. My message to all of you and to the Combined Authority is that we need to deliver, deliver deliver, and that's what I intend to do over the next four years. The mayoral election saw Mayor elected in north and in York and North Yorkshire. As I said, I've also had really positive conversations with David Skeith and the re-elected South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, as I said, we're working on Pan Yorkshire issues, so thank you again for joining us from York City Council. I'll also continue to work collaboratively with mayors,
Across the North and remaining my role as Chair of the UK mayors group, as we continue to shape and influence how England is governed, we've proved, devolution is working and whatever the election outcome on July, the fourth the future of devolution is bright, the future of we're short shire is bright and you all have such a great part to play, so thank you, and I look forward to the next four years with excitement. So after that exciting bit of news, are we now going to committee appointments underway and arrangements, so maybe or at a more drier topic, if you may but absolutely essential, so item 7. The purpose of this item is to establish the committee arrangements for the new municipal year and to seek approval. Can I ask Caroline to take, through the recommendations, please

7 Committee Arrangements and Appointments

Caroline Norreys - 0:12:20
thank you ma yes, this paper appoints the committees of the Combined Authority and also appoints and co-opts Members to those Committees, including independent members chairs and deputy chairs, and it makes recommendations in relation to voting rights on these committees. It also confirms the continuing appointment of Independent persons, which is a requirement for us. So there's a lot of detail. Is the mayor said in the report and in the 10 appendices and just a few pot key points for me to draw out from that and the committees remain largely remain as current at this point, so we are seeking to take forward the same
thematic committees and statutory committees we currently have. The terms of reference are largely unchanged, and, with the exception that we've been slightly strengthened in place, but they are all attached there as appendices. I think that the the there's two, there's two proposed changes in terms of committees. One is the of course the Scrutiny Committee where we are moving to.
from three committees to a single committee with a membership of 16, which is 15 members across West Yorkshire and one from York, each member to have a deputy, so that is a total of 32 for that, so that proposal was approved in principle in March and the proposal here in this paper reflect that in terms of new terms of reference and membership. The other change which is here for approval in principle is a proposal in the paper to merge the business economy and innovation committee and employment and skills committee and the rationale and proposed timeline for that is set out between Paris 3.6 and 3.8 of the paper.
As I said, the paper is seeking approval in principle to those changes. There is a joint committee meetings, a joint meeting of those two committee is scheduled for next month, which will discuss that have the opportunity to discuss this in more detail and the aim is to bring back some proposals to the Combined Authority in September suggesting those changes so
the incense of the the the authority's committees, that is the position in relation to membership and proposed Chair and Deputy Chair arrangements Appendix 10, probably the easiest document to actually see the names in terms of nominations we've received and the proposals for that sorry seeking approval in this paper for that. And finally, there's a proposal to appoint a third independent member to the governance and audit committee to strengthen the independent scrutiny to that function and and if that's approved, we will commence the recruitment for that and also a vacancy that we have for the the second independent member at the present time Chair that they are the main issues. I would like to draw out the recommendations, of course
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:15:08
there in the paper in full, thank you, and for new Members, the Scrutiny Committee changes are particularly important because when we're asking government for a trailblazer deal we also want to show that we are transparent and we are open to.
scrutiny, so I'd like to thank the Members who have stepped up to the Scrutiny Committee, because it is a heavy workload, because you will have to
have sight over many departments, housing, transport, skills and so on, so we are also providing support from officers and training where necessary, because we want to be the most transparent Combined Authority in the country. The Mayoral Combined Authority in the country where scrutiny is good because it helps us with our thinking
It gets us away from group think and it enables us to make in innovative decisions.
Does anybody have any comments on the changes to the committees?

8 Representation on Outside Bodies

no, thank you. Can we all agree the recommendations set out in the report at paragraph 2, including appendices? Thank you very much, super moving on representation of outside bodies item 8. This is to confirm which combined authority members are to represent the Combined Authority on external bodies. The proposed appointments are set out in the appendix for those Members that are new. Obviously, the external bodies include organisations like Transport for the North and so on. Caroline, can you take us through the recommendations, please?
Caroline Norreys - 0:16:40
Yes, Chelsea, this is a very short report appendix 1 sets out the proposed appointments to outside bodies.
the easiest way to see that and the proposals do reflect a continuation of the current arrangements, so for fairly straightforward recommendation head chair thanks.

9 Officer Arrangements

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:16:59
thank you so much, are we happy to agree the recommendations to approve lovely thank you so much Okido, moving on to officer arrangements this next report seeks approval for the delegation scheme from the Combined Authority to officers, Caroline, could you take us through again please?
Caroline Norreys - 0:17:20
Yes, thank thank you ma with we've tidied up.
The the the officer delegation scheme and in this sense I do note, I noted just before the meeting started the it references the appendix being tracked changes in terms of those changes, and it's not my apologies, we do have copies of that appendix here and Amanda perhaps if you could just hand those out while I speak so Members do have sight of that, Sir, so my apology on that.
The changes the changes are minor changes in terms of the
delegations to statutory officers and to the Chief Exec that the main change in this version is that we've sought to.
Draw out the delegation to Directors and remove them from this scheme with a view to enhancing the Chief execs sub delegation scheme to have delegations flowing through that to give greater flexibility, so a lot of this track change does look a messy version, but it's because we've taken a lot of text out.
We are, the intention is for the Chief execs of delegation scheme to reflect the man, the the desire for
x expedient delivery, and to give more flexibility, but within the appropriate controls, so that that delegation scheme is being worked on in parallel, the intention is for that to be published on the Combined authorities website as part of our transparency requirements, so that we still have that clarity, so the changes other than that are are are of a minor nature, I would say, but I'm happy to take any questions.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:18:59
Thank you, and part of this comes out of my desire to find opportunities to get rid of any obstacles through process that is stopping us, making decisions about delivery so in, in order to deliver deliver deliver, we have got to look at our get our own house in order as well, so I'm I'm pleased to see this because this will help us move more swiftly any thoughts on this.

10 Constitutional Arrangements

No lovely so, are we happy to agree the recommendations, thank you and moving on to constitutional arrangements, the report outlines the Combined Authority constitutional arrangements, which are reviewed and approved annually to keep them up to date and fit for purpose, Caroline, can I come back to you,
yes, thank, thank you, Chair.
Caroline Norreys - 0:19:44
the there's a combination in here.
of minor and more substantive changes proposed, firstly, there's been some minor tidying up changes to the Constitution which have been referenced in the table, set out at Appendix 1 of an inconsequential nature, but there for transparency, this there's two more substantive changes proposed.
The first one is in relation to article 10 of the Constitution, which is the place that sets out the arrangements under which the West Yorkshire business board operates. That has been revised to reflect the current practice and the ways of working of the West Yorkshire business board. We had a transitional set of arrangements as we move from the LEP to the board and they've been updated again and the other main chain main change. There is to reference it as the West Yorkshire business board throughout, so that is attached as Appendix 2 for members and to see the other substantive change is in terms of the Scrutiny standing orders and again this reflects our move to a single Committee and our adoption of the recommendations in the national scrutiny protocol review. So the standing orders have had revisions made to them, in part to clarify areas where, in practice,
The our procedures have been maybe slightly vague before, so to provide that transparency to Members and to officers as to how the how the procedures and operate with scrutiny that clarity has been built in, and that's very much come from the statutory Scrutiny Officer and so his experience of that to help members of scrutiny and wider members the other changes to it, as I said, are to reflect.
Are in our continuous improvement in terms of reaching the the principles of the Scrutiny protocol, so that is there again in full for members, and then we see simply seeking confirmation that the rest of the constitution is approved in its unamended form, thank you.

11 Corporate Governance Code and Framework

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:21:46
thank you so much, Caroline, any thoughts can I seek approval to the documents contained in the appendices. Thank you so much. Moving on corporate governance code and framework item 11. This report outlines the proposed code of corporate governance for the Combined Authority for the new municipal year and sets out to reinforce our commitment to good governance practices and sets the stage for the preparation of our annual governance statement. Can I pass over to Alan Reece, our chief operating officer, to take us through the recommendations? Thank you. Thank you very much Mark. So the code of corporate governance
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:19
that is a statutory document that we bring every year is reviewed on an annual basis. This document reflects that we are a mission based organisation focused on delivery, with our outcomes aligned to the West. Yorkshire Plan changes, of course constant, and the organisation needs to continue to transform in order to build on our track record and deliver the major programmes we need to over the coming years, improving outcomes for people across West Yorkshire. This paper sets out how we will ensure good governance in doing so so that the the code contains a number of principles, such as integrity, openness, defining outcomes in terms of benefits, and the interventions to achieve those outcomes, capacity and capability, risk management and transparency. The paper then sets out a set of things that we are doing a range of actions and behaviours to meet those requirements reflect the reflecting the corporate change programme that is underway and reflecting recent changes such as the West Yorkshire Plan, recent decisions around and the direction of the organisation and our major programmes, and the need to continue to build our capacity and transform our ways of working progress against this will be reported back to the Combined Authority in the annual governance statement as it is every year, and that will be coming back to a future meeting of the Combined Authority, of course, and I am happy to take any questions. Thank you so much Alan and I am pleased to see that that
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:23:41
the next four years we will be taking that mission based approach where the responsibilities of the mayoral office, we can team and ladle to get better outcomes. And to step out of silos of delivery in order to deliver deliver deliver, so thank you so much for that and any comments
Okay, joke, can we agree the recommendations please?

12 Members’ Allowance Scheme

thank you so much, I'm moving on to Members' Allowance scheme and to consider and approve the combined authorities Members' Allowance scheme, Caroline, could you take us through this, yes, thank you Chair, this is.
Caroline Norreys - 0:24:18
This is presented on an annual basis and the scheme itself is set out there at Appendix 2 shows the substantive part of this report is the Appendix 1 which is the report from the independent remuneration panel which the Authority requested and to advise in terms of the allowances for the new format of the Scrutiny Committee so the report is there in full their recommendations as set out at paragraph 3.2 of the report in terms of those those new roles as of the committee there, so that is for Members' consideration.
Obviously happy to take any questions on that, but we would be looking as part of the recommendations in this paper for approval in terms of that set of remuneration, which has then been reflected in the Members' Allowance scheme at Appendix 2, the only other change to the Members' Allowance scheme is that allowances are index-linked, so allowances Members will see that those have gone up from the current scheme but that is simply the reflection of that index linking.
on an annual basis, so they are happy to take any questions, but
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:25:28
otherwise that's the report, thank you, thank you, and if I could thank Members for all the work that they do for our region, often it's a thankless task, but we want to make sure that there are opportunities for people with lots of different.
lives too, whether you've got caring responsibilities wherever to be able to have that support to contribute.
So thank you for that any comments on Members' allowances.
Note happy to approve the I or P and the revised allowances scheme.

13 Calendar of Meetings 2024-25

Thank you so much OK, moving on to a calendar of meetings 2024 25, you'll see that the calendar is there for the municipal year, can we approve the calendar of meetings in the appendix?

Part 2 - Other Business

14 Bradford Interchange Update

Thank you so much, so that brings the annual meeting business to a conclusion right, we're gonna get on to other agenda, items for discussion, so moving on to Part 2 item 14 Bradford Interchange update, now this report provides us an update regarding the bus station in Bradford Conf and outlines necessary actions we've got to consider for the future as I've said previously, thank you to the people of Bradford. It has been a horrendous and very at times chaotic, but I hope that
our focus to make it as easy as possible at a time of.
disruption because of transforming cities, fund roadworks as well, that the people of Bradford has shown great patients. So I want to thank them for that. It's been really difficult to have an interchange closed and I know the people were very, very frustrated, so I just want to reassure the public as well that we are working flat out with our partners to come to the right decision on the future of the interchange, bearing in mind the critical importance of public safety, and I hope you will note that, as the report makes clear, we're making progress in identifying potential options for a temporary station. Should the interchange not be safe enough to reopen I'm going to ask officers provide an update, as they talk through the report, but I also want to reassure the public that we will continue to invest in Bradford to make a success of this great city. Transport is a vital part of growing the economy and connecting Bradford to the rest of the region. I know how important it is for the citizens of Bradford, and you have my word that this is a priority for us, so if I may just invite Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, as Chair of the Transport Committee, to comment on the report before then, handing over to Dave Haskins our interim director of passenger experience and assets to take us through the recommendations, but I know Susan you share the same determination as me to get this resolved as soon as possible
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:28:18
thank you Mayor, and yes, you re, obviously the travelling public in Bradford have been hugely frustrated about the closure of the interchange, and we all want to see a speedy resolution to this issue, and thank you for your energy behind this as well and or if we sat in several meetings now to try and get this resolved as quickly as possible we have must mayor and myself have been quite clear that,
We want to see plans in place regardless of what the outcome is, we need to plan for all eventualities so that when the survey report is back and the direction is clear, we're able to immediately then jump to that actually what the right resolution is for the current situation and this report pushes that on and also outlines I think what has happened so far but obviously this resolution can't happen soon enough for the travelling public in Bradford, so we were all keen to see the survey results and so get the next steps in place.
I'll pass over to officers and may I thank you, thank you just to say,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:29:15
before I pass over today, that we are also committed to are investing in the interchange and the exit from the rail station, so we as we are underway with that work so we haven't taken our foot off the gas there Dave,
OK, I'll just give a very brief overview, just just for members'
Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:29:33
awareness of what we previously set out in terms of the report that was presented to you, as you may be aware that this report was published to the press and public or public and press members at the end of May ahead of the pre-election period and the report itself that was issued at our points time whose provides to poach 2 0 9 2 17 off of Oxfam half the PAC report briefly sets our history of issues of Bradford Interchange around maintenance on decision making over time sets out demonstrated historic issues of water ingress at the upper bus station facility and also around the investment as Colin and the facility over time to seek to rectify these issues, and she's helped me to ensure that health and safety is maintained at all times, which measures which is critical. The circumstances relating to the decision to close the bus stations are provided in the report and, as you also said, the surveys are now underway, more detailed and extensive surveys to provide some firm and definitive answers around the future direction of the bus station. As we've already said publicly, the Bus Station will remain shut until at least September and we will be bringing a report forward, but we will be bringing back a report to the Combined Authority in September with a clear way forward on that.
it's fair to say you right. There is a need for further invest investments and improved provision for passengers at the at the facility, both in terms of the bus station and for bus passengers and for the rail stations. The scheme is now underway to reopen the lower concourse, as it's known and Andrew works at the front of the bus station to improve, provide improve access for rail passengers and an improved arrival experience for Bradford in general. The initial survey findings around this have demonstrated that this area is safe to occupy, subject to two works. As I said, work is progressing also acutely aware that
This has had an impact on bus passengers and people in Bradford generally, lots of work has been underway to improve the passenger experience through the provision of improved facility through provision of facilities to date.
And we are working further at the moment, focusing on looking at alternative bus facilities.
in the event that there may be a longer term closure of the bus station itself, we are particularly focused on improved facilities for passengers, mindful of what can be implemented ahead of the 2025 year of culture.
the intention is to bring outline proposals forward to the July Combined Authority meeting, which will set out options and issues and funding as part of the capital programme review.
We are currently looking at a small and precise options as an alternative facility and in discussion with landowners, and we need to consider what can be delivered quickly to meet passenger requirements, while also looking at medium and long term options the report itself is recommending that,
The information here is noted and endorsing the position around next steps that will be bringing the report forward to the September Combined Authority, but also that the Combined Authority delegates to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Mayor and a Chair of Transport Committee, approval of change requests relating to this concourse scheme that I have just to I've just talked about which is known as the Bradford Interchange station access scheme thank you very
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:32:44
much, thank you any comments on Byford. Thank you, Councillor Lamb, yes, thank you mate and can I start by just congratulating you on your re-election look forward to working with you for the next next few years.
Councillor Paulson, obviously, if I can thank her for her work on this board, you may see it from time to time, because she's still my alternate, but she did ask me to raise some issues about this as I'm sure you'd expect, so I think everybody appreciates. This is a long-term issue and it needs a bit of time to work through and determine what's the best course of action. The issues are in the immediacy and the experience for for passengers and customers, and what's been reported back to me is
how difficult it is at the moment. I know you've acknowledged that, but I think there's potential to do more in the short term. So what's been shared with me is bus users in tears as they don't know where to catch the bus and if they'll make appointments. The fact that the buses are parked in a long line makes it very difficult to see which bus to get, and there's nobody there to tell you which buses going next. I'm particularly for people with accessibility issues and disabilities visual impairments. I just wonder if there's a way we can get some more bodies on the ground to actually help and support people
and make them really visible, easy to access so that those that are struggling have got someone to go to and help and support them, and I think that would make a huge difference in the short term and give the time and space to do the work that's needed but make sure people can get where they need to go and that it is still a reasonably pleasant experience and from what's reported to me doesn't sound like it's at the moment thank you, Councillor Lamb am
I think we have bodies there, we have allocated staff to.
To help us way finders and so on, but your point about buses being parked in a line that has been raised with me and we are looking at that about how we can solve that because passengers have been left to stop because the bus didn't know that they were waiting, so that is a potential issue. I wonder whether fo Simon, if I could ask if you would just prepare and you know it doesn't have to be extensive, but just exactly what is on the ground because I know that you and the teams have been doing walk around where you know, I've been down there to see what it looks like I'm trying to identify whether whether challenges would be but of course for for lots of you know for lots of passengers it is working, it's really important to say that the mitigations we've put in you know have been challenging and I'm so grateful for patients but we've got to make sure that everybody is supportive but,
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:35:33
Susan you wanted to come in yeah, just to say that obviously we, we've all had the e-mails from residents, and we've been acting on those and the mayor and I have made sure that senior management are directly involved in this one and actually do visit the stops, and whenever there's an issue we've said, senior management needs to go down, speak to customers, see what's happening and make amendments, and I've just last week had a a long e-mail about the changes that are going to be made now as a result of that latest senior management visit. So Dave Ma, I mean MCCMC buses not here today, but Dave might be able to sort of go through some of those if that's OK. Thank you
Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:36:08
I think the risk, but that was a very useful trip, actually be
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:36:12
considered, identify a number of things that I I am now across so.
it was a very helpful walk around. Thank you, I think quite quite for it has been covered by Watson, Barn Cottage, cul-de-sac, but I think
Dave Haskins, Interim Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:36:21
it is fair to say that those regular visits are absolutely invaluable. Things do change over time on the ground, even even with as the weather changes, we get different situations that arise over time. We have looked at where we can deploy additional resource and we have looked at how we can work with our with our teams more closely to make sure that the messaging that they're giving out to passengers is more consistent and more clear and and how it all comes across to the passengers as well. Is really really important. I think I think the bits around accessibility are absolutely critical and we've had our accessibility officers out there regularly regularly reviewing situations, making small improvements where possible, to make. But I think this is right. The report will bring forward will start setting out in more detail around how we are going to really really bring us forward over the period of the coming period,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:37:10
thank you, and we all know the terrible weather we've had in the last few weeks, can I thank our colleagues who are out there doing their shift outside all day in that terrible weather, so it's not been easy, that's for sure, Councillor Lamb,
yeah, thank you for those assurances, just two other quick points, if I may, one, can we make sure any changes and adjustments are communicated clearly and quickly, not only to Members of this Board,
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:37:35
but also to a constituent council members because it's relevant not just to Bradford councillors but,
So from Leeds or a lot of our residents.
are regularly using the interchange, and it's very helpful for members of all parties to understand what's going on quickly and clearly so that can be shared with with residents attend alley. And the final
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:37:56
point was just around, I I'd understand, it's been explained to me why there's such heavy reductions in some of the the reports. It would be
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:38:08
useful, I think, for members to be able to see an unredacted version,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:38:12
so we've fully got a heads round, Councillor Lamb, you can you can just add or everybody is parked see, I can see it so, as I say,
Transparency is really important, so of course you can say.
at
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:38:25
so what what we will do it in addition is?
when the MC returns starting next week is is put a short note round to members that that just sets out very, very clearly the numbers of staff that that we have around the city centre, the deployment plan that we've got at the moment will sets out the information scheme or as it works at the moment and where we're looking to get to next in terms of those iterative changes it's incredibly helpful to have feedback from members on at the detailed operation, so please do.
at any point
Feel free to contact myself, Dave or Mick, to to feed those
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:39:12
observations, or it might also be helpful, just is forward them to us, so we get a sense of what people are saying to you, so let me get some temperature test of how people are feeling.
Good stuff, thank you so are we
I am happy to note the report and endorse the proposed steps to support travellers, acknowledge future options for the interchange bus station, that's going to be discussed in September, and the Chief Executive, in consultation with myself and the Transport Committee chair, is delegated approval of change request for the Bradford Interchange station access scheme happy to approve.

15 Project Approvals

Lovely, thank you so much so, moving on to Item 15, a project approvals investment party, 5, delivering sustainable, integrated, inclusive and affordable transport. This report provides details of five schemes that are recommended to the Combined Authority for progression through the assurance process. Can I invite Councillor Hinchcliffe to make some initial comments before handing on to Simon Warburton, our chief executive for transport, to outline the schemes for consideration. These are Sierra SDS, safe roads, TCF, Horsefair Gateway, Local electric vehicle infrastructure, Phase 1 the levy capability fund active travel capability fund 2024 thank you Susan
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:40:30
thank you, ma am I mean just briefly to say that there's also the latest in, as you said earlier in the meeting, deliver deliver, deliver, we're getting on with delivering given the resources we've got
and it is great to see these new schemes coming forward, a lot of them, no Mekons resilient for the future with new technology, a new mode of transport and are, as you said, as the some more that would have been coming to this meeting, which all now comes to the next meeting, so this is great positive progress and I'll hand over to Simon Warburton, who's 0 you just promoted, I think actually,

15 a) Investment Priority 5 - Delivering Sustainable, Integrated, Inclusive and Affordable Transport

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:41:08
so, Simon, thank you, I am taking the papers read, so if you have particular comments on any one of these schemes then please do raise your hand, but over to Simon yes, sir, very very briefly, just to
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:41:20
summarise the recommendations, so for point 1 we have a recommendation for an allocation of the C or SDS safe roads third year funding arrangement working against previous formula at 4.6
We are recommending a final approval for delivery of the horse for Gateway scheme in Pontefract and town centre supported by 2.5 9 5 million pounds of transport and cities, funding towards a full scheme costs of 3.9 7 9 million
at for me and what for point 1 6, we are recommend a recommending an allocation across the five authorities of central government local electric vehicle infrastructure funds, this is a fund which is pointed specifically at sporting.
neighbourhood charging.
schemes are a 4.2 6 there is a parallel allocation of.
Levi capability funding in this occasion, allocated across borough authorities, that's an allocation which is predetermined through a central government process, so this is simply a recommendation on, and at 4.00.3 1 allocation of active travel.
capability funding across the the five authorities, what we have also included, given the number of activities in between, is an exhaustive list at 5.2 of a series of decisions taken under delegation by the Transport Committee on the 24th of May and also delegated officer decisions that have been taken during the period of recess by a combination of the Chief Executive himself and that sets out at 5.00.3 and 5.4.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:43:38
thank you so much on any comments on any of these schemes.
yes.
Councillor Skelton and then Councillor Jeffery.
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council - 0:43:44
Thank you now I just want you to really endorse very strongly the first of these the
Work on safety, the reducing the number of killed and seriously
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:43:57
injured on our roads in West Yorkshire really has to be a priority for us.
In West Yorkshire and nobody should be killed or seriously injured, particularly not children, actually so really strongly in doors, and particularly the work that the Deputy Mayor has been doing on vision 0, really of really prioritising this in the years to come. So welcome this money for this year. Thank you. Can I say as well, vision Zero is
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:44:20
one of my big priorities when it comes to roads and transport, because too many are killed and injured on the roads, and with my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime chairing the board, I think we're definitely going to see some good outcomes
hopefully better outcomes anyway at Councillor Geoffrey, yes, just to
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council - 0:44:41
Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council) - 0:44:44
say how much I welcome the horse for gateway, really all excited about this, looking forward to it, it really will make such a difference in Pontefract, so I thank you for this really appreciate that this is moving forward. Thank you so much Councillor at Holsworthy, thank you
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:44:58
Cllr Sue Holdsworth Calderdale Council - 0:45:01
ma. It's a question about the EV charging points. I'm really pleased to see that they're going to be put into residential areas where there's no access to charging point, but I'll have a question on that was put to me by a constituent who is unable to charge his electric vehicle he didn't actually choose to have an electric vehicle but his company bought,
all new EV vehicles.
he has a terraced property in a rural area and he wanted to know whether or not there was any provision for either agony system to allow him to take the electricity from his property across underneath the pavement to charge his car, or to put it over the pavement with some sort of ramp which apparently happened in other parts of the country and I wondered if we made any progress on this.
thank you so much, Councillor Scholem.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:45:57
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:46:01
thank you Mary, you saw my my hand going up, Councillor Hudspeth, once you've seen it yet this didn't think the cabinet papers were called to deal, I wrote quite yet but we will be out in the next few days and it will include a paper to the call to deal Cabinet on exactly that question so that answers some of the questions but it isn't easy, I think in terms of an overall national approach and the particular challenges we have, as you say in West Yorkshire in off street parking, terraced houses, narrow pavements,
and importance of accessibility in terms of wheelchairs and so on, so the paper looks at all of those things and proposes some solutions, thank you, Councillor Skelton, thank you so much because if we can
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:46:42
have a revolution in EV charging we've got to ensure that it reaches everybody is, this is a just transition, so everybody has access to charge their electric vehicle. Thank you yes, Councillor Lamb,
thank you, I'm written the site point, first of all, so we've had the same issue.
in my part of the world we've got a lot of old historic houses that don't have off street parking, so I've been working cross-party with Councillor Rafique in Leeds.
and I think that Milton Keynes are the trailblazers on this, that they've come up with some solution, so this might have been used to Councillor Lewis, I don't know, but there is some work coming forward
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:47:22
in Leeds to to have some pilot schemes where there's two options they've got for gullies.
the the biggest, the two biggest challenges that need overcoming you might be able to help Melzi not not predicting any outcomes or
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:47:38
anything, but one of the big obstacles is the lack of government guidance.
around the south have issued funding but not guidance to go with it, which makes it very difficult for authorities and highways authorities to say, yeah, we're comfortable with where the liabilities are gonna sit and the second challenger, I've no idea how you overcome it is just because you've got a gully outside your house doesn't give you the right to park there, so it's a, it's a public highway, anyone could park there and there are instances of people have got 50 metre long cables going down the street. You've done it with a spaghetti off of cables all over the the highway so that there's a few challenges to overcome, but we need to find a way to to do it, and one of the options that's being looked at is some buildouts, so there'd be publicly accessible charging points on on the highway, and that will be another way round it, and hopefully I believe some of this funding is gonna go to towards that work and it's levered in an awful lot of money from the private sector as well, which is a really great use of all of this, so hopefully that helps still a thing I will trust is around the road safety funding are we committed to being able to use some of that funding to preventative things because I am certain every Member around this table have had that conversation with residents where they say do we have to wait for someone to die for something to to get done, it's an accident waiting to happen and the language was about reducing acts and I I totally get it that if you've had six accidents somewhere and non somewhere else and a fine I put his money, you put the money where you're going to reduce the accidents and show an impact, but we also needs an element where we can actually prevent things from happening towards harder to measure because if nothing had happened before and still nothing happens, we've been successful but
it would be good, I think, can reassure it to the public that there is funding available to be able to say where we can all see there's a problem, yet nothing's happened yet, but let's do something before it
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:49:41
does absolutely and or it can I just say that there is a change that you don't now have to wait for somebody to be killed in order to apply for a camera and,
That is something that I think that was an important change for a lot of communities and I had a a walk around Yorkshire bumps, I don't know if you know that, but it's where I, sadly, a young man who had had died, but it that there are things once you on the ground that you can see could be great mitigations that are preventative, so absolutely where we're on it and we're gonna use us, you know innovation and so on, but thank you for your contribution around the gullies, et cetera this is a team sport, you know we've we've all got to try and find the solutions ourselves and finally I would say that there's nothing that Councillor Lewis doesn't know he does know everything so who will use that he may not know?
so I wonder whether the newly elected as Chief,
Chief Executive Director apologies for that wants to make any comments, Simon, thank you ma, I'll be reconsider my remuneration
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:50:53
package for the chief executive item.
o
so the UK, as an awful lot of programming, is driven by a historic historic incident, I think that's a very fair observation.
what vision Zero does for us in particular, is that commitment and ensures that the all forward-looking highways programmes that are undertaken, not just specific road safety highways programmes are designed with vision Zero outcomes are in place, and I think by having that combination of a retrospective package and also a for a broader forward looking,
package we we get to start to address that balance, it you're absolutely right to say to our identify Councillor Lamb and and just to the point on electric vehicle charging, the the Levi programme, in particular, that set out here, is specifically designed to start to address precisely this the this issue.
whereby residents in houses that that don't have driveways have a real challenge in terms of in terms of magic and as Councillors have pointed out, the the answer to this is is actually locally design solution Sutton, in some cases using infrastructure like gullies, maybe the best model in other locations, there may be a shared space within a neighbourhood that that's better located for a shared facility, and it's why it's so important
That we deliver these activities directly through local authorities so that they can address the the diversity of neighbourhoods that we have across West Yorkshire.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:52:43
thank you so much, Simon, and thank you for that question and encouragement of me.
thank you, thank you Chair. It's it's a, it's a a process question and
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:52:52
you will have probably noticed, I'm sure that we've changed the format of these papers and that this is in an attempt to reduce the overall length of the packs while not reducing that the decisions that need to be taken by the Combined Authority. So it's really just to to say there is less detail in the in the published pack. However, the detail is producing annexes that are available to everybody and would obviously just as happy to take questions or comments on those linked annexes that contain the detail of the projects and their approval pathways. Et cetera, and we welcome any feedback as to whether you think that these, this new format is, is helpful in in in the way that we present the papers. So I just wanted that to be very be very clear, because there's quite a lot of detail about these projects that sits in those annexes. There will be in the first package
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:53:40
Thank you for that Ben, and I know that the reading time is is really you know it, sometimes quite a lot trying to get through a particular papers, the CIA papers, and if you're an committed as well so.
I hope that you, as members, are happier with the fact that the papers are slightly condensed and that if you are interested, there are links there that you could look at, you know, look further for more detail, he could always ask a question Councillor Schelin.
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:54:09
thank you, can I endorse the approach, because those of us who did plough through 330 pages were glad that you actually took a more condensed approach to the papers so.
carry on, and I didn't feel actually, that some of the detail was lacking because of course many of much of Watson here has already been examined in some detail in the individual committees and boards, actually so I would rather have those more condensed approaches, thank you so much, Okido, so can we get approval for those schemes outlined
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:54:42
as I talked through through the assurance process with indicative approval of the combined authorities, funding contribution
Approval of the combined authorities, funding contribution for scheme development and also for alterations of scheme delivery and approval for future assurance pathways and approval routes, and the detailed recommendations set out in reports if I could see a show of hands, thank you.

15 b) Investment Priority 3 - Creating Great Place and Accelerated Infrastructure

Okido Keys so I'm moving on to item of 15 beef investment priority, 3, creating great places and accelerated infrastructure, this is an update on the West Yorkshire investments own programme outlines initial proposals for the progression of individual projects through the CIA's assurance process could I
And invite Councillor Denise Jeffery as Chair of the Place Committee, and also Liz Hunter to take us through the recommendations. Thank you,
Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council) - 0:55:35
ma members will recall that at the let's see a meeting we're doing. We did agree to investment zone package and the investment zone aim to build on the existing strengths that West Yorkshire have. We already a prominent centre for health tech and digital businesses and investment zone will accelerate growth in these sectors. The investments and would be anchored by three core investment development approaches sites, the Leeds innovation, village, the Digital Health Enterprise Zone in Bradford, and the National Health Innovation Campus in Huddersfield and the goal of the investments on this to make the region, I hope for Health Innovation by bringing together and enhancing the strength of public, private and third sector organisations. So what has led to
thank you, thank you, and there's a lot of excitement about this from
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:56:26
our universities and the way that they can work with business and the potential to unlock over 200 million pounds worth of investment, private sector investment and note, so it's an exciting opportunity, so if I may pass over to Liz Hunter, who is our director of policing environment in place with that changed only recently, so forgive me,
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:56:50
thank you. Thank you ma am so, as Councillor Geoff has already mentioned, you approve the investment programme at the last meeting, but we promised you that we'd come back with a few updates on where we are with the projects. So this is what that paper
does?
it also is trying to do two other things, so firstly to have be hopefully if you're if you're an agreement to delegate the signing of the MoU with government, so it's just to mention that we'd hoped that the EMA you would have been signed prior to the election being called it it wasn't so we are now hopeful.
That any new government post the general election will look to sign this swiftly, but we will need to look at the timetable of the projects, depending on the point when that is, but we still like your authority to be able to to be able to enter into that at an appropriate point and also to recognise, through this paper that the projects which we are developing, some of which are progressing really well some at slightly earlier stage.
and so we'd like the delegation to the Chief Executive consultation, we've either the chair of the business economy and innovation committee or the chair of the place in retail and housing committee, in order to to give us the delegation to change some of the projects as they come through the projects will all come through the assurance framework so you'll still see them but it just enables us to do some of that early work to test whether the projects would be in the programme or not to start with.
So, like I say, hopefully we'll see what any new government does on this, but we are hopeful that we'll be able to make the progress as set out in the paper.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:58:27
thank you so much Liz and we're pressing whoever comes into government to you know, act swiftly on this, Emma you any comments about the investment zone, no, thank you, so can we have a show of hands to recommend to delegate authority to the Combined Authority Section 73 Officer to sign and accept the MoU
to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, to manage the project pipeline and to approve future projects in accordance with the outlined assurance pathways and approval routes subject to remaining within established tolerances.

16 Local Growth Plan

thank you so much OK, moving on to Item 16 local growth plan, I'm hoping we can have a good discussion on this because I I'd love to hear your thoughts. This report focuses on the development of a local growth plan. It was previously referred to as the West Yorkshire economic strategy and this paper outlines the proposed approach fostering sustainable and inclusive growth across our region. I promise to deliver this local growth plan within the first six months of my term, setting out how we will deliver on the first mission of West Yorkshire Plan to create that prosperous region with an inclusive economy and more well-paid jobs with more money in people's pockets. So could I ask Councillor James Lewis as Chair of the business economy and innovation committee before passing to Felix Kumi on profile our director? Inclusive economy, skills and culture to take us through the recommendations? So James
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:59:58
Thanks Chair and is really felt like an opportunity to have got to get people's comments on developing the draft, we all know some of the barriers to prosperity in West Yorkshire, which is poor productivity, poor access to opportunities, and we know the challenges we face. So I don't think I need to say a lot more in terms of enthusiasm. Phoenix will want to say a little bit more. We're hoping to bring off a fuller draft back to the Combined Authority in July and one of the important bits is looking at the what it sets out to do and the one things needs to is all work out about how in our areas, how we deliver on this. I'll ask Felix, please. Thank you, James Felix
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:00:33
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:00:37
thank you ma, thank you considers, before going to detail, if you don't mind, I'll go to Monday, who give us a shot view from the business world about the work we've been doing with our members Monday.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:00:50
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:00:54
and I'm sure everybody will have read the the details in the pack, but I think the work that's being done on this is really exciting and is chair of the business board. We really welcome this as a as a roadmap for the sort of things we can start to change, to engage businesses better and to to support the region. There are three key areas. It surrounds our commitment to our people, our commitment to our businesses and to our communities, and we have offers for all of those and investors to attract investment to this region. I think the core four key things that
a really powerful is the peace round, transformation and connectivity, which we talk about a lot in these meetings.
how we them
strategically, the place which is key, but from my point of view, the things that interests me, particularly are the region of learning which were starting to unpack now and the thriving ecosystem for businesses, which is something that I'm completely committed to, is that that's my role.
the fingerprints of businesses through this because we've had lots of engagement with businesses, both within the committees and with engagement activities. We've done around the place, the last one was actually in Bradford and was really well attended. I think that feedback that we're getting is that this is really welcomed and what this gives us is that launch pad to start to really deliver, delivered delivery. She said Theresa May, so so, looking forward to getting going on it, I think it's nearly at
The final stage obviously comments, welcome today, Felix I'll come back to you to explain in more detail, thank you very much.
we've been working very closely with our local authority partners with businesses itchy, as he and others, to look at not only the evidence which we've discussed, that's one of our earlier meetings here, but also to look at the opportunities, what it means in terms of some of the challenges in delivery and what we really can focus on to make a difference the numbers depending on how you look at it.
Could seem a bit daunting, sometimes the number of businesses that we need to create the number of jobs that we need to create here, how far back we are in terms of investment and the extent to which our businesses innovate.
However, on the other hand, that also points to a lot of opportunities and lots of opportunities for businesses, the room for growth here in West Yorkshire, and the return that is available for investors who are willing to come in with us.
So the growth plan, as we setting out, not only looks at some of what the evidence and the key actions, but also begins to set out the different ways in which we're looking to work with our investment partners and with businesses with developers and how we looking to develop some for key sites, it's also important as we as you see in the documents how some of the key investments, some of which we've hinted at in the in our conversations earlier today around mass transit are on buses around housing, EV the green economy how all of that really important to make sure we've got the infrastructure that supports and enables growth.
and are pinning all of that is the lessons we've learned over time, that sustainability, health and wellbeing, equity and diversity do not happen by chance, and we need to make sure these are hardwired into all our actions, all our interventions, all the policies that redevelop and work with our partners and to ensure that the benefits that come out from the prosperity that we are able to generate actually flourishing.
The wildest, a spectrum of our population and not skewed to certain parts you will have seen from the paper we've we've attached a set of slides, which summarise where we are in the work that we've done. There's a long conversion that is being written at the next meeting that this board has will come back to you with a more developed or refined version of this set of slides, and we're hoping to be able to share
maybe in primary circulation, we'll see where we are with a long conversion in terms of our trajectory, the plan is then to launch a final version of this if the board approves when, when it gets a chance to at its next meeting to launch this in September October depending on the right date that we can find,
So I'll leave it there in terms of introduction, happy to take any comments or questions or confident, thank you, thank you so much
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:05:35
Phoenix and how we grow our economy and how we can turbo-charge our economy to also help the rest of the country is quite a powerful, an offer to an incoming government whoever they admit that may be.
because we are part of the solution for growth, because the gap has been too wide for too long, so if we are ambitious innovative we can actually really turn the tide on productivity outcomes, also healthy life expectancy, those sorts of things as well, so.
really good work, I'm really pleased with it and looking forward to contributions from others, and I think socialising it really widely within the business community is also helpful because this is, as I say, always a team effort, any comments on the growth plan, yes, Councillor Scotland,
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 1:06:29
thank you.
I have to confess to a little bit of cynicism about this because I've seen so many industrial strategy draft saw.
final documents over recent years, which haven't really really landed, I think and and it's really, what we need in West Yorkshire in terms of improving productivity in its widest sense.
And like this much better alike, this growth plan much better, it feels more real really, and it feels more connected in terms of some of the references to transport, to sustainability and so on, and I think this is of a piece with our previous paper that we looked at in terms of innovation with the universities ready and I was reflecting,
as we were dealing with that, we haven't got a university in Calderdale on and not on a such in Wakefield, but actually these are our universities, all of our universities and that innovation work and recently visited the Huddersfield campus. Is that kind of innovation really going to lend itself to that? Business, growth, skills development and making a pitch about West Yorkshire in terms of investment? You know of what we're doing here, so this felt felt more real, really and and more grounded in some of the things we're actually doing so. Thank you. Good good start q, so much Jane, and it
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:07:53
was really pleasing to see at time 24 as well, at the Armouries bringing investors to our region and having businesses to show and investable propositions. You know the more that we get out there and champion our region. The more people will see that we're gonna be good partners, Okido Councillor Hinchcliffe and then Councillor Lamb
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:08:15
thank you ma, so I'll obviously welcome this. I think it underlines to me really reading it through that we just need more investment in skills, as my big thing really, obviously we got the devolution deal on the A B, but that was just talking to feel. It's only that is not index linked, so it doesn't go up every year and actually the demand goes up every year, really so we need tactically we need to somehow try and think about how we drive more investment on the skills agenda, because that is obviously that is a major engine, is that our people are our biggest engine for growth in the region and the more we could spend on those skills and better ready
just just one thing at Pickup is obviously.
Well, as Councillor Scullin says, the universities are a key asset for us in the region, but I am reading on backbone in Bradford the other week, as professor John Wright put something on social media saying that actually Bradford was now the golden triangle of research when it looked at hospitals so in terms of Oxford, Cambridge Addenbrooke's or something and Bradford he but I drew a new triangle which I thought was quiet.
I am quite positive to see, I'm not quite sure where he got the data from, however,
it they did show there's a lot of.
Research, investment going to Bradford and Leeds, I think it is because it is a partnership, isn't it one, and are we sighted on that hospital research, as well as the pure academic research that goes in our universities, would be my question, thank you.
Thank you, I'll come back to Felix once we've fed all the questions
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:09:44
so, Councillor Lamb.
Yeah, thank you, ma am, and I hope it is just taken in a constructive way its intended.
So I think this this agenda for me is what devolution is all about, actually, because this is the nuts and bolts of of the whole purpose of having devolution to to the this is levelling up in inaction, and so it's important that we get it right, I think, a couple of points from it one, it's really important that we make sure that.
everyone across the region,
feels this is for them, and that requires a bit of an excellent explanation, some case you look at the map.
and there are large sways that on the and I'm looking on, page 24, where, on the spatial priority, I will look at there's a lot of districts that will think at we there's nothing there for us, there's nothing that's looking at our business zone and equally in terms of a question. Obviously we don't live in isolation. You referred earlier to the the opportunity of working with the other combined authorities and the Mayoral Combined Authority. So as a question, what inputs have they had into this, and particularly around the borders? Someone who represents a
an area on a boundary you sit right, there's a big opportunity there, and have we linked in with those other authorities and residents that live just over the borders that we've been looking for, settled lots of opportunity for us, their benefits and having that strong working relationship so it's not just about West Yorkshire because we would have lived like that York are gonna be really important in in this benefiting,
And as will South Yorkshire and and you can request a to the Manchester authority, so it's all relevant to us and the final question from me, it's about measuring impact, which is crucial, there's an awful lot in here an awful lot of projects that will stem and flow from from this work and it's probably the hardest thing to measure is what if there's good growth at age we have a target.
that we're trying to meet. How will we know it wouldn't have happened anyway without any of this, as the most difficult thing to measure, I think that businesses are getting on doing their things anyway, trying to grow and develop. They're not sitting waiting for the combined authority to do it for them, that's not how business works. This hopefully will help and enable new businesses, businesses to grow and develop, but we need, I've seen all the metrics that are in line with some specific things we can measure, but overall we hope growth will happen anyway. What do we expect? It will happen over and above that, and how are we gonna be able to measure
and then say right with that work, let's do more of it.
that didn't work so well, so element to refine it or not, do it and do something else instead, thank you, Councillor Lamb, EIG, Councillor
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:12:44
Kilbane.
I thank you Chair just to give Councillor Lamb some reassurance really York, North Yorkshire is relatively new Combined Authority and we're very much in our thinking is a trans regional growth, so I mean there are lots of people that live in York and North Yorkshire who work in West Yorkshire and vice versa.
I've always thought it's not just about
York, North, Yorkshire, West, Yorkshire, it's about the whole of the North, ready for us, the to the opportunities that mayoral combined authorities are unlocking can be seen across the whole of the North, I often think about how
our region is about the same sort, size and geography of.
northwest Netherlands, but was a GPA of about a 10th, you know, there's no reason why we can't be as big a player on the world and European stage, or as at part of as the Netherlands and that's certainly the ambition I think amongst the the mayors across across the North, but you know I just really do want to reassure everybody in this room that you know York is,
I am very happy to be here around the table and but we are also thinking York and North Yorkshire and the great thing about combined authorities is those boundaries just start to dissolve you know and if one way that they should certainly start to dissolve it's economically as niche as it's in all of our interests to see good jobs for all of our people for opportunities that we can connect our people to or across the whole of the region for sustainable growth for years to come so,
Very happy to contribute that thank you so much as David Scape, your
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:14:20
man did say, we have the farmers, you have the food manufacturers, and so together we can actually support each other, but absolutely right and yes, Monday.
Mandy Ridyard (West Yorkshire Business Board) - 1:14:30
some great comments so far, and I think when we look at the part round business and the cluster work that's going on in here, it's really exciting. If we look at those clusters, they are probably similar to lots of other regions in the country. Is the niches within those clusters that are really important. So Susan's point about the hospital work that is going on in Bradford and Leeds. I think he's one vanishes and if you look to space of Yorkshire, which I chair, which is a Pan Yorkshire institution that works with all the other clusters across the country, what we're looking for is how we work together on the big things like inward investment, but then how we work out what unleashes on one of the things that's been very successful is the are F cluster, which stems out of the University of Leeds and Bradford, and now is radiates across the whole of Yorkshire and has given us something that's globally significant the more that we can start to concentrate on those niches within those clusters. I think the more opportunities we have to to bring in that investment to your point around metrics I couldn't agree more, they're so important, it's often difficult to tell the difference between attribution and contribution, so you can't always get and pick that, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try
but as long as it's hitting the right figures, then I think yeah, we've succeeded, regardless of whether it's contribution or attribution and being in business myself, I can't always judge what I've done and what the economy or the exchange rate has helped me do, but at least if I'm if I'm winning, then that's great for the company and all the people that work in it, and I think we have to look as it sometimes from that point of view. Thank you Monday and certainly as
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:16:09
what was exciting for me, was looking at the Venn diagram and in the centre was engineer and whether that's mechanical chemical digital, so the engineering is our sweet spot, so it's something we should really celebrate and for those that don't know Aref is radio frequency, it took me a while to understand what that was before he told me. So if there's no further comments, if I could go to Liz Phoenix and then Ben, thank you
Liz,
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:16:37
Thank you ma, so just to respond to Councillor lamps questions, particularly about the the spatial element of the of the plan, so, as you can see, as you say it, in terms of the the map place, committee have done a lot of work looking at our priority places where going back to what we're talking about you've got to try and start somewhere and and think about how we can make progress on some of those some of those sites but just to mention that as as always we are very,
Are alive to the kind of changes and to the opportunities that might arise, particularly from investment in other things, so really thinking about the bus network, mass transit and how that might open and unlock other sites as well, so.
so that's the there's a number of things that we're working on at the moment to try and bring forward some of those sites, but yes, it's always an iterative process and and looking for the scale and opportunity of other sites that we can add into this we're happy to do so.
Thank you, Les Felix.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:17:37
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:17:40
Thank you Mayor, or pick up a few of the remaining points on skills, couldn't couldn't agree more, the evidence tells us that in terms of economic outputs, West Yorkshire is about 11 billion below the where we should be given that population relative to the national average.
About two and a half billion of that is because of skills, and the remaining eight and a half billion is because of our productivity gap and if you look at the skills bit we have, I think, about 11 12,000 people in West Yorkshire 12,000 people with West Yorkshire with no formal qualifications at all and our gap in terms of higher level skills is over 50,000.
in many ways you could, as I said earlier and you can see this as really done in a very difficult but actually shows how much room we've got an opportunity, we've got to transform the lives of families and individuals here if we can target and get more people to take up the offer that we've got around skills and reskilling and training to get into the job that they need, but this is a supply and demand thing so going to what Keogh Councillor landlords seeing earlier on there's a lot that we have to do with our partners to also improve the demand side the demand for skills that demand for high level skills the demand
and the contribution from employers to actually work with us, to train our people and to get people into into their positions to be able to contribute to the economy and transform their lives, so as the supply and demand jobs and we are on with that and that, as you know, a lot of the the work we've done focuses on how we can change that and improve that on the work on research, I, especially with universities and with itchy, we're working that we work very closely with them then, and I sit on various boards, the chief executives, former language on various various boards and partnerships and committees with our hospitals and health partners. We are aware of the investment that comes in and the good work they do. We're working with them about how we can translate that benefits and that findings from their research into our businesses into the lives of people here, and it's not always easy because a lot of attempt at working really at the cutting edge. It takes a lot of time, but these partnerships are really important to make sure we can influence and we can offer support that might be necessary so, but I'll link up with procedural rights around his.
Numbers around a new golden triangle, and if we can feature that, we will finally.
on inputs from across the borders.
Really important, couldn't couldn't, I can't disagree with that, I think the honest truth is when we consult on this and we've had one round of consultation already and we're looking at the next one when it comes to individuals, we put this through all sorts of social media channels and on our website.
But 99% of people who respond are people who live in West Yorkshire, and if there's any learning from how others may have done, this better were really keen to learn from them.
however, if you dig beneath that, we work very closely with combined authority partners and businesses from across the bow of the various boundaries, because people do not move which, with respect to political boundaries, they move to go to school or to go to work wherever they needs to so we work very closely with educational institutions, with public sector bodies and with businesses across and wherever any intervention that we are involved in like northern gritstone and others require that scale to be successful, we absolutely umbrage that to make sure we are able to work
Thank you so much Phoenix n.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:21:36
Thank you Chair, so I just wanted to pick up a general comment through
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:21:40
the we just this, look at growth. That is very important to us as a
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:21:46
mechanism for joining together lots of different pieces, work across across the partnership in in West Yorkshire and kind of being the action or into plan that comes out of the West. Yorkshire Plan that you agreed or lost last year and just really pleasing to hear Councillor Scarlett's comments that that is kind of if it's striking the right balance in terms of achievability versus ambition, there's more work to do on that, but that is, but it is also very important for us as officers that we are joining up the different things that we're doing across the pace and that I think will mean the integrating it. It's its role as an integrated plan is critical, which plays to the questions that Councillor Inskip proposing around. How do you identify Woking and what are the priorities where you would choose to to deploy more resources, which, in turn, feeds into future conversations with the the the the forthcoming government, around single pot and ability to move money around the system, our own work in terms of how we can make them the funding that we are allocated, work harder and that plays into the work that and Phoenix is leading, are looking at skills and business review in terms of how we go about looking to generate outputs and outcomes from the funding that we have. So so this is the the from. From my perspective, this local growth plan is so important as the kind of thing that sits at the heart of that nexus, but it will then lead and influence subsequent conversations later this year over the allocation of resources and to answer the kinds of questions that Councillor Hinchcliffe as Post.

17 Devolved Adult Education Budget

exactly that, because it's not an academic paper, it's an doing paper
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:23:22
so we will take those recommendations and do it because to we can't wait, Okido, thank you. So are we happy to a nicer proposed framework for the local growth plan and additionally, members can or are encouraged to endorse a comprehensive narrative based on the outline framework to be brought to the July meeting of the Board? So please do have a little look at the facts that's coming to the July meeting. Are we happy to and thus work so far? Thank you all so much OK, moving on, and I know that Councillor Lewis has to go in a moment, so I will rattle through this next item item 17, the adult education budget, so discussing the progress of the devolved adult education budget, it outlines the progress made in supporting residents skills development, the impact of our initiatives, recommendations for maintaining our current funding rules to better serve our communities, educational and employment needs
it also highlights the significant positive outcomes of the A B in West Yorkshire for 22 23 it supported numerous programmes aimed at increasing employability.
High level skills, particularly in key sectors such as telecoms and construction, our collaboration with providers have ensured the delivery remains effective and impactful.
Can I ask Councillor, or can I ask Felix to talk through the recommendations please?
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:24:56
Thank you very much here or go through this really quickly, given that your father per partner, as you know, everybody's going through it, there are three things that I'll pick out very quickly if that's OK, the first one is on performance and they're not until very briefly about procurement in their room.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:25:16
we seem to have lost your Mike, and I wonder if you could go only because it won't be on they in terms of performance.
really quickly this.
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:25:27
that there was a link in the paper to the annual reports which were published and it picks out some of the key measures that we look at in the
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:25:44
Few things to pick up first one is that 5,000 people have gone through the in the last year and not quite the first level 2 and I've just over 1,000 people have gone through and acquired their first Level 3, and this is really important to the rule changes points that I'll make later on.
We have a key ambition of making sure
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:26:13
and in the last year the number of people acquiring essential digital digital skills has gone up by about 80% through this, through the adult skills programme we reaching about 41% of people coming through the programme have an address in some of our most deprived areas and this number is much higher in some of our other districts was 54% in Bradford 50% in Leeds, so we are reaching the demographic and the areas that we are really keen to reach. More than half of our learners come on already as unemployed.
And go on from this, to then have the skills they need to be able to access employment, so that's what I'll say about performance in terms of procurement, we've we are going through the process right now we are in the middle of the procurement process.
the Adult Education Budget suggested about 67 million pounds and we are in the middle of.
completing the procurement process for 7 million pounds out of that sum, which will go trying to put in training providers, most of the rest of the funding goes to our Effie colleges and goes to local authorities and other providers that were able to provide grants to and finally in terms of rural changes.
The ESF is the skills funding Agency, the national English skills funding Agency is brought into rules.
the current rules that we have right now is such that all young people going through the process to secure their first full level 2 are fully funded, the new rules being brought in seek that if you are between 19 and 23 but earning 25,000 pounds or more, you will no longer be fully funded but instead you will probably be eligible for half of your funding to be painful, the second is that the current rules that we've got,
learners aged 24 and above receive full funding for their first full Level 3.
again, the change being brought in by the SFA is that if you are 24 years and above anything above the 25,000 pounds threshold, if said that you will no longer receive funding, but you may be eligible for a loan.
We are proposing, and the paper sets out, that we do not take on these new changes, the first one will affect more than 400 people here.
If you go by last year's numbers, the second one will affect just over 350 300 350 people here, we believe this goes against the objectives, and the ambition is that we've set going back to the numbers I shared earlier on about the number of people we've got here who have no formal qualifications and how important that is to the resilience of our labour market.
so we are proposing that we do not, because this fund is devolved, we are able to disregard those rules so we proposing that we do not take that on, but instead we continue with the rules we currently have.
and will review that through the year, to see if there are any unintended consequences that we might be picking up and then come back to you next year to see whether there are any further proposals to put on the table, thank you, thank you so much so it might be worth noting
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:29:42
that other NCAs are taking the same view as us that this is an admin.
Add burden that potentially could also be costly, so we were taking the view that we want people to be to get those skills, so it's small numbers and I think personally I think it's the correct approach but any thoughts on the AB.
Lovely thank you, so we're going to just take a view on the
the existing AB funding rules for prior attainment, which differ as referred from the new national rules, this aligns with the Combined Authority strategy to support those without qualifications and will be reviewed next year, all happy to approve.

18 Corporate Delegations

thank you so much so onto corporate delegations item 18 the report outlines and the necessity of extending a previous resolution of the CA, this extension will provide the Chief Executive, with the necessary delegation, to create, revise and appoint director level roles in consultation with myself and the CN members can I ask you Ben to talk us through his recommendations?
Well, thank you, Chair, sorry to, so the first thing to say is that
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:30:58
this this paper is seeking his allegations to be deployed when our current appointment processes.
wouldn't would would lead to a delay in the appointment of for some of the key posts in the organisation, and we are keen with the in the context of delivered delivered, deliver to to not hold up some of the key appointments that need to be made where there is a suitable Combined Authority meeting to to make an appointment directly, we will use that process, but if the Combined Authority meeting doesn't fall and would lead to a delay in making an appointment were seeking a a process or the extension of the process that we apply during pre-election periods and to allow us to follow a different process, that process is that we, we still have members of the Combined Authority on the selection panels, we would and get to the point of having a preferred candidate. We would then
right round two Combined Authority members to set out that view, give a time period for any comments to be made. Once we have those comments, we would then make the make the appointment and then report that back to the next come on Authority meeting for the ratification, so, like I said, it's a. It's a process that will allow us to make expedient in brackets appointments when the timing of the Combined Authority doesn't doesn't work to the advantage of that, but it attempts not to reduce member involvement or able to come on Authority
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:32:25
decisions. Thank you. Thank you, and as Members will be aware, mass transit bus, franchising, we're going to have rounds of recruitment that will need speedy decisions
so are we happy to extend the delegation to the Chief Executive until the end of the current calendar year happy to do that, thank you all so much.

19 Minutes for Information

20 Date of Next Meeting

Okay joke, while that draws the meeting to an end, was the minutes for information details of the minutes of committees, notes of informal meetings of members that have been published on our website since the last meeting. Can I thank everyone for their attendance and contributions, and particularly the subs, who often thrown in without much opportunity to read papers and so on, so thank you for your attendance as well. Thank you and have a great day. I've just to remind you, the members, of the date of the next meeting, 25th July. This will be one after the election, so we will have a new government, so it will hopefully be a very exciting meeting looking at the future. Thank you
Caroline Norreys
Assistant Director, Legal, Governance and Compliance
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