West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Thursday 25 July 2024, 11:00am - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Thursday, 25th July 2024 at 11:00am 

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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Adam Hunt, Committee Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Rebecca Brookes Legal Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority_
  6. 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. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Asma Iqbal, West Yorkshire Business Board (Private Sector Representative)
  8. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  9. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  11. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  12. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  2. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  3. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  4. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  5. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  6. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  7. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  8. Cllr Claire Douglas
  9. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  10. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  11. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  12. Cllr Matthew Morley Wakefield Council
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  14. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  15. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  16. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  17. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  18. Cllr Scott Patient Calderdale Council
  19. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  20. Asma Iqbal, West Yorkshire Business Board (Private Sector Representative)
  21. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  22. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  23. 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. Presentation West Yorkshire Mass Transit Progress Update
  5. Introduction
  6. Planned Key Tasks & Outputs
  7. Planned Key Tasks & Outputs
  8. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  9. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  10. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  11. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  12. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  13. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  14. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  15. Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council
  16. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  17. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  18. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  19. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  20. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  2. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  3. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  4. Cllr Scott Patient Calderdale Council
  5. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  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. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  5. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  6. Cllr Scott Patient Calderdale Council
  7. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  8. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  9. 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
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  1. Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative)
  2. Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  3. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  4. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
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  1. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  3. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  4. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  5. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  5. Asma Iqbal, West Yorkshire Business Board (Private Sector Representative)
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  7. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  8. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Rebecca Brookes Legal Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority_
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Webcast Finished
Slide selection

1 Apologies for Absence

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:00
so just check with yourself, Adam, if we are ready to rumble.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:21
thank you all, and welcome to today's Combined Authority meeting at since we last met. As you know, quite a lot has happened at the centre and there's a new government with a very clear new approach to devolution and engagement with mayors and combined authorities, and it has been very pleasing that I've had more engagement with government in the last few weeks than I have for the last three years. So it does feel that there is a new direction of travel from the centre. We've also launched our route options, consultation on the first phase of mass transit, with proposals to introduce a tram on two corridors between Leeds and Bradford, and from Leeds city centre to the south. I'm very pleased as well. It was only launched days ago and already we have had 1900
bits of engagement, so that sounds like people are ready to have that conversation and they have some thoughts, we also have a new leader of Coakley's so welcome Carole Pattison for following the Council meeting last week, huge congratulations and I look forward to working with Coakley's going forward all of these issues are gonna be picked up in the agenda, so let's crack on
Adam any apologies, please
apologies for absence were received from Councillor bootstrap through
Adam Hunt, Committee Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:01:40
Councillor Jones Williams, Amanda regard Councillor stock options.
Councillor Matthew, morally asthma fall in attendances substitutes.
thank you, and can I also say, welcomed Councillor Barry Anderson, who
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:01:56
will be the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee, and I know he's going to take a very professional approach to hold us to account also having good ideas hopefully and a new approach the scrutiny is going to be one committee, as you remember, are with resources and support for scrutiny members to be really engage with the next with us in the next few years so always welcome your presence. Thank you, Barry Okido, can I pass over to Rebekah Brooks to provide us with an update on associated member matters? Thank you
thank you might remember, following changes last week in leadership and Co please. The Combined Authority has received notice terminating
Rebecca Brookes Legal Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority_ - 0:02:37
Councillor Scott's appointment as the Combined Authority constituent council member for care, please, and the appointing Councillor Patterson as the replacement Member with Councillor Crook as the substitute member. Those changes take effect from tomorrow Friday, the 26th of July, and therefore Combined Authority membership for this meeting today is unaffected. The changes do have implications for the Combined Authority membership on committees and, in addition, would be notified of further changes to local authority co-optee Committee nominations which have been approved under delegated authority however, only after publication of the agenda and papers for this meeting that felt those changes will be formally notified at the September Combined Authority meeting alongside Committee nominations the Combined Authority Members that require approval

2 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:03:26
thank you, that's reassuring that everything is as it should be brilliant, Okido, moving on to declarations of interest do have any ma de, any Members have any interest that they wish to declare against any item on the agenda, no, thank you and item 3 exclusion of Press and public I'm not aware of any item that requires the exclusion of the press or public is that correct?

4 Minutes of the Meeting of the Combined Authority held on 20 June 2024

yes, thank you so much OK, moving on Item 4 minutes of the meeting 20th of June 2024 other any comments or questions on the minutes.

For Decision

5 Mayor's Update

are we happy to confirm the minutes as an accurate record we are, thank you, OK, dock, moving on to Item 5, which is the Mayor's update, as I said at the beginning that the Hoe a lot has happened, I wanted to use my update today to keep the Combined Authority informed the engagement we've had with the new government. I was fortunate enough to be invited with the other mayors to number 10 to meet
the prime minister, his deputy prime minister, along with 11 other metro mayors in the UK, and that was cross-party, and I think that's definitely the way to go looking forward to the next few years, it's really a vote of confidence in devolution and very welcome I don't think anybody had had any sleep and it was only forward until after the election so it was very good to see how their prioritised the Mayor's
the new chancellor came to Wellington House for her in her first week of office to meet myself and The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skeith and Oliver Coppard, who has suddenly was had COVID service online, but we talked about how collectively we could grow, our economy create more jobs, put more money back into people's pockets, it's clear that this government see mayors as the lever for greater growth across the country.
and in lockstep with their ambition. I also have that ambition to put more money into people's pockets. That's why my manifesto pledge, we would have a local growth plan in the first six months of becoming Mayor, I'm really pleased that we've have an update on that later in the agenda and that's going to be at the heart of my relationship with government going forward. As the Chair of the UK Mayor's, I've been asked to work with others to help shape the English devolution Bill, and the new Council of regions and nations putting Mayor's Local government and devolution at the heart of the new government's plans.
our task is really clear that we've got to deliver that economic growth for the whole country, as well as for the people of West Yorkshire. So in addition to the prime Minister, I also met Liz Kendall with the secretary of State for Work and Pensions. We had a really terrific visit Leeds to a charity that provides high-quality clothes for women trying to get back into work. I've spoken to Jim McMahon the new local government minister, Jackie Smith, the skills minister, Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons Yvette, Cooper the Home secretary, it was at the liquorice Festival, but you know you have your meetings wherever you can
and we had a very good in meeting over a coffee about the things that really matter to us in West Yorkshire also met Louise Hague, the secretary of State for Transport and, as I say, I met Jonny Reynolds this morning who is the business secretary, who it was very pleasing to see that he met Monday Ridyard at Farnborough and he and the prime minister spoke about our ambitions in advanced manufacturing, space and tech, so it's good that she gets out and about as our champions well tomorrow I'm due to meet with Bridget Phillipson, secretary of State for Education and as I say, the engagement has been really welcome. An early conversations about further devolution to our region have been positive, but
we have to. We can't shy away from the fact that, with greater devolution of more powers, more flexibilities, then there is a greater expectation on us to deliver. You will remember the three words that we should have. I definitely need tattooed on my forehead, deliver deliver deliver, we have to actually focus on that. If we're going to be demanding powers, pushed out of Whitehall, we have to make it work, we've got to prove that it delivers better results, because if we don't those naysayers and there are a fair few of them, particularly in Whitehall and Westminster, they will want to row back to the past and they won't be shy in telling us that we've got it wrong, that all decisions have got to come from the centre. So this is our opportunity to show our England is gonna be governed and I know that we will do a good job
also, if I may, I would like to use the mayor's update just to take a few minutes to reflect on the public disorder in Harehills last week, although my police and crime, commissioner, functions, are governance separate to the CA. I just wanted to put it on record here. I went on Friday with Alison Lowe, my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, to meet with community representatives at catch. Some of you may know the extraordinary organisation in Harehills led by a serving police officer, at to offer any support that we could and honestly so distressing to see that amount of violence carried out by a criminal minority. So I'm doing all I can to help those affected. Can I thank and put on record the exceptional community engagement from Kings from Councillors, some Arif in particular, many of them stayed up through the night grabbing bits asleep where they could over two three nights, to try and
calm tensions in in Harehills and, as I said on Friday, I was absolutely appalled by the criminal behaviour of a small minority and I'm really grateful that West Yorkshire police have made dozens of arrests and those those people that committed those crimes will be held to account. My role as police and Crime, Commissioner, is also to hold the Chief Constable to account, so we will be having further conversations herb about their reflections on the choices that they made and the impact they had on policing on the day that will be in a special community outcomes. Meeting that we've arranged with the Chief Constable and it's our opportunity to ask those questions in public
and that's in early September, so we can look at the incident in more detail, so James I know that you've,
been very involved in all of this, and I know that you've got you put in a fair shift as well trying to bring things to a calm resolution, but I'm just going to hand over to you if you want to say anything.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:10:24
thank you Mary I'm sure lots of pupils will welcome your comments around holding to account those people are caused.
this the disorder, I'm sure the whole Combined Authority will want to show our support for the police officers, for our Council staff in children's services Communities, Environmental Services who responded, I think it's really important to recognise that.
people saw the scenes on TV and social media last Thursday evening. However, in the aftermath nobody was injured, no homes, no homes or businesses was severely damaged, our street cleaners were out on Friday morning and her Hills's back up and running very quickly afterwards. Likely sale of that was down to the work of the police in responding and and and our councils on on on the ground bringing calm and we were really what we saw with and incidents of disorder which nobody accepts way. It certainly is not
it certainly is not a representation of ha hills, are brilliant and diverse community, so will continue to work with.
we'll continue to work with people living in Harehills, we will work with the Council as the organisations on the ground,
to make it as a strong community and for sorry, but he could move on positively from the shocking fences all on Thursday.
and I've if I may say it was very pleasing to see the it didn't roll
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:11:50
over into the weekend and that the following day was calm and I think that is down to the work that has been done and the investment has been made in that community to build those trusted relationships and partnerships.
any comments, yes, Councillor Lamb yeah, thank you, health, Councillor
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:12:08
Lewis, and just to echo as a leaked Councillor, your comments.
I absolutely endorse your tribute to Councillor Salma Arif and her colleagues, community leaders, for the work they did to to calm the situation. It was shocking. I endorse what you've said about the criminality and the importance of bringing people to justice. The reason it's so shocking is because it's not something we see regularly, it isn't a reflection of Harehills, it isn't a reflection of Leeds in it. What that's why it was so shocking, because I was not something we experience on a regular basis. I want to echo and out to Councillor Lewis's comments about our social care staff
and the vital job they do in keeping children safe from harm, and in all of the coverage in the media. I think they're all was lost somewhat the importance of what they do day in and day out and what a difficult job they have, and I applaud them and I think it's important that we make a shout-out to them for the the respect and esteem that we hold those staffing. There are obviously a question to answer. I'm pleased with what you said about the the review meeting. I fully recognise this is not the Board to be
raising any questions about policing that there are clear we have to learn lessons and understand, and it properly in a timely manner, it's too soon, and too close to be to be doing that right now, but I think we all joined together in condemning the actions of those criminals and applaud the police for
so many arrests and making sure that those people are properly held to
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:13:52
account, thank you, Councillor Lamb, any further comments, no, thank you, let's move on to Item 6 protests for the new government.

6 Priorities for the New Government

have already listed the previous engagement, so I'm not going to repeat that, but what this paper does is it summarises the key points we've raised directly with government and an early opportunity for us to discuss those around this table and you'll note that the paper was prepared ahead of The King's speech. Sorry refers to the take back control Bill which has now been renamed as the English devolution Bill. Could I invite Sarah eaten our Director of Strategy communication intelligence to take us through the paper, please?
thank you, may I know, I'm not not go over the recent developments because I think there have been many, since obviously the paper was
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:14:35
written, but I think it is worth just books impacts on on the West Yorkshire office and asks that we included in a letter to the prime Minister in advance of your meeting with him on the 9th July and as you'll see in the paper I think that the main focus of that letter was 12 around the kind of opportunity ambition for the region to work with the government.
over that there could come in months in terms of kind of helping to shape and influence kind of what's coming Convener moving forward, in particular, the letter sets out what the CIA is already doing in terms of developing the local growth plan which is on the agenda today, and I think we quite or advanced in terms of preparing that it provides a really good framework, an opportunity to work closer with the government to kind of move and progressed vote with. Those asks, in particular, our kind of security for devolution of West Yorkshire underpins bar can have a long-term August departmental funding settlement, which is something that we've been committed in a vat ambitions to cannot progress for for a while, and I think, alongside bar the latter reiterates the point about reducing the number of kind of funding streams and candid that competitive bidding process, which we now takes up such a lot of time and is not conducive to the way in which he wants to work moving forward.
and alongside that kind of that, that plea really for greater freedoms and flexibilities, overall funding moving forward, I think we've also set our ambitions to be.
a trailblazer area in developing a partnership mechanism with kind of them. HDL J D F T, on HMC around some of our ambitions, particularly around mass transit. Next step is establishing accelerated funding and deliberate process moving forward, and I think also around our ambitions around quitting you know more. Urban extensions, regeneration projects and a more affordable and social homes within West Yorkshire, which will enable us to cannot deliver on our growth ambitions. I think the other key point in the letter that we've reiterated is that that absolutely critical point about securing certainty flexibility in one kind of fairness in local government funding, which we know is gonna be really important in delivering kind of the Government's growth agenda, and that's the point again that we've made on on previous occasions.
again in in addition to our other, asks and offers a very much along with them empty ambitions, particularly around secure in net 0 carbon economy for West Yorkshire.
by 2030 a and and doing that through some of our programmes that we've got real ambitions to deliver on to keep home energy. West Yorkshire programme formerly known as the better homes up, but also around our ambitions round, can strengthen interval flood management programmes to improve resilience within the region. Again, also you know quite tyrannies is that kind of ability to co can work more closely with government, tackling serious violence, supporting victims of crime and perhaps challenging and rebuilding their police and criminal justice sector. So again, at the letter sets out our ambitions in that vein and also ambitions around developing a region of learning and creativity, so that that those asked that we've asked previously around more devolved funding around career skills and employment are going to be really important in terms of supporting that that kind of local brought onto again. We've re-emphasise staff over the coming months. It's gonna be really critical that we can continue to develop those relationships and, in particular, that opportunity to kind of influences shape English devolution bowls can be really important over the coming months that week we can do from work with government to kind of help shape now, and I think what we're doing outlook lies around thinking about those powers, freedoms and flexibilities that we would want to see in the region to help us deliver the Local growth plan
we never in The King's speech, the English devolution Bell, is gonna, really focus on that, a kind of a wider devolution framework, so that opportunity for us to really work at the forefront with our right relationships, but also with your relationship through you came out, I think is gonna be a kind of the work that we need to take forward over these the big this coming period.
and and making sure that we kind of set out
kind of what what West Yorkshire has got to offer
again as as part of that thinking about how we're gonna, deliver moving forward, so I'll I'll stop there and just enabled pupils to Catholic or any questions or comments thank you, Sarah and obviously we've had announcements from government and there's a fair bit of our
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:18:51
ambitions shared by the centre as well, so for example listening to Bridget Nicholls Phillipson talking about creative subjects being brought back into schools.
our region of learning and creativity in some of the things that the work that we're in my manifesto, I've been reflected at the centre which will make life easier for us, but I will continue to make the case in every meeting that I've been in that we need those flexibilities and freedoms of a single settlement because so much of our ambitions are tied up in that that we've got to end this begging bowl.
approach where it's short term funding and also the re I reiterate every meeting you we cannot deliver if our local authorities have been hung out to dry, so we have got to make the case for local authorities to get the funding that they need in order to deliver on all of our ambitions and particularly around the growth agenda, so any comments on that paper,
yes, Councillor Lamb, it's just a question on whether the last point
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:19:55
debate around local government and funding, and if you can give any implications that you've been given in your many conversations with ministers, about what the the direction of travel is for local government.
I can say that, having spoken to Angela Rayner, she absolutely
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:20:11
understands the challenge and that short term funding is not effective, and I think there is the view that longer term funding is gonna be helpful, I don't know if Councillor Hinchcliffe would like to come in on that given your role at the LGA.
and I think I've Oslo is very early days, isn't it, I mean, how are we
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:20:31
monitoring now 10 days, 14 years of austerity, but I'm really pleased that Jim McMahon is a new Local government Minister Jim Molan has been older leader when he was outside the parliament and I'm optimistic that he understands the challenges and therefore we have been very much to see some deeper understanding of local councils and what they actually deliver and how we actually prevent costs.
from registered services, for example. I think all of us in this room understand that, and it's great to see that we have a government now with people on the front bench who also understand that challenge costs the finances are challenging nationally and we're cognisant of that, but obviously I would always champion local government over every of service because that's what we are overlooking current leaders, so we'll keep J. Thank you. Thank you in early intervention
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:21:21
is surely is the way to save money as well. Yes, asthma
I just want to look at the point regarding breaking down barriers of
Asma Iqbal, West Yorkshire Business Board (Private Sector Representative) - 0:21:33
opportunity on very good, and I'd like to see how that looks in implementation and what the government position will be in assisting in that regard, because the opportunity in the barriers is something that keeps coming up again we've worked quite difficult.
the discussions up until now, so I am keen to see what the breaking down barriers around opportunity is going to look like, and there's not much more on that in here.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:22:03
thank you asked me, if I may just jump in and say one of the biggest barriers to opportunity and an inability to get to where you want to go and those jobs, those skills training, and that's why mass transit and bus franchising was so important.
you can't get in and get on if you have no of a few no security of tenure. That's why housing is so important in the last strategic planning around housing, but it is a Venn diagram, but Sarah if I could come to you and maybe we could take that away for further developments, but it's it is in there, isn't, it is in that all the paperwork it is, and I think he's I think it's the fundamental. I think point in the paper is how some of the devolution
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:45
kind of proposals linked to the local growth plan and very much alive for local growth plan. I think will also be looking at how we address some of these issues and and really look across all about our activity at how we do break down those barriers. I think that is some of the kind of reflection I think which Felix will come onto around the focus of the local growth plan, which is not just around how the place, but also about people and how we join up to this activity to cannot really fundamentally cannot deliver on that local growth ambition. I think the powers and freedoms and flexibilities could be really important that we help shape what they are, because that's the way of sweeping away some of the challenges that we've had with delivery other over previous years. I think it's important that we have to look at those two things in tandem and we join up, and I think that's why you know the context and the devolution sat now of, and about local growth plans are really important, which are not that together, we will take that away and make sure that that is a focus like Oakenfold, and, as we've just to reassure you, that in the meeting with the secretary of
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:23:42
State this morning talking about growth, it's not growth at any cost, it's not about pouring money into advanced manufacturing and PH dies and level fours above. It's about making sure that everybody has the opportunity to really flourish. So, but thank you very much for raising it. Okido lovely, if we could then move on to one of my favourite subjects, bus franchising
following that historic decision in March to introduce bus franchising, I asked the team to bring a paper to us to look at the programme for mobilisation. That's in development, loads of work, still to do a lot of learning to be done from other places, which is really helpful, that there are people who were the first of doctors that we can learn from them, the and people in different states of the franchising process. So if I may come initially to sorry Councillor Lamb sorry to interrupt, I don't think we approved the recommendation
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:24:36
on what paper. Thank you so much for your attention to detail you're
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:24:40
absolutely right, and I am going to, I think Alan has got his P 45 that he hasn't totally that that has happened. So can we approve the previous paper

7 Bus Franchising

thank you, Councillor Lamb, thank you for your diligence, let's move on to item 7 bus franchising as over-keen, so if I could come to Councillor Hinchcliffe to just talk us through as the Chair of Transport Committee
yeah I mean, obviously this is just the latest paper on bus
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:25:10
franchising the decision you took majesty just a few weeks ago, in fact, but we've moved on very quickly from them and there's been lots of transports. Announcements are no concern. Mass transit at some point in the gender as well, so I just go back to devolution, and New Labour government is going to be really good to the obviously spoken very positive, about devolution, more powers, hopefully more funding, coming our way and it just unable to do more of this kind of work as we transform lives, transform economic opportunities in West Yorkshire, and it is just one of those building blocks to get into that. So just happy to pat so it's a Simon, or whoever to go through the detail in this. Thank you so much, Simon
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:25:50
thank you very much, so within the paper as yeah you've introduce Mayor, we have set out the activity that's been underway around early mobilisation since the decision was taken in March, as we sets out at the high level timeline in paragraph 3.7 of the report and then,
more detail at 3.00.1 5 we are now on a timeline such that we will go to the market with a tendering exercise for the first time in October 2025, and by the end of quarter 3 2028 we will have mobilise and let him have an operation, a fully franchised bus system in West Yorkshire we've organised mobilisation, around 5 core work streams and I'd just briefly like to
familiarise members with those work streams and then go on to set out what we are seeking approval for, through lighter items on the agenda
the first of the work streams is around network planning or and a network management, and so here in particular, we are looking to make sure that we've got absolute clarity in terms of the organisation of the bus network, that we will be franchising and the key planning and management tools that we will need to have in place to ensure that we optimise.
both the definition of the network going forwards, but also at its operation on the streets, and we've talked, for example, before around how this fits with the Combined authorities, policies for bus priority, in particular, and to the operation of our network across the system at the immediate focus in that regard is around
clarifying the final locking strategy for the networks are members will recall that we were began to the market in three tranches, we are finishing the process now of mapping the contemporary bus network.
across to those three.
lots so that we can set out very clearly both the Combined Authority and then for the market, precisely the spatial territory
of that lofting approach and the second area of work is is around assets, and again, members will recall that our strategy is to seek to acquire the nine largest De post that we have in West Yorkshire and to introduce a 10th large Dépôt around which we will organise the the bulk of the activities with smaller depot activity is still being managed through the market, we now have agreement with the owners of all of Apple's step pose for a preliminary inspection regime.
and we are carrying that out at present so that we can understand the state of the assets and therefore our best approach in terms of looking to move forward with those asset owners, we are also then looking to move on to develop further our fleet strategy and we have been engaging with other combined authorities in this regard recognising that there is a significant fleet activity taking place.
across a number of combined authorities, particularly actually in the north of England and where that may take us, for example, in the context of a future industrial strategy, third area work is is around the contract in work stream, so we will need to develop and agree a a contracting mechanism for the first time for West Yorkshire significant activity in its own right we've just recently completed a process to appoint a professional services Consortium.
to were with us on this work and the next time that I I bring. The item forward are very much like, in particular, spent some time introducing that work to members and starting to set out how that activity we'll move forward. Our fourth area of work is around data transition. So again, as we've discussed previously, franchising delivers significant new network data to the Combined Authority. We have to be ready, with the right systems, to handle the data that we will receive and to be able to use that in an intelligent fashion, and so we're currently developing a management information Strategy so that we can resource up against that strategy and and ensure that we are in the right place and then the final and, frankly, the most important of all of the work streams is the customer strategy which which should and will dominate everything that follows in each of the other for strategies. As members are aware, the decision was taken in order for us to be able to consolidate the customer, offer across our public transport system in an integrated fashion. This is where we will
look to bring forward a consistent that we're branding approach, which is not simply about identity, it's about the customer standards that we then want to be able to set for each aspect.
of the journey and the guarantees that we want to be able to give to residents in terms of are our approach there, and obviously, that set out in the bullet points, just some of the areas that that we need to touch up and the entire programme we intend to be overseen by a new director and I'll come back to that point under item 16 on the agenda Chair we have previously agreed in the March meeting.
the mobilisation budgets to the same figure as was set out in our bus franchising assessment documentation and have now set out at paragraph 3.2 3 how we intend to organise early spending around the 5.3 8 9 million pounds that is proposed for the first year and also where we will hold a certain amount of reserve at this stage 2 to support us in a second half of the year.
activity and finally, there is also the intention over the next yeah for us to work closely with members to look at the right ongoing Combined Authority governance regime as we move to the letting of of first contracts, we recognise that a very clear commitment within our franchising plan is around accountability and therefore it's very important that we've set out the right governance arrangement well in advance of us going into that tendering process in Autumn 2025. I'll leave it there. Thank you. Thank you sound like Simon and any comments and questions
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:33:24
yes, Councillor Lamb, yeah, thank you Mary, thank you, Simon I'll
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 0:33:30
start by say, obviously you'll appreciate how we all want better buses or was round the table. My view was the franchising, wasn't the best way to do it, but you'll be pleased to know, I don't intend to rerun the arguments every time we talked about it. The job now is to make it work as best as possible, make sure it stays on time on budget, and that is actually delivering what it was intended to do. Couple of questions
first of all, we had.
some officers come to a community meeting in our area last week, they are clearly intent on expectation management, which is important and something that we need to do, and I will touch on it, Simon, that well obviously, as you say that we will have a fully franchise network by 2028, the expectation was that was being set out was don't expect there's gonna be any major changes to routes or significant changes to experience at that point that will be the start of tried to improve that.
the second point I wondered if you could talk about is.
the importance and the opportunity of cross boundary working and I'm not alone in my area were on the edge of this administrative boundary, but also on the edge of a number of other administrative boundaries. Councillor Lewis would make the same point in in his area and others around that the region would have the same issue and it's really important that this isn't so. This doesn't start and end at our administrative boundary that we've got clear plan for those that want to live outside but come and work in West Yorkshire and vice versa, people need to get out, so just wonder if you could talk about how we plan to connect our franchising model into those that are around us so we're not sat in in isolation.
thank you, Councillor Lamb, and just to reassure you, it's
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:35:25
conversations that I've had cross boundary conversations with both David skate and Oliver Coppard, yeah, you're absolutely right, these borders becoming increasingly porous, aren't they people might live in Leeds and work in Harrogate or vice versa and we need to make sure that there's that cross boundary opportunities so Simon just a couple of those points,
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:35:46
yes, thank you, so with regard to change with them within the network that they're, there are two principal considerations that we will need to continue.
to work through, so our first consideration is that the the exercises in the change of the Management system is a significant exercise it in its own right and and therefore it's our work in proposition at present, and we, we set this out within the assessment documentation that on the first day of operation of a franchise there is, there is minimal change in the shape of the network from the day previous and that's in the interests of the passenger and in the interests suburbs bedding in a management arrangement that then allows us to look further.
at change and to ensure that, from the last day of previous operation, into the first day of the new operation, we can guarantee to to to our customers that that their services present them present themselves in a way that they understand and rely on in the context of access to work school or one and so forth clearly the second,
issue is around the revenue models going forwards in terms of of the the bus system, there is active discussion underway at the moment between myself and I and my team and our colleagues in Department for Transport, and that's also happening at a national level through the urban transport group that that we are members of to look at the forward.
funding model for bus services in all parts of of the UK, so it certainly outside of London, but specifically within West Yorkshire, as that starts to bed itself in, and that's a very timely discussion for us, given our run into autumn 2025, we will then have that contemporary understanding of the of the revenue base.
that's available to us on that thing gives us the opportunity to understand how much further can we take our ambitions in terms of service expansion, because we have set out very clearly that with the right resources in place, we we recognise that we would like to increase the intensity of the bus system that that is out on our
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:38:15
streets. Thank you. So, with the facing, there will be three three regions by 27, there will be fully franchise and then by 28 the whole network, but also that doesn't mean to say we not ambitious and we are delivering more routine the Bradford CYP loop that you may have seen a cow a couple of weeks ago. Well before the election that we announced, we were doing everything we can to improve the networks currently in order to make the experience better, and particularly that backroom staff that that real-time display that's got to be better. The tap-in tap out 90% now of all a bus tickets are on the them card that is fantastic and that we need to you know, keep powering that through so like the Oyster card in London you have been able to tap into power also makes it easier and and builds efficiencies as well, but Councillor Douglas, you wanted to come in
thank you, ma yeah, I just stems really speaking, and reflecting
Cllr Claire Douglas - 0:39:19
Councillor Lamson, comments about that cross border work. Obviously the interdependency of the economy between York and North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire is really important and we have a an unprecedented, quite literally, unprecedented opportunities. Don't wait to make sure that that really works very well for us all, but there are of course, important stakeholders across those those borders and boundaries, and I know that York will be particularly interested in that stakeholder engagement when it, when it comes to make sure that we fully understand the potential implications, both opportunities and challenges for our systems and making sure that where are attempting from early days to integrate, because New York and North Yorkshire have high aspirations as well, to make sure that we're moving our people around Darwin, Jan effectively, and I know that we can work together to make sure that that happens and bed benefits us all, taking workers to jobs and jobs to workers when we whichever direction that might be, so please continue the good work on the interaction with our Mary. Thank you
med Bradman for doing that, it's hugely important and I'm really looking forward to seeing the positive outcomes of that, thank you, thank you, Councillor Simon.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:40:49
yeah, I apologise to Members, alter OBO Thompson the cross boundary question.
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:40:53
so, yes, cross boundary considerations are incredibly important to us as we now complete and, and it's it's a matter of a couple of weeks that mapping of of our all our lots, we will then have a contemporary representation of the network which identifies as we understand it those cross boundary services,
that we would look to let as a franchise service, because they are operating principally from West Yorkshire out it into neighbouring areas, are, and those that we propose would operate under a permit regime is, as we set out in the in the draft scheme which are principally operating from an external location.
into West Yorkshire at that point through that network planning regime will look to us, establish a consistent and regular forum with our colleagues in each of the neighbouring areas to develop the right management plan for that and of course it's it's a changing arrangement that is taking place around us so in Greater Manchester to the west we already have a franchise system, we know that there's a balanced consideration of the model.
it's have the option, it may well be asked, legislation comes forward.
that starts to move more pace in other areas, and so we will make sure that the process that we have in place with our colleagues is is agile enough to be able to respond to that, but the point is absolutely critical. We are, or not an island. We have to be able to manage cross boundary services as part of our integrated approach. Thank you and it
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:42:40
gives me joy or misery in Sally to see the be network outside my door, so I'm just
I am very aware that the olden buses come into Coakley's and we we will have those conversations continually, but thank you very much for raising that point. Okay, joke any further comments
I was sorry, Matthew apologies store in my life that authorities alright.
Cllr Matthew Morley Wakefield Council - 0:43:07
yes, welcome the report, obviously, but we are in the bud, your people are very impatient to 28 is still quite a way off and we're still seen demise in Wakefield a further bus routes, western coaches of now you know, they'd go in south-east which is already one of our poorest transport network linked in the Wakefield district so,
that is concerned that there was still looms in more routes HMO companies, one thing lover, that can make it added once we do take franchise, don't put them back in place or do think May is important. The trenches to affray have Bassitt is so important that we do get that out into our district to make sure that we are booking now plugging the gaps in the market, these bus routes, so it is imperative to do carry on with that.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:43:54
thank you, I am sure, Sammy you can author reassurance yes absolutely so through the the Bisset programme, which Councillor Clifford, the
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:44:00
transport committee have been oversight and we have.
been using resources to address, in particular, number of those withdrawals that we saw over the past 12 months or so in in the Whitfield area that there remain challenges in the context of the bus companies in the area, both withdrawing in part from the network and also,
the large major operator or a river experience and driver recruitment and driver retention,
issues at times when we are looking to to work with them, we've been encouraging recently.
to become more involved with those in the support that the Combined Authority can give in terms of driver recruitment, which we've worked well with first on a riff or at possibly because of
changes in their Cup ownership of of batsmen, been a little slower, I am hopeful that they are now responding to that and we have.
all of their practice present at the next meeting of the Transport Committee on the 28th of August, where I'm hoping that a rapper will start to set out a clear plan for members in terms of how they work with us over the next few years to stabilise and then start to put back better the network in Wakefield, which is which has really suffered over the past couple of years. They also doesn't show you why
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:45:29
we need to franchise, then the network in bringing back into public control, because Wakefield in particular, has had such a bad deal of it. Councillor Hinchcliffe yeah, I mean I just for clarity utterly, is
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:45:40
it Phase 1 and 1 visa 1 A and will no one be
have been successor rolled out, I think they're still discussions ongoing as you identify, Councillor Molly, about at 1st 2 and 33, which I think will be for subject to further discussion, but the first one, I think Wakefield, we put quite a lot and investment into Wakefield and surface 2 and 33 was still need conversations about that.
thank you, Councillor patient.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:46:08
thank you.
Cllr Scott Patient Calderdale Council - 0:46:11
yeah, so to Councillor Molly, in terms of some of the issues around services reduction and how that's working, so I guess one of the key activities is a lot in Latin strategy.
and you know Calderdale in round three of that, so I think there's a thing around, you know, similarly, it's gonna be 28 until we get some of that benefit, so I think part of ensuring that services are well maintained during that transition process is something we need to really really keep a keen eye on and and that's something that tracks routes for Wakefield and other places as well.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:46:45
thank you so much in that that's a great comment that whilst we are franchising network, we cannot take our eye off the ball when it comes to keeping as much of the network running efficiently as possible, so thank you for that Okido, other Surrey Councillor and not cancer, asthma.
just equipment, Simon the procurement and recruitment aspect, I know you said with the financial Services, that's something that you, you'll be setting forth, I often hear many local businesses spray raised issues around that been outsourced and I'm hoping that we're
Asma Iqbal, West Yorkshire Business Board (Private Sector Representative) - 0:47:18
going to try and keep it local.
when we can.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:47:25
so so so apt absolutely we.
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:47:29
we've increased the the proportion of consideration that we have within our procurement frame, frameworks around social value and that consideration of impact within the local employment market right across our procurement regime, whether it's capital schemes, professional service or otherwise.
is something that we the that we value very highly. There are one or two commercial aspects within the negotiation of of bus franchise contracting, which needs to call on certain skills that are only only available at scale but noted to reassure the Combined Authority we take that duty around social value and local employment through public procurement very, very serious
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:48:22
thank you, but thank you for raising it with Okido, so can we recommend that the CA note the updates provided in this report, lovely thank you and the subject to funding of a 5 million, a 5.3 million being approved by the Combined Authority at Item 13 of this Q C M meeting agenda that we endorse the approach to mobilisation as set out in the report.

8 West Yorkshire Mass Transit: Progress Update and Further Development Funding Release

thank you so much brilliant, okay, I'm moving on to another transport related item. I wish Yorkshire mass transit progress update. As I said in my previous remarks, we launched the the consultation, mass transit and the Transport Plan, the Local Transport Plan that sets out how it's going to be integrated and that this had been a real focus for us, the integration of transport in that London style model really important, so can I encourage everybody to share their consultation widely amongst your fellow Councillors. We need as many people to be engaged at this stage as possible, so whether that's a disability group, Fatima Khan Shah, is helping me, as well as my inclusivity champion, making sure that we hear from the voices of the people who use the buses and asthma. I know you will be helping me showing that widely
so thank you, and obviously I've been speaking in every meeting about growth, but you cannot grow the economy without having better transport, and mass transit is so pivotal to that, and I was very pleased to speak yesterday to the infrastructure Commission who, early on identified Leeds as one of therefore or regions that need massive investment in infrastructure, and they identified mass transit as the way forward. So I think that was also very persuasive to a Conservative government. I I'm hoping that their continued support will mean that we we get that from the centre as we go forward. So the paper in front of us marks important next step in the programme, asking us to release at the next stage of funding to continue the development, and also I'm a Yorkshire woman. I need to know how every penny is being spent. We don't want any waste, particularly because we've seen infrastructure projects across the country being derailed because they've gone over budget. Simon has been rigorous in feeding back to me, but I also need your keen eyes as well to help us make sure that we are on budget on time to deliver and that every penny in this project
is worth the same amount as every penny in housing in skills in the creative industries. We have to watch every pound and make sure that we are held accountable for the money that we have to deliver this project. We do not want it to unravel because nobody was keeping an eye on the money, so thank you for that, so can I invite firstly, Councillor Hinchcliffe to comment on the report and then hand over to
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:51:40
Simon? Thank you, Mayor. Yes, as you say this, whether a great launch last week now
and
it was very well received, I think, via residents really excited about the opportunity here, I think, is worth emphasising that this is like the first line, but obviously you have to start somewhere, don't you, it will grow from there and you just need to see other cities about how expensive their networks are now and they're adding lines and adding adjuncts old time
but this is the first step for us, and I wish we were like 10 years earlier on this, but we are where we are, so a it's great to see it developed at this stage, I think as we go forward or not and obviously as you say the last government and this government have been very supportive of Welsh mass transit as we go forward that we need to be really clear about our ambitions are integrated transport so we've talked about bus franchising, we talked about mass transit. Rail is also very important to at connectivity, none of those replace any of them so there are all required, so this isn't a short cut to our rail ambitions, for example, it doesn't very different jobs, it was a different job and buses as well.
and for for us in Bradford. This will connect communities which are not currently connected really by Amy or public transport. So it is really important for that purpose. So I think as we go forward, as we present, all these transport proposals is very important to say how they fit in the wider integration of transport and not to say if you're fond issued after do anything else, you have to do everything. I'm afraid because, as the National infrastructure Commission said, you know we are disinvested in here in West Yorkshire, compared to other areas in transport that, with a Mayoral Combined Authority, is now changing, we need to keep up that pace of delivery. Thank you,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:53:25
thank you, and if I could just to add to that, what we need is choice in London you of choice. If one network is down, you can use a bus or you can go on the light rail. There are choices, we don't have choice here and that's where that line to Bradford is so important because he's gonna be to stop and then you can have fast commuter trains between our two big cities
the you know the the direct train from Leeds to Bradford will open up so many more opportunities for young people in Leeds and Bradford to move between both cities, Simon, thank you very much, and yet it's
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:54:01
been very hot in an urban pass, Dumbo's also to to given a
series of presentation and have that that strategy so well received. We pulled together a few slides here on the advice of The Mayor, Councillor J Cliff, and also the Mass Transit members Strategy Group,
because areas of this is very important consideration in terms of the the release of significant funds, we wanted to be able to ensure that Members are fully briefed on the need for this expenditure, so having set out that our our strategy and our ambition and we're Friday's slides are about the the workings if you like a little behind the strategy but incredibly important so if we just move to the first slide,
Presentation West Yorkshire Mass Transit Progress Update - 0:54:51
please, thank you, so we've we've we've been on a significant journey already, or as West Yorkshire over recent years, we have established a very clear vision for mass transit at the heart of our integrated transport programme and we have sets out and agreed with government a programme level strategic business case for that vision that, as unlocked, up to 200 million pounds of development funds from government, and we are now,
progressing our first phase through the consultation and through further.
business case development if we could get next slide, please, and were very clear that you have given us admission on two fronts and so firstly, to establish an accelerated phase 1 programme to delivery from 2028, but critically, at the same time to progress the case for future lines in parallel with phase 1 preparation so that we can start to establish West Yorkshire as the future centre for mass transit development and delivery.
through this decade and and through 2030
to achieve this, we need to now step up again in terms of the ins and intensity of the work we have to be able to progress, business case, development at a pace and at high quality throughout, we have to ensure that we are taking the community with us.
and continuing to secure strong support for our proposals
we need strong central government support on two fronts, one for a case, but also in supporting that we are ready to take on the scale of delivery that's involved with a mass transit programme. We have to make sure that we are ready to secure timely transport works at powers
which will most likely include a significant examination in public stage, and also necessary local authority consents. We need to be ready with financial and commercial models, and we need to make sure that we have properly engage with with the market in terms of our commercial approaches. We move on again please.
and that process is guided through the the business case process, which I I've set out here, so we are currently at strategic outline case for Phase One against options. Excuse me by the turn of the calendar year
informed by the consultation we then want to be able to,
set out what we have termed a strategic outline case, plus, so this is a strategic outline case for our preferred routes, as opposed to the options through the corridor that will then take us on to preparation of an outline business case which will inform the detailed consultation and will be a critical component.
in our submission to Transport and Works Act practice. Thank you, and and that by the point of delivery we will have to have in place a full business case on what what the chart sets out a
is the majority of each for each of the five parts of the business case that we need to go to a members will see that there is a significant step up from strategic outline case to outline business case and that very much drives the intensity of activity and the resources that are required if we move on again, please, we've set out in the report first of all an outturn statement. A Gates spans so far,
and I just wanted to briefly summarise the sorts of activities that had driven those costs, so we have commissioned and built for the first time a West Yorkshire Transport model, or we've previously undertaken modelling activity at a locality level within West Yorkshire we have to have a network wide model to be able to capture the level of benefits that is a significant activity in its own right.
we have now got teams, assembled and and an approach to the consenting and Transport and Works Act processes that lie ahead of us,
we've started to resource so significantly in terms of the in terms of both internal team resources within our our partner authorities in West Yorkshire, and we now have also led to significant sets of contracts that takes us right through to Full business Case in terms of having a programme development partners in place and also design and development at partners in place we've developed up each of the options that are at consultation to rebut to standards
and we've been through that first round of process with D F T in terms of the strategic outline case, and so if we move to the next slide please, it's those activities that had driven the expenditure to date which we've set out in the report at 1.00 line that I just wanted to dwell of for for a moment.
is the line which is taken from our our financial accounting system.
which identifies a range of activities as Combined Authority team resourcing. It did worry me slightly that that might be read as simply a payroll budget for the Combined Authority, which I can assure Members it isn't that brings together the costs of the programme. A development partner covers all of our communications activities, office accommodation, it's where we also house a series of of of risk costs. In addition to Combined Authority staffing costs, I thought it was important just to draw that out mate at so if we then look at the next slide, please, I start to set out
the content which is set out in more detail in the report of the activities that are required over the next 12 months of work, so we now first of all need to prepare that strategic outline case plus for the turn of the year
and that will require us to update our strategic case in the context of consultation findings and the conclusions that we draw from the consultation, placing it in the context of our local growth plan, and we're looking to support our local growth plan with a mass transit growth prospectus which will set out at the next level of detail the relationship between growth regeneration and the principle investment of of mass transit will need to take our value for money statements to the next level of detail, we will have a first stage. Development of costs,
from a bottom up approach, because we will then be talking about specific routes, as opposed corridors. That in turn will take us into the next level of detail around a land strategy that relates to those routes and a series of environmental impact statements against those specific routes and, alongside that, if we can move on, please, through the next 12 month period, we also move on straightaway into outline business case work. So at this stage we're taking up for routes once we've agreed them, through consultation into a detailed design will be looking to use a series of
of tools to understand Land impact, environmental impact, to also be ready to communicate issues such as noise impact through through a second consultation.
we will carry out that a detailed scheme appraisal exercise using the new West Yorkshire transport model, we will need to have a full understanding not only of whole life costs, but also our funding options so that we can meet the requirements in terms of not just the economic case but now moving much more into a financial case for our scheme and we will need to have developed operating models to further inform,
both financial case, commercial and and management cases we were, we will be into significantly greater in-depth activity on illegal front, to prepare for the transport works at application and be and be preparing for a statutory consultation, which will will be the nature of the 2025.
consultation. All of that, of course, brings increased complexity in terms of programme management and technical requirements, and so, if we move on to the next slide, it's those activities which then start to drive up the the big spanned items over the next 12 months or add, a members will see the in particular work around detailed design and environmental impacts, recognising the critical importance of us being able to
respect through a statutory consultation impact on every single neighbour
of our scheme through those routes
really starts to and put.
at or at this next stage, final slides just to give Members assurance around the costs, and so we've undertaken a benchmarking activity by drawing down a series of more recent UK and Ireland rail and light rail schemes to identify the range of development costs as a proportion of the answer is anticipated final costs of a programme, they range from 6% to just over 12 percent.
depending on whether our scheme lands at the lower end of our spectrum 2 million or the upper end sorry, 2 billion, or the apprentice and a half a billion pounds, and that will be driven very much by the final routes that that we choose at shoe are development costs in total will sit between 8 and 10% of our anticipated final costs, so we are mid range
in terms of a typical developments spent, and of course, all of the funding that we are drawing on for the activity is additional central government funded that we have secured, there is no impact on either Combined Authority, all local authority, local resources and everything that we undertake will continue to be managed through our task order processes. So they are headline figures that were seeking from you through the Budget here. This is not a carte blanche then for people to draw down or against those numbers each individual task or the will be scrutinised through our processes. We will continue to report regularly both to the Member's Strategy Group and here to the Combined Authority, and we have also now set up a 3 line process in terms of
technical Officer Scrutiny. So we have an internal portfolio Board overseen by myself and the Chief Executive. We have a partnership board in place between ourselves and directors of development across the five authorities, and we are currently finalising updated terms of reference for a cross government co-sponsor Board which will be jointly chaired by myself and the Director from the Department for Transport. And then we won't be picking up conversations through that sponsor board, with the Minister's office around the relationship between yourself, mad, the Combined Authority and the Minister in terms of shared decision-making. So we have a significant accountability framework in place to oversee this spending. Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:07:33
Thank you so much for that thorough presentation or, and this is a national, you know, nationally impactful scheme delivered locally, so I do think you know that government involvement. Whilst we were gonna get on a delivery, I think the we can't have them then swooping in towards the end with with questions and and conversations
really interesting. I spoke at the light rail conference and last week, and there was a lot of this, is a bit of cynicism about us being able to deliver, so I'm really pleased to have been able to see the million pounds for Coakley's to really we emphasised the point. This is not a Leeds project, this is a West Yorkshire project where the spin as Councillor Hinchcliffe has mentioned. The spine is just the beginning and our ambitions and definitely do not stop there. So are going further south going out to a Wakefield and Calderdale. These are, you know, they are decade long ambitions, but they are definitely there and part of our thinking, so thank you for that
have we any comments on what you've just seen and heard?
yes.
Councillor Lamb, thank you ma, thank you, Simon.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:08:45
yeah yeah, you're right, a lot of things were said there, there will be a long naysayers around this, I want to make a quick observation at last, managed to deceive her, you've missed whether it be off the map again.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:08:57
surely it's on the map, please don't tell me whether B is not on the map, it is on the map, it does exist, I can't see it, it's very small
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:09:04
to be fair, but it's to be whether we are OK well I'll just under to get my eyes tested reflects a but that the one of the key points I wanted to make is a lot of people look and say right well, it's going from Leeds to Bradford
to connect the dots above nothing to do with me, and so a lot of people are a long way from it. I'm not one of those people, I think we have to, we have to start somewhere. Councillor Chris point is absolutely right with decades behind where we should be on this, all of us at times could pick holes about the roots, and wouldn't it be better to I'd love everything to starting, whether we, I think everything should start in Wetherby, but I'm also a realist, but that wouldn't be the the the main economic point to start the big sell that we have to do in the consultation is to really get across to people. Why this matters not just to the people on the direct routes but to the wider region? It spreads out again across borders. This has the potential to be hugely impactful to York and Harrogate
places western South in time.
and there's a big job for all of us to do in the consultation process and beyond, to sell that, and I think this is one of those occasions where all of us we have to put party politics aside at times but can have to hold our noses and that there are political charge we might like to make I absolutely committed putting those aside, we have to hold everyone to account and make sure that it stays on time and on budget but that there's I'd I really think we have to work hard collectively on the presentation about how we sell the benefits of this starting points to the whole region and districts.
the second point I want to ask about was one of the things when you have these big projects that slows them down is once you get to public inquiry, and people are immediately impacted on the roots, potentially we've got a knock. Buildings down displaced people, displaced businesses. It always seems when we end up having
negotiations about compensation that take years and years and years and years, I just wonder if, as strategic approach, to start with, you say we're just gonna put generous offers on the table to people so that we don't get bogged down this needs to happen, we understand some people are gonna really be impacted on it and where that's the case let's compensate and properly let's have those conversations early and let's make sure that's not the thing that slows it down.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:11:33
Q unsafe for your support for this project. Councillor Lamb, because you're clever youngsters in Wetherby will want to go on to engineering apprenticeships on one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country. We've already got. Trans-Pennine upgrade were already the magnet for engineering and investment, and now we will have mass transit we are. There is no other projects that are of this scale happening at anywhere else in the country and when we did our customer for our growth plan, in the centre of the Venn diagram of all of our sectors was the engineer and just imagine the opportunity for all of those young people, and that's why Phoenix and others, we are looking at the skills pipeline from youngsters from 16 in four years' time. We're gonna need transport planners, we're gonna need your digital transport experts, how do we make sure that this impact not just on the travelling public but on everybody, having access to great well-paid jobs as well? So it's a real opportunity to grow the economy on many different levels, so I am enormously grateful, and also, I would say, there will be disruption. There is no doubt about it, there will be people who will feel my community has been disrupted. My home, where I've lived all my life is, is gonna go, but I really hope we can make the case that we will be supportive. We will carry people through this journey and I know that we are already understanding where some of the potential routes that remember we haven't decided on a route yet which routes could impact which communities, and we they are very much front and centre of our thoughts, Simon, I don't know if there's anything you want to add
sorry, firstly, I should make the point that this is the reason why my
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:13:16
communications team, so that I should not be allowed to have PowerPoint on my system, because I cut maps up so that whether bees on that map, but I do apologise that that that there hasn't been and we are, we are of course having some really good conversations at the moment around improved connectivity for for whether be so I'm for him very positive that that will be moving forward, that the whole point around compensation is is clearly incredibly
important point and with very, very sensitive to the fact that we are developing a mass transit system through an urban area and and one that requires an approach to place-making is we've already previously agreed through the Combined Authority there has great sensitivity and looks to apply good design standards to to the arrival of the system within those communities.
it also means that where there are specific impacts on on properties that those have to be handled with wow, with due respect to t, to all residents and or the property owners, and we are we, we've already set up a specific contact line.
with a a land partner supporting that activity so that residents and property owners are able to have a particular dialogue with us through this initial consultation we will look to progress a.
through an accelerated process were wherever possible, but we will be very respectful of the fact that there are specific sensitivities in specific locations are and we will handle those at a pace that is
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:15:12
sensitive to to property, and thank you so much, I'm very aware of the time and we have so much to get through.
and I'll I'll I'll speak about the time in a minute, but just are there any further comments on what you've seen so far,
we happy to move on Councillor Lamb, Councillor Lamb, it's a one man show what's going on with all of its report on stuff.
Cllr Alan Lamb Leeds City Council - 1:15:33
how is it going to plug into the local plans and Local Plan updates because I, when we had our latest briefly, leads it felt that officers were so well, it's too far down the line for us to be thinking about it, but would were allocating sites actively now to me it's a no brainer for driving growth that development sites, employment, land, etc are linked to
the mass transit routes, but what seemed to be a disconnect between where the planners are and where we are, thank you, if you could take that question, please, and Councillor Lewis.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:16:07
yeah, I was going to help Councillor Councillor amount by sharing is
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:16:12
part of the work we're doing on the local plan, clearly the route was released last week seems a long time ago now.
and it will be part of the emerging Local Plan that we're developing, so I don't know, we've got that information from a pair of a capital you about people to ease, it is like to say, is part of our at local planning getting our sustainability by but by having,
that link between development and good sustainable transport link, so I can show you a part of that.
thank you, OK, do you need to comment that was sorry?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:16:49
simply throughout the that that that's exactly one of the reasons why
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:16:53
there are resources, when budget for local authority partners to make sure that we've got the right compliment of colleagues, working and.
there is
cross directorate activity within the Combined Authority as well, so myself and and listen to dysfunctions the working very closely together with local authority, specifically in those areas. Thank you
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:17:17
so much and are we if we can move on effort, the Committee say well happy to do so. Can we note progress and the current position in relation to the mass transit programme?
thank you so much on the basis that the D F T is oppressed and noted the continued development of phase 1, the CA approves that Mass Transit Phase 1 scheme proceeds through decision Point 2.
which is a strategic outline case and work commences on the development of the enhanced strategic outline case sock plus for Phase One. I see a show of hands, please. Thank you. Lovely. Additional development costs of 47 million are approved to develop and submit the enhance Phase 1 at SOC plus to the D F T and to progress the phase 1 OBC this takes the total scheme approval to 81 million. Are we happy to approve? Thank you further, or future approvals are made in accordance with the assurance pathways and approval routes outlined in Appendix 1 to this report, subject to remaining within tolerances, were happy to approve. Thank you, and to know the launch and details of the public consultation for Phase One mass transit. Thank you, OK does take a little breather, because I just remind people this meeting is scheduled until half 1. Just to make sure everybody knows that because we can't be enquiries at the end, I am wondering if this committee would like some sandwiches sending out for something to eat, so you don't faint or leave for a sandwich, can we take a vote, does anybody want a sandwich

9 Draft Local Growth Plan

I'd rather you put your own alright so a handful, then please, Alan we just don't want people leaving because we have important business to do, and can I just say the frugality of Bradford and Leeds and very very efficient. Thank you OK, let's Rathlin onto the local growth plan. The next item is the update on the plan. I promised you an inclusive economy with jobs and opportunities and, as I say, this plan was promised in my manifesto, and it's going to shape the strategic direction of the second term, and I think we're really beginning to understand what the opportunities for our economy are and what we need to do to support them, because we have like Scrabble, we have many different letters and sectors and because you are very many different sectors, you can put them together, like Scrabble into new words words, you've never thought of, and I think that is an opportunity. We are not just one sector like car manufacturing, we haven't varied sectors that can give us so much more innovation, and so this is a collaborative effort and thank you to all of you and your partners for helping us, so if I could come to Councillor Lewis as Chair of the economy are committed to comment on the report and then hand over to Felix Committee on profile our direct debit, inclusive economy, skills and culture take us through the process so far, Councillor Lewis,
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:20:31
thanks for our approach to some subtle hints about timing of you ask comma so all I'll say I'll need really positive we as a as a Combined Authority, kept from sought, bringing the LEP in a really strong links with businesses in West Yorkshire has been really important I suggest we go straight to Felix,
thank you so much Felix.
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:20:52
the purple you've got such saw the progress made so far, and it is just your appetite in terms of where we are going with this, where the scope looks like the continent's representing your commitments, with testing out with the priorities are and to ensure that you are, the Board is happy with where we're going with this and the speed at which we are moving.
I suppose it's fair to say that in the last few weeks, especially since the new government, as you'd office, look up with plans have very quickly dominated the headlines and have lots of conversations that we have and the scope, the expectations of these plans, its link to the national industrial strategy that has been promised. It's linked to a single settlement. All of that becomes confident, very sharp focus when, when we're thinking about the look at with planning work that could take us so no pressure on anybody, but we are proceeding with this at some pace. The paper you've got and the slides that came to you sets out books the conclusions from the evidence assessment which we brought to you last time, three broad conclusions there about how the extent to which large parts of our labour market, who made insufficiently skilled, to take advantage of opportunities and on the demand side of the economic, so to speak, the the deficits in investments from our businesses and from other partners, particularly in innovation, which has led to over decades at the slow piece of productivity growth in the region and in the country in general and thirdly, the inadequate infrastructure that we have just had a the budget has discussed transport at some in some detail and the investments there the inadequate infrastructure that we've got in transport in housing, the development of employment sites, all of these are significant barriers to growing our economy.
it's also important to note that, because of that, this plan and the clue's in the name is focusing on growth, is focusing on how we grow the economy at some pace at some scale. As the mayor said earlier on, this is obviously not prove that any costs we are very cognisant of how important it is for us to have growth that regenerates the environment, growth that reduces closes the inequality gap as we've got them, but growth nonetheless, otherwise we will be only including people in poverty, so it's really important that we have growth that generates prosperity and which reduces inequality. So on the back of that, the rest of the paper then focus broadly on four pillars
investment needed without businesses to deal with that productivity challenge that I alluded to investment in our people to deal with skills and opportunities and inequality and poverty investments in our transport network, we've had a discussion about that and investments he now places particularly in developing HAP in housing and employment sites in other environmental and other other infrastructure and a set of commitments then as sets out in the slides around,
region of creativity, and you know which, and learning on the skill side or comments. Most was sent off in excellent innovation, access to markets and finance for our businesses all the way through to the attitude to the other pillars. This slice then conclude with a nod to work that we work. We were doing with our local authority partners, in particular, about key local priorities that are really crucial and will remain crucial to the work that will do to go back to grow the economy and its subsequent iterations. Of this, you will see that those priorities are woven into the rest, the fabric of the narrative and one and the commitment that we're making, we also doing a lot of work with our University partners thinking about the system that our economy is made up of, and there'll be a lot more set out in in the attrition that follow. And finally, there's a lot of work that we're doing on an outcomes framework which will encapsulate what the measures, our that targets are that we're going for, what how much growth were going for him, how many jobs be going for and the extent to without make a difference when it comes to the trajectory that I currently has been up until this point, so I'll leave it there in terms of the summary but happy to happy, to take any comments. Thank you. Thank you. This is such exciting work because we are such a
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:25:48
massive opportunity for growth and I was on the call today in London was saying we are going economy like our shocks.
but we are, where the action is gonna be, because we are going to the solution to the problem that is facing government is how we grow the economy. So thank you any comments on the growth Plan which of course is a iterative document. It's going to be changing and it will change again when we hear from government as well Councillor patient, thank you, and I'll be really quick mindful of the time, but Felix that
Cllr Scott Patient Calderdale Council - 1:26:18
spoke around environment, prosperity in reducing inequalities and just to say that Calderdale last year passed its local plan. In last night at full Council we had a suite of 5 Supplementary Planning documents that retouched and they actually tick all those boxes from flooding, biodiversity, net, gain affordable houses and we had a design and place-making wonder. Incidentally, we won a national award for in terms of engagement, so we're very much in delivery mode and ready for that. We've got that, but you know, we've got the supply, we know where the need to go and be cognisant of some of the surrounding issues that make sure that feels like an inclusive approach,
congratulations to Colsterdale for that, because that's exactly where
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:27:00
we're all heading as local authority partners, isn't it to deliver that growth strategy, so thank you any further comments on the growth plan.
no, thank you all so much, so can the see a consider?
on the progress made so far in developing the emerging scope, Framework, priorities, commitments and general content in the draft Local growth plan, as set out in Appendix 1, all happy to approve. Thank you all so much Okido, moving on,

10 Project Approvals

10 a) Project Approvals - Investment Priority 3 - Creating Great Places and Accelerated Infrastructure

to pro item 10, a project approvals investment priority, 3, creating great places and accelerated infrastructure, this is project approvals, so in the same spirit of Calderdale Wigan are rattled through a number of approvals details of to brownfield housing fund schemes recommended to the CA for progression,
through the assurance process, can I invite Liz Hunter our director of policing environment in place to take us through the recommendations,
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:28:04
please, thank you may so two projects here for for your consideration, firstly, the canal 30, which is in Bradford in the city centre looking for 70 apartment homes in a series of three former textile buildings really great to see these inspections buildings being brought back into use and are brownfield land.
and particularly thinking about that and low carbon homes as part of the conversation we've just had, this is a change request, so it is to increase the amount of brownfield housing funding requested by a further 240,000 pounds because of increased tended costs, we have scrutinised the costs as you'd hope we would do and they have been shared, so it's not all come to us as a request. The second scheme is in Wakefield so great to see this coming forward. A development of 60 three new homes for rent and sale in the city centre, including the redevelopment of the old police station. Again there is brownfield land
and again, real focus on being all electric with installation of things like solar PV is an electric vehicles them and are looking for 1.6 million from the brownfield housing fund and happy to take questions and hopefully if you approval for us to today thank you any questions on this fantastic schemes

10 b) Project Approvals - Investment Priority 5 - Delivering Sustainable, Integrated, Inclusive and Affordable Transport

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:29:13
no okay, let's move through to approval, can we approve the scheme outlined at, as you've had, to go through to the assurance process, with approval of the CIA's funding contribution, approval of future assurance pathways and routes all happy to approve. Thank you so much brilliant, so Tenby investment priority, 5, delivering sustainable, integrated, inclusive and affordable transport. Now this approval provides details of 11 transport schemes recommended to the CFO progression through the assurance process. Excuse me and one scheme is seeking endorsement. Firstly, if I could invite Councillor Hinchcliffe to comment on the report and then of Simon
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:30:02
thank you ma am obviously these a lot of this is about the active travel coming through which were very please to see, we also have some bus station rail station hubs in here, obviously were talking earlier in the fact that the bus interchange proposal come through September time and overly anxious to see that as I am and once the survey results are back in but in the meantime there's lots of projects here across the whole of West Yorkshire needing advancement and pass over to Simon.
if I may say as well, if there are comments as we go through, please
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:30:33
do indicate, but we will go through all of the comments before we take approvals all of the projects before we take approvals. Thank you, Simon,
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:30:43
thank you ma, I'm going to be very quick and m tired, so our first scheme.
is ready for delivery now, which is the Bradford access to school programme, and that draws down on the active travel England funding set out in the reports at 4.00.1.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:31:07
our second scheme is the a 61 bus cycling walking improvement.
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:31:11
programme and again looking to move at first parts of bat activity now through to a full business case development.
our third scheme is the 8 6 3 9 bus cycle and walking improvement programme again, looking to address a series of, in this case, cross boundary pinch points between.
Wakefield and and Leeds and again looking to move to a full business case.
our next scheme is the A6 to 9 scheme looking to move into delivery, this is the Amy top into Huddersfield,
scheme to be delivered by Kirklees council,
we then move to the a change request on the
Newton Bar 8 6 50 scheme, this is looking to increase the Combined Authority costs, such that in total we we move to 11 points 5 4 9 million pounds and scheme contribution into that scheme in Wakefield.
we have the A 6 1 7 7 Thornton road scheme in Bradford which is now ready for delivery, so seeking full approval for the previously agreed budget for that scheme.
we have the bus station improvements programme, series of improvements to able stations here around, measures such as real-time information and also a small improvements.
two schemes and we're looking to bring that now to strategic outline case.
stage, we then have the bus stops and shelters improvement programme that we, I'll look into take through.
a strategic outline case stage and an interval business case stage, and I'm particularly keen that we move that forward to continue to show our demonstration to our bus network.
following on from the franchising decision and the Leeds City Centre cycle, Links scheme is now ready for approval to for delivery
and so we are seeking full approval of the contribution into that programme,
we have the transforming cities fund. Heckmondwike Bus Hub scheme were seeking a change request a there is an increase in costs, it does fall in line with inflation that we have seen around similar capital schemes, and this this scheme is now ready for us to progress
into delivery, and so we recommend that that is inappropriate. Additional drawdown from transforming cities funds,
and a similar change request for the Normanton rail station Park and Ride scheme members will recall that we previously agreed that we would carry this one forward before the polls on some of the park and ride activities that we have ever undertaken, so we're now seeking.
A and or an increase of 431,800 pounds into that scheme,
and the Coakley's scheme around the Coakley's Huddersfield Southern.
corridor activity we are looking for.
approval to move through full business case so that we can see the early delivery of that scheme, the report then finally just goes through a number of schemes, which, between myself and the chief executive, we've approved under the previously agreed scheme of delegation, I'll stop there.
Sue by thanking you can take a breath
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:36:08
so let them draw this together doesn't feel like there was any body that wanted to comment on particular schemes, so are we happy to approve the 11 schemes just?
spoken about progressed through the Assurance process, with indicative approval from the CIA's funding contribution and the funding contribution for scheme, development and delivery, and approval of future assurance pathways and approval routes, and the recommendations are set out in the report. All happy to approve lovely thank you. And also can we endorse one further scheme? The corridor Improvement Programme Coakley's Tardis feels southern corridor to progress through the assurance process, with indicative approval for the CA is funding contribution and a delegation to the Combined authorities Chief Executive happy to approve endorse Robert thank you so much Okido, keep moving swiftly on and you can take a breather now, Simon
to item

11 UK Shared Prosperity Fund

11, which is the shared prosperity fund, this has been subject to a huge amount of work, and I want to thank everybody, all the local authority partners, as well, for working with us on this, this report outlines progress and key developments.
and also updates on the core UK SDF, multiply and the Rural England prosperity fund. It's an update of progress and also our approach and allegations allocations for the uncommitted UK SDF funds and also to approve a delegation to the Chief Exec and Director of Finance and Commercial Services to authorise any further movement of funds within the programme. We need to move their money out and a into the communities that are gonna. Benefits, including the management of any project under performance underspend as it becomes available to ensure all funds are kept in the region and maximised, and also to approve a further change to the rural fund operating model. So can I invite, Sir eaten our director of strategy, communications and intelligence,
to provide us with headlines from the paper. Thank you, Sarah, thank you ma, I'll just conscious of time, so I will quickly run through the paper. I don't think we last brought an update in February to the CIA
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:38:36
on progress in pleased to say that we have made more progress in terms of delivery across all three of those those core areas, both the co-fund multi plan and rural. I think is you'll see, in the paper of the kind of 80 million that's been allocated to those three funds at the moment, we we are kind of progressing and committee knows, funds and funds out. I think, just moving on to an update on on the core programme as, as colleagues will see, in the paper, now, approximately 98.8% of that programme has been contracted out
and there are 28 projects now which are on with delivering against against the that core core theme they are set out in Appendix 1, so you'll see that the range of projects across the region that are being funded from that cup co-fund, I think, as we know, despite the fact that we've candidate contracted 98.8% of that that programme out now and good progress is being made. There have been a number a significant operational challenges way with this programme and not least the delay in the programme launch and approval, which has meant that we've had limited time in which to kind of deliver across the region. So what you'll see there that, despite that contracting out, we've still got am approximately four years Ray about 47 million pound, that we remains to be spent, so there is a challenge across region in terms of delivery,
of this programme, which we have you know can do from this is a national problem, it's not a problem that sushi unique to West Yorkshire in terms of how the programme has been kind of shaped and delivered, and it is quite a complex programme that I think it is well rehearsed in in the CIA in terms of how we deliver against it has also been changes to government guidance as well which has made the myth but the problem more challenging.
I think in terms of
what we're doing in terms of monitoring that spend there's quite a lot of work going on at the minute with local authorities and that all the stakeholders around looking at where there are potential issues of delivery, so we are looking at the minute we've had refocused in meetings throughout March with colleagues across the piece just to make sure that we are identifying any early underspend as as quickly as possible and that we can mobilise and move those resources are to other projects if need be.
so in terms of the paper, you'll see the there is a or are not committed core. You Kisby F allocation of about 843,000 that was remaining unspent and what we've done in terms of consultation with our partners in the local partnership group is kind of look at ways in which we can allocate that resource, our to to kind of areas where we think we are going to be able to deliver quite quickly. As part of that consultation. What we've decided to do to try and kind of move quickly, maintain momentum and get and actually allocate the resource out in terms of local needs. To wish you an allocation to kind of a local authority partners working with voluntary community sets rather other sectors, and you'll see in the paper there that what we've done is is allocate that resource. Our pro rata, based on the original allocations that that we've had a view on UK, cut, correspond that set out in the paper. What we're seeking today's is kind of approval for those resources to be to be allocated, which will take us up to kind of committed.
for the full programme for Core of the coming period, local authorities and partners will love to come back to with to identify what they're actually gonna spend that resource on, but it does mean that we can have that local discretion, which is really important in terms of candour making sure that we meet needs Molik like,
in addition to that, though, there has been them about 4,000 pounds allocation of underspend as well which might look into to kind of get out, but what you'll see that and I think what you've alluded to Mary's that we do need to really move quite quickly if we do identify any further underspend in that programme over the coming period so we will be doing much more kind of careful monitoring liaising with partners around where that underspent comes out and we will need to move quickly to kind of allocated out so one of the options is it is is where we do move that money out to perhaps programmes are over.
overcommitted at the moment, so these are the recommendation here to do that for a delegation to the Chief Exec so that we can actually can crack on quite quickly and get that resource out once it becomes identified, but we will need you know kind of working quite closely with our partners to to make sure that we do identify that funding quite quickly if it does become available.
I've just in terms of multiply not spend too much time on this, but there is that programme has kind of been operating really well, there's some really good kind of activity that is benefiting local communities that set out in the report that as that's a programme that has actually over delivered and that might be something that we need to look at if any resources become available in in in terms of that core funding to relocate out programmes that are really getting out there and delivering well I've just in terms of the rural Fund,
I think members will be aware that the last time round we sought some kind of changes to the operating model that would allow us to kind of get out and spend the rural fund, I think we have got some concerns last time round that we when actually getting projects coming forward and I'm pleased to say that in the report we are starting to see now kind of those queries turned into cannot projects that are coming down downstream.
but what we want to do, I think, to kind of maximise again make sure that we are delivering on on the rural Fund, is to seek some further changes to the operating model, we know, working with our local authority partners, that we've got and the pipeline of projects that are coming forward that will really enable us to to kind of deliver and what you'll see in here is a kind of recommendations about extending the criteria further to to companies over 50 employees but also to enable local authority partners to cannot deliver against those programme so there's a recommendation in here
for yourself today to to try and you know can and maximise spend on that rural programme as well, I'll stop there, I think those are the key activities that wanna get comfortable, thank you so much, and thank you for the incredibly detailed and difficult work as a
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:44:40
partnership group it just shows you that this sort of money at the were handling should be rolled in to a single settlement so we can make it work for ourselves.
and multiply was quite difficult to deliver in the outcomes that we wanted, so congratulations to the skills team and the teams of roll that out across West Yorkshire, because we've made he worked for ourselves, but the government have made it difficult for us to do that so and any thoughts on shared prosperity fund Councillor Hinchcliffe.
you've obviously this is really vital money for local authorities on
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:45:18
it replaces a European money that we used to get and it doesn't have
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:45:24
the same scale of investment that used to me as you have the European money, so it is very much valued is this money coming into local areas so good seat being used to good purpose, I think?
it just we just need to be really careful that it goes to places which need it in terms of the was Ms disadvantage, because that's what this money as for essentially, so I'm fine for things to obviously go through chief executive, but you need to be really careful about equalities of opportunity across West Yorkshire with this and make sure it's in inclusively distributed, and I think that brings me to the point that that we've discussed many times, may I know we're working on that double devolution point between the Combined Authority and the local authorities, because
we shall great to hear, obviously the New Labour government. It can put more devolution through its Combined Authority, which I fully support, but it Ms even more important that the working relationship to in local authorities and the Combined Authority is well codified and then, when quick decisions need to be made, you can quickly have those conversations and as a framework in place to make sure that that happens, that money gets the places that need. Sorry, I think, sort of acceleration of those conversations, I think is really needed now we've got a new Labour government in and wanna make sure I see progress on that. Just regarding the rural Fund, I know in Bradford did a lot of work in getting a lot of applications to that. I don't think all of them have progressed to application point and I'd like, as through a little bit of worked, understanding why that was because again, in terms of inclusivity,
if the silhouettes putting people off applying, we need to know why that is, and we need to work harder to get those communities who are furthest away from some of these opportunities to be able to get a good application together and get it in and get it to be successful. So again, it's all about that levelling up, isn't it really? I know it's not fashionable word any more, but I think it was still good intent to make sure that everybody has equal access and sometimes equal is not. The same is making sure that you spend more time, as all communities and others, to make sure they have an equal opportunity to get access to that funding. Thank you, thank you and re at points really well made, and I think part of this problem is that the
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:47:30
government stipulations of who was eligible and so on. Actually we've got to be able to make those decisions for ourselves in the rural fund. Tiny amount of money, actually 12 million 2 million pounds Andrew now in a truncated timeline, so it was already incredibly difficult, and I'm going to take a couple of comments if you want to, just
answer all of them at a altogether, that probably might be more time efficient Councillor patient, thank you, ma am yeah, just to echo a
Cllr Scott Patient Calderdale Council - 1:48:02
lot of the points just made, a special thanks to officers, I know it's been a bit of a Kafkaesque nightmare rather than it sort of unpicking some of the stipulations and and issues on on developing and and and extending this so yeah, I'd I'd really welcome simplification going forwards in terms of the allocation of this for
not to getting a pitched battle with you, Councillor Hinchcliffe, around allocation of the rural fund, but a really good to see us getting a lot, a lion's share of that so far the same brackets, and I think officers on the ground in local authorities assist in some of our some of our businesses and organisations probably been key to making that happen and I'm sure that's the same elsewhere in terms of what we haven't had already.
any further comments x so.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:48:46
yeah, I think just to say in terms of the points made by Councillor Ritchie, with that we're taking them on board and I think they the
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:48:53
allocation of the remaining 43,000 we've definitely took on board.
comments from from our partners around how to get those resources are more quick Clayton and to kind of maximise the resource rambler colonnade, and I think in terms of supporting areas around applications we we have been doing quite a bit of work to support those organisations that might want to translate it are doing to to kind of an application. So we that I think colleagues across the region have been kind of working quite hard to do that, but we do know that there's there's more needs to be done, so we will certainly take that back and make sure that the remaining funds are available and the projects that have been identified. We are looking support wherever hands, a colleague, to maximise that resource. I think that the point is around doing whatever we can to make sure this money stays in the region. That is a really important point and I think, as well as candidate wicking locally, I think is that lobbying as well to to to government around potentially thinking about how we
get approval to extend the the the time that we've got to spend so that work is taking place, as I said nationally, it's not just a local issue, PCSO is an issue that is is, is you know,
being seen across the whole of the country, thank you so much, Sarah Okido, UK, if everybody's happy to move on, there's just a few
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:50:07
recommendations, the first is for Members to note the progress and recommendations from the local partnership group opponent, secondly, for members to approve the approach and allocations that the remaining uncommitted UK SDF,
whilst others.
and that has been noted and taken on board, thank you so much, and thirdly, for members to approve a delegation to the Chief Executive and the Director of Finance and Commercial Services to authorise any further movements of ponds within the programme, including the management of any project under performance and or underspend as it becomes available to be maximised in the region within the remaining programme period.
Good stuff and faulty for members to approve the changes to the rural fund operating model, as set out in item 3.2 3

12 Digital Blueprint

Super. Thank you all so much and moving on to the digital blueprint, but before we do, I want to out really applaud, at Councillor Lewis and Hinchcliffe, for bringing their sandwiches to the table, which I I do not do not hold back, please do a help yourself and then I think there are some that have just arrived in the room is my understanding OK, so let's
I move on to Item 12, the digital blueprint, this is a report that outlines the blueprint for approval, it sets out our strategic approach to leveraging digital tech tech to drive growth, improve the quality of life for people in West Yorkshire if I can first invited Councillor Lewis to comment before handing over to Felix thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:51:51
thank you, thank you ma, and it's a great been able to bring it for approval today and it reflects the one-point work we've done around bringing forward.
bringing forward the work through the business Committee this year and recognising actually the real power of digital in in West Yorkshire to
I'm to support our our wide range strength to have on the economy, but also recognising that access to digital services and infrastructure isn't universal across the county and that we need to do more on that, thank you so much and them to Phoenix.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:52:30
thank you very much more ambivalent quirk this this work, as you've
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:52:35
said, has been going on for quite a while we've spoken to over key stakeholders and partners across West Yorkshire.
we've worked very closely with our local authority, partners and committees with businesses and others, and we're hoping that the Board is in a position today to approve this I so we can move on to delivery.
if it's reassuring, as I am hoping you would have noticed in the paper and in the appendix that came with it.
that the pillars that we've set out in the Local Plan, which I referred to earlier on around people and businesses and infrastructure that is replicated here, so you can see in the blueprint that the key, the three main horizontals in here around people are on business and and then around place, and we're working that through with a set of vertical, so I won't go into too much too much detail, but it allows us to and appreciate the role that digital technology and its applications play when it comes to people are places and our businesses and how crucial that is too grim. Prosperity and and spreading spreading
include increasing growth in West Yorkshire, it's also key to note that through this work, we've been able to sets out very clearly what the key strengths site in West Yorkshire when it comes to digital and digital technology and its applications. We have a really strong ecosystem here in West Yorkshire, where the West Yorkshire, Provisional Festival, various boards and committees and groups that for me to regularly
but also this is highlighted some of the key.
gaps in provision that we have, and for some of these, we already addressing, if it skills through our adult skills budget, and how, and I know that the various Commission that we put out to make sure people can acquire the digital skills they need, there's a lot of work very long ditched in digital exclusion or inclusion, as assets were to make sure people who really need these skills in are currently a bit further away from that can have access have the opportunities they need to
upskill there is obviously more work to be done, there is more work to be done on the infrastructure side, and particularly on the rural
in fact, digital infrastructure site
and this work is at circulated that there is a lot of colleagues and activity poised and ready to go to work with national partners to to help us address address that as best we can, so I'm hoping that the Board is in a position to approve this today to enable delivery, thank
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:55:18
you, thank you so much of just one quick comment they said out on page 110 in order to realise the high level outcomes of the blueprint by decade end.
we are not going to wait for the end of the decade, we are going to implement and getting going, so just to reassure people, and so this is an or a brief paper, but very welcome can we confirm the agreement to approve?

13 Funding Pressures and Revenue Budget Revisions 2024-25

lovely, thank you. Let's move on to Item 13 funding pressures, Revenue, Budget revisions, 24 25, this sets out our initial response to the funding and budget pressures for 24 25 and recommends changes to in-year budgets. If I could hand over to Angela please, Angela Taylor, Director of Finance and Co Commercial Services, to take us through the paper, thank you. Thank you, Mayor, and yes, as you set
Angela Taylor, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:56:10
out, though, this is seeking some in-year changes to the approved budget, which was set in February, and that in response to position situations, renew in February hadn't been fully crystallised and we knew we would advise them, we would have to return to to provide an update
the first of those changes of the bus franchising in February, we didn't have a decision in March to May, the Mayor made her decision and you had a very detailed report earlier from Simon, these papers reflects that that work and is seeking the formal approval to put the 5.3 9 million at the time we went through into the budget for the year.
also picking up from previous meetings, which had information previous on Bradford Interchange where we are incurring additional costs due to the current closure, we are proposing to make a budget adjustments of 3.7 million but will be keeping these costs under review as the situation develops and clarifies.
and we will bring back further revisions, I think you'll probably see budget provisions for most of these meetings and, obviously, if the costs go down, this is risk assessed figure, there are risks that they may go up, their nails will come down and if there are any reductions on this that will come back through here to to be noted and changed and we've also since the February meeting concluded discussions with bus operators and you may recall on concessionary travel, you may recall we had flagged at February that there was a change to the model that Department for Transport required us to use to calculate the reimbursement
we have now successfully concluded those discussions and and manage down what was quite a significant risk of an increase, and we've ended up with a against a 37 million budget, an increase of only 700,000, which,
is is on the the more positive side of what we had envisaged earlier in the year and one is down to since some good work by the teams in putting the right factors into them into the the tool to do the calculations and we are not proposing changes to tendered services budgets at this stage. But we are flagging that there is a high risk that those costs may go up. We have been managing increased costs of tendered services through. These are reserves that we weren't drawing on any additional transport levy and and we are proposing that we increase that reserve and using a small amount of investment income from last year and that set out in the appendix and the balance of that. Investment income is currently against funding the pressures on the capital programmes
which will pick up a little in the item that comes next after this on the agenda, so some further detailing the appendices and asking seeking approval hip pleased to make those changes to the revenue budget to allow those items to progress, thank you.
thank you so much any comments.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:59:09
questions, Okido, thank you, so we are seeking approval that the see a approves the changes to the revenue budget as set out in the paper and appendix 1.
approved thank you, and that the CA approves the movements to reserves to meet funding pressures, as set out in the paper and in Appendix II.
great, thank you so much now, moving on to managing capital.

14 Managing Capital

this considers the pressures on our capital programme and seeks views on how we can collectively start to look at changes to our ways of working to ensure we are focus absolutely 100% on delivery, this links early with our work on the trailblazer partnership with government, as we talked about earlier where we need to establish an accelerated funding and delivery process as we prepare for a single settlement can I thank partners around the table for that collaborative approach that has got us to this stage and I know will need to work together on our plans more closely in the coming years, so if I could hand over to yourself,
Alan to take us through the report in more detail and set out recommendations,
sorry thanks very much sorry as Laermer Heselden your update and and
Alan Williams (Private Sector Representative) - 2:00:28
just again now. This paper is all about speeding up delivery in the region, making best use of our resources, dealing with pressures on our programmes and finally preparing for a single settlement, which is a long-held ambition of the region, and we are, of course working with all of our partner Local authorities on the proposals within this paper. So at the moment and historically, we have the challenge of dealing with funding from multiple funding pots, which creates a a number of issues, for instance, the business of the Combined Authority and its partners being overly shaped by the conditions and purposes of pots that are made available by government and Batman affects our ability to deliver the things that are right for the region and places constraints on the way that we manage our money. We want to move and have done for a long time to a single pot approach where we can draw on the mission's objectives, principles, priorities of the West, Yorkshire Plan, the Local growth plan, the climate environment plan etc and use the funds in the most appropriate way to deliver the priorities for the region.
there are substantial pressures on the capital programme which members have had papers on previously, and that's led to recommended changes to projects within both the Transport Fund and the transforming cities
Alan Reiss, Chief Operating Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:01:53
fund and overall portfolio has become unaffordable within the current funding arts envelopes for a range of reasons including cost increases and inflation and the historical way in which funding has been allocated to the region has tended to drive overly optimistic assessments of costs and delivery timescales and so on because of, as the may have mentioned the bidding process which the region and local authorities have had to go through so.
we are looking to change the change, the approach, and so there's a there's some work that needs to be done to look at the capital programme as a whole and identify what headroom is available from contingency funds, and so on.
so that we can support projects that are ready for immediately immediate delivery and progress, progress, those at pace.
and during this work is really important to say that no project that is currently within our portfolio would be removed from our pipeline, simply moved along it to the point that it's and and then funded at the point at which it is ready to go. So there are some changes to our approach that event that that are then proposed. Firstly, we need it. We need a at an approach to determining the programmes and projects that are to be delivered in support of the West Yorkshire Plan, drawing on, as I say, the local growth plan, the transport plan and so on, and there in the FA next item on the assurance framework as proposal and therefore a stage which enables us to do that and work with partners to ensure that there is a robust pipeline for all of our investment priorities.
and then. Secondly, the assurance framework would ensure the assurance process. Would it would ensure that schemes that are coming forward have a strategic fit and are demonstrating good value for money, and there would be an indicative funding approval given from the Single investment Fund generally early on in the process and we would. We would make sure that there was over-programming in order to ensure that we were delivering to the to the best of our to the best of our ability and we would ensure that there were some tolerances in place so that because we do understand, of course, that costs can go up, and that's whether because the scope of the scheme changes or because of inflation and so on and and we would clearly want to make sure that there was both cost control but at the same time and ability to to move money around and fund
and fund projects where that are already in the system where, but where the costs are increasing, so what this means overall, is that we would, instead of being in a position where
funding from specific pots is attached to individual funding schemes and therefore not available for to fund other schemes that are ready for delivery, instead, we move to a position where we are able to manage our funding in a much more flexible way were able to support swifter delivery of business cases they are as they already, but at the same time we're guaranteeing for that funding would be available to schemes once they have got to full business case stage and as long as they stay within.
in particular, tolerances and delivery tie and delivery timescales so that's the that's the overall proposal this paper sets it out in principle and is very clear about the fact that there are some further work to do around how the rules would operate, so what levels of tolerance are appropriate each level how risk would be managed et cetera and so the intention is to work on this over the next few weeks with colleagues in partner councils and then bring a more developed proposal back to the Combined Authority in due course.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:05:55
thank you so much Alan, and this reflects our approach to be more agile. If the project is ready to go, then we shouldn't be, Ian, we should be able to then give you the green light to start delivery and not have money just in a in a bank somewhere waiting for projects to to be ready, so it it's a more sophisticated way of approaching it, but actually times with all of our as members of this committee are our desire to deliver for the people that we're representing and certainly gets us into a more mature position for that single settlement as well, to show that we can team and ladle monies, as as Alan outlined, but with intolerances and bearing in mind risk, but that we want you to be delivering on your projects in your region for the benefit of all of us. Any thoughts on this
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 2:06:51
Exe Susan I think we operate broadly welcomed. The approach obviously want sophisticated and speedy delivery across the region, and I think it just goes back to my previous point with a sharp response to fund that we need to make sure that all parts of the region are benefiting from the investment that's coming in, and that might mean sometimes but more resource in this one element of the region to make sure that they can actually taking advantage of the delivery focus that we've gone. So obviously we're very thin authority, we've got very low resources and therefore that needs to be recognised and any sort of delivered delivered deliver kind of priorities, which of course I endorse. But we just need to be mindful of inclusivity as well as West Yorkshire. Thank you, and that's where the growth Plan will come in,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:07:30
because the growth plan is also, as I say, it's not. Growth at any cost has got to be inclusive growth as well, so any comments
no great good see, thank you, so can we recommend that they see a notes, the capital funding pressures and the outline proposals to develop improved ways of working fabulous, thank you so much, so, moving on to Item 15, the assurance framework.

15 Assurance Framework Review

you will remember back in the mists of time you told me, as local authority partners, that the assurance process could work better for you and I hope you can see that we've had taken on your your thoughts and, and this paper sets out the key findings and proposed changes aimed at enhancing the effectiveness,
and efficiency of our assurance process. So can I invite Sarota, please talk to this report, thank you ma, so the papers sets our the the the can. The findings of the review, the started in 2023 m with
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:08:34
rehearsing, given that we've talked about spending lots of resources today, then, while we've got the assurance framework in the first place and not
is to make sure that we have got the necessary systems and processes in place to ensure that we successfully delivering against our ambitions, whether any decisions that we make them all. I was to provide the government, the CIA and our partners assurance that those decisions are proper, transparent and deliver value for money. So it's really important that we just bear that in mind as way is, we cannot just talk about the review and said the review starting in 2003, and it was in line with the requirements of the County English devolution, accountability framework
and that review focused on kind of a broad range of issues, but primarily in respect of governance decision making, and this year was process itself rely.
and that was really kind of importantly and making sure that we, we kind of adjustment, the points that you've made may rebound being flexible and proportionate, but also agile I am been able to move with speed with is a really important review in terms of looking at some of the key issues that I've start to major over time, I think we have got a really well respected assurance framework, but it is this constant, making sure that it is fit for purpose moving forward. So the key findings of the review really focused on
kind of simplification, flexibility, proportionality, duplication and kind of value in existing processes, and it also Carnival at the need for more collaborative working across the piece in terms of how we kind of take that assurance framework forward, I think to kind of build momentum we have actually started to implement in a number of the changes already then, and these are highlighted in the report. So we have formed, for example, an Officer investment Board, an investment priority portfolio balls, and that is around making sure that we have got that Pat line of projects and programmes moving forward and also to kind of from speed up decision making kind of directors. I've been ownership of kind of project approvals.
that are recommended to decision makers and revised and kind of simplified project approval report, so that there is greater efficiency in kind of how we dealing with projects as they come forward. I think in terms of strengthening proportionality, really looking at more risk-based approaches and and kind of that's looking at kind of increase in standardised assurance, tolerance level, so really looking at where we need to make sure that those tolerance levels are right, reflecting the the kind of the the the risk. That's relates to any specific programmes and we've also alongside that on a review of kind of templates and guidance so that we have got that
you know, we know, we're not, we've not got a sledgehammer to crack a 0, we're not kind of applying really high level pontiff for project and programme assurance on projects that are perhaps smaller as as previously outlined. The key conclusion was dreamt that more collaborative working is required, so I'll come on to what we've we've stopped to do around a team, much Yorkshire assurance group that has been set up which has been really valuable as part of that review in terms of we've had a number of workshops with partners around how we can perhaps in
really get underneath the skin of what's what's causing some of the issues, and that's been incredibly valuable a thinking in can accomodate with some of their the proposed changes that are set out in the report and is often mentioned earlier, I think, one of the key elements that's come out that's been welcomed by policies that is that introduction of a stage notes the assurance process which will really get as into that kind of consistent approach to developing more robust patterns in the future.
I think other elements that were looking at our simplify Strategic Assessment to Templar and we're also going to be looking at the role of the benefit cost ratio as B C offers in decision-making is prepared to that's a piece of work that we are going to be picking up moving forward and I think the the other relevant I think that's highlighted in this paper is that review with partners so that we're not duplicating processes that that might be across the piece and both internally and I think partner agencies are really look at where we can.
you know, not going against the the the candidate accountability framework that really looking at where we can enhance what we've got, not duplicate, and, as I said earlier, I think the final point is around. It is around that let work that's been setup which will be using as we move through. These proposed changes to kind of refer back to on, on an ongoing basis, think particularly input and, alongside the managing capital spend report, that's that's gone there to make sure that where we're constantly checking that that assurance for framework enables us to deliver the ambitions in that in that paper, so next steps in terms of the assurance framework re and reported back to Governance and Scrutiny, Audit and Scrutiny Committees on the proposed changes, amending the assurance framework to make sure that he's in line with those that have been agreed
and making sure that we inform them HC, all GF any amendments. We obviously need to do that. We don't do anything, he is gonna be cause for concern, but we do need to make sure that that they are aware of the changes that were proposing and that we want to make sure that we like kind of communicating those changes out to to broader partners and making sure that, where need to baby, we are putting in place training mechanism so that everybody is up to speed with what what the those changes are and again just to ensure that we've got ongoing alignment with that. Managing capital spend tossed up there and just invite any comments. Thank you so much, Sarah, and can I say since your arrival that that collaborative collegiate approach and, I think,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:13:51
Team West Yorkshire assurance group? I want to thank them for their work because it's really important we get proportionality and simplicity into the assurance framework that you don't have to go through the same torturous process for something that is not potentially a cultural project in comparison to a big bridge or big infrastructure project and how to empower our colleagues to make those sorts of decisions, so it's not like you've got to prove it to us that how can I be helpful to help you get through the assurance process so honestly, thank you so much for the work that you and the team do in this space
I will have we any comments on the assurance process, yes.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 2:14:35
so obviously welcome this it simplified. I think we've all all local authorities would well Wilcken this this step. It's not less than 500,000 now just won a stage of St fired stage to get through. It is a sort of speedy away for that to get through as well as just. Obviously in the past we have been obviously kept back with some very low level investments at. Shall. I just wonder if, as it does at speed it up as well, I mean, is there a way that we could do that decision-making at local level and be that devolved decision making on that kind of thing
I think that's part of the review around just making sure that we were aligned with other processes, that's something we can certainly take
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:15:14
away and have another look at that has been feeding in around how we can speed up that decision making on lower-level projects, but we can certainly pick that up and I think that's part of the next stage of some of the review were that we were doing with local authority partners.

16 Transport Leadership Structure

super. Thank you Okido. So let's note that the work has been
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:15:31
undertaken to review the assurance framework and the changes that are already implemented, and to approve further proposed changes and authorise the required amendments to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Assurance Framework and also to delegate authority to the CIA's Chief Exec to approve the amendments to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Assurance Framework and thereafter, as we just had to inform the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local government of the amendments happy to approve and delegate authority. Thank you also much moving on to transport leadership structure. This outlines critical developments in the transport strategy on the creation and restructuring of key roles to enhance delivery and management of our transportation initiatives. Timing. Thank you for some very discussed
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:16:23
previously on the agenda. A number of transformational activities that are underway with in transport, in West Yorkshire
in preparing for this, I've been Review and in consultation with yourself, Councillor Hinchcliffe and others, the leadership team within transport to to ensure that we have a forward looking leadership arrangement, the conclusion for from that review is set out in the report here for members approval.
principally, the changes that I am proposing are are, firstly, the introduction of a bus franchising programme Director role to oversee what is a series of one-off activities is, as we talked about earlier in the or a DJ agenda over the next four years, the the second change is to move from the previous approach of transport operations and passenger experience director to a transport services director who in many ways this is looking then to develop our approach to transport services ready to receive the transport services responsibilities that will follow from the introduction of bus franchising and to assist in that regard, I'm looking to move the process of asset

17 Corporate Plan 2024-25

renewal and, of course, we've had some recent experiences of the importance of us being able to give good leadership to asset renew into the responsibility of the Capital Programme director going
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:18:21
forwards. Thank you so much and any comments on those two new posts. We always. We're all aware that we need to recruit in order to get these huge infrastructure projects over the line. Any comments, no, thank you so much. Can we confirm at the your agreement to the full sett recommendations set out in the report? Thank you. I'm moving on. We're nearly there, folks, moving on to Item 17, the Corporate Plan 24 25, and this introduces the corporate plan. You'll be aware, we shared a draft of this at our meeting in March and this provides an update following the Merrill and general elections and we are intending to develop a multi year corporate planning future. But if I can just ask Sarah eaten to talk us through the recommendations
yes, it is just a quick and I am conscious of time again.
that the the paper really just introduced the Corporate Plan, which is
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:19:12
now attached at Appendix 1, to the report, as you'll see, in the re, the the kind of corporate plan, what we've tried to do to kind of simplify arrangements and aligned to the West Yorkshire Plan we've now move towards identified our priorities and added fat, our activity under the under the West Yorkshire emissions set out in the West Yorkshire Planning, and we think that will give us a much more of a focus on how we are going to deliver our contribution to that that plan of the the coming year.
the there are also in terms of that structure, we've also sought started to set out the key measures that we're going to n shoe, demonstrate the kind of the the impact and progress that we're making against each of those issues that that is a change in the structures upon which I think is going to be really important as we move into the next phase which is is that kind of opportunities to develop a 4 year plan will be forwarded multi year business planning that's going to be really important in terms of aligning to the new mayor or term, but also Paula demonstrate in how we're gonna deliver that that period of time, really so at the minute we have got that 12 year 12 month focus and that 4 year focus will give us much more opportunities to kind of set out what we're gonna be doing over that period of time.
what we will need to do, which is highlighted in the paper, is that because some of the the the kind of the budget has been agreed today, there are gaps in that plan which you will need to to fill, so
we will need to fill out that section on Corporate Finance has now that that that budget has been agreed and we're also conscious that there are some of the changes to the to the the see Amy that we've got to amend some details in there about representation so we will be taking those away and making this plan up you know current after the meeting and as a result of that we are seeking delegation to the Chief Executive just to make those final changes so that the plan can be published on and put on long and I'll stop there.
thank you so much any comments on the Corporate Plan, yes, Catherines
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:21:04
Close, and just if commercial going forward, if his move four year plan obviously to engage on a local authorities, and that's obviously
Sarah Eaton, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:21:12
a lot of this Corporate Plan of the effects and supports our own development as well and our plans of good again go forward in a partnership manner.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 2:21:20
yes, absolutely and asthma, and just with the private sector engagement, it states that the most Council brings together the
Asma Iqbal, West Yorkshire Business Board (Private Sector Representative) - 2:21:32
influential businesses, this was the ambassadorial roles that we discussed and spoke about is a more context around that as to how you see that developing because,
obviously they let those input from local business that's already covered in the paper, but were where the Council are going in terms of the influential businesses, and the impact that will have is a more context are them.
I could maybe shared that this would Felix but just to say obviously
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:22:01
the business Board is predominantly SMEs, the Mayor's council is those big, big big companies such as Asda Morrisons are and others and we've had a couple of meetings have been really productive and for for them it's access also to the centre through the the the Mayor group, but they are also going to be privy to our ambitions and our growth plan and obviously the Corporate Plan will be part of that but Felix and if you would like to briefly just respond to that.
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 2:22:38
focus number of last business board, we took a paper which looked at the process for appointing through some positives, to deficit business board, who would represent the board at specified thematic areas that process was dedicated to the Chair Monday in consultation with the Mayor and with grant with you.
I am not aware of any further progress on moving their own, but Monday's been working through which thematic areas of specialism that business board will benefit from our pointing specific ambassadors, and I think I'm sure for the next Board meeting that there will be a paper that picks them up and make sure we can make some further
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:23:25
progress. Thank you so much Phoenix Okido, let's go to the recommendations, are we happy to recommend the Combined Authority approves the Corporate Plan 24 for publication we are and that the Combined Authority authorises the Chief Executive delegated responsibility to sign off the final draft of the Corporate Plan for publication

18 Political Balance Requirements

we are, thank you so much moving on to political balance requirements.
ITEM 18 this details WYCA's orders, legal requirements for CM membership on political balance on committees, if I could hand over to Rebecca Brooks, illegal corporate service lead to talk through recommendations. Thank you ma. This paper provides for noting the
Rebecca Brookes Legal Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority_ - 2:24:08
legal requirements of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority orders in respect of political balance, membership of the Combined Authority and seeks agreement formally adopt the guidance appended to the report as part of the Combined Authority Constitution.
the guidance reflects existing established practice for the mechanism by which political balance is calculated and achieved on the Combined Authority, governance and Audit Committee and Scrutiny Committee, all of which carry legal requirements to reflect as far as reasonably practicable to the political balance prevailing at the time codifying these arrangements formally as part of the constitution will further transparency in respect to those calculations and seat allocations details of how the calculations are carried out now on allocated places are determined are set out in the papers, guidance also provides for how parity across political groups is achieved through officer support, re things concerning Combined Authority business and its links to the Member Officer protocol which already form part of the Constitution.
the guidance reflects the importance of officer political neutrality, being preserved inquiry, confidential TP, maintained by officers.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 2:25:17
thank you so much any comments on the political make-up of the item.
membership of those see a no lovely thank you. Some come members confirmed their agreement to the full set of recommendations, as set out in paragraph 2 of the report. Super. Thank you OK dog, and then we've just got them minutes for information, the report provides members with details of the minutes of committees or notes of informal meeting of members that have been published on the West Yorkshire Combined Authority website. We did it have plus one. I can't believe it's I thank you for your patients, your concentration, on what was quite not really in local authority terms, but for me a marathon. I know that you have day long meetings, but thank you so much everybody for attending and please don't let the sandwiches go to waste and also looking at the corporate plan if you want a new photo
tough, the photos, gonna stay.
so
so just do I remind members advert to the next meeting is on the 19th of September, thank you also much, and if we can close the meeting Adam, thank you.