Economy Committee - Thursday 27 March 2025, 2:00pm - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

Economy Committee
Thursday, 27th March 2025 at 2:00pm 

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  1. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  2. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. James Mowbray, Committee Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  3. Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  5. Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council)
  6. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  7. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  8. Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  9. Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
  10. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Guilherme Rodrigues Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  3. Cllr Lisa Martin (Leeds City Council)
  4. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  5. Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Cllr Lisa Martin (Leeds City Council)
  7. Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  8. Guilherme Rodrigues Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  9. Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  11. Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  12. Barney Mynott
  13. Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  14. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  15. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  16. Barney Mynott
  17. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  18. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  19. Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
  20. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  21. Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council)
  22. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  23. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  24. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  25. Guilherme Rodrigues Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  26. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  27. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  28. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  29. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  30. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  31. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  32. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  33. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  34. Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  35. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  36. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  37. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  38. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  3. Fatima Khan-Shah (Inclusivity Champion)
  4. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  5. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  7. Natasha Barbar-Evans, Advisory Representative (Voluntary & Community Sector)
  8. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  9. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  11. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  12. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  13. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  14. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  15. Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK)
  16. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  17. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  18. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  19. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  20. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  21. Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  22. Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council)
  23. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  24. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  25. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  26. Fatima Khan-Shah (Inclusivity Champion)
  27. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  28. Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership)
  29. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  30. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  31. Gareth Scargill
  32. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  33. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  34. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  35. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  3. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  4. Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)
  5. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  7. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  8. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  9. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  11. Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
  12. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  13. Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
  14. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  15. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  16. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  17. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  18. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  19. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  20. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  21. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  22. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  23. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  24. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  25. Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  26. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  27. Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK)
  28. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  29. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  30. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  31. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  32. Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  33. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  34. Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council)
  35. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  36. Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership)
  37. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  38. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  3. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  4. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  5. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  7. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  8. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  9. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  11. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  12. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  13. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  14. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  15. Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative)
  16. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  17. Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership)
  18. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  19. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  20. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  21. Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
  22. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  23. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  24. Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK)
  25. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  26. Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council)
  27. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  28. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  29. Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  30. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  31. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  32. Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  33. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  3. Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  4. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  5. Natasha Barbar-Evans, Advisory Representative (Voluntary & Community Sector)
  6. Natasha Barbar-Evans, Advisory Representative (Voluntary & Community Sector)
  7. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  8. Fatima Khan-Shah (Inclusivity Champion)
  9. Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  10. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  11. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  12. Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  13. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  14. Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  15. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  16. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  17. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  18. Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  19. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  1. Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  3. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  4. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  5. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  6. Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  7. Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  8. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  9. Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council)
  10. Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  11. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  12. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  13. Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  14. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  15. Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council)
  16. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  17. Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  18. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  19. Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University)
  20. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  21. Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK)
  22. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  23. David Malone
  24. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  25. Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative)
  26. Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups)
  27. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  28. Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership)
  29. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  30. Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  31. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
  32. Webcast Finished

1 Apologies for Absence

Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:00:00
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:00:00
Good afternoon everybody and welcome to the March meeting of the Economy Committee at
West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
I'll just start by welcoming everybody and also just reminding people that this meeting
is webcast so I think everybody, it looks like everybody's been really well behaved
and sat behind their name plate.
It isn't just so I can see who his name is but it also helps with the webcast as well
if people are sat.
Where your names are please, so that's great, thank you.
So I'm going to just turn to the formal items at the top of the agenda just to see if there's
any apologies please, James.
James Mowbray, Committee Services Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:00:48
Great, thank you. I'm just going to turn to the committee and see if
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:01:03
there are any

2 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Disclosable pecuniary interest, please.
Can't see anybody with their hands up, thank you.

3 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press & Public

I'm going to turn to the next item and there's no exempt item on the agenda today.

4 Minutes of the Meeting of the Economy Committee Held Friday 15/11/2024

I'm going to check that everybody's happy with the minutes of the meeting back in November.
I take it everybody is happy with those minutes, I can't see anybody objecting.
So we will just move on to the chairs welcome then.
And first of all it's Sue Cook's last meeting of the committee so I understand you're retiring

5 Chair's Update

from the University puzzles field next month so I send all our best wishes, thank you.
Sue I'd also like to welcome Fatima Khan -Shah, the Mayor's Inclusivity Champion who's
joins us today and
Will be coming to as many of the combined authority committee meetings as possible. It's great to see your fat and a thank you
Just in terms of some updates. We have the spring the Chancellor spring forecast
yesterday
Which included a lot of new announcements that are in the news. I think it's also worth
just picking up that the
the Chancellor Reed committed to supporting West Yorkshire mass transit as we move forward with our tram. That's great news.
There's millions of pounds worth of investment to train skilled construction workers and it's something that
with a specialist building college in Leeds which serves the region well and something to be really important for us
moving our agenda forward.
There's also the Money for Lee Affordable Homes programme and the road network. There's also
So, more high profile in the news would see changes around the welfare budgets and looking
to get more people into work.
It's certainly something we've got a good record on in West Yorkshire, we've actually
talked doing the real practical work on the ground and something we'll be working really
closely with the government on.
Just some other government publications since we last met, we had the English Devolution
White Paper, launched up the road at the University of Leeds in December last year and we've also
responded to national consultations on the industrial strategy, further education and
skills and job centre plus reforms and we've also submitted a response to the comprehensive
spending review which is taking place in June.
Looking at some of the other developments we've had, we've also had the working with the National Wealth Fund and the Office for Investment as well,
around working to one of the trials for the strategic partnership with the National Wealth Fund.
Just some local developments myself, Barney and Martin came to the Combined Authority Scrutiny Committee,
Um, uh, uh, uh, uh,
uh, came to the combined authority scrutiny committee, uh, last week, uh,
to hear what members of the scrutiny, uh, committee had to say on, on a lot of
the work, uh, we are doing with council,
our Anderson, the chair of the committee sat, uh, in the, uh, public seats. Uh,
we're working, um, with our local growth plan, um, as well.
And we've also had a couple of events with the advanced manufacturing futures in
the West Yorkshire, uh, innovation festival.
So I'm going to turn to the agenda. We've got a couple of items, three items at the end of the agenda which are noted for information only.
Officers are more than happy to pick up any comments we have. If we have time at the end of the meeting before we close at 4 o 'clock we can have a discussion about them here, but they're here for people's information.
And with that I'm going to move on to the first paper on the agenda which is item 6

6 Year Ahead - Business Plan Highlights

the year ahead and Michelle and Sarah are going to introduce this paper please.
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:05:18
The sector plans that come out of that are another and the national trade strategy that
we're expecting. As well as that, there's a small business strategy that we're also
expecting, so there's a lot of consultation, a lot of engagement at the minute to make
sure that we're influencing that activity, but also we need to be reflecting on that
when those get published, and we're expecting those to be published around June time. So
at future meeting, it would be, I think, a good time to have a conversation about the
implications of those on our activity for the next year. And I think just to flag as
well, there's a couple of areas mentioned in the paper around the kind of culture, creative
industries and net -zero decarbonisation which are covered by other committees
but a key part for this committee is to keep the connections with those wider
committees so we're joining the dots across the activities and the agenda.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:06:31
Michelle. Thanks Sarah, so in terms of the employment and skills priorities for the
year ahead I'm not going to read out everything that's in that paper because
there's quite a lot there and that's advance warning of how much you're
have heading to this committee for discussion. But I thought it was
logical to kind of group it into priorities that are around strengthening
Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:06:50
the system, including around helping people to navigate technical pathways,
including addressing some of the different challenges around the
region, including a lack of high level qualifications, people with
including unemployment and underemployment at high levels in Bradford
and supporting the education and training system to have the tutors and
the premises needed to deliver those skills that are in most acute high
laws of demand. So there's the system stuff and then activity that's about
supporting people, whether that's through formal levers
or through influencing other parts of the system
where there isn't necessarily direct control
at a regional level.
That includes early years education and child care
as an area where the mayor made specific commitments
in her manifesto re -election to boost
the availability of places.
Obviously, the levers there are around workforce training.
It will not have escaped anyone's attention around this table that the work and health
agenda is growing incredibly quickly and there is more information in a later agenda item
around that, but that will be a key priority around a system that delivers for people and
of course the careers and employment support agenda with the ambition for all age careers
employment hubs that bring together different services to provide seamless advice for individuals.
And then finally, collaboration with employers. So close collaboration with employers to deliver
the support that employers need so that they know where to go on the employment skills agenda,
but also to ensure that the skill system develops the provision and the training offer to support
those most high demand industries and particularly supporting high level skills and technical skills
in those key areas that will, those key priority sectors that we'll hear more about later on in the
So I thought it was useful to kind of group the priorities
in that kind of way.
But I think what you'll get from the paper
is that it's a busy agenda, and there'll be plenty coming your
way.
Thank you.
Are there any questions and comments at this point?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:09:46
I don't see anybody wanting to come in.
I think what I would say.
I looked the wrong way.
Great, Graham please.
Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council) - 0:09:59
Thank you James, just one question is, I presume as the year goes on we'll be updated on the progress on these initiatives and how successful they'll be.
Good, thank you.
Sarah please.
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 0:10:14
Yeah, thank you, thank you, it's great that you mentioned about cross -cutting themes across all the different committees and the different areas of work in the Combined Authority, because we know that stuff is messy and stuff is really intertwined isn't it?
I suppose my question was about collaborating with employers.
And I know that we've got other things that
later on in the agenda about employers and also the Fair
Work Charter.
But given the government's agenda of getting people back
into economic activity, I think we're
looking at lots of things around how to do that.
And actually, I think there are already
quite a lot of things around getting people pathways
or getting people back into economic activity.
But I think it's about the thing that I was wondering about
the support for employers especially SMEs and that can be really positive you
know in a small company actually someone with a disability or a learning
difficulty or whatever can actually do quite well not necessarily being part of
a massive organization but just so I suppose it's around you know just it
just is you know just thinking about that aspect of supporting employers in
that agenda of getting people back into work just just thinking about that.
Yeah, I mean that's a really important point and I think on the agenda
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:11:24
item on the Fair
Work Charter and Good Work, which I think we'll pick some of that up.
Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:11:30
So we'll make a note when it comes to that item to major on support for employers, if
that's okay?
Yeah, yeah.
Thank you.
Thank you Sue, please.
Thank you.
I know this is coming later in terms of the Innovation Centre of
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:11:43
Excellence, but as it's
mentioned in the overview of the year, we just wanted on behalf of the universities
is to welcome the emphasis on the quadruple helix that
brings together academia, businesses, and community,
and the fourth helix, which I've forgotten.
But that joint approach is very much welcome.
And so we'd like to support that.
Thank you.
Thank you, Sue.
Does anybody else want to come in, please?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:12:07
I don't see anybody with their hands up,
so I will move to the recommendation, which
is we note the report and engage as the year goes through.
So if everybody's happy with that, take it everybody is.

7 Intelligence & Economic Update

We'll move on to item seven, please,
which is the intelligence and economic update.
And I think it's Peter and Guy to introduce this report.
I don't know which one of you is going to go first.
I'll let you choose.
Hi.
Hello, good afternoon.
Guilherme Rodrigues Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:12:42
So as usual, provide an update on the most relevant
economic data we have starting with macroeconomic factors in the UK as a
whole. CPI in December at the time we wrote the report was at 2 .5 % slightly
down from November and the most recent data shows at 2 .8 % sliding up. Energy
bills have been contributing on significant way to inflation also with
private school fees. The Bank of England expects CPI to rise to 3 .5 %
0.7 by the third quarter of this year mainly driven by energy costs.
In February the Bank of England cut its rate by 0 .25 percentage points to
4 .5%. It was a third reduction in six months and then maintained those levels in March.
The cut reflected concerns over economic stagnation and
And the bank continues to see some price pressures to persist especially with energy costs and global trade disruptions
recently
Economy as a whole measured by GDP has been mostly
stagnant so real GDP in the last three months of the year have been estimated to be just 0 .1 percent higher than the previous
month three months and
The most important thing here I would flag. It's the sectoral composition
So manufacturing has been in a really challenging position while services performing a bit better and within manufacturing
Subindustries industries like chemicals and textiles that we are quite specialized have been underperforming
While farm and electronics that we are not so specialized have been performing better
January GDP
figures show this
slow growth environment on the regional level
Business sentiment has been following more or less the same mood.
The PMI from NatWest for Yorkshire and the Amber region has been performing
the national average and were within contraction levels in December 2024.
Chamber of Commerce quarterly economic
survey, we have data from the first quarter this year is a bit more positive
after a very weak last quarter of 2024.
Uh, business startups in the region follow more or less the same pattern.
So the end of 24 and January 25, it was particularly in West Yorkshire.
Business startups were 20 percent lower than the same period in 2023, and in absolute terms
was one of the lowest levels recorded since 28.
Two things to be noted here is that in February, data recovered quite a lot.
So business startups were above the same month
in the previous year.
And this decline in startups, it's
not exactly what we've been seeing in previous downturns
where, for example, sole traders typically increase startup
activity in recessions.
And that has not been the case.
Despite weak sentiment, labor markets are relatively stable.
Uh, claimant count of, uh, 5 .5%, uh, being quite persistent in the last quarters after
an increase in the end of 24, and it varies between 8 .2 % in Bradford and 4 % in Wakefield.
And a number of employees has been also stable with a little marginal decline in previous
months and wage growth remains persistent above inflation ra - levels.
So 2 % above inflation levels, the last data we have.
That's mostly in line with the national average.
So the report, we also have some data looking at trade
partners and the type of trade we have been doing.
The data ends in 2022, but I think it gives us some insights
about our position in terms of the current disruptions
and political problems around trade.
So we have been increasing the number of service exports. It used to be 51 % of
All exports in 19 now. They are 56. So this is quite
significant increase in a short period of time excluding travel
Exports are moving out of Europe mostly
to US and Chinese market but as Europe has been declined by
imports and exports from Netherlands it's very difficult to say how much of
these are really new markets or just repositioning and reflows of
international trade after Brexit. In terms of the US we have a trade surplus
both on goods and services excluding travel that we don't have data and we
export more services than goods to the US so 25 % of our service exports in
2022 were to the US 3 .5 % of our GDP while goods were just around 1 .9 % of GDP 1 billion
therefore our trade
Surplus, it's it's around 2 billion 3 % of our GDA
Thank you Peter anything you want to add please that's great. Thank
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:18:03
you. Are there any questions or comments, please Lisa
Cllr Lisa Martin (Leeds City Council) - 0:18:13
I am just trying to understand unemployment levels.
I know that the measures for unemployment have just changed significantly and the last
few years may not suddenly.
But on page 28, you talk about the paper talks about claimant count.
Is that a percentage on page 28?
So is, I mean I'm trying to understand what the unemployment level is.
So can you say that the claimant count percentage?
it's
round about
Seven to eight percent in in Bradford or is that the wrong reading of that if you can explain that that would be helpful
I've raised one more thing and then it might it might become clearer and then on on page
31 you talk about inactivity and in particular you highlight that Leeds has got a high rate of
inactivity. So it's got on the left hand axis it says about 30. Does that mean 30 % of working
age people are inactive in Leeds? What's the meaning of that? Thanks.
Thank you. On the claim account figures, they are an administrative
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:19:37
Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:19:39
account of people claiming jobless benefits. So the latest rate, and we've got my recent
figures and those presented in the paper but the late the latest rate for for
Bradford is 8 % so that equate that's a number of number of claimants as a
proportion of working age people the ratio to working age people in Bradford
so the rate I think the latest rate for West Yorkshire is 5 .4 percent so it's
both of those races somewhat above the sort of national average we've got quite
wide variation within West Yorkshire of those climate rates between Brathwaite
which is one of the highest in the country and Wakefield which is actually
below the national average, the only one that is. So that's the
administrative account. It's the one we tend to use because it's a
more accurate picture than some of the data which is
based on, which is survey based. In terms of the economic inactivity figures, so
They are the survey based figures from a labour force survey and they do reflect the proportion of inactive people
relative to
In those figures and what you'll also see in the paper is we've calculated our unemployment rate
That's partly because of the deficiencies of some of that survey data
So this can you put your microphone on please
Cllr Lisa Martin (Leeds City Council) - 0:21:11
Sorry, the figure on the left -hand axis is that a percentage then so 30 % of people in Leeds are economically inactive
Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:21:17
As I say there's some volatility there is some volatility in that day in the in those figures
Guilherme Rodrigues Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:21:28
Just just to highlight that it also includes things like students so we have also
Breakouts of specific so inactive it includes students people taking care of others
sickness, long -term unemployment, early retirement, so this is between 16 and 64,
but we do know for example that Bradford and Leeds specifically have quite high
and persistent rates of people, neither work, neither training, so of course
part of it could be explained from people being studying, but other
sub -indicators that we presented in the past suggest there's something more
within the time number.
Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:07
Peter just one further point. So the point about students is leads to have a big obvious. That's a big student population
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:22:11
Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:12
Many of whom are not economically and I could or economically inactive
Thank you, was it Barney or Martin first, please
Martin please. Thank you. Um
Barney Mynott - 0:22:25
Is there a difference across the region? I'm surprised by the raising the service sector exporters in particular
Is that different in different parts of the region?
Because we're not quite seeing that in our surveys or in the activity for the exporters that work through us.
So I think one key point to mention which we sort of picked up at a
Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:22:45
previous business board is
bear in mind these figures are in current prices, so they're not
they're not adjusted for inflation. So obviously
the real value of those exports won't be the same as the changes for
the changes that are presented in sort of nominal terms in the analysis.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:23:09
Thank you. Barnley please. I wanted to give a small business
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 0:23:11
perspective. We had a roundtable with the Bank of England earlier this week with Alex College who is the agent for the Bank of England in Yorkshire and Swati Dhingra who is an MPC member.
So one of the ones setting the interest rates and so we had a lot together a
sort of cross selection of business owners and just just to sort of I suppose
given another bit of flavor to what's just been said
with this report,
there's overall a real lack of confidence,
and it was a real downbeat meeting, I have to say,
and I think it's really important that we understand
that that's where we are.
But there was a sort of,
a feeling that if we could switch,
or turn on a bit of confidence,
actually a lot of things would flow,
but I think that's gonna be really hard.
There was a lot talked about employment,
And there's a real reluctance among small business owners
to look to employ and look to employ more at the minute.
And I think that's a real issue that is going to affect a lot
of the plans that we have here.
And I think we need to think about, consider that.
You know, with 60 % of people in the private sector employed
by SMEs, we need to consider if SMEs are telling us they're
reluctant to employ more people, then we need to think about that.
And we had someone who ran a recruitment company who
said the number of people hiring full time
has just been falling, falling, falling.
And there's quite a move to outsourcing work
to other parts of Europe and South Africa, which
Barney Mynott - 0:24:40
I thought is interesting.
I've heard, I picked that up as well, actually,
at other parts of the world I've heard about outsourcing,
and including having some members who
have been very successful outsourcing businesses
overseas as well.
And I think the other thing is there's a real, a number of people talked about people just
aren't making decisions, everyone's holding on and that's linked to the confidence.
So I think we need to think about that when we're making our plans.
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 0:25:04
I think that's a consideration.
And it's just, I suppose, the final thing I'd say, it's just fatigue was a word that
came out.
It's just been five or six years of hit after hit.
You know, if you think about before lockdown,
we were told the economy was going into a bit of a slowdown.
Then we had COVID.
Then we had Brexit.
Then we had whatever, you know, inflation, the war in Ukraine,
everything.
So I just think these things are quite important to take
into account because they're going to really affect
how we grow the economy here.
If you want to be a good news, we
did have a debt recovery service who were flying at the moment.
Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:25:50
us anybody else want to come in. Thank you. I just wanted to go back
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:25:52
to the
startup figures which were interesting and to share some of the figures from
the University of Huddersfield in terms of our student graduate startups. This
was from about four years ago when we would have roughly 30 a year you know on
a pretty steady batting average there. It's been steadily rising over the last
four years up to just short of 120 in the figures to last July.
So we were really sort of pleased about that.
It has fallen off this year.
Some of that is potentially linked
to reduced university resources for supporting
things like enterprise.
But I do want to suggest maybe that there
could be a subset data looked at because those are public domain
figures.
It'd be interesting to track the student graduate startups
as well as the overall startups.
And if there's anything else we can do
to keep those young entrepreneurs active, it would be a good thing for this committee to keep an eye on.
Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:26:47
Thanks Sue.
Somebody else want to come in? Graeme please.
Thank you Chair. Can we just clarify on 3 .4, the reduction in
Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council) - 0:26:58
manufacturing GBA at 1 .2 % is a national figure, not a wishy -oxy.
It is a national figure. Thank you.
And just following on from the gentleman who just spoke at that last conference, that's not quite what we're seeing in Kirklees at the moment.
We've seen quite a significant amount of investment
from some of our multinational companies.
And business confidence seems quite high.
So perhaps we're bucking the trend a little bit.
But it's doing all right at the moment.
Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:27:25
I think we had an interesting session in Leeds.
And I think you're right.
Some of the longer term investors
are, without using the old cliche, playing the long game.
I think the point Barney was making, I think it's one we've heard a lot, is about small
businesses in particular are the ones that aren't at the moment.
So I think there is a bit of some different trajectories there at the moment in terms
of how competent people feel seroply.
Yeah.
Is there analysis about the sort, and this is to business colleagues
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 0:28:01
as well as combined
authority colleagues, is there analysis about the sort of businesses that are doing business
well or you know in terms of startups that are doing well or or or SMEs and ones that aren't?
Is there a is it even across the different sectors or is are there sectors that are
buoyant and others that are failing? I'll ask Peter and Guy to come in and maybe Barney or
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:28:25
Martin have an observation, anybody else has an observation on that but Peter and Guy please.
So on the day we have the decline was quite broad across local authorities between limited
Guilherme Rodrigues Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:28:36
companies and sole traders and within sectors so it was quite broad so it goes in line with
this idea of confidence but we'll see how it recovers in the next month.
Thank you.
Martin Plee.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:28:53
Yeah I agree there's no particular sectors performing better than others at the start
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 0:29:00
up end of things but it really is a confidence issue it's looking at the situation is now
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 0:29:04
the right time to set up a business and to run and develop a business or even grow it
to your first member of staff from being self -employed. It's a difficult time.
Thank you. Barney please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:29:21
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 0:29:21
Very quickly I think for more established businesses tech's doing
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 0:29:23
quite well, pharmaceuticals
are doing quite well. The ones that are really struggling, I won't surprise you, are hospitality
in retail really struggling and all that around employment as well as consumer spending.
Thank you. Sarah would like to come back please.
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 0:29:40
Yeah well that's actually a slightly different point if that's okay.
And it's sort of, it's not meant to be a facetious question and it's going to sound a bit sort of
like naive and stuff I know. But so Wakefield has got the lowest rate of people claiming benefits.
and Bradford the highest, now obviously there's sort of demographics involved, but what's Wakefield's secret?
Is there anything that we know that's why that's particularly good?
Or good in terms of having a low numbers of claimants?
Or is there a magic formula? Clearly there isn't, but I'm just interested.
Peter or Guy, do you have the secret?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:30:22
Peter Glover, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:30:29
So, I'm not sure we, I think Wakefield does perform better than some of the local authorities in certain respects and the claimant count is an example of that.
Inactivity is not great in Wakefield on the other hand, so there are other instances of sort of joblessness as well.
But I think I wouldn't overstate or read into that the way it fuels economy.
Historically it has had a lower claimant rate and that can be part of anomalies with the way the claimant count works.
Thank you. Martin, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:31:14
Yeah, I think it's, sorry, Wakefield's one of the areas I cover too,
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 0:31:15
it's also the type of jobs that there are.
There are lots more entry -level jobs in and around Wakefield because
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 0:31:22
of the type of employment opportunities that are there.
Thank you. Are there any more questions or comments on this report?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:31:34
I
Don't say anybody thank you everybody the
Recommendations for wrap it up is that we note the report which I think we have done an excellent job of noting that report

8 Access to Finance

And I'm now going to move on to item 8 and Lorna's going to introduce this item, please
Thank you
So the ask today is for members to approve the proposed access to finance model set out in the paper
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:32:02
and also to provide your views and recommendations on future developments.
I'd like to thank members for all your contributions to date in the development
of this work stream. It's been extremely helpful to gather your views as part of
this, so I hope that you see those reflected in what we're proposing.
Just as a bit of recap, West Yorkshire is one of the worst performing regions
in terms of the number and value of both debt and equity investments we see in
and we're looking at how we can change that, what our role as a combined authority is in changing that system.
Only a third of businesses in our regions know where to go to get information on finance.
We have underdeveloped angel and venture capital networks and then we see that there are groups that are underserved in accessing investments
such as women, people from ethnic and minority groups, people with disabilities, people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, etc.
So following the consultation that we've undertaken, we're proposing a holistic solution to bring
together all of the access to finance interventions in one place and that's based around five
key areas.
So that's around building awareness so that businesses do know about the different financial
options available to them, boosting investment readiness so that once they're aware of those
options that are ready to access investment, potentially looking at whether there are any
supply -side interventions if we think there's a gap in the market that the public sector
needs to fill, and what our role is as shaping the ecosystem and bringing those different
providers together, and really raising the profile of the region as a place to do business
and access investment. And running through all of that is a need to support founders
who are underserved in accessing investment and so that runs all the way
through the model. So what we're proposing is that we would take forward
some interventions in the next financial year to get some things in motion fairly
quickly so we're proposing that we would invest two million pounds in an
investment readiness program and also one million pounds in a development fund
to enable us to test some demand side interventions.
And we could potentially later scale
those that are most successful.
And that would be a particular focus
on those founders who are underserved
and also could include things like alternative business
models as well.
We will be launching the kind of early stage fund.
So this has been previously approved
through the investment zone work and is now progressing.
we will look to develop an online hub so this is as part of the wider work of the combined authority
renewing our website and really facilitating engagement with the ecosystem so we've already held in February
an investor forum bringing together different partners in the region from banks, angel investors, venture capital firms, brokers etc
and that was a really positive step forward and we're looking to do more of
that work in the coming year. We're also sponsoring some initiatives in the
region to help build that profile so CLIMB will be taking place again in our
region in July and we're also working with other organisations like
Lifted Ventures who are doing a lot of work in our region to support female
founders and the Lifted board as well and another organisation called Vine
which is based in London but is looking to do more in the regions to support diverse
founders so we're looking to take forward the strategic relationships and develop others
with other organisations.
So really like I said at the start of the ask today is for you to approve the model
itself but also to provide any views that you have on future development work that you'd
like us to consider as we take this forward.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:35:58
Great. Thank you, Lorna. I'm going to go straight to Fatima, please.
Thank you, Chair. Really comprehensive report, Lorna, and really
Fatima Khan-Shah (Inclusivity Champion) - 0:36:07
reinforces some of the work that we've done on behalf of the Mayor of West Yorkshire with the Women of West Yorkshire Network having a specific focus on this.
Some of the elements of feedback have been about the accessibility and awareness of some of these services.
So with the board's support I'd like to propose an action that I meet with Lorna to discuss whether there are external opportunities through the networks that I convene to really support you reaching people with disabilities, for example, ethnically diverse communities and women as well, just to see if we can do more to be more inclusive.
Thank you, I think that's really helpful.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:36:40
You're welcome from my perspective.
Sorry Lorna. So just a very welcome from my perspective, thank you.
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:36:46
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:36:47
Thank you. Sorry I can't see your nameplate, um there's a microphone in the way.
Natasha would you like to come in please?
Natasha Barbar-Evans, Advisory Representative (Voluntary & Community Sector) - 0:36:55
you
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:37:57
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:37:59
Thank you Natasha and I have met with Trust Leads actually so yeah really interesting
and I should have mentioned in the development fund proposal part of that would be specifically
around evaluating those interventions so that we know which are successful and can scale
so that will be built into the programme delivery.
Thank you. Martin please.
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 0:38:22
Thanks Lorna, it's a really good report and I know it's been consulted on widely so thank
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 0:38:28
you for that and I like nearly all of it. So the finance hub on your diagram, the finance
hub, the investment readiness program, market shaping is fine, but then it's the supply
side interventions which for a couple of reasons.
I'm not sure why we want to invent new financial products when there's a market out there already.
There's no shortage of money to invest in businesses and organizations.
There's a shortage of making those links.
So there's a shortage of risk taking.
And one of my issues with the public sector
designing projects in the contracts that they then give,
they take less risk than the private sector would
in the first place.
And we've got evidence of that for 30 years
in funds that we've had across Yorkshire in total.
And the other reason for not supporting that sort of,
there's just simply not enough money in the pot.
Those funds are not economically viable
unless they're substantially more, unless they're very carefully developed and
managed because the management fees would top that on most funds here. Thank
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:39:46
you. Thanks, Lorna again please. Thank you Martin and that's why in the model
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:39:48
we're focusing on the demand side interventions and that's come through in
the consultation that we've done as well that the gap is more so in connecting
businesses to the funding that's already available. So the early stage fund that
you're referring to, so that's something that's already being approved as part of
the investment zone proposal and the reason for that intervention is
specifically around the health tech sector and that difficulty in accessing
investment in those businesses where there's a need to for example undertake
clinical trials before they can get a product to market and that being a more
risky space where it was felt there was a need for public sector intervention and we
are currently exploring opportunities to work with partners to increase that fund to enable
it to achieve greater reach. But in terms of other supply side interventions, I think
our focus is currently on the demand side rather than the supply side. So that would
be what we would be looking to test initially.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:40:49
Thank you. Lee, please.
Yeah, this is, it looks great.
Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK) - 0:40:54
I think I just asked that on the sort of investment ready side of things that
maximize the Innovate UK offer for Innovate UK business growth as well,
alongside what you're proposing in terms of investment readiness.
Cuz they do a lot of what you've put in there, but
obviously with an innovation focus.
So where you've got those innovative businesses looking for investment,
then there's potentially they could draw on the innovative K offer and then
create space for you to deliver in other areas. Thanks Lee.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:41:27
Lorna do you want to come in please? Yeah absolutely and we're definitely not trying to reinvent
the wheel so we're absolutely open here to working with partners that's you know
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:41:36
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:41:40
what we're proposing through this model. Thank you. Sarah please. Yeah thank you I
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 0:41:45
think it's great it's really good you know it's good good good stuff going on
here. I think there's a couple of areas that obviously in
Caulderdale we're feeling a little bit like we're not you know it's not
necessarily a good fit for us entirely in some of the areas just because of our
you know our business population and so it's almost be like you know you could
run two programs so one for the sort of leads and similar authorities and one
that for small authorities that would fit maybe some of our business demographic, I
think that we need some additional background work in Colesdale to make sure that we're
not excluded. Because I do think there's a bit of a gap compared, we're really SME focused.
We do have some big businesses, but we're really SME focused. And I'm really supportive
of the investment readiness programme and we really recognise that lots of Colesdale
businesses might not be pitch ready so having that is a really great is a great
thing. I think on the investment zone pre -seed fund that's not really I think
that's one of the areas it's not really going to help
Calderdale in the same way because we don't necessarily have that big
investment zone potential so I think obviously it's going to happen and
that's great but we might question how else we will learn to inform future
opportunities for sector specific funds. And then just my last point, it's just given the
early stages of this work, it would be really helpful to have a timeline, what's going to
happen when, what's going to happen and when with key milestones and reporting back. Is
that okay? Thanks.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:43:29
Thank you. Sarah, do you want to come in first?
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:43:34
Thank you. I do want to reassure that this is about very much enabling all businesses
to succeed as well as targeting priority sectors. So it's actually, it's absolutely about, you
covering those businesses that are in Caulsdale. The IZ Fund is a particular area where we know
there's a gap we need to invest but it's about businesses also across the region, some of which
are across the whole patch, not just in the capital sites. And the supply side piece, as Lorna said,
is very much about us really identifying where the specific gaps are where we can add value,
absolutely not about cutting across, as Lorna said, it's about adding value and investing,
potentially co -investing with others to increase the size of the pot, particularly to target
under -served communities where we know there is a huge issue in terms of access
in finance. So just to reassure. Thank you. Graham please.
Thank you Chas. Just one quick point. Well welcome the part that's a
Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council) - 0:44:22
good
process of moving forward. I'm not on the raising the profile. I'd be
intrigued to know how we're going to do that because I have to say the trace is
fantastic at buying the drug for West Yorkshire. So how much more profile raising you're going to get and what your
ability to do that is now you know that would be interesting because she's very
good at it already so it's a challenge to get any more out there don't think
many people don't know that the trace comes from West Yorkshire is there?
Thank you who'd like to go at that please?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:44:53
I'll have a quick go because I think your points absolutely right and
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:45:01
obviously it's a general piece where we can raise the profile of West Yorkshire as a place to invest but I think
what is implicit in this is a real targeting of those investors. It is not about general
noise thrown out there, it is about real proactive targeting of trying to find the people with
the money and make sure they are the ones who understand what the opportunity in the
region is. I think that is something we have maybe not done quite as well as we could have
done in the past. That is a big part of the work. We will be really holding in on that
and see what we can do to make an impact there.
Thank you. Fatima, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:45:30
Can I also make a suggestion that in addition to investors and Tracey raising the profile
that we demonstrate the diversity of people we have invested in so
Fatima Khan-Shah (Inclusivity Champion) - 0:45:39
that we can show people
that actually it is possible of some of your heritage or background to get money, get investment
and be successful. So there is loads of space for everyone including Tracey I think.
Please. In the investment readiness programme it talks
about there being opportunities for learning and development so is
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:45:58
there going to be, I
Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership) - 0:46:00
funding to support learning and development or is that using existing
ports or is that new opportunities for learning and development?
Yeah so we're still working up the investment readiness proposal but if
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:46:16
there's anything that you know you would like to feed into that now we can take
that into account as we take that forward. Thank you, Gareth please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:46:27
Yeah thank you Lauren it's a really good report I think it's really
Gareth Scargill - 0:46:28
welcome when
I think about some of the graduates, for example, from the Innovative Entrepreneurs' Programme
that showed some great progress. This is one of the areas where they really struggle at
the end of the programme, so that's really welcome. I just wanted to go on to the Investment
Readiness Programme. We work really closely at the University with Northern Gritstone
and they're forever volunteering to engage with businesses and members of NEXUS in particular
around investment readiness, whether or not they're in the life sciences space or not,
more from a responsibility perspective so I would absolutely ever encourage a
discussion with Northern Britstone on this as well.
And we have part funded that pot as well so yeah absolutely we can pick that up.
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:47:09
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:47:14
Great thank you. Does anybody else want to come in on item 8 please? Sarah please.
Yeah just just picking up on I think what you were saying Fatima about about
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 0:47:23
good stories and I think that if you, I was in a meeting earlier today where we were
talking about transformation around active travel and stuff.
And I think if you sort of talk about people's barriers
and ask people what their barriers are,
all they think about are their barriers.
Whereas if you talk about and get people's good stories
and then you amplify those,
it makes people know what they can do
rather than think about what they can't do.
So I think I just would really support that.
I think in terms of getting stuff out there
rather than saying, oh, we know you've got barriers.
It's like, no, don't talk about barriers.
amplify all the good stories out there and the case studies because I think
that's what people really relate to so I just want to sort of yes I think that's
a really good approach Fatima. Thank you and I think you're right some of it is
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:48:09
about using our networks as Fatima's talked about using our network to make
sure we are talking about this as work that everybody in West Yorkshire can be
everybody in West Yorkshire can be part of. Okay does anybody else want to come in on
this item please. I don't see any more hands up so we'll just look at the
recommendations and I take everybody is happy with those recommendations. That's

9 Skills System & Business Reviews

great thank you and we'll move on to item nine which is the skill system and
business reviews and are you going to start on this Michelle please?
Yeah happy to thank you very much so on the skill system review I'll be
fairly brief because at the last meeting we brought the report of that and which
Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:48:52
you endorsed. But you're really keen to hear about next steps, quite rightly.
And so what we've brought this time is an update really on progress since
you agreed the skill system review report last time and its
recommendations, particularly around a changed role at the regional level
around employment and skills to become more strategic across quite a
range of different areas particularly in regard to careers, to support for
employers on the employment and skills agenda where we're moving to more of a
convening and strategic role rather than one of direct delivery in recognition
and particularly that when it comes to individuals that are the furthest from
the labour market or who are taking those first steps into work or learning,
that the route to engagement is best at the most local level possible. So
that's at the root of what you agreed last time as a reminder. So what we've
brought here this time is an update on ways of working between the
command authority and local authorities since then, including an officer led
design authority to support the implementation of new and developing
work and you've got quite a detailed list of the work plan of that design
authority attached in terms of the implementation plan going forward which
includes really everything that has been identified as a priority in for
employment skills in the local growth plan and also everything that was
committed to in the mayor's manifesto for re -election around the employment
and skills agenda.
So it's got quite a lot there.
And we've got a plan for how those things are
to be developed in partnership.
And that will absolutely, while that's
the kind of the local authority and the command authority
kind of ways of working, obviously, they will,
the consultation will be far, far wider in terms of developing
all of those aspects.
But the role of that design authority
is to ensure that the recommendations of the skills system review which was carried out
by shared intelligence are implemented throughout all of that development.
And I think Andrew has got a much more detailed update on the business review.
Thanks Michelle.
Yeah, thank you Michelle.
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:51:25
I think we're actually probably a couple of steps behind the skills system review in many
ways but what we have got is we've developed a high level model.
The paper today is just asking you to really note that as that went through the combined authority at its last meeting on 27th of February.
So in a nutshell, the current model has been supporting the West Yorkshire businesses since around 2015, so it's something that's been in place for quite some time.
And whilst the model, I think it's fair to say, has achieved some really good output, some strong output certainly against what it was targeted to do,
We need now to look at further evolution of that model if we're really to achieve the scale and impact that we've set out and the ambition that we've set out within the local growth plan.
So essentially that boils down to I suppose how do we increase the reach and make sure more businesses are able to access the support they need to grow.
How does that model facilitate a greater access for more businesses.
And the paper sets out some of the detail around that, which I don't intend to necessarily
go over because you've got it in front of you, but in essence I suppose it's about facilitating
a more joined up and more coordinated ecosystem where in fact we're aiming at a no wrong door.
So it doesn't matter where a business tries to enter that process, they're getting the
same level of advice and support and being signposted or brokered to the right place.
It's a system which supports kind of all businesses, but at the same time
recognizing that we need to put our money where we're going to see most impact and that does align with the local growth plan
inevitably mean we need to concentrate some of that resource on really focusing in on high growth potential businesses
looking at where those sectors and clusters can have real value and where the growth is likely to come from.
It's a system I suppose that better leverages that whole ecosystem
So building on the capacity and the expertise that exists within both public and private
sector, organisations like the chambers, like the FSB, universities and others, to really
maximise that interaction with business across the board, not just relying on the centre
and a few people there able to do that.
So I don't really want to say much more than that and obviously would welcome any questions.
I think the final thing to say would be around transition and implementation.
As I mentioned there, we are still at a relatively early stage of understanding some of the finer detail around how this can work.
What we set ourselves is an implementation period of 12 months.
So in effect, we're setting a backstop of March 2026.
We want to make sure we've got the right amount of time to implement this properly and make sure we're having all the relevant conversations in the right place so that the activity that we roll out meets the task in hand.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:54:14
Thank you Andrew and Michelle. Are there any questions or comments please? Sorry I can't
Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 0:54:22
hear you. Farrah please. Yes, thank you that's quite comprehensive the sort of two sets of
reports there. I'm really interested in the high growth potential businesses I mean how
would you identify those? That's the first question. The second bit is there's an awful
lot of data that's going to be held fairly centrally if all the exit points are leading
into the same place.
And a lot of people will be able to access that.
So in terms of security and that,
that's quite concerning because a lot of that
is confidential data.
No, absolutely.
So on the second point very quickly,
we're in the process of developing a new CRM system,
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:54:58
which we're working very hard on.
Obviously we'll have to meet all of those
data protection requirements and make sure
that we're securing that information.
You're quite right, if we're to extend the scope of the number of businesses that we're
interacting with, we need to make sure that we're doing that very, very seriously and
taking care of the data that exists.
In terms of the point around high growth, that's something that we're developing, I
think is probably the fair way to put that.
And I will welcome input from people around that because it's inevitably very challenging.
One of the things we know that there are existing definitions of what might constitute a high
growth business coming from the likes of OECD with long standing definitions based on kind
of year on year growth around turnover and employee numbers, that type of thing. But
they tend to be a very backward look and there is a school of thought and an argument to
be had, well if you're taking a backward look they've already achieved that growth, are
they the right businesses you need to be targeting, are they ones that need the support? So I
think what we are looking for is something which is a bit more nuanced than that. Looking
at what are their other more, I suppose arguably more subjective measures that we can look
at amongst the data points to try and understand what the likelihood of a company to the growth
potential is. So it might be that they've looked to engage with an accelerator or they're
seeking finance, all of those sort of markers that might just indicate this could be a business
with real growth potentials. There are commercial providers out there which we're looking at
which do some of this work for us,
and we do have a suite of a basket of measures
that kind of indicate some of these things.
We're steadily working our way through
trying to understand some of those
to make sure that we get the right data.
We have the wrong data, this does fall down
and we understand that, so we really do want to make sure
we target inappropriately when we do that.
And I see this very much as a relatively small number
of the businesses, this is about more intense work
with those businesses to really realize that potential
working with you know there's a nutspace which is in the UK.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:57:06
Thank you. Barnaby please. I'm a big supporter of this paper and I think the idea on
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 0:57:14
business support that you work with the existing ecosystem, the same thing I've been banging on about for a long time because you just undermine existing West Yorkshire businesses if you don't do it that way.
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 0:57:23
A couple of points, one I'm really pleased to hear you say about high growth
because actually identifying high growth is actually quite easy in some ways.
It's identifying businesses where you can make a difference.
If we're gonna spend public money, we've gotta be making a difference.
And if you just go to the normal sort of high growth,
we're actually gonna fall into some of the difficulties we talked about in
the last paper where we're not gonna actually be helping diverse business owners.
It's gonna be very much the white male, middle class business owners.
So I think that's really important that we do that.
The other point I really want to make is, I think it's page 67, you talk about a basic
self -serve diagnostic.
And I think that's right for now because I think you've got to run before you can walk
and I think you've got to get this up rather than get too complicated.
But one of the keys to actually helping businesses isn't to give them what they want, it's to
give them what they need.
And a lot of times they're not going to know what's possible, what's out there.
So having a good diagnostic can make a real difference.
And I would just say, when you do come to look at improving the diagnostic,
you're not doing anything new yet.
That has been done in other places.
And there are people, I think, who could help you do this quite easy.
And I say cheaply, probably for free.
I think people would be prepared to help you with this.
So you wouldn't be on your own and have to reinvent the wheel.
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:58:44
Yeah, no, I think that's absolutely right, Vani.
And thank you for those comments.
And if you've got suggestions, et cetera, then that's all really helpful stuff.
Sue, please.
Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:58:55
Speaking as a university, we welcome both reviews and on the business
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:58:58
support one, it's
good to see the university's role in the ecosystem recognised, particularly in that level, tier
two.
We'd also, I think, want to add value at tier three as well, particularly around the innovation,
R &D, agenda.
So our role in working with those kind of businesses is something we would like to recognise.
on skills, recognize what Michelle said about the strategic conversation again
we will all can be more involved in those kind of strategic skills
conversations to help with that one. And my question will be on the financial
implications of the report it suggests there will be some but isn't really say
what they are whether they are whether it's going to cost more or it's going to
cost less or the same so I don't know whether at this stage that is no. Thank
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 0:59:45
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 0:59:47
Thank you. Andrew please. Thanks Sue for that and great to have the University involved of course in all of those points. In terms of the financial implications I think it's fair to say that's something that we're currently working through. It will depend on where a lot of this will be about where some of those roles that are set up within that model ultimately sits in which organisations and the extent and balance of those roles.
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:00:13
So it's very difficult to put a definitive number on things at this stage but we can
obviously we will be doing that and we'll bring that we can bring that back
later stage to really detail some of that as we as we work through some of
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:00:26
the implications around that. Thank you. Sarah please. Thank you.
Yeah, really supportive of the implementation plan on the skill system
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 1:00:34
review that's great. In the business infrastructure review and sort of
So overall, supportive of the approach, I think it still needs to be clear on how we
balance productivity compared to growth goals with ensuring support for an inclusive economy.
The digital platform's great, but can we look at co -design for that?
That would be great.
Federated models, brilliant.
Working with the FSB and the Chambers is great.
I think we're not there yet, but I think it's a really good model to have.
And I think, I know we're going to talk about the Fair Work Charter in a bit, but just knowing
how that will embed within the approach, I think needs a bit of clarity.
That would be good.
I do have a sort of a slight thing that I'm not, that I think in Colfordale we're not
entirely happy about.
The whole thing about agreement of centrally resourced and locally deployed model for business
facing experts is great but not really very happy about the centrally resourced
but employed so not about the experts being employed centrally which I
know is the combined authorities preferred model but that's not really I
think the preferred model for the local authorities. I just wanted to flag
that up so that when you know working through arrangements that it's not based
on an incorrect sort of like assertion I think we would really prefer those to be
to be employed still by the constituent authorities. I think it's just that it's
just to do with sort of join up of local level systems and council departments
and those sorts of things I don't I don't know that that that will work if
they're employed by the combined authority in quite quite the same way
but obviously we really welcome the transition year that's really useful but
I just really wanted to flag that up.
So sorry to sort of put some dissent in there,
but I just thought it's worth flagging.
Thank you, Andrew, please.
Yeah, thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:02:41
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:02:41
I suppose just a couple of points to respond particularly on
and I'll come back to the Fair Work Charter point,
but in terms of where people are employed,
we've been working through this whole process
with local authority colleagues to try and build the model.
So absolutely aware of some of the comments
that you've made there and I think we continue to have those discussions about kind of what
works best. From our perspective, absolutely, you're kind of right, it allows us to build
consistency of approach, it allows us to make the most of how that's rolled out in that
consistent coordinated fashion. We'll absolutely recognise some of the challenges coming back
on that specific issue and we'll continue to have those conversations.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:03:25
Thank you. Martin, please.
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:03:27
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:03:30
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:03:33
Thank you chair and again supportive of the approach and again the consultation that's
happened we've all been very engaged with the process well but the on the business infrastructure
review it has been a long while coming it's taken a long while to get to where we are
now on the implementation and transitional arrangements I have concern I share Sarah's
concerns around everybody knows where they're going.
And it seems a long while that that's going
to take a year to sort out.
And in the meantime, we've got the transitional arrangements
where we're continuing to fund some programs which
don't fit with the model that we're going
to be adopting in the future.
And that, to me, just doesn't feel the right thing to do.
Andrew, please.
Yeah.
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:04:19
I think we very deliberately look
Go for an extended period on the transition right and I take you take the point you're making there
Absolutely. What we can't do in this is kind of turn it tap off and then turn it turn it back on very easily
Without losing some of that continuity that's important in the system
And that's why we've looked to build in this kind of transition period there are still as I've outlined as well
Series of unknowns in this we need to get some of the detail around things like the high growth
definitions and we need to make sure we worked all that through before we we turn on the new model if you like and
I think for me it also just gives us that opportunity
It's not about saying we're going to wait for 12 months necessarily
But we will where we can look to implement certain aspects of that much sooner
so the website is is a good example of that where and
We may not go with the full -blown diagnostic values points on that I think
are absolutely right, but we are already working on what that looks like and bringing that
forward and developing that because we know we can hopefully then implement that and bring
that forward into the market. It doesn't necessarily require some of the other things to be in
place to do that. So we're building out where we can and allows us enough time to work through
some of the implications. I've talked around partnership affiliate arrangements, for example,
working with the likes of yourselves. I think there's a lot of detail in there to be unpicked
to make sure it works the best it possibly can and I don't want to rush to judgement
on that but I do take your point. Thank you. Sarah please.
Yeah, Andrew's absolutely right but there's a couple, as I mentioned
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:05:55
earlier, there's
a couple of moving parts nationally as well so not least the small
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:05:58
business strategy and
the national business growth service. We need to see where that lands and how these two
things work together so we've got a coherent system that no matter which entry point you
Going whether it's national local regional looks and feels the same and it's giving the same offer to businesses
Which is part of the rational for a little bit more time to do it as well
Thank you Lee, please
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:06:19
Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK) - 1:06:22
You're just building on that be good to make sure that innovate UK's in the loop and we're part of that system
You Martin, please
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:06:29
Thank you
Yeah
Sarah and I the point of making about transitional arrangements is
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:06:34
we're continuing to fund projects where they have come to an end
Their contract returns have come to an end and yet we've chosen to fund them for another year
Even though they don't fit the new model and that just doesn't seem to make sense to me
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:06:48
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:06:52
Where we are with with the model matching as I see it certainly is
This is what we've presented to you here is very much about kind of
Andrew Sharp, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:06:59
that core infrastructure piece. So it's a bit about how
Businesses access the support that's out there and I've stressed the part around
Support being both in the private and public sector. It's that whole ecosystem piece
What you're rightly flagging and talking about is the individual publicly funded programs that might be part of that mix
What we didn't want to do was to leave some significant gaps
So there were already a series of existing programs that were that's related to end at March 26
Which is partly why we've chosen that day. There are others as you say which have come were coming to an end
in a week
but we're looking to extend beyond that in order to provide that continuity of support
for our businesses. I think it gives us a really strong window then to look properly
at what do we want the future of business support to look like, what do the publicly
funded programmes look like. It's not all about what we do as a public sector, it is
about the wider piece including as I say what private sector are doing, what universities
are doing. And at the moment that's become for various reasons we don't need to go into
quite fragmented and we have a bit of a window of opportunity here I think to really sit
down collectively and look at that and set a bit of a platform plan about what types
of support that we need to fill where we can identify very clearly what the market failures
are and therefore justification for why you've got public sector intervention in that.
Thank you.
Graeme please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:08:25
Thanks, I just want to support Sarah and I do have concerns about the business advisors
Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council) - 1:08:33
that ExCET is employed by WIC. I think there is a risk of us as a local authority losing
our influence and ability to direct those. So I'm just really supporting Sarah and registering
my concerns as well. Thank you. Alex, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:08:52
On the design authority work plan, there's lots of references to this
Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership) - 1:08:54
is being prioritised
for investment do we know a timeline for that what that's going to look like when
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:09:04
how what any of the information behind that yeah so that refers back to
decisions that the command authority to have taken recently about the
prioritization of funds and there's a lot of the kind of rationale for making
the case for investment in the employment and skills and agenda
Thank you. Is there anybody else would like to comment on this paper?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:09:28
I'm looking around
I don't have somebody else's hand up so I'm going to turn to the recommendations and I
see everybody looks happy with those so we'll move on to item 10 please and Callum would
you like to introduce this? Thank you yes so in the local growth plan the combined authority

10 Sector Plan

committed to work with partners to develop cluster action plans that will
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:09:49
accelerate the growth of our areas greatest economic strength which
comprise health and health tech, advanced manufacturing, the green economy, business
and financial and professional services and digital and technology industries.
Each of these cluster action plans when finalized will provide detail on the key
barriers to growth that we can observe and the evidence for what supporting
action might remediate those. Policy priorities, so focus on things like R &D,
trade and investment, finance, skills, transport and built environment
requirements and the regulatory environment. Key policy alignment,
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:10:29
which current policies exist at regional, local and national level that can
facilitate the growth of our key clusters. The actions and interventions
that we can introduce which would accelerate the growth and address the
barriers that I mentioned before.
And then the key monitoring and evaluation
that we should be putting in place
to assess our progress in accelerating that growth.
The appendices that have been provided
sets out the detail on our current thinking
for each of these clusters, but as an overall summary
of some of the key barriers that we're identifying
across each of them.
So there are clear regulatory challenges
on some of these sectors.
as they are quite rightly tightly regulated spaces,
but that can add complexity for partners.
So for example, in health, there's multiple regulators,
such as the MHRA, the CQC and ICA.
But there's also continued post Brexit uncertainty,
which is introducing additional barriers
and to what businesses have faced in previous years.
As we've already discussed today,
there's a financial gap and access to finance challenges.
is also that's both true across all businesses,
but again, we've mentioned previously,
that's particularly true in some of our sectors,
such as in health and health tech.
There are key infrastructure barriers also,
transport, but energy availability is also a key barrier
for much of our manufacturing sector,
as well as broader challenges around housing affordability
and premise affordability also.
And then finally there's a particular competitive pressure both internationally and nationally.
So London, Southeast and the Golden Triangle is a key pull when it comes to where firms choose to locate,
but that's increasingly true of other core cities in the UK such as Manchester and Birmingham.
And the appendices also set out some of the key policy interventions that we're interested in exploring with partners and businesses
Over the coming months that covers things around supporting high -growth businesses with targeted advice,
attracting additional inward investment and international companies to locate in the region,
enhancing skills provision and leadership and management support,
continuing to shape national UK government policy around our key sectors,
and collaboration with key innovation institutions,
institutions, chiefly our universities, but among others.
So just to set up the next steps and time scales, we now intend to consult with businesses
and partners on these emerging plans that we've circulated over the coming months.
And that's to coincide with the conversations that we have taking place with government
as they develop their industrial strategy.
And we're looking to produce finalized versions of each of these cost -reaction plans for the
to coincide with that UK government strategy also.
Really, the questions today really,
we're really asking for general feedback
on the approach that we're outlining here,
but also views on the biggest opportunities
and challenges that we should be exploring
with businesses and partners over the next few months.
Thank you, Callum.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:13:47
Does MD want to take Callum's request for views up please?
Sarah please. I've just got a question really. The digital technology
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 1:13:56
cluster, just wanted to clarify to the extent of which that encompasses the creative industries or will that be treated separately?
Creative industries, obviously we know that that's important for Tracy, it's important for Caulsdale as well.
And I'm just wondering if, because I think there was some pushback from government on the inclusion of creative sector,
so it would be useful to just see how that all tallies up. Thank you.
Yeah, of course. So we've not forgotten about the creative industry, so that's a separate piece of work in its own right.
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:14:38
But you're quite right that there is also
a significant amount of overlap, particularly
with the digital and technology sector and cluster,
and indeed in some of our others as well.
So yes, we're not excluding it in our focus.
And it continues to be a conversation
we have with the UK government too,
because we see the opportunity for that sector also.
Thank you.
Barney, please.
A couple of points.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:15:03
First, advanced manufacturing.
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:15:05
Businesses, manufacturers I talk to,
They get quite frustrated when people
talk about advanced manufacturing as a sector,
because it's not a sector.
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:15:11
It's a way of doing things.
And I wanted to go back to previous conversations.
I'll be just picking winners.
And shouldn't one of the key things
be actually getting a lot of the ones who
aren't advanced manufacturers up to speed?
And I think politicians and decision -makers
get very excited about advanced manufacturing.
And I think they sometimes miss the point about actually
driving to increase productivity in manufacturing.
It's actually about looking at the sector as a whole
and driving improvements as a whole.
And the other sector I'm a bit confused about,
the other cluster I'm a bit confused about really,
is the green, what's it termed as?
Because the green economy,
because it seems to be a really disparate,
it doesn't seem to be one cluster,
there just seems to be lots of different types
of businesses, innovation, and everything,
that just fits a policy goal.
But actually, aren't we all heading towards this?
So it seems to be so broad,
it could be everything and nothing.
I'm not quite sure that's tied down enough to what it actually really is. I'm confused about what it is
So I think you're I think we certainly agree with your first point as well around and
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:16:18
manufacturing and the key challenge there actually is addressing some of the
The opportunity I suppose as well in terms of the productivity differential that we can see in that sector in particular
but for me to bear the region and nationally but internationally also and that's absolutely an area focus for the
the actions that we're looking to explore to address that opportunity for that sector.
On the green economy, I think one of the things that I think we'd identify in the sector across
the piece is that they're all at different points in their maturity.
The green economy, understandably, given it's an emerging sector, is a much more nascent
set of clusters.
It probably isn't a single one, but multiple ones.
Part of our challenge is identifying within that sector where the region's real comparative
advantage is likely to be and whether that warrants a focus in its own right or whether
it's complementary to some of the other clusters and sectors that we're looking at, for example,
in things like manufacturing where there may be a particular opportunity around clean energy
and the supply of heat pumps in the future.
So it depends, I suppose the point would be each of these clusters are a different point
in their maturity.
Policy has to be dynamic in that context.
Yes, please.
Yes.
I mean, in a way, though, aren't you then trying to nip fog?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:17:37
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:17:39
I mean, if you don't know what it is, then, you know.
And I don't know why we say green economy.
And I don't want to sort of sit and say we should all
be burning fossil fuels.
You know, I do agree with the drive towards cleaner economy.
But if we can't properly define it,
how can we properly help it?
And does it just become words on a bit of paper
rather than anything that's going to make a difference?
and if we're not making a difference, why are we doing it?
Well, I mean, yeah, we can certainly take the challenge away and see
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:18:06
what we can do in the next few months
to better define that as a sector and the sub -sectors within it.
And there are, I think we could point to some existing sub -sectors where there are, you know,
there's clear definition, for example, so I mentioned kind of clean energy as an example of that,
and there's a clear economic opportunity for the region in pursuing it.
But you're quite right that one of the key challenges when it comes to clusters is that is a definitional point
I'll move that to a vote down there
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:18:41
Thank you, well Farah, please
It's just really to support Barney's you really whether we need
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:18:50
advanced to preface, you know manufacturing really
Fara Butt (Private Sector Representative) - 1:18:53
You know, could we just not have it as manufacturing really?
I think it confuses people because those industries which are almost heritage industries, the furniture manufacturing, some of the engineering stuff, they are advancing in lots of processes but they sometimes pride themselves on having heritage skills.
it just sort of confused them. I'm not quite sure what the, I mean I know
Mandy's around the advancing, but I'm not sure if that's the correct one as well.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:19:30
It's just a support look but I'm not saying really. Thank you. Alex please.
Yeah, whilst it all sounds very innovative and wonderful, we have just had a conversation about the
Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership) - 1:19:40
amount of unemployed people we have locally, how parts of our region have
got really low level skills.
And I think there's a nervousness for me
that sits with a skills hat on that we're not
looking at those pipelines.
All we're going to do is make the disadvantage gap even more
of a gap when we're looking at fintech and health
tech and all these wonderful innovative creative things.
I think we need to make sure there's references
to pathways to those jobs.
And at the moment, it just sounds a bit too high level
and a bit too unattainable for all these people
we just talked about earlier on in the meeting.
And that's where my nervousness with all of this wonderful innovation and great headline grabby announcements comes from.
We've got a real need to support our communities that are never going to get into these jobs unless we sort out some of those pathways towards.
Thank you. I think some of the work we've done in Leeds around and
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:20:32
around some of our sort of high growth sectors is recognizing the fact that if employers are located in Leeds city centre,
Then there were within walking distance of some of the poorest neighborhoods in the country and how you're absolutely right. What's that pathway from?
somebody living in a poor neighborhood and the job ten minute walk away and how do people
And how do people move through and I think that is something that is really
In all our work is something is really important to us that we are
And we are getting that sort of actual sense of place and actual sense of moving the whole
economy onwards to us. That would be my reflection if you want to identify Callum.
Only that. These cluster plans have to form part of our inclusive
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:21:11
growth strategy, so that point around inclusion and the relationship to skills and more broadly is absolutely something that we don't want to miss in producing these plans.
and actually a lot of our key businesses would very much see their role and responsibility
in that context as well.
And that's very much the conversation they want to have with us to identify how we can
jointly work together to make sure that that growth is, that prosperity is shared.
Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:21:38
Two please.
Thank you.
On that manufacturing conversation, I just wondered whether there was
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 1:21:43
a reason why the
precision engineering subsector is not listed or have not spotted it so far.
So because I think that is a real strength for particularly around Huddersfield and as a sector or a cluster
It's one that's going to have to adapt quite significantly to the net zero challenges in terms of the kind of industries that it's applying into
So and we also have great strengths in that area as a university in terms of our Centre for Precision Technologies
So it feels as if there is maybe something missing there unless I've missed it
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:22:13
Precision engineering is absolutely a sub -sector that we recognise as an area of strength
So if it's not in here, it's absolutely been captured
in the work that we're progressing.
Thank you, Lee please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:22:24
Yeah, from a Innovate UK perspective,
I think having these cluster focus
really helps us to engage.
So I appreciate they do need to be well defined,
Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK) - 1:22:35
but it makes it much easier for us to engage on this basis.
So if we can help you in sort of defining those things,
then that's great.
And then the only other thing I wanted to say
is that you've got 12 and a half million down
for the launch pad and I'm not sure where that came from but it's seven and a half million
unfortunately not 12 and a half so I'd support I'd highlight that um but yeah if we can help
in terms of defining these questions that would be we've been more happy to do that
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:23:11
yeah thank you sir um whilst obviously I welcome the report just a bit
By making them what look like five standalones,
Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council) - 1:23:18
there's an absolute huge amount of crossover
in all these sectors.
I don't think that quite comes through.
And I share it by an example,
I still don't know what a green job is
in the green economy,
and I've asked loads of people.
But you can't have a green economy without engineering,
because they have to make the things
from the green economy.
A lot of the health tech is around health and innovation,
is around, in effect, building spare parts for people,
and that's all engineering.
So I think there needs to be a bit more emphasis on how all these are interlinked to each other.
I don't think it quite comes through, it just looks like it.
That, that, that, that, rather than that works with that and that works with that, so I just think that needs a bit more nuance around it.
How are they all interrelated to each other?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:23:58
I think we really appreciate that point and part of our challenge is
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:24:06
that these classifications
are the way in which UK government has gone about classifying these sectors too.
Callum Whittaker, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:24:14
That's not necessarily how we would have chosen to compartmentalise the business community
that we've got in the region.
I also agree with your point in that actually a lot of the key innovation activity that
can expect will be at the intersection of these sectors. So if we think about
things like AI we would put that within digital and technology as a sector but
its application will be across each of the other sectors and a huge amount
of the innovation and future growth is going to be driven by that. So it's
certainly a challenge that we'll need to accommodate as we start implementing
these plans.
Sarah please. Yeah just when you mentioned AI which obviously is not necessarily very
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 1:24:52
green in itself because the servers are massive and use up lots of energy.
Although if we've got clean energy then that helps.
Obviously, we can also be quite smart in terms of siting,
using the heat that are generated by them for heating things,
whether it's homes or swimming pools,
if we do those things smartly.
But I think what I was going to say is around Alex's point really,
is that I think you're absolutely right.
We need to be looking at things in a joint manner,
but isn't that why we've sort of merged the economy committee with the Business and with the Employment and Skills Committee
so that we can actually look at those things all in in the round because actually as I said before it is all just so
interconnected so I think
Might not be in this in this particular paper, but my understanding is that we you know, we're very much looking at pipelines
For skills, I'm right aren't I that's
Yeah, it was a really welcome question actually about pathways into work and I think one of
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:25:53
the real opportunities that we have is that we have got a real issue around underemployment
Michelle Burton, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:26:00
and poor utilisation of skills in West Yorkshire, particularly in particular parts of West Yorkshire.
And growing employment opportunities in some areas of the economy that have got the greatest
potential to create great jobs really is one of the most important levers that we have
addressing that and of course that then allows opportunity for people to
progress into work in the jobs that they're vacating and so I think the
pathways point is a really really good one and the importance of
focusing on the sectors and clusters with the greatest opportunity for growth
to address some of those issues we have with weak labour market demand is a
really really important part of this picture but I think it's a very
welcome challenge about joining up the narrative and actually about the
opportunities for people that this sector and cluster approach presents.
Thank you. Are there any more comments on this item please? I don't see
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:27:00
somebody's hands up. Callum is there anything you want to wrap up with please?
Okay that's great thank you. I'm going to turn to the recommendations and I think
We've had a lot of comments and suggestions towards a plan, so I'll take it with that.
Everybody's happy with them. That's great. Thank you.
So we'll move on to item 11 and Michelle Hunt, please.

11 Fair Work & Health

Thank you, Chair. And so the paper provides an update on the holistic
Lorna Holroyd, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:27:31
approach that the CA is taking to work and health alongside the Fair Work Charter
and the initiatives are aligned to grow the Fair Work Charter and also
Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:27:37
develop
initiatives for work and health particularly aimed at employers and small
employers who have been at the heart of everything that's been proposed
within this paper. So we've provided an overview of the Trailblazer activity for
Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:27:54
work and health which set out to develop initiatives for employers and building
on the commitment around employers linked to the Fair Work Charter and
and aligning to those ambitions to grow the charter and the work around work and health.
This is still in the testing phase so we're really keen to seek feedback today on some of those proposed interventions.
Some of the things that we've outlined are around removing risk which is a key objective throughout,
particularly some of the things that we've heard today around the challenging climate for businesses at the moment.
Since the paper was published we have had a really great joint consultation session
with Fair Work Charter businesses at the celebration event where employers were invited to do a
full consultation on how they feel about the interventions around work and health and how
we can encourage them to engage in this agenda.
It's been fairly consistent in terms of that feedback so far and just to say thank you
to all the stakeholders around this table who've helped to shape some of that so far.
I think some of the themes are around access to that existing resource that's already out
there to help businesses be more inclusive, to create more inclusive workplaces, but also
to support individuals as well. Often what we're hearing is that employees are struggling
to navigate that and it's quite costly in some cases as well.
Employers have been expressing support around peer learning, training, access to resources,
easy to navigate resources are all things that are coming through really clearly.
As well as this, employers have told us that having possible salary subsidies or subsidies and incentives
to help take the risk out of employing somebody who may have health needs is something as well that we are considering.
So the next steps that we outlined in the paper are really to get some feedback from this committee on those options that we've proposed and the thoughts around the fair work charter, the scaling up of the fair work charter.
Thank you Michelle. Would anybody like to come in on this item please?
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:30:06
Thank you Natasha please.
Natasha Barbar-Evans, Advisory Representative (Voluntary & Community Sector) - 1:30:11
you
you
you
Yeah, is that working?
So actually, the support for organizations has been identified as in the CADA research
just as one of those really, really critical points.
And as I say, the Fair Work Charter has done a good job in terms of starting the foundations
Natasha Barbar-Evans, Advisory Representative (Voluntary & Community Sector) - 1:32:14
of that. But actually what what we've seen from evaluation reports that Better
Connect have done is that organizations don't know where to start with some of
that support and I need actual you want me talk about person -centered support
actually need to go into the organizations work with people within
the organizations to identify the gaps and there are a number of innovations
that could be made in terms of supporting those organizations with
training with pledges and
But also with actual grants potentially to allow them to be have the accessibility that that's required
There's a lot there are still a lot of barriers for organizations including
Not employing people in the first place because they you know, they're in challenges themselves
We've got a real real
Challenge on our hands to ensure that businesses know that this is possible and actually at the Fair Work Charter
event, we had some great examples of businesses up at the panel saying this is how we can
do it.
We're supporting people with neurodiversity.
There's small tweaks that businesses can make, but they just don't know them.
So your interventions are really welcomed, but the two big points I would say is that
the voluntary community social enterprise sector is critical in this because they are
the organizations that are trusted.
They could continue that work in -house as well, but we do need to focus more.
The Fair Work chart is a good starting point, but it's not going to be the answer.
Thank you. Michelle, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:33:45
Thanks, Natasha. Yeah, thank you for that.
Fatima Khan-Shah (Inclusivity Champion) - 1:33:48
Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:33:48
I'd really welcome further conversation about how we can do that.
And I think the Trailblazer presents us with a brilliant opportunity to test some of this, but also to get the lived experiences of
individuals like the panel at the Fair Work chart through some really inspirational stories to get those woven in throughout the
the development of this and really test something very innovative.
So thank you, I'd really welcome that.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:34:14
Thank you. Sarah, please.
Yeah, just on that point, which is a really good point.
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 1:34:21
I don't know if you, so just to declare, I'm on the board of CK Careers,
which is a career service in which is called Darlon Kirkley's Career Service.
But they do a lot of work.
and one of the programmes that they have, I think it's called Nexus, where they work with,
I believe it might not be, but I can find it out, where they work with young people,
I mean this is particularly with young people, who are really at risk of becoming neat,
and work really closely with employers and make sure that there's that continuation of sport
in exactly the same way. So I'm sure that they would be really happy.
If you don't, do you know, I don't know if you know Martin Green from C &K Careers,
I'm sure he'd be very, or Louise Nellis would be very happy to sort of talk to you about the approach that they take,
which is exactly the approach that Natasha was talking about.
So that's great. But just in terms of,
firstly about resources, you haven't sort of mentioned how much the trailblazer resources doesn't quantify how much,
or how any other funds will be aligned for the Fair Work Charter delivery,
including any plans from next year 2026 onwards.
That's the first point.
I think there's some feeling about the Fair Work Charter Steering Group.
I think I've had a note to say that the steering group isn't necessarily feeling hugely involved
and maybe if they could be a bit more involved that would be welcomed.
The proposal for a central team coordinating admin monitoring, convening partners and scaled
up comms plan and learning development resources, calendar events etc. hasn't really been discussed
in detail.
So I think need to clarify how it will all link with business infrastructure review and
how it embeds locally.
So there's just some details there. And then overall a Venn diagram would be really useful
because I think it's this thing about this intersection into things working all together.
So I think if there was an event diagram to explain the overlap between the Fair Work
Jata and the employer facing Trailblazer activity, including the scale of resources, I think
that would be really helpful for us visual people especially. Thank you.
Yeah thanks Sarah I'm sure that's something we can myself and my business
Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:36:59
colleagues can work on pulling together and just to say the steering
groups under reviews for the Fair Work Charter so that's quite timely.
Thank you Sarah please. Thank you and just to confirm the Fair Work Charter
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:37:11
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:37:12
extension went to the combined authority back in February so all the details
about the funding and the resources as a part of that.
And we have been working through with the steering group
on that, but really it was a case of getting
this approval through, and we've taken the approach
we've taken in terms of embedding it in wider activities,
what the steering group were kind of really pushing for,
because it's a bit of a standalone thing at the minute.
So it's part of the business support review
that Andrew was talking about, really embedding it
through the navigators, the connectors,
and the roles that we've got to really, really make sure
we can achieve the ambition that we've got
around the fair work charge.
Thank you. Somebody else want to come in on this? Barnley please.
Yeah, first I'd like to echo those comments about the steering group.
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:37:53
As a member of the steering group there is a disconnect between what's
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:37:57
happening and actually involving the steering group but that's for another day I think.
On the trailblazer, I suppose the first thing is you know any support the FSB
can give to us, I'd be really interested in doing that and I'm sure Martin would
say the same from the chambers, although the way we behave today you might want
to take something. The thing I was going to say, I mean I'm not sure how this is
funded and what the targets are but it seems the thing that might be missing is
supporting those already in work because actually that's an easier in for a lot
to small businesses because they've already got those people in place and
support, talk to them about supporting people who may need a bit more
support in work. It'll be a lot easier than talking to them about getting someone new.
So, and we also know that if someone's out to work for 12 months then it's a
next to nothing chance they're ever going to work in, which is shocking. So, maybe
that needs to be someone here and even if it's not funded through the
trailblazer, somehow linking in other work, which I know there's a lot of work
going on around that and linking it would be quite important. Thank you.
Michelle Vee. Yeah certainly and again really welcome a further
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:39:01
conversation
Michelle Hunter, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:39:05
about you know how we can address that retention issue that's definitely come
up in the work health and skills planning there's some key
objectives in there that I think are really important to address within this.
Thank you. Great thank you. Does somebody else want to comment on this paper
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:39:22
please. I don't see any more hands up so I'll turn to the recommendations and I'll take it people happy
with those recommendations. That's great thank you shall we move on to item 12 please. Jo would you

12 Innovation Centre of Excellence

Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:39:40
like to introduce this item? Thank you, yes so the rationale for this proposal is very much driven by
the local growth plan and the challenges that were identified there, notably the productivity gap that
we have and one of the things that we see in the evidence from the local
growth plan is the rates of R &D research and development funding being below the
UK average in West Yorkshire and that's both public and private investment but
this was really reinforced in the latest release from UKRI where it's welcome
that there is more funding going outside London and the southeast but we're not
seeing those increases at the same levels in Yorkshire and the Humber as we
are in other regions. So the proposed remit for this Innovation Centre of
really flows from that rationale to meet those challenges with a particular
focus on fostering greater numbers of innovation driven start -ups, spin -outs
and scale -ups really bringing together the innovation ecosystem and positioning
a strong brand of the assets that we have in the region. So I think it's worth
saying that this isn't about a physical centre and but how we really position
West Yorkshire and we know that there are incredible assets in the region the
businesses that we have our university base and we've heard about this
particularly in relation to the sectors and clusters that we have here and a lot
of these are represented on this committee and other committees and what
we want to do is really add value to the existing networks and groups that we
have not duplicated any of that activity but make sure that we are bringing
those together and making the most of those assets. So a big part of this
opportunity is driven by devolution so it was referenced in the devolution
white paper that was published at the end of last year but it was also
mentioned again in yesterday's spring statement that West Yorkshire is able to
establish a strategic relationship with UKRI which is very welcome and brings us
in line with other areas like Greater Manchester and West Midlands. And so
we've been in discussions with colleagues from that area who are a bit
further along on the devolution journey to learn lessons on their approach and
what we can learn for how we want to position ourselves here in West Yorkshire.
So also it's set out in the paper that the Innovation Centre of Excellence will
be a key way that we can support our university collaboration. So this will be
aligning to a compact that we've been developing with the higher education
sector in West Yorkshire. This is another action that's come through from the
local growth plan and establishes a series of thematic areas where we can
work more closely with our universities and we see that the Innovation Centre
exits will be a really good way of positioning that compact and being able
to deliver actions that flow down from it. So in terms of driving the
forward we are consulting on proposals to establish a quadruple helix board
and it would be in advisory in nature but report into this committee so that
will be made up of industry representatives so sector leads, sector
bodies, networks, innovation agency, business representative bodies, highly
noted larger businesses and people managing innovation spaces. It would bring
forward representatives from academia so senior leadership and those centers of
excellence that we've talked about here. Of course the public sector so combined
authority, Innovate UK, UKRI, DCIT, local authorities and publicly funded
networks and then the fourth element to that so community groups and I
think really taking note some of the comments about inclusive growth and how
we can make this centre of excellence relevant to all parts of the region
particularly around those pathways to areas of excellence strengthening that
but making sure we do it in an inclusive way. So there are a range of bodies that
can support delivery of things flowing down
from this Innovation Centre of Excellence.
So we've talked about some of the sectoral ones,
but we also have existing university groups,
the West Yorkshire Innovation Network that met today
and has been discussing these proposals.
We've had some really good feedback
from them on this approach.
So in terms of the next steps, we
would really welcome thoughts from this committee
on the paper and the proposals contained within it.
We are continuing to engage with stakeholders
and develop this work, particularly the operating
model that we'll need and how we'll resolve it. We're making sure we are
aligning it with local development so the ones we've talked about today
particularly on the business support review, the sector and cluster plans
development and also national development so national proposals for
business support, the industrial strategy and then the things that will be coming
out of the spending review in the summer. So I'll pause there for any comments or
questions from the committee. Thank you. Great thanks Jo. Would anybody like to
Come in please.
Martin, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:44:09
Thanks, Joe.
Having read this paper a few times, it wasn't until your presentation then when you said
it wasn't a place.
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:44:17
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:44:19
I honestly, I didn't know what it was.
I didn't know what it was and what it was going to be doing.
Is there a quick summary you could give us that would explain exactly what it is?
Because I'm not sure what it is, what it will be doing, whether it needs staff, and if it's
delivering anything.
Thanks.
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:44:37
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:44:38
Mean specifically on the the operation
I think that's still because we're still sort of consulting on this specific model for it
We can't say exactly kind of what resources will be need to operate but essentially
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:44:47
So this is we want to position my short was an Innovation Center of Excellence
So if we look at the assets that we have in the region
we want to be able to make sure that we can really make make the most of those and
Through the devolution process and and these relationships that will help with national bodies
find a vehicle to be able to do that. So what we are proposing is that there would be a board that would provide strategic
oversight for the ecosystem in the region that would support and help shape program development.
So when we think about the single settlement and
locally based innovation funds that we will have more discretion, more long -term
opportunity to shape these, the board would play an important role of that. It will also help support our
relationship with universities through this compact and oversee the things that we deliver through that provide a steer and support on on that compact with
Universities and an ultimate aim is to drive up those levels of R &D get those, you know help to increase
greater numbers of spin -out startups and commercialization through programs that we can develop through supporting the wider ecosystem through working with the
Universities more closely and so so yeah what we are proposing is a board and then we need to think about how we would
how we'd resolve that, what you know, what what staffing might be required, what we could do through the combined authority,
what we might want partners to do and how that would work.
So that will be developed as we continue to engage with partners,
but at the moment we're sort of seeking feedback on that proposal as an approach.
Thank you. Graham, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:46:20
Thanks for the report and I think it's a positive way of, the only
Cllr Graham Turner (Kirklees Council) - 1:46:23
thing I don't see is any timeline. Have we got a timeline
emerging because obviously if there's going to be successful this needs to be up and running as soon as possible.
Yeah, I think we're hoping, so we'll be continuing the stakeholder
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:46:35
engagement over the spring
and into the summer and then ultimately the combined authority will need to sign off and
agree the approach. But I think we would be hoping that we would have something established
particularly around the board in September to begin operation, but it will be sort of
subject to further consultation and the feedback we get. But that's where we're hoping at the
moment to land this.
Thank you. Sarah, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:46:59
Yeah, so does that mean that there are no financial implications, the fact that it's
not a place, that you're not developing a physical hub, that it is sort of like a notional
hub, I suppose, or a sort of a way of working hub in that sense?
Would that be the best sort of thought for it?
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 1:47:17
And then I suppose in terms of because it's got quite a university emphasis, not all boroughs
in the combined authority have universities.
So I was just wondering what steps would be taken to ensure that Calderdale and Wakefield
partners, for example, are appropriately engaged and actively benefit.
Thank you.
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:47:45
Yes, so on the financial implications, so it will need resourcing. So we'll need to
think about kind of how that will work, you know, we've got current resource and what
we might need further to bring it in once we've sort of finalised the plan. So I think
that will need to be decided. And, you know, there will be funding in terms of development
of programmes that the board will oversee but not direct at this point. And then, yeah,
I think that's something we're very conscious about in terms of your question about coverage and where there are lack of universities
and I think you know part of
this is about thinking about those those places that don't have universities and how can we stimulate
partnerships that can support some of that activity across all of those places and I think that's probably about you know
getting the membership right to make sure we can reflect that and then thinking about you know how that does cover across the whole
of the region but it's something for us to think about definitely as we continue to develop this.
Yes please. Yes I think yeah that's great because I think there's a lot of this
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:48:41
Cllr Sarah Courtney (Calderdale Council) - 1:48:41
because I think just because we don't have universities doesn't mean that a lot
of high skill sort of stuff is going on you know in terms of you know people
learning learning things but it's just not not done in a university setting
although obviously some of our I know in Colerdale I'm sure it's the same in Wakefield
some of our colleges and other sort of places you know have agreements
with universities and are delivering, you know, effectively delivering university courses
but just not on site in those universities. So I suppose it's all of that sort of ecosystem,
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:49:15
isn't it? Thanks. Thank you. Sarah, please.
Just wanted to add to what Joe was saying that innovation happens in
Sarah Bowes, Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:49:19
businesses and
so therefore this needs, and universities are really important to that obviously, but
this needs to be about businesses and innovation and commercialisation, whether it's about
universities or not and the fact this is a quadruple helix it means that we are
getting the key players from across that system it's not just one part of it it's
the whole system to work out how we raise the game or innovation across the
whole of the structure. Join the dots. Thank you. You can see a lot of hands going up
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:49:44
and we're coming up to four o 'clock when we need to finish what I'm gonna do is
gonna take everybody's comments in in one go then hopefully we can wrap this
item up at four o 'clock so I want to start with Sue and then work around the
table too please. Thank you. So picking up the theme of universities then, so we do welcome
this strategic focus on innovation and it was discussed in quite some depth this morning
Sue Cooke, Advisory Representative (Huddersfield University) - 1:50:06
at the West Yorkshire Innovation Network as well and several other people around this
table were there. So we do think it's important to tackle this challenge where in Yorkshire
we do have these really low rates of R &D investment and we're not catching up with the south -east
at the same rate that the other northern regions are so that is the big kind of challenge that
that we all need to tackle through this approach.
I know that Jo said this is not about physical assets,
but as a place where we do have physical assets
and we're keen to expand on those,
I do want to suggest that in the future,
once all the governance is set up,
that it will be important to look at building on the assets.
For example, you all know about the 3M BIC.
We're keen to develop the 3M BIC 2,
which would be about setting up a further R &D center
with grow -on -space, lab space,
which we know is a real shortage, and particularly to support some of those
clusters we've talked about earlier, precision, engineering, science, technology.
So I think in the fullness of time we will need to get on to, you know, where do
we want to invest and strengthen our physical assets. But coming
back to the governance point, then yes obviously universities and the
innovation centres amongst us would welcome being involved in that governance
and we know that there's an active dialogue going on around the West
Yorkshire HE Compact, pleased to hear that mentioned. And so we would, you know, want to keep refining and working through the proposals in practice as part of that conversation.
You know, some careful navigation needed on some of that. So we will definitely want to be involved. Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:51:34
Thank you. Lee, please.
Lee Viney, Advisory Representative (Innovate UK) - 1:51:38
Yeah, I just wanted to say that we're very supportive of this. UKRI developing its investment strategy for places and being able to engage in in this kind of way is going to be really helpful for us in doing that.
So yes, really good.
Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:51:51
David, please.
Yeah, thanks.
I don't think there's a university in the country
that doesn't have a Innovation Center of Excellence
David Malone - 1:51:59
or some other iteration of it.
I think we've just got to be very careful
that we don't keep doing the same thing
and all we're doing is watering down
an awful lot of good work that's already taking place.
So it's really important that we're working with ERBs.
We're having a look at already what's out there.
There's already been a lot of money spent within the region on high tech centers, on
industry for hubs.
We have a university center in Coeur d 'Al.
You know, all these different things that are already happening.
And it's this feels to me when I first read it was just a bit fluffy.
I think for want of a better word.
So I think it needs to be nailed down exactly what it is and making sure that it's not just
and an opportunity to eventually build something else
that isn't gonna have the impact to the region.
So, thank you.
Thank you.
Who else would like to come in?
Barney, please.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:52:57
I was just gonna say, my experience of innovation
Martin Hathaway (Private Sector Representative) - 1:53:02
in this region is often exclusive, if I'm honest,
Barney Mynott, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Business Groups) - 1:53:04
and I think one of the important things
is that this is as inclusive as possible,
and maybe that's where the quadruple helix TM comes in.
But so I think whatever, however it's set up,
it really needs to be outward looking because at the minute,
actually, I think it's very clubby, a lot of the innovation
stuff that goes on.
And it excludes not just small businesses,
but actually it excludes a lot of the people who
are going to drive a lot of this.
Thank you.
Alex, please.
Yeah, very similar.
Innovation doesn't just happen in HEIs.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:53:31
Alex Miles, Advisory Representative (West Yorkshire Skills Partnership) - 1:53:32
There's lots of wonderful colleges and independent training
providers that do a lot of innovative and forward thinking
stuff.
So it does feel a little bit clubby in this proposal.
and also it goes back to my other point around pathways this sounds very higher
level and we've got lots of unemployed people that are never going to get there
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:53:53
so those pathways to some of this needs to be defined more. Thank you.
Do any of the councillors want to come in? No great, Jo over to you. Thank you yeah so I
think just say thank you for everyone's comments and that's really useful feedback
Jo Barham Officer (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:54:06
I think particularly around sort of how we're landing this so clarity of what it
is that point about, I think, the fact it's not
a physical center, I think that speaks to the strengths
about what we're saying about there's
a lot of these things.
And it's not trying to duplicate.
It is trying to genuinely add value to that range of assets
that we have, reflecting the polycentric nature
of the region and the diverse sectors
that we have with those strengths.
But I think how we position that so that it's clear.
And I think that point about inclusivity,
making sure it is relevant across all parts of the region,
are really important as well.
So something to think about how we
engage as we as we develop these. Thank you.
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:54:46
Thank you. So we've got four minutes and we've got the three items to note at the end.
What I'm going to say, what I'm going to, nobody needs to hear that, Barney.
So what I'm going to suggest is so there's the three items at the end, the devolution update really is one to note.
So if we move on to the further and higher education update number item 14,
if anybody has any comments to make on that. I don't see any and then the last one is the
adult skills update if anybody has any comments to make on that. No that's great everybody
thank you I will thank everybody for your contributions today and I will close the meeting
thank you.