West Yorkshire Combined Authority - Thursday 19 June 2025, 11:00am - West Yorkshire Combined Authority Webcasting

West Yorkshire Combined Authority
Thursday, 19th June 2025 at 11:00am 

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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council)
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  1. Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  3. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  4. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  5. Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  6. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  3. Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council
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  1. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  2. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  2. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  3. Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council
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  6. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  3. Cllr Claire Douglas (York Council)
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  1. Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  5. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
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  1. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  3. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
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  1. Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council)
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  3. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  5. Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council)
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  7. Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council
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  9. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  10. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
  11. Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council)
  12. Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  13. Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
  14. Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire
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  1. Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority)
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  1. Webcast Finished

1 Membership of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:00:00
meeting of the Combined Authority which means we have a particularly packed
agenda. Before we start I would just like to express my sadness to learn of the
death of university Huddersfield student Durga Patel in last week's horrific
plane crash in India. My thoughts and I'm sure all of all of us around this table
are with his family loved ones and all those who knew him specifically in
Huddersfield but across West Yorkshire. I also want to say that it's with deep
sadness that I share the news of the passing last Friday of our much -loved
respected and dearly loved colleague Neil Fishman who was in the Inclusive
Economy Manager in the Business Investment team in Felix's team after a
short illness. Neil was a long -standing and much cherished member of the
He started work at the Authority as Project Manager on the Business Growth Programme in
November 2015. In his nearly 10 years at the organisation he made a really lasting impact
through his dedication, his professionalism, his warmth, his commitment to his team past
and present and the pride he took at the work that he did and all those businesses, small
and medium sized, that he helped in West Yorkshire across 30 years. He was a source of kindness,
support and good humour and were being sorely missed. He also leaves behind his son Ben
and wife Michaela who sadly but also joyously married April this year. So we have a condolence
book I think for the organisation so if you wish to sign please contact Felix. Okay thank
you all so much. So moving on to item one membership of the West Yorkshire Combined
Authority. This item is to note the membership of the authority for the next
municipal year as set out in the table at Appendix 1. It also seeks approval
for the proposed voting rights of the City of York, Council of Combined
Authority member and West Yorkshire Business Board member as set out in
paragraphs 3 .1 to 3 .13. Can I ask our Interim Assistant Director of Legal
Governance and Compliance, Satinder Sahota, to take us through the
Recommendations, please. Thank you sit in there
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:02:22
Thank You mayor morning members item one on the agenda before you
Relates to the membership of the combined authority and the granting of voting rights for West Yorkshire Business Board members and non
constituent council members
members membership of the combined Authority Committee is set out in appendix one before you and this report seeks the
approval of members for the proposed voting rights for the City of York Council combined
authority member and West Yorkshire Business Board members and their respective substitutes,
as set out in paragraphs 3 .11 and 3 .13 of the report. Given the packed agenda today,
Mayor, I'm going to focus on brevity if that helps you. So back to you for the recommendations,
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:03:08
please. Thank you so much. That's appreciated. Can
members confirm their agreement to the full set of recommendations set out in
paragraph 2 of the report. Perfect, thank you all so much. Moving on to apologies,

2 Apologies for Absence

James, can you confirm any apologies please?
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:03:23
Yes, we have apologies from Councillor Susan Holdsworth and her substitute as
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:03:28
well, Councillor Stuart Galton and we also have apologies from Mandy Ridges.
Lovely. Thank you so much James. Declarations of interest. Do any members

3 Declarations of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

have interest they wish to declare? Jane. Thank you Mayor. Item 21B regarding
Cllr Jane Scullion (Calderdale Council) - 0:03:48
flooding schemes. I want to declare an interest because the schemes outlined
are in very close geographical proximity to my house. So I think it's very good
that they're flooding schemes for the whole of West Yorkshire but I will both
declare an interest and leave during that item. Thank you. Thank you. I'll just request
during the item that you step out of the room for a moment. Thank you
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:04:12
very much Councillor

4 Exempt Information - Possible Exclusion of the Press and Public

Scullion. Exclusion of press and public, there are no exempt items today so we will press

5 Minutes of the Meeting of the Combined Authority held on 8 May 2025

on as normal. Okay, moving to the minutes of the meeting of the CA on the 8th of May.
I want to confirm that following the conversation at the last meeting about cross party representation
on the Shadow Bus Franchising Board, this has been agreed. I understand that officers
have reached out to members for nominations and is in addition to the cross -party representation
of the mass transit board. Any members comments or questions? No, thank you so much. Are we

For Decision

content to confirm these as an accurate record? We are, thank you. Terrific, so moving on

6 Mayor's Update

to the Mayor's update. I wanted to start with Baroness Casey's audit report on group -based
child sexual exploitation. This isn't at the CA a place where I normally refer to
policing matters but I think it would be remiss of me given its significance.
Since I became mayor I made it my mission to eliminate violence against
women and girls. It is endemic in our society and abhorrent. Sexual
exploitation and abuse is a horrific crime. I've always been clear that
that perpetrators who groom children must be stopped and brought to justice.
All of us around this table know all too well the instances of gang -based abuse taking place
across the region.
We have taken this issue extremely seriously and our actions have been led by survivors
and victims.
As you would have heard me say before, and it bears repeating, the focus on this by West
and ten perpetrators sentenced to more than 2 ,300 years over the past decade. And with
a further 62 defendants charged and standing trial or listed to stand trial at Bradford
and Leeds Crown Courts in 25 and 26. This relates to 13 investigations across Bradford,
Colterdale, Kirklees and Wakefield. In addition, West Yorkshire Police informed me they have
48 non -recent child sexual exploitation and abuse investigations ongoing in the region.
The work never stops to get justice. And because of this success, I was not previously convinced
we needed another national inquiry to tell us what we already knew, remembering that
many of the 2020 recommendations from the J review, the previous national inquiry that
cost over 200 million pounds remain unimplemented.
I did not want resources to be diverted away
from live policing operations,
which are vital to achieving justice for victims.
But Baroness Casey has worked tirelessly on this issue
and I welcome her recommendations.
I've asked partners locally to look at how they can be
implemented swiftly, where we have agency to do so.
Alison Lowe, my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and I have already reached out to
victims' organisations locally to ask for their views on what should be done and what
should be looked at in the inquiry. I will then share this with the Home Secretary to
ensure that their voices inform the terms of reference. I will engage positively with
the inquiry and once it's established, will invite it to West Yorkshire.
In the meantime we will continue to do everything to protect our children from
such monstrous crimes and leave no stone unturned when investigating and
prosecuting these despicable offenders. And of course we continue on our wider
mission to eliminate misogyny and violence against women and girls from
our region and it gives us greater determination to double down on our work
to support vulnerable men and boys. Now I'm conscious with all the media around
this subject, it may have had quite an emotional and triggering impact on victims. If you are
one of those victims, I want to reassure you that in West Yorkshire victims are believed
and you will be supported to get the justice you deserved.
So moving on, since we last met as a compound authority, the Chancellor has published her
spending review. There is time to discuss that later on today's agenda but what I will
say it was a huge pleasure to welcome Rachel to Huddersfield at the beginning of the month
as she announced £2 .1bn worth of investment into local transport in the region between
2027 and 2032. That means it's time for trams. We now have the resources needed to bring
trams back to the streets of Leeds and Bradford and get those spades in the ground by 2028,
with further money for the project due to come in the next round of the Transport for City
Regions funding in 2032. My thanks to everyone around this table who has supported that ambition,
but we'll speak on the spending review later. The other major event since the last Combined Authority
meeting with the UK Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Forum held for
the fourth year in Leeds. 16 ,000 people came to the conference from all across
the UK and beyond allowing us to show off our region whilst also promoting
investment opportunities we have. And for those of you with a keen eye you'll
recognise our investment map we showed at the event and it's now there in the
room for us all to see our three corridors of opportunity. It was another
incredibly successful year of UK Reef and planning is already underway to make
sure the event in Leeds in 2026 is greater still. Thank you that concludes
my opening remarks. Any comments on my opening remarks? No thank you so much.

7 Committee Arrangements and Appointments

Moving on, committee arrangements and appointments. The purpose of this next
item is to establish the committee arrangements for the next municipal year
and seek approval for those arrangements.
Can I come back to Satinder, please,
to take us through the recommendations?
Thank you, Mayor.
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:10:32
Broadly, this report deals with the appointment
of members to committees for the combined authority
to include the employment panel
and the agreement of terms of reference
for those committees.
Members, the report also deals with the appointments
of chairs and deputy chairs to committees.
The granting of voting rights to members of committees
who are not combined authority members and co -optees including elected members
from constituent West Yorkshire councils and West Yorkshire Business Board
members and in addition the continuing appointment of independent members for
standards and conduct complaints. Thank you. Thank you, I'm so sorry, please go on.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:11:17
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:11:17
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:11:18
Thank you, Mayor. Members... I can't take a pause in this committee otherwise I come in.
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:11:21
I will note that you're asked at recommendation 2 .9 members to
Resolve to co -opt members to committees of the combined authorities has set out at appendix 10 of the report before you in addition
I will provide a short verbal update in terms of
very recent 11th hour nominations from
District constituent councils and I'll do that shortly as part of this item
Appendices one to eight are the terms of reference for committees of the combined authority and there are some minor changes to these terms of references
inserted to each committee's terms of reference is the power to refer a matter or an item to our
Scrutiny committee this function is already referenced in the Scrutiny committee
Arrangements and this amendment is to provide clarity for members
There are some changes also to remove remove overlap or duplication within terms of reference for different committees
It's worth noting that this report will appoint the governance and Audit Committee
The combined Authority agreed in February of this year that the governance and Audit Committee should be formed of local
Authority co -optees rather than be drawn from combined authority members
Appendix 10 sets out the proposed appointments to the authorities committees and any proposed co -optees
Local authority committees are nominated by councils and appointed by the combined authority at this meeting today
business board members and other private sector
Member representatives nominated by the business board are to be appointed also at this meeting
The proposed voting rights of committee members along with proposed chairing and portfolio arrangements are summarized before you in appendix
one of this report
I'm now going to just provide you with the verbal update. I referred to a moment ago
In terms of nominations as follows Councillor Jane Dawson nominated as leads substitute on the culture committee
Councilor Dawson's nomination as substitute on the scrutiny committee.
Councilor Abigail Marshall Katong's nomination as substitute on the climate committee is withdrawn.
Councilor Susan Lee Richards as a green member of audit committee.
Councilor Neil Whittaker as a green substitute on audit committee.
And finally, Councillor Stuart Galton as Liberal Democrat member on the audit committee.
The remaining vacancies members are Liberal Democrat substitute on the Governance and
Audit Committee, a Leeds elected member substitute on the Climate and Energy and Environment
Committee, Leeds Labour substitute on the Scrutiny Committee, York's substitute on the
Climate Culture Economy and Place committees and finally deputy chair of place committee as a West Yorkshire Business Board member
Having provided that up -to -date verbal
Nominations update for members. I will hand back to hand back to you mayor
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:14:44
Recommendations. Thank you. Thank you so much to tinder. In fact, I was asking Ben something that I should be asking you
So these are vacancies, what is the deadline to fill those vacancies?
And obviously members will want to be as helpful as possible.
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:14:58
Yes, so ideally if they can be received from constituent councils within today,
that would be amazing from my perspective.
The sooner we can get this resolved,
accepting there are going to be further conversations had at constituent councils,
that would be my ask, Mayor, please.
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:15:14
I'm aware that there's nobody from the Liberal Democrats here today,
So if we could get a message to them as a matter of urgency that they start suggesting
people.
If that's possible, James and Satinder, thank you.
Any comments on that paper?
No?
Thank you so much.
We're happy to approve.
Yep, good.
Thank you.

8 Representation on Outside Bodies

Okeydoke.
Let's move on.
Representation on outside bodies.
This item is to confirm which CA members are to represent the combined authority on external
bodies. The proposed appointments are set out in the appendix and back to you
this is going to be your show today isn't it, Satinder? Back to you for those
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:15:59
recommendations. Thank you Mayor. So this is combined authority representation on
outside bodies item 8 on your agenda members and deals with representation
and for by way of nominations to those outside bodies. The proposed appointments
are set out at appendix one of the report before you and the recommendations are set
out at paragraph 2 .1 of the report. Having said that, back to you, Mayor, please.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:16:25
Thank you and we do note that with the changes at GB Rail and also conversations around transport
for the north and the greater statutory expectation for mayors to be involved in transport matters,
I think there will be changes that will obviously flex once we know more about the state of play and excuse the direction of travel.

9 Officer Arrangements

Any comments? Happy to agree the recommendations to approve the appointments? Lovely, thank you. Officer arrangements, sit in there.
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:17:00
Thank you, Mayor.
This report deals with the Combined Authorities Officer Scheme of Delegations.
A revised Officer Scheme of Delegations was approved by the Combined Authority in April
of this year by way of reminder, members, and was amended to re -delegate functions of
the Chief Operating Officer.
As such, members, only minor amendments are proposed for this meeting.
The delegations you will see for the role of the monitoring office and now also include the words to appear in
legal proceedings to Institute defend
Participate in those proceedings this wording is for clarification purposes and was previously an anomaly
That's been picked up now
The actual scheme of delegations for offices is set out in appendix one of the report before you and unless there are any questions
I will hand back to the mayor for the recommendation at 2 .1. Thank
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:17:58
you any comments? No, thank you

10 Constitutional Arrangements

Are we happy to approve the recommendation? Thank you so much. Okie doke moving on to constitutional arrangements
This is item 10
outlines the CA's constitutional arrangements that reviewed and approved annually to keep them up to date and fit for purpose set in there
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:18:17
Thank you again, man. This report deals with the approval of constitutional documents, which are not covered elsewhere on today's agenda
Legal and governance review the constitutional arrangements for the combined authority on
an annual basis and in advance of today's annual meeting.
Both as a result of that review, there are minor and significant amendments made to the
constitution to allow for greater clarity and agility when it comes to operating as
a combined authority regarding the service delivery we have to achieve.
The remaining unamended constitution documents have been linked in the report for your approval.
Appendix 1, members, sets out the minor amendments that I referred to in relation to the constitution
and very broadly typographical errors and formatting issues have been corrected.
Appendices 229 set out the substantive amendments that I referred to and these changes for your
EASE members are shown in tracked changes.
Appendix 2 refers to the Code of Conduct for Officers.
The Code of Conduct for Officers has had significant work undertaken on it recently with input
from legal and HR officers.
in consultation, very importantly, with Unison and staff network groups.
The Code has been changed to reflect changing roles and responsibilities as the organisation
has grown.
There is also a new procedure for registering officer interests through the platform of
CIA Anywhere.
A flow chart for this process has been set out in the appendices to the Code.
Appendix 3 relates to non -executive directors and their applicable code of conduct.
This is a new addition to the constitution for this year and has been introduced to reflect the new role that the combined authority has previously agreed would assist the authority in conducting its business.
Members will be aware that the rationale behind the introduction of this role was discussed before this committee in December of last year and May of this year.
Appendix 4 relates to overview and scrutiny.
Changes have been made in relation to the guidance from the scrutiny officer to reflect best practice
and clarify queries that have arisen by the committee members throughout the year.
These changes are reflected again in track change for your EASE members.
A table of the committee's composition has also been added to the relevant article within
the constitution for ease.
At appendix 5, there is a change to the scrutiny standing orders, which again reflect best
practice and clarify queries that have arisen throughout the year by scrutiny members.
Appendix 6, Ordinary or Non -Statutory Committees.
This has been amended to add a table of ordinary non -statutory committee composition.
Appendix 7 relates to the audit and ethical arrangements that the Combined Authority have in place and is set out in the Constitution.
Again, there is the addition of a table to deal with the governance and audit committee's
composition.
Appendix 8 relates to procedure rules and standing orders.
An amendment has been inserted into the procedure standing orders to clarify these rules do
not apply to the meetings of the newly created employment panel.
Also, there has been a change in relation to a new quorum for the Governance and Audit
Committee as a result of the composition changes in referenced in the earlier agenda item 7.
Finally, appendix 9, the West Yorkshire Business Board.
This deals with the terms of office and there has been additional clarity added.
Under the original wording, any member of the Business Board who didn't attend for more
than six months would cease to be a member.
Further changes are in reference to the private meetings of the Business Board.
Having minutes or notes published after the meeting has also been removed from the relevant
article within the Constitution.
This was not done since the establishing of the Business Board and this amendment has
been made to better reflect the current practice.
Thank you, Mayor, I will hand back to you.
Thank you so much and these changes reflect our high standards that we want to then have
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:23:22
uniformly spread across the organisation, whether you're an officer, whether you're
a non -executive director, we have very high standards for behaviour.
And also it reflects the new iteration of the Business Board which with greater agility
and more informal meetings where we can take the best suggestions and ideas from people
who are out there currently running businesses and tackling challenges that
maybe we would not be aware of in their current structure. So thank you. Any

11 Corporate Governance Code and Framework

further comments? No, thank you so much and we're happy to approve. Super, thank
you very much indeed. Corporate Governance Code and Framework,
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:24:06
item 11, Sitinder. Thank you, members. The draft corporate code of governance is a
public -facing statement that sets out the fundamental principles of good governance
that the combined authority operates.
The code and framework follows SIPF and SOLIS guidance that all local authorities have to
apply and against which the combined authority chooses to hold itself accountable to the
public.
The code is reviewed on an annual basis and as the report refers was puts
Before the governance and Audit Committee in April of this year
At its core you will see members in front of the report in the report before you the code
Contains seven principles for which the combined authority
Assesses its accountability these seven principles can be found at paragraph 3 .4 of your report
Members, given the requirement for an annual review of the code and framework, you will
see substantive changes from the previous code and framework.
These substantive changes are as follows, an introduction of a new chief executive scheme
of delegation, a new internal structure for officer boards, and finally additional changes
in the form of non -executive directors, which I touched on in the previous item.
Further work has been done to introduce chief officer and deputy chief officer assurance
statements through which assurance, risk mitigation and performance will be monitored and managed.
Finally, members, this draft corporate governance code and framework directly links to the Combined
authorities annual governance statement
Which is the next agenda item on for today's meeting as part of the combined authorities
Overall obligation to annually annually review its internal control mechanisms
If I can hand back to you, man
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:26:11
Thank you so much. We're all happy to approve the recommendations. Thank you so much moving on to annual governance statement sit under

12 Annual Governance Statement

Thank you, ma 'am
We're nearly there.
We're nearly there.
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:26:25
Members, this is a report that introduces the AGS for the financial
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:26:26
year 24 -25.
The draft annual governance statement can be found at appendix one of your report before
you.
Before I touch on the content, and if helpful for members and the public, I will set out
the principles lying behind the AGS.
As referred to in the previous agenda item, the CA is required to annually review its
in internal control mechanisms and governance framework
with the help and assistance of CIPFA and SOLIS guidance.
The AGS itself, members, is a backwards or retrospective look
at the previous financial year in terms
of the effectiveness of those internal control mechanisms,
with a view to also identifying future risk and setting out and identifying risk mitigation
measures. Turning to the draft Annual Governance Statement
itself, key changes compared to the previous 23 -24 Annual Governance Statement are a review
of the chief executive sub -delegations to take into account the significant capital
programs in the form of mass transit and bus franchising so that they are able to deliver
in a safe and safe way and at pace. As touched on in the earlier item, there is also the
introduction of director assurance statements that feed into the annual governance statement.
There will be provision of dashboard, compliance dashboard information for the governance and
Audit Committee.
That will occur at its next meeting on the 25th of July.
This will occur for the first time.
There is a further change in relation
to focus on the contract standing
orders within the Constitution that
have undergone a review relative to changes in the procurement
legislation in order to allow those capital programs to be
delivered in a safe, legal, compliant way, but also at pace.
Finally, members, in order to keep the annual governance
statement, which you will see is in draft, as up to date
as possible before it is agreed and reviewed by Governance
and Audit Committee, there is further focus
from my perspective that I would like
to progress between now, today's meeting,
and the next Governance and Audit meeting.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:29:07
Thank you for that and certainly whilst we want to and we will deliver at speed we can't
trip over ourselves and so we need to make sure that it's safe and that risks are all
woven into our thinking. Thank you, are we happy to approve? Lovely, thank you. Let's
move on, thank you so much, to the Members' Allowance Scheme. Sit in there.

13 Members’ Allowance Scheme

Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:29:26
Thank you Mayor. This report firstly deals with the report of the independent remuneration
panel to remunerate the members of the Governance and Audit
Committee.
The IRP report is attached to Appendix 1 of the report
before you and the yearly adoption of the members
allowance scheme.
The IRP met with officers and members
for interviews in their review in April of this year
by way of reminder.
They made recommendations to remunerate members
of the Governance and Audit Committee
In line with paragraph 3 .2 of the report before you these figures have been added to the members allowing the scheme
again for your ease by way of track change
the IRP also recommended that
allowances be index linked to
the
Passenger transport forum annual percentage increase which is essentially a grade 9 or spinal column point
30 role which is applicable to staff here at the combined authority.
It is proposed that this applies to all remunerated roles in Schedule A of the members allowance
scheme.
I would finally add that this pegging or index linking is not unusual when it comes to local
authority elected members allowance schemes.
Thank you, Mayor.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:30:50
Thank you and certainly whilst we really value our elected members, this remuneration is
a reflection of the work that is done.
We are going to be so busy in the next few years.
We do need members on committees to read the papers, do the work and we will remunerate
them in hopefully in parallel with the effort that they're putting in.
So I want to thank members for their work that they do to enable us to deliver for the people of West Yorkshire.
Thank you so much. Happy to approve? Oh sorry, Councillor Lamm.
Thank you Mayor, it's a minor point. We have a requirement to publish
Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council - 0:31:31
on the website the members' allowances claimed
and I was just having a look for it on the website and I couldn't find it and I was in my office and they couldn't find it either.
and if you put in a search, members allowance scheme,
nothing, it comes up with some job vacancies
and a variety of things, but,
so I'm sure it's there somewhere,
but if someone could point me to it,
and if we could look and see if it could be made clearer
how to get to it.
So Tinder, we could do that, can't we?
I'm assuming it was taken down
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:31:59
because it was under discussion, but.
Happy to do that and report back, thank you, Meg.
Lovely, thank you for raising that.
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:32:04
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:32:04
Okay, happy to approve the members to the,
Seek the approval of members. That's the way round to the report for the IRP and revised allowances scheme

14 Calendar of Meetings 2025-26

Thank you so much. Okay appointment of the assistant director item 15 relates to the appointment of Manpreet
Who also likes to be known as Nikki Deol as the assistant director. She's still here
Somewhere somewhere in the seats as the assistant director of legal governance and compliance
monitoring officer. Have I missed one? Yes, Calendar of Meetings. Calendar of Meetings. Sorry Nicky you'll have to pause a
moment with the round of applause we were going to give you. So Calendar of
Meetings, so sorry Satinder thank you for being alert. Satinder, Calendar of
Satinder Sahota, Interim Assistant Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:32:59
Meetings 25 26. Thank you Mayor and members will be pleased to know that
this is a super short item so I won't be speaking very long in the last item from
So this report deals with the schedule of meetings for the combined Authority for the municipal year 25 26 back to you
Thank you so much back to where we were and thank you sit in there for that very thorough

15 Appointment of Assistant Director

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:33:23
Presentation of what is often quite tricky content for a meeting. So, thank you. So item five
We need to approve it. Thank you. Can we approve the recommendations? Thank you so much. Thank you Ben item 15 relates
I'm so keen to introduce Nicky.
At the appointment of Manpreet Deol and Nicky,
as the Assistant Director of Legal Governance and Compliance and Montaring Officer,
with 17 years of local government legal expertise,
Manpreet's experience and leadership make her the perfect fit for our organisation.
The decision follows a thorough recruitment process with her starting September 2025.
And the Chief Executive, Ben Stell, could you take us through recommendations please?
Thank you, Chair. I don't think there's very much to add beyond your introduction, only
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:34:13
to say that members will be aware that Caroline Norrie is a longstanding monitoring officer
for the organization, for the command authority left in May. We're very grateful to Cetinda
for stepping in on an interim capacity and particularly dealing with our annual general
meeting but this paper seeks members approval for the appointment of Manpreet into the substantive
monitoring officer role. Thank you. Are we happy to approve? It would be awkward if we
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:34:39
weren't. Thank you. Thank you very much and welcome to the family, Nicky, and I look forward

16 Government Spending Review 2026-2029

to working with you in September. Okay, moving on. Item 16, Government Spending Review 2629.
I made reference earlier to the Government Spending Review which has set out their spending
plans over the next three years. There is a clear focus on long -term investments in
infrastructure to drive economic growth. The government have set out further details of
that in their 10 -year infrastructure review, which has been set out today. There's much
detail still to come, but we will continue to work with government to get the best deal
for West Yorkshire. I know officers are working hard behind the scenes as more detail emerges.
As I said earlier, the highlight for me was the 2 .1 billion committed to local transport
infrastructure in West Yorkshire and I'm very pleased that this included a real commitment
to our long awaited project to bring trams to the streets of Leeds and Bradford.
The report in front of us was written before the spending review was published but I understand
members have received a written briefing from officers with details of what the spending
review means for our region.
Can I ask Sarah Eaton, Director of Strategy, Communications and Intelligence to talk us
through the report please before I open it up for questions. Thank you.
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:36:01
Thank you, Mayor. So obviously, as you've just said, the report was kind of a holding
report basically because obviously the spending review took place last week and hopefully
the briefing paper that's been sent around provides a bit more detail around some of
the key announcements. So as the Mayor just said, I think throughout 2025 we've undertaken
quite a lot of activity to support the government's thinking about spending review and that included
a submission to the spending review portal, the Treasury spending review portal in February
25. That submission highlighted a range of priorities. I think they were quite well rehearsed
across the CA in terms of our priorities that we wanted to take forward, particularly to
deliver the local growth plan, so ambitions around the quantum around the integrated settlement,
and sustainable core funding for local government which we continually recognise is imperative
to delivering growth alongside funding announcements, that kind of investment in transport infrastructure
and in our places and skills. We have done quite a lot of work over the last period to
try and keep reinforcing some of these key pieces of work and I think what you will see
in the spending review is a step in the right direction in terms of the journey. I think
just to kind of iterate I think that in terms of the announcements we've got
quite a lot there around what might be coming forward but we know that some of
the detail will be part of other plans that are coming forward so we're
awaiting today the publication of the infrastructure strategy we know that the
industrial strategy is due to be published towards the end of the month
and we know that they will set out a lot more detail. I think we know that the
the government were negotiating, different government departments were still negotiating
up to the weekend before the spending review and what that means actually for us is that
we won't necessarily know all of the detail from these streams that are definitely coming
to the region and we know that that will be forthcoming over the next few weeks and months.
But what I just wanted to do was just kind of pick out some of the headlines in that
spending review announcement. So alongside the spending review there was
actually two policy documents that were kind of announced, one around the
integrated settlement and one around local growth plans and they're quite
important if colleagues want to have a look at those. The integrated settlement
paper is talking, it's the paper that will replace the memorandum of
understanding that currently the two trailblazers have got in Greater
Manchester and West Midlands and what that is looking at is kind of outlining
further details of the themes that will form part of the integrator settlement will be from 2026
onwards. We know that in terms of the full quantum and scope of that settlement that's not likely to
be coming, both coming until September at the earliest next year but what we are working with
the government on is trying to kind of find out what funds will be in scope at a much earlier
date and also to kind of be ready for that work that is taking place over this forthcoming
forthcoming few months actually. So the local growth plan paper again I think
we've previously talked to the CA members around that becoming statutory
in nature and actually spending review confirms that and detailing that policy
paper it sets out kind of the additional work that we'll need to do on the local
growth plan in particular looking at developing an investment pipeline so
over the next few months that's work that we'll be carrying out and in the
background to kind of support our review of the local growth plan to make sure
it satisfies the requirements that have been published. I think one of the key announcements
in the spending review is around local growth funding, so we know that UKSPF funding that
has previously come to the CA will no longer be available. And I think what we've seen
in that announcement is a move away from universal giving every area pots of money to a much
more targeted approach, and I think you can see that in this paper, particularly around
establishing a new local growth fund which will include a 10 year capital in settlement.
But what will happen is that will be directed to specific areas within the country, so particularly
the north and the midlands. So this will move away from every area getting everything. The
government also is providing financial investment to capitalise a new recyclable mayoral growth
fund from heirs in the north and midlands and that will come forward and integrate a
settlement and we also saw an announcement around 350 smaller communities receiving funding
for activity in their particular area. So a real shift I think away from that previous
kind of giving every area something. Middleton Park Avenue in Leeds was one of 25 trailblazer
areas that will receive up to 20 million over the next 10 years to support a new trailblazer.
So some direct funding there coming into the region that we know of immediately. I think
local government finance that there was an announcement of an additional 3 .4
billion of grant funding for local authorities compared to 2024 -25. I think
whilst that's welcomed we know that obviously increases in demand for local
authority kind of services means that I think we think it will still be tight
over, colleagues have made that aware, it will still be tight over this coming period and we need to
kind of be keeping an eye on that. But what the announcement also talked about
was kind of that simplification of local finance system and potentially looking
the formula for local governments so that work is taking place in the background and obviously that
may provide additional information around funding that is coming to our local authorities in the
region which again we were talking about in terms of priorities in the spending review submission
and there's also additional funding for local authorities around urban children's social care
with the announcement of transformation funding I think which is to be welcomed.
On transport obviously there were some pre -announcements that you mentioned so really
we would welcome the £2 .1 billion that's come from the transport city regions for
Newco -West Yorkshire and also there was an announcement of £750 million
announced nationally for buses and again whilst that's to be welcomed we don't
currently know what that means for services in the local area but that's
one to keep an eye on with impact on potentially future mayors' fairs.
and there was also an announcement of 3 .5 billion recommitment to the Trans -Pennant route upgrade.
So some continued kind of assurance really that that funding is coming forward.
I think on housing, energy and environments, there was an announcement of 39 billion for affordable homes
over the next 10 years. Again, really, really welcome that knowing some of the priority schemes that we've got
wanting to kind of take forward in the region. So really welcome in terms of helping deliver on some of our housing targets.
and there's also 13 .2 billion announced for the warm -term plan which again fits in with some of our key priorities for the region.
We also had confirmation in the spending review that funding for investment zones would continue to flow through.
Again, really important in terms of some of the previous papers that have come to the committee in terms of our work.
and I think just on business and innovation, the government pre -announced funding for research
and development funding which we'll be working towards understanding what that means for
us as that goes forward. I'll stop there in terms of some of the headlines. Our colleagues
will obviously have had the chance to have a look at the paper and we'll come on to that.
I think because we don't know the detail, obviously over this next period we'll have
to be kind of doing work to understand what that means for our medium term financial plan,
looking at a scenario of planning and trying to understand what that means for our projects
in terms of funding and pressures over this next year. But obviously a welcome step in
the right direction in terms of funding coming into the region. Thank you, Matt.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:43:50
Thank you so much, Sarah. And certainly all the lobbying we did before the spending review
sort of felt like the closure of the opportunity. We worked really hard, didn't we, as an organisation
with partners and advocates outside the organisation to make the case, particularly around tram,
so it was really pleasing to get that funding. Opening out to questions and comments. Can
I also pass on my thanks, Sarah, to your team that we requested a sort of new lens, what
does this mean for West Yorkshire? And we see that in the document, so thank you. They
had to work at speed in response to the spending review, so thank you.
Councillor Lai.
Thank you, Mayor.
I think most of the questions, as you've alluded to, you can't answer
Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council - 0:44:32
because we don't have
the detail yet.
So the one I do have, previously local government, other public sector were given grants to cover
the national insurance increases last year.
Do we know if that's going to continue or is that rolled into the increases that have
been suggested?
Sarah?
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:44:54
Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council - 0:44:56
I don't think we've got any detail in this announcement on that at the moment.
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:44:58
I mean that's something we can take away and keep under wraps but I'm just looking at Kate.
I don't think we've got any further detail on that in this announcement.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:45:08
My understanding Councillor is we've asked the question but we don't know.
So the question has been asked and there's a multitude of questions have been asked
about what this actually means going forwards.
Any further questions?
No, thank you so much. Okey -doke. Are we happy to approve just to those that spending review
analysis? Thank you.

17 Mayoral Partnership Update

Okay, Mayoral Partnership Update. This is just an update. I feel that I haven't really
spoken in depth about the work that's gone on across Mayoralities from our organisation.
I thought it might be a good moment just to update you on the exciting partnerships that
have been created between mayors and combined authorities across the country.
A broader update really.
You'll know the Great North was launched last month at UK Reef, a partnership bringing together
mayors and local leaders to unlock the North's economic potential.
I've also been at the heart of the development of the White Rose Partnership which unites
the Yorkshire mayors on areas of common purpose and last month we published Yorkshire's Plan
for Rail.
thank you to our colleagues for the way that they drove that. It was an
independent review led by Lord Blunkett setting out the opportunities and
investment plan for rail in Yorkshire. The initial agreement has been signed
between myself David Scaeth the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and Oliver
Coppard the Mayor of South Yorkshire and Luke Campbell the Mayor of Hollanish
Yorkshire has said he'd also like to join the partnership and we're
looking to agree a date to do so. And finally this item highlights the ongoing
development of the UK Mayors' Network, which I chair, now 14 mayors. The network is supporting
closer working with government through the Mayoral Council, giving England's mayors a
seat at the table with the Deputy Prime Minister to shape the future of government policy,
and of course we are members of the Council of Regions and Nations. And it was very humbling
to be at Lancaster House with the members of the nations and all of the mayors. The
and then to say, and Tracy, if you would like to continue the conversation.
So I do feel we have definitely got a place at the table here in West Yorkshire.
So Sarah, could I just ask you to take us through the paper and any questions?
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:47:33
I think, May, you've done a really great summary of the paper.
I think the only thing I think that I would add is that obviously part of the Government's plans
is to kind of widen and de -evolution,
and what you'll see is an increasing number of mayors coming forward.
So we've got the two new mayors who have recently been elected,
but over the next year there will be work taking place across another six areas.
So we're expecting another six areas to be elected in 2026.
And I think just to say that as part of that expansion,
the opportunity to be working across the country around some of these partnerships will probably increase.
I think that's part of the reason for fetching the paper, is that we'll be seeing developments.
As the industrial strategy comes forward, we'll be seeing that partnership expanding
across.
It's just probably one to keep an eye on and a watch of more regular updates around some
of that work because I expect that some key developments might take place through some
of these increasingly important partnerships across the P's.
I'll stop.
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:48:37
One of the first outcomes from the Great North is we're now going to be from September in
delivery mode on One Creative North and very welcome that the public service broadcasters
have been inspired by One Creative North to then have a joint commitment to help us deliver,
particularly around skills and the story of the North and also our investment opportunities
as well. So watch this space, but we're now in delivery mode and we will know more in
the autumn I think about the outcomes from the announcement in Gateshead of how much
money is being allocated to some Mayoral's strategic authorities and the creative industries.
So we've now wound up the Mayors' Creative Industries Task Force and we will see the
Creative Industries sectoral plan. But all of that has been very much drawn together
by One Creative North and it's something that we've been leading from as a region. So thank
you. Any comments on partnerships? Yes, Councillor Douglas.
Cllr Claire Douglas (York Council) - 0:49:41
Thank you, Mayor, and I would just like to say from the York and North Yorkshire perspective
that I'm a lead member on the combined authority there with Mayor David Scaife, and the White
Rose Agreement is really welcomed by us as well and really brings us closer to our colleagues
in West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and the Great North, across the North, and then
our ability to go out to government and other partners nationally as well. It's
really welcomed, it's getting us on the map and bringing that much -needed
investment into our regions that I believe we can only do as we work
collectively, so thank you for that. Thank you and certainly that cross boundary
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:50:23
working when it comes to transport I think will be really important to the
Mayor, being able to go from Leeds to Harrogate on to Scarborough and so on, so the
incremental changes we can make collectively will have great impact on
the ground. So thank you so much for that. Any further comments? No, thank you. We're

18 Draft Local Transport Plan (LTP)

happy to note the activity going on. Lovely, thank you. Thank you very much. So
before we move on to the draft local plan, local transport plan, it was remiss
of me, Kate, not to introduce Kate Taylor, our Director of Finance and Section
who comes to us from the West Midlands and has already made an impact in the first few
weeks that you've been here and I really look forward to working with you in the next few
years ahead in what is a very exciting time for your department as well with extra funds
coming in and also going out at speed. So you are very welcome, thank you so much Kate.
So moving on to the draft local transport plan, last meeting we agreed the creation
of the Weaver Network, the new name for our public transport
plan in the region.
It was launched shortly afterwards,
creating a unifying brand for our transport network,
the Weaver Network.
Weaver marks the beginning of a new chapter
for travel in West Yorkshire.
We, as a combined authority, have taken some big decisions
and are investing billions of pounds
to create the Weaver Network.
The next stage on this journey is the launch
of in July of our statutory consultation on the Mayor's West Yorkshire local transport
plan. This new plan will provide the foundations for our shared investment over the coming
years to create the Weaver network, to improve people's lives and support our regional objectives.
The paper in front of us today is asking us to agree the headline policy statements that
will be consulted on with the public. Now there's a lot of detail that sits behind this
but also a recognition that the policies need to be simplified for wider public consultation.
I've always said it has to be transparent and accessible to all citizens across West
Yorkshire. Can I ask Simon Warburton, our Executive Director of Transport, to take us
through it please?
Simon Warburton, Executive Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 0:52:48
Thank you, Mayor. So as you rightly point out, the Local Transport Plan is a statutory
plan in nature and the combined authority as the integrated transport
authority for West Yorkshire does have a statutory duty to keep that plan under
review and members will recall that over the past 18 months we have agreed that
with the range of changes that are underway both both locally within policy
through not least bus reform and our program for mass transit, the development and the
establishment of the West Yorkshire Plan and national reforms both transport and also the
devolution agenda that it was appropriate and timely that we reviewed the plan.
As are summarised from 3 .3 we've established a set of objectives for the local transport plan which were consulted on last summer and they are based around a clear customer vision which is you rightly say Mayor is now enshrined in our approach to the Weaver network.
And as summarized at 3 .10, policy objectives for the local transport plan are derived from
the West Yorkshire plan and we've set out very clearly how we will ensure that the local
transport plan fits fully alongside the local growth plan, the climate and
environment plan and the police and crime plan so as to reflect your duties
and indeed the duties of the combined authority. And of course the
pipeline that will follow from the local transport plan supported by capital
funding will be the largest part of the West Yorkshire investment plan. So what
What this report sets out in particular are now a set of proposed policies for the local
transport plan.
As you rightly have identified, Mayor, there is the inevitable tension within a statutory
plan that these policies are incredibly important within their drafting so as to give the right
statutory policy framework for our bus plans and also our mass transit program.
But at the same time we have to ensure that they are accessible and understandable.
So what we've looked to do to try to help in that regard is to organize those policies
under five network principles which are set out at 3 .13.
and those principles are for a network that is that is integrated that is
inclusive and affordable reliable and resilient safe that is promoting
activity and health and that can put us on a pathway towards zero emission
transport which I think very much kind of reflects the overall policy framework
that is regularly discussed around the table here.
So subject to members' views,
our request is that we then prepare these policies
in a draft plan which will be taken out of consultation.
We haven't sought to bring forward the full plan today
simply because at the point that a plan is published,
it finds itself in the public domain
and consultation has sort of started
before before is timely. So what we will do as has previously been requested is
subject to the comments today look to arrange member briefing sessions on the
draft full of plans so that we're able to appraise you as to the overall
approach before we publish the plan for consultation. Thank you so
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:57:15
much Simon and
Certainly our ambition is to have that tap in, tap out,
self -contained, weaver network that takes in bus, tram, bike,
train.
So we have the whole piece in the way
that you do in London that you have the overground as well
as the underground.
We want that integration so people
can get around our region.
And of course, then to access other regions
across to Manchester, south to Sheffield,
and up to Newcastle and so on. So it's a big piece of work and I know the statutory expectations
and certainly if members could pass their eye, give it a bit of time to look at the
integrated policies, I think the policies, headings and so on, it would be helpful for
any feedback at this stage. Any comments on the integrated transport plan?
Yes, Councillor Lamb.
Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council - 0:58:12
So thank you, Mayor. I've had a good read through it but unfortunately on this occasion
we haven't had the opportunity to have a briefing. I have a lot of questions so in the interest
of brevity here I'd like to ask that my abstention is recorded just because I don't want to take
up the meeting, bombard them with questions. The stage we're at with going into draft I
don't think it makes a huge amount of difference and I'm sure there will be opportunity to
Get our questions answered and briefed separately if that's okay.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:58:40
Okay. Thank you
Well, we'll make sure that that's in the diary as a matter of urgency. So
councillor Hinchcliffe
Yes, just to reassure from a transport committee perspective. This is something to transport. It's on a regular basis and
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 0:58:53
We we've had quite a lot of input into it. Obviously. It's a an evolving process and
We look forward to the next stages, but it is absolutely the right thing to do isn't it?
It's trying to make sure we have a firm plan so that we can have investment as well.
They know we've got a plan and we're ready to go and ready to deliver.
And I'm really encouraged by the step change we're making in transport.
It's what we always want to do, devolution, and it's happening.
And it's just great to see those big investments coming to the region for the first time, and
it's lovely.
Thank you so much.
Okey -doke.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 0:59:29
So, are we happy to approve these, where we are with the transport plan?
Great stuff.
Thank you.

19 Enabling Business Access To Finance and Investment

Moving on to item 19, enabling business access to finance and investment.
The paper presents an innovative model designed to enhance businesses' ability to secure funding
and boost investment levels.
Our local growth plan identifies the challenge our businesses face to accessing finance,
how that contributes to our lower rates of productivity and growth as a region.
This paper is asking us to endorse this new model which addresses critical challenges
related to low investment, productivity and innovation.
And it was very pleasing to be in London yesterday at a roundtable of investors in the financial
and professional services sector to speak very proudly about our innovation and the
that we are working in lockstep with businesses but having to be looking to the future about
how we manage our money going forward but also enable our businesses to have access
to investment. Thank you. Over to you Felix, our Director of Inclusive Economy Skills and
Culture, Felix Kumiampofo. Thank you very much, Mayor. As the Mayor just
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:00:45
set out this paper takes us further on from the local growth plan which we approved at
the end of last year.
And in that local growth plan we set out three main barriers to growth in West Yorkshire,
transport and connectivity, inadequate skills in terms of qualifications, attainment profile
of our labor market, and underinvestment, chronic underinvestment in our place over
a number of decades.
And within that underinvestment space,
we picked up underinvestment in our infrastructure,
in our people, in our places, but also in our businesses.
And the local growth plan concluded by saying
we still have a growth headroom of about 11 billion pounds,
20 ,000 fewer businesses, and about 50 ,000 fewer jobs.
So that is one bit of the context.
The other part, the other context,
or second part of the context is
within the local growth plan,
we presented what we call our wheel of enterprise,
which sets out the various facets of support
that businesses need to grow.
And it picks up things like access to new markets
and promotion, but the three main things
that businesses continuously talk to us about,
it's about planning and premises,
it's about access to skills,
and it's access to adequate finance,
suitable finance and investment.
So if you hold those two things in mind,
historically, organizations like ours and many others
have had a more narrow focus when it comes
to how we support our businesses,
when it comes to accessing finance and investment.
We've traditionally set up different grant funding ports and sort of processed those
into businesses. Those have been beneficial for those businesses that have accessed that
money, but as I said right at the beginning, the evidence is very clear that we've not
been able to ship the dial, even though we've done this over several decades with a lot
more money than we currently have.
What we're proposing is a more holistic and comprehensive approach to address the underlying
barriers and challenges that businesses talk to us about. So this allows us to pick up
barriers such as awareness. Many businesses tell us they are not aware enough of the various
solutions that are out there, the various offers that are out there in the market. And
financial literacy within our business community.
We find that many times when we put businesses in front of investors, they are not ready.
They are not investment ready, whether that is to do with their pitch deck or their actual
pitch to the businesses and having the information that they need.
We know that on the supply side, there have been and there continues to be significant
gaps in our market, not in our venture capitalists or equity funders, private financial institutions
in our space, business angels and others.
We know that there are certain many communities
that are underrepresented in this space,
whether it's female founders, founders from ethnic
minority communities, disabled founders, et cetera.
We also have historically not worked, not done enough
in shaping the market and bringing the key partners
together in a tight and strong strategic partnership,
which will ensure that there is no wrong door
when a business approaches one partner or another for funding.
And finally, we know that for whatever we are doing,
the profile has not been high enough, strong enough,
consistent enough to ensure
that businesses are fully aware going back
to the first point that I made.
So when you're in the paper, we have a diagram setting
out the framework that we're working through which is
in Section 3 .7 of this particular paper.
And it sets out four main legs to the framework
with two other underlying parts.
There's a finance hub, which is about addressing
the gaps in access to information, guidance,
and advice that businesses need.
There is a leg that looks at investment readiness.
And we're already on with doing some of this.
We did some of that leading to CLIMB last year,
and we're looking to do more this year.
On the supply side, we're looking at how we work
with the pension funds and others to co -invest with us
or to go ahead and to invest on their own
because they back the story we are putting forward.
And this does not mean that the Combined Authority
and other partners will never again provide
any grant support to businesses,
but it will mean that we can be surgical and focused in how we do that, where we do that, to the greatest effect,
whether it's to underrepresented communities or to support export and trade where that makes a difference,
or to support businesses that are starting up who need a little bit of support to be able to, you know,
find a place to be and access the networks that they need.
And finally, this puts us in a space where we are able to convene the key partners into a stronger partnership
to make sure that, as I said, there is no
closed door or wrong door when businesses
get involved
with the partners in this space, the funders
in this space.
If you are minded to approve this, this will
then guide our work when it comes to
supporting businesses
to access finance and investors
in our region.
It will mean that our approach will then follow
this
and we will make sure that businesses have
access to all the information
all the support to be financially literate, to make sure that on the supply side we have
the investors here who are ready and knowledgeable enough about our place and about the businesses
and the nature of the businesses here and the sectors that we've got here so they can
then invest. We continuously and chronically have underinvestment in our businesses compared
to areas that frankly we are much better placed to do better than. So that's what this paper
is looking to do. I'm happy to take any questions. Thank you.
Thank you so much. And really important that we work with partners as
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:07:21
well, so the pension
funds, and we were just at Nexus with Northern Gritstone this morning. We can't do it all
on our own, so I think you're absolutely right to have a new approach in a new world. Any
questions? Yes, Councillor Hinchliffe.
Thank you. I mean, I think the model is fine. I suppose the question is where does the emphasis
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:07:46
go in the limited amount of funding we've got, isn't it, really? And I know we've spoken
before about making sure that we don't just limit ourselves to high -growth businesses
because actually it's always quite hard to actually target where the high -growth businesses
are, isn't it, really? You know, who knows when there's going to be a high growth. There's
no sort of defining characteristic that really determines that, absolutely.
So I welcome the emphasis on here is it underrepresented communities as well
because obviously we want to make sure there's a ladder to get to be able to take out loans etc.
There is a real deficit across the short shot of people who need to be given the opportunity
to skill up and to establish their businesses and then get to greater institutional investors.
But if we don't provide that ladder, then we're always going to be short of supply in terms of going to those high -growth businesses
so and
Something around those grassroots communities making sure they're supported to set up the businesses nurtured and growing
Because it's not just about establishing businesses
It's about actually skills as well as and you know, I think you said in your open remarks about
There's gonna be a few jobs in the future
so we need to make sure we equip people with every all the skills they have to either set up their own business or
to propel themselves forward in their career.
And I see this as an opportunity to do that,
as long as the finances are balanced well
around these priorities.
Thank you.
And I would agree that, actually,
financial literacy and readiness for investment
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:09:12
is one of the blind spots.
And a business could be doing OK, but actually, then
to go to the next level.
There is not the skills, which is why it's a priority for us.
And just to recommend as well, CLIMB
is coming back to the Armouries in July.
So if you have businesses in your wards
that you feel would benefit from having access to capital,
and I think they've got more London investors
than ever before, and it's workshops and investor readiness
and an opportunity to make networks, I would recommend it.
I don't have shares in the company,
so I have no skin in this game,
but it has been seemingly quite beneficial
to a lot of our businesses, so thank you. Any further comments?
Okay, are we happy to approve the proposed draft model and approach to supporting regions'
businesses to access finance and investment to thrive? We are, lovely. Thank you.

20 Work & Health

So moving on, and this is also back to you I think as well Felix, work and health. This
paper updates us on the design and the delivery of a series of programmes helping people to
improve their health and find good quality paid work.
It also includes a recommendation to create a
healthy working life joint strategic board chaired by
myself and the chief executive of the Integrated
Care Board, Rob Webster.
This is designed to ensure that decisions over funding
that each organization is responsible for are made
jointly and that a single program is designed
and overseen.
Earlier in May, the Minister for Employment,
Alison McGovern, visited Wakefield to announce the
first location for a Pathfinder for the Department of Work and Pensions and I
know I know that Councillor Jeffries was there and it's a radical new approach
around jobs and the careers service. The CA and local authorities are working
closely with Jobcentre colleagues in Wakefield on this. So I wonder if I could
come to yourself Councillor Lewis as chair of the Economy Committee and then
on to Felix. Thank you Mayor and I covered a lot of what I was going to say in the
Cllr James Lewis (Leeds City Council) - 1:11:22
So I won't drag this out much longer, but I think it is really important work that we're
doing to, I think, put in the centre of something that has needed to be there for a long time,
that the NHS can play a big part in supporting people to get into work and support people
when they are in work, and for us using the combined authority to be the organisation
that works with them in West Yorkshire to do that.
So I think that's a really, really good step forward.
We'll certainly be looking at developing this work further
with the Get West Yorkshire Working Plan coming
to the next combined authority as well as part of our,
again, our commitment to support people in work
and getting people into work.
Thank you, and Healthy Working Life is the umbrella
that's hopefully gonna hide the wiring
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:12:12
between the two organisations.
Felix, any further comments?
Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councillor Lewis. We've been bringing
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:12:23
these papers in this space
to you regularly, mainly because this has been moving really quickly and there's a lot
of work that all the teams have been doing to make sure we are able to deliver. We've
only got one year to deliver most of this and to hit the right targets. Just to refresh
and I'm really just helpful.
What we're trying to do with is along a spectrum.
If you think from one side, people safe and secure
and happy in work, and then on the other end of the spectrum,
people who are economically inactive for all sorts
of reasons, largely due to health,
which is the focus of this, and who with some support
might be able to get back into employment.
And within that space sits many different categories
where you could put many people.
What we try to do in this, under the Healthy Work and Life
banner, is to support people who are in work who
might be at risk of falling out of employment for health
reasons.
And the evidence shows that this is often
due to either mental health, or cardiovascular challenges,
or musculoskeletal problems.
and also to support people who are out of work
and are economically inactive, who might, with some support,
be able to come back in to employment.
And in between those two are people
who simply are unemployed.
So they don't have a job.
They are looking for a job.
That's why they are unemployed and how we can support them.
So that is what this is all about.
And in West Yorkshire, we have about 400 ,000 people
who are economically inactive, about 100 ,000
that are due to health reasons.
unemployment numbers
are broadly in line with the national average
a little higher
but if you dig beneath that
within the various local authorities
in broad numbers
Bradford's unemployment numbers are only second
to Birmingham
and Birmingham's population is twice in Bradford.
You get a sense of the challenge
we have across our space
and that is what we are trying to do.
under the healthy working life
banner, this paper sets out
and asks you to
approve, consider and approve
a couple of things.
One is to set up
a strategic board
that gives us
a platform for the
mayor and for the
ICB and other partners
to be able to hold
everyone else to account
in this policy space.
This is growing.
It will grow into the
prevention space.
A lot of health
conversations around
acute care.
And not enough in
prevention.
But that is where
the game is going.
That is where the focus is.
This will be the space where we can hold
each other to account.
So considering that board
and hopefully approving
that we set that up
is the first thing.
The second is that the government
set up and published
the Get Britain
Working Plan.
We are now required to provide
and develop a local version of that.
Earlier this year
we already produced
our working health plan.
The government has since produced
some guidance
for the local plan
and the local
and we're proposing not to write a new plan because we already
have 90 % of what we need, but to produce just an addendum to it
to fill the gaps where there is.
And the final bit is an update on what we're
doing on the program itself.
So you can see in the paper there are two main areas
that we're working on now.
The labor market has changed so much
that when we started thinking about this a year and a bit
ago, we were thinking employers might
going to be falling over
themselves to recruit.
Now the labour market has
changed, vacancies have gone
down.
We are thinking about what
incentives and stimulus we
need for employers but also
for individuals to make sure
they can access the support.
That paper provides you a
little bit more information
about what we are doing in
that space.
Those are the three things.
The first two where we are
looking for your approval,
your constitutional
approval.
Thank you.
Thank you so much Felix and it is pretty shocking is that hundred thousand people
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:16:29
economically inactive due to ill health. I mean surely there is we can make an
impact there and also to say that healthy working life and this coming to
this meeting doesn't mean say we've not been underway with the work we're
already underway we have a year to deliver and also healthy working life is
where a fair bit of our creative health money will sit that the board approved
half a million pounds that's also going to be incredibly helpful to give us a
bit more resource for innovation. But Councillor Jeffries. Yeah just a quick
Cllr Denise Jeffery (Wakefield Council) - 1:17:05
here really. The launch went exceedingly well and it gave local businesses and
Kappa College a chance to showcase what we've got in Wakefield. Our new WX
building was a great venue for the Minister and she was impressed with what
we're doing but we're really pleased in Wakefield that we've been chosen as the
pilot scheme and there is the enthusiasm from Jobcentre and everyone else it was
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:17:34
a great event. Thank you we know that Jobcentres do need that refresh don't
they because they're so associated with sanctions it's not a place where you go
to get help that's how it feels for a lot of the public. Councillor Lamb.
Cllr Martin Love Bradford Council - 1:17:46
Yes, thank you Mayor. We know about 90 -95 % of businesses are small businesses and this
is an agenda that really does need tackling. If you talk to most small businesses, one
of the biggest challenges they face is being able to get staff for the roles that they
have. And the concern I always have with these things is they tend to, the low hanging fruit
actually, to get a big impact is to go to the big businesses where they have HR departments
and they can put all the support in place.
They've got lots of employees, so you can kind of get
a big success quickly, but that's never really
gonna solve the problem, and it's not easy
because of the diversity and nature
of all the different types of small,
there isn't a typical small business.
Everyone is different and unique in its own way.
Some will have the proprietor and one employee,
some will be 10, 20, all sectors.
So it's really how we get an assurance
that we're building something that can help those multitude of small businesses who desperately
want to employ people from any pool that's available but be able to give people support
without that being, often the owner is the HR department and the plumber and the electrician
and everything else so they need support to be able to help those that want to work and
are struggling to be able to take the jobs that they've got to offer.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:19:11
Thank you. Our region is majority of SMEs, so of course that's a priority. We are looking
at the membership of the Fair Work Charter. 330 now are engaged in the Fair Work Charter.
They are our petri dish because they are people who have already said we want to do the right
thing, we want to be good employers, we want to be innovative about how we support people
with disability for example, that's always in a contracted market, that must be very
difficult and certainly with the PIP changes there may potentially be people with different
challenges who are looking for work. I'll come back to you Felix at the end but to Susan.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:19:55
Yes, I think it's a good point by the Councillor about small businesses and I think whatever
initiative I've worked on throughout my career, it is always there's so many small businesses
and they're so varied it's very difficult to get a one -size -fits -all.
You need a lot of staff to be able to do that.
So I think what we haven't forget is that most small businesses
won't take their advice from us as a public sector,
they'll take their advice from banks, from accountants
that they're already dealing with.
So I think there's probably, and I'm sure officers are already thinking about this,
about how we support that sector to know what the opportunities are
because that's probably the avenue
that they're gonna go through to get the information
that they trust and therefore will use.
So there needs to be connection with that as well.
And I know from previous meetings,
those people and people already in the room.
But just from my point of view,
it was really practical question really
that if we could get these meetings in the diary
as quickly as possible and give as much notice,
because obviously a lot of the council meetings
are already set and these portfolio holders
and that obviously will already have diary commitments.
so if we could have at least a month notice of when the meeting is going to be, that would
be really helpful. Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:21:07
Thank you. Would you like to take those final points, Felix, and then we'll move on? I'm
right hurtling towards the end now because we only have half an hour, so Felix.
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe (Bradford Council) - 1:21:16
Thank you. I will take the hint. First, just to say what Councillor Jeff was talking about
is the Pathfinder, the jobs and careers Pathfinder
that has been launched in Wakefield.
Wakefield is the first and currently still
the only national Pathfinder we've got
and it's looking at how the Job Centre is transformed
from its current way of working to a new service
which is an employment and resident -led offer
Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:21:50
looking at co -location and different ways
of reaching and supporting individuals.
And for us, it's really closely linked
to the all -age careers work that we've been doing
and the blueprints that you approved a while ago.
So as a first point, the second point about small businesses,
we absolutely take that on board and it's just
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:22:11
to offer you reassurance.
We are not unique like anywhere else.
About 98 % of our business stock are SMEs.
That is the same everywhere.
That 98 % employ about 60 % of the people in employment.
So the remaining 2 % employ 40 % of the labor market.
So we always have to have that imbalance
and support as much as we can.
The key thing we are injecting into this
is to ensure there is agency for employers
so they can look at the options available
and identify what will work for them in their circumstance
instead of us prescribing for
Employers what what's on offer and that's it. So we're making sure
Irrespective of you know, depending on their circumstance of a particular business
they can look at the range of options or different types of support available and
Identify what works for them and we hoping that that agency will be helpful in the final point about notice for meetings
The notice that the first meeting for the strategic board is 28th July
that's already been put in the diary and as soon as we've got names from all the local authorities about who you're putting forward,
notices will go out to them to make sure that can go into the diary, but we will make sure that other meetings go in the diary as soon as possible.
Thank you. If we could share that reminder about membership, because
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:23:35
that will obviously trigger the diary invite, so the sooner we know who's going to be on it, the better.
Thank you so much.
Are we happy to approve the establishment of the Healthy Working Life Joint Strategic
Board?
We are.
That the Combined Authority endorses the proposed approach to the local Get Britain Working
Plan for West Yorkshire.
We are.
Thank you.
Okay, moving on to project approvals.
Investment priority one.
Felix.

21 a) IP1

Thank you, Mayor.
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:24:05
This is in two parts.
The first is the Rural Prosperity Fund.
As you would remember, as part of UKSPF
over the last few years, there's been a Rural Prosperity Fund
element to it that's come to us via DEFRA.
We had about 2 and 1 -1 -2 million pounds previously.
For this current financial year, we've
been given a further 770 ,000 pounds.
And this is seeking a delegation to the head of paid service,
because we are having to work at some pace,
it's very likely that we will be ready to give,
you know, process some of these grants
in between meeting cycles.
And if we have the delegation to the head of page service,
we'll be able to do this.
To reassure you, in the previous regime we've been running,
so to speak, we were oversubscribed.
There was a period where we did not have enough come through
and then we were oversubscribed.
So to start with, businesses that met the threshold were eligible but were not able
to support as long as their projects are still viable will be the first ones that we go out
to so we are able to move out really quickly and it will be only after that if there is
more funding left that we go out to call for more projects to come through.
So we are continuing what we were doing before mainly because we have to move really quickly
and we didn't have enough time to innovate and do anything different.
So that's the first bit of this.
The second is about investment zones.
The program that you're very familiar with, we've been coming to you with various capital
and revenue projects.
This puts two revenue projects in front of you.
The first is an academic brokerage service.
It's to enable us to inject some resource into the system so that the gap between our
businesses and academics can be bridged and more
businesses can be supported.
We are not assuming that innovation comes from or
only happens in universities.
Actually, most of the time it does not.
But we have the expertise and the intellectual
capacity in our universities in certain
areas to support taking some of these ideas
through to development and commercialization.
And this allows us to be able to do that at pace.
And linked to that, we are hoping at your next meeting,
we'll come to you seeking approval for a fund which we are developing with our pension fund
to make sure there is a funding option or solution available at the end of this process
so that businesses can tap into it immediately.
So what is in front of you is one, the academic brokerage service.
The second is an incubator.
And there will be three incubators.
This is the first one.
So this is the Leeds one.
There will be one coming through from Kirklees
and another one coming through from Bradford.
And this provides much needed resource
into the space for us to support, I think,
about 70 or 80 more businesses in health tech and digital tech
to take their idea through incubation all the way
through to when they are ready to raise finance.
And as I said, we're working to make
sure finance is available for them,
going back to the earlier paper that we had.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Exciting times.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:27:38
But can I just raise a question at 4 .5,
the key outputs for the academic brokerage service?
This is a minimum of 20 % target.
So that's on page 291.
It feels very modest.
I wonder if you could take that away and have a look
as to why that is so low.
Thank you, Felix.
We will definitely keep pushing.
But to reassure you, we have pushed that.
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:28:05
And this, sadly, even this is quite a stretch target.
If you, in the health and life sciences sector
and in digital tech, it's already very male dominated.
This has roots in our education system, in STEM subjects,
and the choices people make, et cetera.
So by the time you get to this point,
it's already a very male dominated sector.
We are at, I think we are at about 11 % in the sector.
So 25 % is quite a stretch, but we will keep teaching.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:28:47
20 % not 25%. It's quite a stretch but we will keep pushing completely
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:28:48
agree with
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:28:52
the point you're making. Thank you. Any comments on this item? No, thank you so
much Felix. So can we recommend the delegation to chief executive the change
request for rural England prosperity fund. Thank you so much and approve the
funding for the academic brokerage service and the Leeds Innovation Incubator.

21 b) IP4

Super duper, thank you so much. So moving on to item, let me see, here we go, 21B, the
project approvals for investment priority 4, Liz Hunter, Director of Policing,
Environment and Place. Jane, yes, thank you, you've been, you're awake and alert to
the fact that this is where you have to leave the room. So if I may go over to you,
the first two are flooding related. We are looking for your approval to contribute to
a scheme in Eringdon hillside and at Heblebrook, £500 ,000 each. This is working in partnership
with the environment agency who are putting the majority of the money forward and this
enables those two schemes to go ahead rather than just the one which is the one we were
initially funding. So as the paper already describes, this is specific funding for Calderdale,
Liz Hunter, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:30:14
hence why Councillor Scullion has also left the room given the significant impact that
flooding has had in Calderdale previously. The third approval that we're seeking today
is for the Mayor Renewables Fund. So we had the opportunity to put forward projects for
We have got 700 ,000 pounds worth of funding.
It wasn't a bidding round as such.
The money was there if we were able to meet the criteria.
We are still waiting for formal confirmation on this at the moment.
So this is kind of subject to that funding being available from governments.
But we wanted to be to bring it forward for you today so that if we are successful in
that funding coming forward we can crack on with the schemes.
We have worked in partnership with the local authorities and with the police to bring forward
the schemes that you can see here. The fund was specifically for public sector buildings
and as you say, as the paper says, it's a range of local authorities that are going
to benefit from that. So looking for your approval ahead of the government funding approval
so we can crack on if we're successful. Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:31:24
Thank you so much Liz. Any comments? No? Thank you so much. Are we happy to approve that
We approved the funding for Erringdon Hillside Flood Alleviation Scheme,
Herblebrook Flood Alleviation Scheme and the West Yorkshire Mayoral Renewables Fund
and approve it to go through progression to the insurance process.
Thank you. I think someone needs to go get Jane. Thank you.

21 c) IP5

Okay, moving on. 21C, project approvals. This is for investment priority five.
Could I ask Simon Pope, our Director of Transport Capital Program, to talk us through?
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor.
So we have one scheme seeking approval under IP5, that's the Better Places Lead City Centre
Simon Pope, Director (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:32:04
Cycle Link Scheme.
The scheme involves introduction of a bi -directional cycle track and improved crossings to plug
gaps in the planned circular cycle route around the city centre.
The command authority previously approved the scheme back in July 2024 to proceed through
decision point four, which is for business case and to commence delivery.
The financial case presented at that time was based on estimated costs for delivery
without contractor involvement.
Since approval, costs at tender were found to be significantly higher than those that
were previously estimated.
This has been due to a lack of design maturity reflected in the previous costings and the
programme impact from the required ways of working needed to construct the scheme not
being adequately reflected.
The latest council has since worked with the preferred contractor to value engineer the
design and the construction approach without compromising the scheme quality or the scheme
extents, such that the final costs now remain higher than those approved at FBC, but they
have been reduced by 50 % from those originally quoted by the contractor at the time of tender.
And the new way of managing the capital programme that was agreed by the command authority back
in September of last year, members will be aware that funding is now only formally allocated
to schemes at FBC stage, and the expectation of cost certainty at that point with minimal
changes to cost and programme expected thereafter except in exceptional circumstances.
Schemes seeking FPC approval are now therefore subject to increased scrutiny of cost than
was the case when this scheme was originally approved, ideally reflective of contractor
involvement.
An independent cost review has been undertaken of this scheme to try and learn lessons of
what's gone wrong with the findings used to frame revised expectations from scheme
promoters moving forwards.
Just to reassure members, the findings of that review have validated the more robust
approach to cost assurance that's now being adopted as standard before recommending schemes
for approval at Combined Authority.
The revised Combined Authority contribution requested towards this scheme is now £11 .3
million, so that's an increase of £3 .5 million from that that was previously approved.
In determining whether to recommend an increased contribution, officers have re -examined the
for money case and the promoter's state of readiness to deliver the scheme related to
others within the CRSTS programme.
Whilst the BCR and benefit cost ratio has dropped in response to the increased costs,
it still represents high value for money at 2 .9 to 1.
There are also no other schemes within the programme at a similar state of readiness
for delivery, with the planned commencement of construction in September providing a significant
significant contribution towards our ability to guarantee CRSTS spend by the March 2027
funding date.
So that being the case, we are recommending the command authority approves the change
request in this instance to increase funding towards the scheme by 3 .5 million pounds,
but notes the increased cost scrutiny expected of all scheme promoters going forward to enable
effective management of the programme.
Thank you so much.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:35:03
It is welcome, the value engineering, that we can just look again, but also how we are
learning lessons from this going forward, because what we really want to make sure is
that when it comes to the CA, we know exactly how much we are intending to spend and we
won't get constant change requests, because we have taken a view collectively, haven't
way that this is not the direction of travel we want to go in we want to make
sure we know exactly how much projects cost and so on. Any comments on this
scheme? No thank you so much. Okay are we happy to approve the progress for Better
Places Leeds City Centre bike link through the assurance process and
approval of funding? We are, thank you so much. Moving on to project approvals for

21 d) IP6

investment priority six, can I ask Felix to come back in to take us through the
recommendations. Thank you, Felix. Thank you very much, Mayor. This takes our banner
culture heritage and sports program called You Can Make It Here from
committed allocation of 2 .7 million pounds to about 4 .2 million pounds so
seeking an increase of just under 1 .5 million pounds. This allows us to do more
of the things that are working and some new things as well. So for example the
support that we've been able to offer to freelancers in the in the region we all
know how difficult it can be and how patchy the nature of work is but also
how important it is for the industry.
It will allow us to do more to support our cultural
venues that are not disabled friendly in terms
of their access that was significantly
oversubscribed.
So we'll be able to do more there.
It will allow us to do more in terms of supporting
our businesses in cultural support to internationalize,
to access support to be able to go to international
functions and trade shows, etc., like South by Southwest and others. So some of
the things we're already doing we can do more of. There are also some new things
that we're looking to do. For example, the mayor made a pledge during her campaign
to make sure that primary schools, especially in West Yorkshire, all have
access to libraries or have a library and this allows us to work with the
National Literacy Trust to support more than 80 primary schools, about I think 83 primary
schools to have a library, but not just that, to make sure they've got staff that are trained
to make sure these libraries don't sit as white elephants, but actually they have ways
to ensure that young people get access to their books and are reading. So these are
some of the projects that we're looking to support in this, if you're minded to approve.
Thank you.
Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:38:11
Thank you so much Felix and it is so illuminating that reading for pleasure as a child is one
of the greatest indicators of life's outcomes. So what we want to make sure in those areas
where schools have made difficult decisions to have no library, working with the literacy
trust to ensure that they have a library but more importantly they have a staff member
trained to guide youngsters into the world of reading. And also we know that freelancers,
particularly working class freelancers, have often had to leave the sector because they
just can't survive and they don't have family money or private means. So I think being able
to say to creative freelancers, we get you, we see you and we're here to support you as
much as we can given resources. So thank you. Any comments on this item? No, thank you.
Are we happy to approve?
Wonderful, thank you so much.

21 e) Portfolio Summary

And so moving on, and the phrase is so right, you can make it here,
you don't have to leave to achieve in West Yorkshire.
Moving on to project approvals, this is the portfolio summary
in relation to the impact of the project approvals on the wider portfolio.
Could I ask Ben Still, our Chief Executive, to take us through some of the important points of the report?
Thank you, Chair. I don't think I need to for this report, which is both self -explanatory
Ben Still, Chief Executive (West Yorkshire Combined Authority) - 1:39:38
and I don't think there's any particular matters to draw to the Committee's attention. In effect,
this report traces through the decisions that you've just taken in terms of the financial
impact on the programmes, the most significant one being that of the lead approval that Simon
has outlined. I'll pause there given the time, Chair.
Thank you. Any comments on those approvals?

For Information

Mayor Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire - 1:39:58
No, on those? Thank you so much.

22 Minutes for Information

And certainly it's always good to see the approvals come through the CA.
We know that we're making West Yorkshire a better place to live and work.
Okey -doke. Item 15, minutes for information.
This is committees' minutes and summaries from meetings published on the CA's website.
Any comments on those committees? Super. Thank you all so much for your attendance contributions.

23 Date of the Next Meeting

And can I remind members of the date of the next meeting, the 24th of July 2025.
And also just reflecting on my opening comments, Felix, I wonder if you could share details of the funeral
and any flowers or any fundraising for Neil across CA members.
Thank you all so much, thank you for attending and here's to the next one. Thank you.