Issue - meetings

Members will be updated on progress towards securing a Combined Authority for Leicester and Leicestershire.

An update report in relation to the Leicester and Leicestershire Combined Authority was received and Members were reminded of the three core functions proposed for the Combined Authority. Members were also informed that it had been agreed that Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council would be an associate member of the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP.

It was noted that Harborough District and Melton Borough Councils had yet to meet to confirm membership of the Leicester and Leicestershire Combined Authority, but all other authorities in Leicestershire had confirmed their commitment.

Council is asked to consider the establishment of a Combined Authority for Leicester and Leicestershire.

Council received a report which provided information in relation to the establishment of a Combined Authority for Leicester and Leicestershire and associated Scheme and Governance Review for submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

It was moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Camamile that the decision made at the meeting on 12 October in relation to the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Leicester & Leicestershire Combined Authority and Business Rates pool (minute 205 parts (iii), (iv) and (v) refers) be rescinded and revisited. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED.

It was moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Camamile that the Scheme for the Combined Authority, and the Governance be approved, and the publication of the Scheme and its submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government be authorised. Upon being put to the vote, the motion was CARRIED.

It was moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Camamile that the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive, be authorised to:

(a)          make any final amendments to the Scheme and Governance Review prior to their submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government in December 2015 or January 2016;

(b)          enter into discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government and any such other Government departments and other persons as considered necessary to agree the terms of the Order establishing the Combined Authority and to approve the final form of the Order on behalf of the Council;

(c)          negotiate, agree and execute all ancillary documents in support of the operation of the Combined Authority, including (without limitation) the constitution of the Combined Authority;

(d)          take all decisions and actions necessary to enable the establishment of the Combined Authority.

Councillor Lay suggested an amendment in that the Leader of the Opposition and the Chairman of the Scrutiny Commission should be consulted on any significant changes. The Leader and seconder of the original motion supported this AMENDMENT and the motion, as amended, was CARRIED.

It was moved by Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Camamile and

RESOLVED –

(i)            the Scheme for the Combined Authority be approved;

(ii)           the Governance Review be approved;

(iii)          the publication of the Scheme and its submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government be authorised;

(iv)         The Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive, be authorised to make any final amendments to the Scheme and Governance Review prior to their submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government in December 2015 or January 2016;

(v)          The Chief Executive, following consultation with the Executive, be authorised to enter into discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government and such other Government departments and other persons as considered necessary by the Chief Executive to agree the terms of the Order establishing the Combined Authority and to approve the final form of the Order on behalf of the Council;

(vi)         The Chief Executive, following consultation with the Executive, be authorised to:

a.    Negotiate, agree  ...  view the full minutes text for item 251

The Executive is asked to endorse this report before consideration by Council on 10 November.

A report was presented to the Executive in relation to the proposal to establish a Combined Authority for Leicester and Leicestershire. It was explained that, with regard to recommendation (i), a motion signed by eight members had been received requesting rescission of the decision made at the previous meeting of Council, which agreed not to pursue, amongst other matters, membership of the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Leicester & Leicestershire Combined Authority (minute 205 refers).

Officers explained the reasons for the recommendations including the need to delegate some areas – the detail of the negotiations, not the decision to pursue the application, which Council would be asked to approve on 10 November – and also the reason for a report coming before both the Executive and Council, which was not in accordance with usual decision making practices, but had arisen from a countywide agreement to follow this route.

Some members felt that individual matters for delegated decision should be discussed with them, and in response it was noted that it would be within the Leader’s discretion to bring matters back to his group, although there were often tight timescales to meet. The Chief Executive agreed also to provide members with as much detail as possible in relation to matters as they arise.

It was moved by Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Morrell and

RESOLVED – Council be RECOMMENDED to approve

(i)            the rescission of parts (iii), (iv) and (v) of the decision of Council on 12 October in relation to the Coventry & Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Leicester & Leicestershire Combined Authority (minute 205 refers;

(ii)           the Scheme for the Combined Authority;

(iii)          the Governance Review;

(iv)         the publication of the Scheme and its submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government;

(v)          authorisation for the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader, to make any final amendments to the Scheme and Governance Review prior to their submission to the Department for Communities and Local Government;

(vi)         authorisation for the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader, to enter into discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government and such other Government departments and other persons as are considered necessary by the Chief Executive to agree the terms of the Order establishing the Combined Authority and to approve the final form of the Order on behalf of the Council;

(vii)        authorisation for the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader:

a.    to negotiate, agree and execute all ancillary documents in support of the operation of the Combined Authority, including (without limitation) the constitution of the Combined Authority; and

b.    to take all decisions and actions necessary to enable the establishment of the Combined Authority.

Report of the Chief Executive attached, with associated appendices.

Council received a report which recommended membership of a West Midlands Combined Authority on a ‘non-constituent’ basis. The reasons for recommending membership, along with the positive potential benefits, were set out in sections 4.1 and 4.2 of the report. In addition, it was explained that, following concern expressed by the Council, the position had now been negotiated by the Leader and Chief Executive for the authority (and other non-constituent member councils) to have voting rights in relation to growth plans. This significant positive change had been confirmed in writing from the WMCA earlier in the day. It was confirmed also that there would be no cost to becoming a non-constituent member of the Combined Authority, although some time would need to be invested in the immediate term, which the Chief Executive committed to input, as the aim of membership was to ‘get the best’ for businesses, the economy and residents of Hinckley and Bosworth. It was moved by Councillor Bill, seconded by Councillor Bray and supported by Councillor Lay that the recommendations within the report be approved and that the authority confirms its acceptance to become a non-constituent member of the proposed West Midlands Combined Authority.

Councillor Morrell requested that the meeting be adjourned for five minutes at this juncture. The meeting adjourned at 8.34pm.

The meeting reconvened at 8.41pm.

Councillor Bray, along with six further members, stood to request that voting on this motion be recorded.

Councillors Bill, Bray, Cartwright, DS Cope, GAW Cope, Hodgkins, Lay and Witherford voted FOR the motion (8);

Councillor Allen, Bessant, Boothby, Camamile, Cook, Kirby, Ladkin, Morrell, Nickerson, O’Shea, Richards, Roberts, Smith, Sutton and Williams voted AGAINST the motion (15).

There were no abstentions.

The motion was therefore declared LOST and it was

RESOLVED –

(i)            Non-Constituent membership of the proposed West Midlands Combined Authority be not pursued;

(ii)           A review / enforcement of the Coventry Joint Committee / Economic Prosperity Board arrangement in which it participates with Warwickshire County Council, Coventry City Council and the five Warwickshire district councils be not sought;

(iii)          The request to be a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership be not reaffirmed;

(iv)         Commitment to membership of the Leicester and Leicestershire Combined Authority be not confirmed;

(v)          Continued commitment to membership of the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), in particular its continued membership of the Leicester and Leicestershire Business Rates Pool, be not confirmed.

Report of the Chief Executive seeking commitment to the intentions of the authority in respect of membership of a Combined Authority west of the A5.

Members received a report and supplementary document in relation to membership of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Councillor Hall suggested an amendment to recommendation 2.1 which would require a report to be brought back to an extraordinary meeting of the Council by no later than 8 October, if a positive decision to join was being recommended. No meeting would be necessary if the recommendation was to stay outside the West Midlands Combined Authority. It was requested that Councillor Bill be kept updated on progress as he had been involved since the onset of discussions. The amended motion was seconded by Councillor Rooney and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The Leader and Chief Executive be authorised to continue negotiations in relation to membership of the West Midlands Combined Authority;

(ii)           A further report be brought to Council on or before 8 October for a final decision, if there was to be a recommendation to join the WMCA.

Report of the Chief Executive seeking support and authority for continuing discussions regarding membership of Combined Authorities in Leicester and Leicestershire and in the West Midlands and to seek support for the related submission for this Council to be a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Authority was sought from Council for continuing discussions with regard to membership of combined authorities in Leicester and Leicestershire and in the West Midlands, and with regard to submission to become a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. It was moved by Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Sutton and

RESOLVED –

(i)            The indicative timescales relating to the formation of Combined Authorities for Leicester and Leicestershire and, in some form, for authorities in Coventry / Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands, be noted;

(ii)           The Chief Executive and Leader be authorised to continue discussions with the relevant bodies to explore these options further, on the basis of the Council ultimately being a member of two Combined Authorities;

(iii)          In furtherance of (ii) above, the Council seeks membership of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), in addition to its existing membership of the Leicester and Leicestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LLEP).