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Morley Town Deal Board

 

In September of 2019, Morley was named as one of 100 towns across England that had been invited to work with the government to develop innovative regeneration plans to transform their town's economic growth prospects through the Towns Fund.

 

The Towns Fund is a government initiative to drive economic regeneration and deliver long term economic and productivity growth through projects focused on urban regeneration, skills and enterprise infrastructure and enhanced connectivity. In March 2021 the government offered a Town Deal for Morley of £24.3 million. In August 2022 the grant funding was approved after the submission of all Business Cases.

 

In January 2020 an interim Town Deal Board was established, and in summer 2020 an open recruitment process was undertaken to appoint members representing Morley’s communities, the private sector, and key local organisations.

 

The Morley Town Deal Board plays a key role in representing the town to:

 

• Develop a clear programme of projects and interventions in Morley
• Coordinate resources and engage with the wider Morley community 

 

The board is not a legal entity and its role is advisory. Its purpose is to work with Leeds City Council, to which it is accountable, as the key body for the development of the Vision, local engagement and representation. The Board will have an ongoing role and have sight of decisions as projects are developed in more detail. 

 

The Morley Town Investment Plan

 

The Town Investment Plan was developed with input and oversight from the Morley Town Deal Board with support from Leeds City Council. Projects and interventions in Morley have been proposed and appraised in a consistent manner in line with an agreed appraisal framework. Leeds City Council will be the accountable body for Town Deal funds.

 

To view the Morley Town Investment Plan Click Here

 

The Plan is currently published in pdf format.

 

 

 

To view the Declaration of Interests for Members of the Morley Town Deal Board Click here

 

 

Morley Town Deal Board – Terms of Reference

 

Overview

 

The Morley Town Deal Board (“the Board”) has been established as an Outside Body to the Council to support the development and delivery of a Town Investment Plan (TIP). Following the award of £24.3million in March 2021 to fund the Morley Town Investment Plan, the Morley Town Deal Board will oversee the development of the proposed projects put forward in the TIP and will continue to drive forward the Vision for the town. The Board will work in partnership with the Council and provide a representative voice in the interests of the community of Morley, in so far as the Town Deal requires. It is anticipated that this Board will continue to meet for a minimum of three years, beginning in Autumn 2020, although this will remain under review and the Board may have a longer term role until the end of the grant funding in March 2026.

 

Objectives of the Board

 

The Board will be a driver for positive change in Morley and will be the main vehicle for the development and delivery of the Town Investment Plan and subsequent Town Deal. This will involve:

• Acting as representatives for Morley, reflecting the interests of stakeholders across the town in taking forward the agreed Town Investment Plan Vision and Town Deal
• Working with Leeds City Council as accountable body by providing oversight to the development of Town Deal projects
• Contributing proactively and positively to meetings of the Town Deal Board and acting as ambassadors for the Town Deal outside of the Board

• Identifying opportunities to co-ordinate investments in Morley where this could lead to further economic growth aligned with the ambitions and programme set out in the Town Deal

• Agreeing appropriate governance close-down and legacy arrangements at the end of the Town Deal to ensure the best opportunity for continuation of partnership and collaborative work in the interests of Morley
 • Coordinating partner activities and influencing stakeholders to ensure delivery of the Town Deal
• Ensuring the Board aligns with the governance standards and policies of Leeds City Council

• Establishing and acting in accordance with a shared set of principles, policies and operating standards

• Developing a strong partnership approach between the Board and other stakeholders to support the Vision of the Board

• Taking collective responsibility for the implementation of the Vision and Town Deal

• Being inclusive and transparent to stakeholders

• Ensuring that all members adhere to the Code of Conduct and Member Criteria which relate to selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership

• Other work and responsibilities in support of Morley Town Deal and the wider promotion and regeneration of the town Morley Town Deal Board Terms of Reference

 

Membership

 

The membership of the Board will comprise of the following:
• Chair to be agreed – to be chaired by a local private sector representative.
• Vice Chair – private sector representative
• Leeds City Council Executive Member for Sustainability & Infrastructure

• 1x Ward Members for Morley North

• 1 x Ward Member for Morley South

• 1 x Town Council Member

• MP for Morley and Outwood

• Leeds City Council Director of City Development

• Community representatives to be determined through application and selection process

• Cultural Sector representative to be determined through application and selection process

• Private Sector representatives to be determined through application and selection process

Each member must be capable of representing the views of their organisation or community and must have appropriate knowledge and authority to contribute to the development and delivery of the Vision. Members must try and attend all meetings, where possible. Sub-delegates may be nominated in the event a member cannot attend a meeting. The membership of the Town Deal Board will be kept under review and representatives from other businesses and organisations can be invited to the meetings, as necessary and appropriate, to assist with the work of the Town Deal Board.

 

Leeds City Council will convene the Town Deal Board and publish the governance structure and decision making structures of the Town Deal Board. To be quorate the board must consist of at least 5 (five) members and should be represented by both elected members and non-elected members. Members may be removed or suspended by vote of the Board if they breach the code of conduct or if they consistently fail to attend Town Deal Board meetings.

The term of membership will initially be for 1 (one) year, though the Board will review and agree appropriate length of tenure in relation to the Town Deal bidding and approval process once this becomes clearer.

 

Chairperson and Vice Chair

 

The Chairperson will chair the Town Deal Board for the first year. Thereafter, a vote will be held for a new chairperson annually and the existing chairperson can re-apply for a further year. The majority vote will elect the new Chairperson. The Chair should remain a private sector representative in accordance with the national Town Deal guidelines.

The Chairperson responsibilities will include:

• Setting the agenda for each meeting

• Making the purpose of each meeting clear to members and explaining the agenda at the beginning of each meeting

• Clarifying and summarising what is happening throughout each meeting Morley Town Deal Board Terms of Reference

• Keeping the meeting moving by putting time limits on each agenda item

• Encouraging broad participation from members in discussion by calling on different people

• Ending each meeting with a summary of decisions and actions.

 

The Vice Chair is responsible for assisting the Chair in carrying out their overall duties and responsibilities. If the Chair is unable to attend or chair the Town Deal Board, the Vice Chair will assume the duties and responsibilities of the Chair. The Vice Chair may act as a primary lead for aspects of the overall Board responsibilities and delivery, to be determined by the Chair.

 

 

Decision Making

 

Decisions will be taken democratically through a simple majority on a show of hands.

 

Decision making in relation to the Town Deal will be in line with delegation schemes in the Council’s Constitution. A requirement of the funding is that decisions are made in partnership and collaboration with the Morley Town Deal Board although accountability ultimately remains with the Council as the ‘accountable body’. The Town Deal Board will work in partnership with the Council to support project development and to build upon the Town Vision. Council officers will provide diligent, timely and impartial technical advice to aid this approach.

 

Meetings

 

Meetings will generally be held on a bi-monthly basis, however the frequency and dates of meetings will be subject to ongoing review. More frequent meetings will be required at critical points in time. Meetings will be held in a location agreed by the Board. Meetings shall start and end at the agreed times unless all those present agree to extend the meeting. Communications and reporting arrangements All communications relating to the Morley Town Deal will go through the Leeds City Council communications team who will work in conjunction with the Communication and Engagement working group of the Town Deal Board. Members who engage in communication activity related to the Morley Towns Deal independent of this process may be removed or suspended by vote of the Board. Leeds City Council will provide papers for the Board and operate a limited secretariat. Briefing information can be provided by Council officers on an ad hoc basis to board members verbally or by note upon request.

 

Leeds City Council will:

• Set the agenda for upcoming meetings in discussion with the Chair

• Circulate and publish relevant information and decision papers

• Where appropriate, Council officers may present verbal updates or lead certain agenda items as required

• Ensure co-ordination of the Board’s activities with the Council’s governance and assurance processes

 

Morley Town Deal Board Code of Conduct

 

Respecting Confidentiality In line with the Code of Conduct Board Members will be expected to behave with openness and honesty. However, on occasions the Board may wish to discuss matters where one or more members wish to retain confidentiality. In such circumstances, and where specifically requested, all Board members are expected to retain confidentiality in the context of the matters being considered. Project proposals may, in some cases, be commercially sensitive and will be discussed in a private section of the agenda. Members who breach confidentiality may be removed or suspended by vote of the Board.

 

Whistleblowing

 

If a Board Member, officer, third party stakeholder, or member of the public, becomes aware of any activity undertaken by the Board or its members that they perceive as illegal, improper, unethical or otherwise inconsistent with the Code of Conduct, they should report this matter in line with Leeds City Council’s Whistleblowing Policy.

 

Register of interest detail/ Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

 

If a Board member is aware that they have a disclosable pecuniary interest in any matter to be considered at the meeting, the member must notify the Chair and Leeds City Council and at their request withdraw from the room where the meeting considering the business is being held. This must also be recorded on the Register of Interests.

 

RDEL capacity funding

 

The RDEL capacity funding was predominantly spent on two external consultant commissions which informed the Town Investment Plan. These were:

·  A socio-economic baseline, produced by Mott MacDonald, which provided a substantiated evidence base to inform the development and selection of project proposals. This identified key areas of need and opportunity.

·  Consultation and engagement activities and analysis, produced by Locality. This supported the project selection and development process, enabling us to better understand local desires and priorities.