Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Director of City Development on the outcome of the consultation undertaken in respect of the review of governance arrangements in West Yorkshire. The report invites the Board to recommend to full Council that consideration be given to becoming a member of a Combined Authority for the area of West Yorkshire.  In addition, the report presents the proposed Scheme for the Combined Authority, which would form the basis for the creation of the new body, and as such, the report requests that a recommendation is made to full Council that the Scheme be submitted to Government by July 2013, with a view to creating a Combined Authority for the area of West Yorkshire by April 2014, in line with our City Deal Implementation Plan.

Further to minute 90 of the meeting held 12^th October 2012, the Director of City Development submitted a report on the outcome of the consultation undertaken in respect of the review of governance arrangements in West Yorkshire. The report invited the Board to recommend to full Council that consideration be given to becoming a member of a Combined Authority for the area of West Yorkshire.

The proposed Scheme for the Combined Authority, which would form the basis for the creation of the new body was presented as part of the considerations with a request that a recommendation is made to full Council that the Scheme be submitted to Government by July 2013, with a view to creating a Combined Authority for the area of West Yorkshire by April 2014, in line with Leeds City Deal Implementation Plan.

RESOLVED – That the following be recommended to full Council on 1^st July 2013:

a)  The findings of the Review of governance arrangements relating to transport, economic development and regeneration, pursuant to Section 108 of the Local Democracy Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 and Section 82 of the Local Transport Act 2008 (as set out at in Appendix A of the submitted report) together with the results of the consultation exercise conducted (included within Section 4.1 of the report)

b)  For the reasons set out in the Review document, to agree that the

  establishment of a Combined Authority for the area of West Yorkshire   would be likely to improve:

· the exercise of statutory functions relating to economic development,

regeneration and transport in the area;

· the effectiveness and efficiency of transport in the area; and

· the economic conditions in the area.

c)  To endorse the Final Scheme (in the form set out at Annex B to this report) including the proposal that the West Yorkshire ITA is dissolved, and that the West Yorkshire PTE is also dissolved and that all their individual functions, property, rights, liabilities and staff are transferred to the Combined Authority.

d)  To agree to publish the Scheme pursuant to section 109(2) of the Local

  Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009.

e)  To consent to the inclusion of Leeds City Council in the area of the Combined Authority.

f)  To agree that the City of York Council and the Leeds City Region Local

  Enterprise Partnership should be invited to join the Combined Authority   for the area of West Yorkshire as non-constituent members.

g)  To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader and with the other West Yorkshire Authorities to undertake such steps as are necessary to facilitate the submission of the Scheme and the preparation of the draft Order.

The resolutions detailed within this minute were exempted from the Call In process under the provisions of paragraph 5.1.3 of the Executive and Decision Making Procedure Rules due to the urgency for the Council to consider submitting a Final Combined Authority Scheme to the Secretary of State by July 2013