Agenda and minutes

The Lead Officer – Scrutiny – opened the meeting and invited nominations for Chair of the Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel for 2015/16. It was moved by Councillor Woolfall and seconded by Councillor Burns and:-

RESOLVED: That Councillor Kevan Wainwright be appointed Chair of the Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel for 2015/16.

(COUNCILLOR KEVAN WAINWRIGHT IN THE CHAIR)

The Chair then invited nominations for Vice Chair of the Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel for 2015/16. It was moved by Councillor Woolfall and seconded by Councillor Brown and:-

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Burns be appointed Vice Chair of the Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel for 2015/16.

The minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2015, having been circulated, were taken as read and subject to Councillor Stuart’s apologies being recorded, were signed as a correct record.

The Chair invited nominations for two Members and one substitute Member to sit on the Combined Authority’s Audit Committee.

The Lead Officer – Scrutiny – advised that two nominations had been received prior to the meeting for the position of Members of the Audit Committee, these being Councillor Nina Killen and Councillor Mike Sullivan. A further nomination for the position of Substitute Member was received from Councillor Michael O’Brien.

          RESOLVED: That Councillor Nina Killen and Councillor Mike Sullivan be appointed as Members and that Councillor Michael O’Brien be appointed as the Substitute Member, on the Combined Authority’s Audit Committee for 2015/16.

          The Scrutiny Panel welcomed Councillor Phil Davies, Chair of the Combined Authority to the meeting.

Councillor Davies provided an update on the activities and achievements of the Combined Authority in its first year and its programme for the next twelve months.

His presentation covered the following:-

·       Transport and its critical role in supporting the City Region’s wider policy objectives;

·       The Liverpool City Region Growth Deal worth £262m;

·       Commencement of delivery on the Youth Employment Gateway Programme, with 907 young people receiving support and 132 having been supported into employment;

·       The work of the Housing and Spatial Planning Group;

·       Support for an enhanced HS2/HS3 rail offer for the City Region;

·       Discussions with Ministers on the Devolution agenda; and

·       The Associate membership of West Lancashire and Warrington Councils to the Combined Authority.

Councillor Davies then dealt with Members’ questions and was thanked for his attendance.

RESOLVED: That the presentation be noted.

The Panel considered a report of the Lead Officer – Scrutiny, which outlined the arrangements for the Combined Authority’s Scrutiny function, as detailed in the Constitution approved on 1 April 2014.

The Panel noted that Part 5, Section B of the Constitution set out the Scrutiny Arrangements for the Authority, the Merseytravel Committee and Merseytravel. This covered the following issues:-

·       Function of Scrutiny at City Region level;

·       Operation of Scrutiny arrangements;

·       Meetings of Scrutiny Panel;

·       Key Principles for the Operation of the Scrutiny arrangements;

·       Scrutiny Working Groups;

·       Reviews and Recommendations;

·       Budget and Administration; and

·       Support and Advice to Scrutiny arrangements.

Members noted that the constituent authorities had agreed to provide appropriate resources and support to the Scrutiny Panel’s work programme, with the first scrutiny review on European Funding conducted with support from across the City Region.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

The Panel considered a report and attachment of the Lead Officer – Scrutiny, on the Combined Authority’s (CA) approved Forward Plan.

          It was noted that the Forward Plan set out the planned work of the CA for the next twelve months, and that the rolling plan was regularly updated. The Plan would help to determine the development of the Scrutiny Panel’s Work Programme for 2015/16.

RESOLVED: That the Combined Authority Forward Plan be noted.

The Panel considered a report of the Lead Officer – Scrutiny, on the development of a Work Programme for the Scrutiny Panel.

The Panel noted the role of the Scrutiny Panel as set out in the Combined Authority’s (CA) Constitution as being:-

·       to provide the role of ‘critical friend’ to policy and development;

·       to undertake scrutiny reviews into areas of strategic importance for people in the City Region; and

·       to monitor the delivery of the Authority’s Strategic Plan.

In addition to the three areas for scrutiny that had been previously agreed and which were set out in the report, Members discussed other possible areas for consideration. These included Transport -including the tolls, debt and fees associated with both Mersey Tunnels – and the relationship with Mersey Gateway (MG). (However, it was noted that MG was outside of the remit of the CA); and Devolution, as it related to the functions of the CA.

 The Panel was reminded that there would be wider consultation across the City Region to discuss the devolution ‘ask’ and ‘offer’ package as well as the matter of governance, to which the Panel could contribute.

Following discussions, it was agreed that a Work Programme would be formulated to deal with topics in the following order:-

·       Affordable Transport;

·       Skills and Learning; and

·       Housing (Strategic).

RESOLVED: That

1)    a Work Programme be developed as set out above; and

2)    dates be canvassed for a Development Day, supported by the North West Employers organisation.

          The Panel considered a report of the Lead Officer – Scrutiny – on the formal response of the Combined Authority (CA) to the recommendations made by the Panel following its review on European Funding.

          The review was undertaken via a series of evidence gathering sessions which culminated with a report and series of recommendations to the CA. At its meeting on 19 June 2015, the Chair and Members of the CA welcomed the report and thanked Panel Members for their comments and recommendations. The formal response of the CA was attached at Appendix 1.

          RESOLVED: That

1)    the response of the Combined Authority be noted; and

2)    the Combined Authority be asked to report progress to the Scrutiny Panel on the recommendations and responses in 6 months’ time.