The Leader of the Council introduced a report by the Chief Executive which informed the Cabinet of the current position in relation to the consultation on the Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review and the proposals to establish a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

The report proposed that the Cabinet should submit the Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review document and Scheme for the establishment of a Combined Authority to the next meeting of the Council along with a recommendation that it should be approved and submitted to the Government by 30 September 2013, following endorsement by the proposed constituent Councils.

The report also proposed that the Cabinet should recommend to the Council that the Council should become a constituent member of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, thereby sharing appropriate economic development and transport powers with other Councils within the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority in accordance with the provisions of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (the 2009 Act) and the Local Transport Act 2008 (the 2008 Act).

Appended to the Chief Executive’s report were the following:

·  Appendix 1 – Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review;

·  Appendix 2 – Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scheme; and

·  Appendix 3 – Report of Consultation.

The Leader told the Cabinet that the intention was that the six Councils in the Liverpool City Region would work collaboratively together across boundaries and this was what the Government was encouraging them to do.  This Combined Authority approach only formalised what was already happening.  It was not the re-creation of Merseyside County Council.  It focused on functions where people travelled to work across district boundaries.  The Leader referred to Michael Heseltine’s recent publication ‘No stone unturned in pursuit of growth’ and its central message which was that the drivers of the economy, business, central government and local leadership – “should be organised and structured for success”.

The Leader informed that the Combined Authority model gave the Merseyside Councils the strength to work collaboratively.  The Government was expecting local authorities to embrace the model and secure government grants for major regeneration, and strategic transport across the region.  It would not cost millions in extra spending, or lead to additional politicians and bureaucrats and would be paid for out of existing funds.  The Leader told the Cabinet that the Council needed to do this if it was serious about meeting the Government’s challenge for jobs, growth and investment.  Consultation would take place over the coming weeks.  The other Merseyside Councils were going through a similar process and it was hoped that the new authority would be set up by April 2014.

RESOLVED:

That the work undertaken to date be endorsed and the Council, at its Extra-ordinary meeting scheduled for 19 September 2013, be recommended to agree:

(1)  the submission of the Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review and Scheme to the Department for Communities and Local Government for the establishment of a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority on the basis of the drafts  ...  view the full minutes text for item 48

At the Cabinet meeting held on 8 August 2013 it was resolved that

’(6)  the appropriate Policy and Performance Committee be requested to   meet to examine the proposal and offer suggestions on how to take it   forward as soon as possible;’

To note the content of the Cabinet Report considered on 8 August 2013.  (Attached)

The Cabinet, at its Special meeting held on 8 August 2013, had considered a report of the Chief Executive on the Combined Authority – Liverpool City Region Governance Review which had explained why the Liverpool City Region needed to review its strategic governance for economic development, regeneration and transport and outlined the process to be undertaken to conduct a governance review commissioned by the Liverpool City Region Cabinet. 

The Chief Executive’s report had set out the recommendation of the review, after evaluating the current available evidence, to create a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to formalise existing informal arrangements, to signal to businesses and the Government that the City Region was serious about working together and potentially to draw down extra powers and funding from Government.

The Chief Executive had identified in his report how a potential Liverpool City Region Combined Authority could operate and the functions it could discharge, along with considering a draft scheme for its establishment.

Included within the report was an outline of the proposed approach to consultation and the Chief Executive had sought agreement to host specific Wirral events to further consult on the Review of Strategic Governance and the operation of a potential Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Attached to the Chief Executive’s report were the following appendices:

·  Appendix 1 – The Draft Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review;

·  Appendix 2 – The Draft Outline of the Potential Role for a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; and

·  Appendix 3 – The Draft Scheme for the Establishment of a Combined Authority for Liverpool City Region.

Consequently, the Cabinet had resolved:

‘That

(1)  the draft findings of the Liverpool City Region strategic   governance review (Appendix 1 to the report) be endorsed;

(2)  the draft outline of the potential role for a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (Appendix 2 to the report) be endorsed;

(3)  the draft scheme for the establishment of a Combined Authority for the Liverpool City Region (Appendix 3 to the report) be endorsed;

(4)  the holding of Wirral events as part of the consultation on the proposals described in the documents referred to in resolutions (1) to (3) above be agreed;

(5)  the final versions of the documents referred to in resolutions (1) to (3) above together with the results of the consultation exercise be submitted for consideration at future meetings of the Cabinet and the Council;

(6)  the appropriate Policy and Performance Committee be requested to meet to examine the proposal and offer suggestions on how to take it forward as soon as possible; and

(7)  the above decisions were urgent and call-in be waived given the actions and timetable that all the Councils involved are required to undertake and meet in order to establish the proposed Combined Authority.’

(Minute No. 45 refers.)

In the light of resolution No. 6 the Committee considered the detail of the Cabinet report assisted by the Strategic Director, Transformation and Resources who introduced it and answered Members’ questions.  Comments made by Members included the following:

·  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18

A report by the Chief Executive explained why the Liverpool City Region needed to review its strategic governance for economic development, regeneration and transport and outlined the process undertaken to conduct a governance review commissioned by the Liverpool City Region Cabinet. 

The Chief Executive’s report set out the recommendation of the review, after evaluating the current available evidence, to create a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to formalise existing informal arrangements, signal to businesses and the Government that the City Region was serious about working together and potentially draw down extra powers and funding from Government.

The Chief Executive identified in his report how a potential Liverpool City Region Combined Authority could operate and the functions it could discharge, along with considering a draft scheme for its establishment.

Included within the report was an outline of the proposed approach to consultation and it sought agreement to host specific Wirral events to further consult on the Review of Strategic Governance and the operation of a potential Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

Attached to the report were the following appendices:

·  Appendix 1 – The Draft Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review;

·  Appendix 2 – The Draft Outline of the Potential Role for a Liverpool City Region Combined Authority; and

·  Appendix 3 – The Draft Scheme for the Establishment of a Combined Authority for Liverpool City Region.

Councillor Phil Davies introduced the report informing that it was important for the Cabinet to agree the Chief Executive’s recommendations at the meeting.  He was of the view that Wirral Council and the rest of the City Region needed to do all it could to increase growth, jobs and investment and what was being proposed would assist this.

Councillor Phil Davies informed that he was both puzzled and confused by recent comments Councillor Ian Lewis had made on Radio Merseyside against the proposed Combined Authority, particularly as it was a model that the Government recommended the Council to embrace.

Councillor Phil Davies told the Council that Councillor Ian Lewis had also commented that the Combined Authority proposal would cost the Council millions of pounds when in fact it would be cost neutral.  He informed that it did not involve a new tier of politicians and bureaucrats and that it would be managed within existing resources. 

Councillor Phil Davies reported that Councillor Ian Lewis had claimed that the Council would not get Wirral’s share of the funding being made available to the City Region.  He totally disagreed with Councillor Lewis’ claim and was of the view that Wirral’s share would go to Wirral.  If the Council seriously wanted to meet the Government’s challenge, then the Cabinet should embrace this proposal as the way forward.

Councillor Phil Davies also made it clear that he did not support the Metropolitan Mayor model.

The next step would be to move into a consultation phase and the Council could seek the views of partners, businesses etc.  A special meeting could be held in order to consider the results of the consultation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45