At the start of consideration of this item, Councillor R Abbey declared a personal non-pecuniary interest as a member of the Merseytravel Committee of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA).

The Chair reported upon the work of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel which had last met on 19 October, 2016. At that meeting items under discussion had included:

·  Short-Hop Bus Fares Scrutiny Review

·  Governance and Revised Constitution

·  Scrutiny Work Programme

A Task and Finish Scrutiny Review was also being undertaken on apprenticeships within the City Region with a final report likely to be reported to the formal Scrutiny Panel meeting in January, 2017 and the Chair elaborated on the benefits of apprenticeships.

A Member expressed the view that he believed the Government was using apprenticeships as cheap labour and that there needed to be serious scrutiny of apprenticeships.

The Chair commented that the Scrutiny Review would be hearing from both those undertaking apprenticeships and those who had dropped out of apprenticeships.

Another Member suggested the need for the Council to aim for the ‘gold standard’ with apprenticeships particularly within the creative industries’ sector.

In respect of the appendix on the proposed principles for the operation of scrutiny in the LCRCA, it was moved by Councillor D Mitchell and seconded by Councillor C Blakeley, that –

“This Council, whilst welcoming opportunities for co-operation, funding growth and identity that the deal provides, cannot endorse the Governance Report or scrutiny principles on the lines suggested.

Whilst there are checks and balances that require unanimity between the Council Leaders and the Mayor, and majority voting in defined circumstances, there is insufficient opportunity formally set out for the Members of the Councils to influence or shape our City Region.

The Call-in process suggested is rarely likely to be triggered if the compositions of the Councils remain similar to the current configuration. Setting up and enshrining such a high bar for the Call-in process is undemocratic.

The governance mechanism does not formally require the Mayor to bring together, consult and involve members from the constituent authorities. This democratic deficit has to be addressed.”

Prior to voting on the motion, the Chair suggested that it was more relevant for this to be considered at the Extraordinary Council meeting on 6 December, 2016 and that it was the Government which was laying down the law as to how the LCRCA should be governed.

The motion was then put and lost (5:8).

Resolved – That the report be noted.