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 timescale set by the Government to establish the Combined Authority had been July but was now September 2013.

·  The Combined Authority would only be able to access major funding for major schemes.

·  Queries about resource implications being cost neutral as staff and entering into contracts have cost implications.  The Strategic Director informed that the notion was that there would be no additional costs associated with the implementation of the Combined Authority and there was a need to make efficiency savings by streamlining activities.

·  A concern was still expressed that this proposal could have an adverse effect on the Council’s budget.

·  The City Region approach will mean funding can be accessed.

·  A strategic advantage is that some decisions will be made at City region level.

·  The content of the Constitution will be determined as the Council goes through the process to bring about the Combined Authority.  It was important to get it right to avoid in fighting and arguments.

·  The Combined Authority will be more open and transparent than the existing arrangements.

·  The Combined Authority was being pursued to seize potential funding opportunities and not to create another tier of bureaucracy.  The track record was that there had been some good and bad examples in Merseyside.  The Mersey Tram initiative had been disappointing and as a consequence, the public perception had been on failure.  However, there had been some very successful initiatives.  Where initiatives experienced problems it had been because of in fighting.  The Combined Authority provided an opportunity to present a more united front as had been demonstrated in Manchester.

·  There were a whole host of issues that Merseyside Councils could unite upon e.g. EU funding.

·  The reference that Merseyside Authorities work well together did not include examples.  It was considered that a public relations exercise was necessary to strengthen and make the case for the Combined Authority approach.

·  The Combined Authority approach did not affect the Council’s relationship with Cheshire West and Chester Council or the Shared Services initiative.

·  There was a query on how the Combined Authority would interact with public health responsibilities.  The Strategic Director advised that dialogue was being pursued with health colleagues and there was forward thinking about it.  There would be consultation on the whole combined system.  It did not exactly fit at present but it could be worked on.

·  Members’ comments would be passed on as part of the consultative process.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Cabinet’s resolutions detailed above be noted; and

(2)  the comments made by Members as detailed above be also noted.