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 attached at Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 to the report;

(2)  that the Council should formally 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 and the Local Transport Act 2008; and

(3)  agree that approval to make any technical amendments to the Liverpool City Region Strategic Governance Review and Scheme before it is submitted to the Secretary of State on 30 September 2013 be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council.