Report of the Chief Executive

The Civic Mayor invited the Leader of the Council to update the Council on developments with regard to the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Combined Authority.

The Leader informed the Council that as late as Saturday draft Orders were received from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and it was considered that further work was required to ensure that they reflected the devolution deal agreed by the LCR Combined Authority and the constituent Local Authorities. This was entirely the fault of the DCLG who had published these Orders late and had consequently extended the deadline to 12 December, 2016 for the Orders to be laid before Parliament. He therefore proposed that the matter be deferred to a future Extraordinary Council meeting.

Councillor Jeff Green welcomed the proposed deferral and enquired what would happen with the Liberal Democrat amendment which had been circulated around the Council Chamber.

Councillor Gilchrist requested that his amendment be carried forward to the re-arranged meeting and expressed misgivings at the DCLG’s confirmation that the matter of approving the draft Orders was an Executive decision.

The Leader responded that all Political Groups could submit amendments for the future re-arranged meeting and that, although the matter would be a decision for the Cabinet to take, he considered it appropriate that the Council as a whole should have the opportunity to consider significant matters involving the LCR.

On a motion by Councillor Phil Davies, seconded by Councillor George Davies, it was –

Resolved (59:0) (One abstention) – That –

(1)  Council notes that the draft Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Functions and Amendments Order 2016 was only received by Council officers on Friday evening, 11 November, 2016 after normal business hours; and two further draft Orders on Saturday, 12 November, 2016. That having reviewed the draft Orders, it is considered that further work is required to ensure that they reflect the Devolution Deal agreed by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the constituent Local Authorities in November, 2015;

(2)  Council further requests that a further report on the draft Order(s) be submitted to a future Extraordinary Council meeting to be convened as soon as practicably possible;

(3)  Council acknowledges that this action will not comply with the original Government timetable to lay the draft Order before Parliament after 21 November, 2016; however, understands that this has been extended to 12 December, 2016; and

(4)  Council notes that the Department for Communities and Local Government has confirmed that the decision to agree the detailed terms of the draft Order(s) is an Executive decision. The Executive decision will be taken by Cabinet at its meeting on 8 December, 2016 (unless otherwise varied by the Leader of the Council).