Agenda and minutes

Members’ apologies were noted as above.

Mayor Jones commended the brilliant work of our communities and business during the recent, devastating floods and thanked council staff and support agencies for working tirelessly to get our businesses up and running again.

Cllr Purdy noted similar thanks and appreciation for the staff at Derbyshire CC and the commented on the tragic loss of former Derbyshire High Sheriff Annie Hall, noting a memorial service is planned for December.

Members shared all the sentiments expressed.

To determine whether there are any additional items of business which by reason of special circumstances the Chair is of the opinion should be considered at the meeting; the reason(s) for such urgency to be stated.

None.

To identify where resolutions may be moved to exclude the public and press.  (For items marked * the public and press may be excluded from the meeting.)

RESOLVED, that items 20 (LGF Project Approval – Project Chorus) and 21 (LGF Investment Approval) will be considered in the absence of the public and press.

To identify whether there are any items of business that apply only to the South Yorkshire Members of the Mayoral Combined Authority, ie, where it would not be appropriate for non-SY Members to have voting rights.

It was agreed voting rights could not be conferred on the non-Constituent Members in respect of item 17 - Withdrawal of Non-Constituent Members from the LEP, as the matter concerns the Constituent Members only.

It was agreed there were no further agenda items for which the non-Constituent Members should not be given full voting rights.

Declarations of Interest by individual Members in relation to any item of business on the agenda.

Cllr Read declared non-Pecuniary interests in the matters to be considered at item 13.1 (LGF Investment Approval - Rotherham Town Centre) and item 20 (Project Chorus) by virtue of being Leader of the sponsoring authority.

Cllr Andrews declared a non-Pecuniary interests in the matters to be considered at item 13.2 (M1 Junction 37 Ph2 – Economic Growth Corridor (Claycliffe) and M1 Junction 36 Phase 2 Goldthorpe’) by virtue of being Deputy Leader of the sponsoring authority.

Mayor Jones declared a non-Pecuniary interest in the matters to be considered at item 21 (LGF Investment Approval) by virtue of being Leader of the sponsoring Authority.

Cllr Julie Dore declared a non-Pecuniary interest in the matters to be considered at item 20 (Project Chorus).

None.

Members were advised of the receipt of 2 petitions.

A 1000+ signature petition was received from Mr Tony Nicholson with the title “Bring back the Little Nipper:  A shuttle service once ran from the bus station to the market, up to Waterdale and then back to the bus station to support our market traders and the elderly and those with difficult walking.  We think this should be brought back.”

A 111 signature was received from Mrs Pru Winder with the title “Petition requesting the reinstatement of service 8 and 8a – Doncaster to Broadway/Moorends serving GP surgery, Post Office, Doncaster Royal Infirmary, Doncaster Frenchgate Shopping Centre and Doncaster Railway Station.  The replacement bus service has halved the frequency of buses from Broadway meaning buses go past too full to stop or just do not turn up at all.”

In response to the petitions received, the Mayor actioned officers from SYPTE to respond on the Authority’s behalf.

Due to purdah restrictions, the Mayor asked the Monitoring Officer to take this agenda item.

The Monitoring Officer advised the petitioners they may defer their questions for resubmission to the January MCA meeting (post-purdah) or receive a response in writing, and confirmed he would engage the petitioners to determine which course of action they would like to follow.

A public question was received from Mr Nigel Slack and delivered as follows:

“With the calling of a General Election for December 12th, many issues around the SCR seem to have been further compromised. From funding bids to scrutiny boards, LEP membership to climate change and not least the finalisation of the devolution deal first struck in 2015, we will presumably see continued delay and disruption. What is the Mayor's perception of the path for the SCRMCA going forward?”

A public question was received from Mr Geoff Cox representing Extinction Rebellion and delivered as follows: “People across Sheffield City Region are still bailing flood water out of their homes and salvaging what's left of their belongings. Annie Hall was killed not far away in the river Derwent. The climate crisis is lapping at our doorsteps. Will the SCR MCA radically accelerate and expand the proposals in the paper at item 15 on your agenda today? Will they commit to telling the truth about the climate emergency with a public information campaign, cutting Sheffield City Region's emissions to net-zero by 2025, and involve the public in writing a fair and just plan through a citizens' assembly?”

The Monitoring Officer confirmed officers would be available after the meeting to discuss the matters raised by the petitions and that the Mayor will verbally respond in the usual manner at the MCA meeting in January .

RESOLVED, that the minutes of the meeting held on 23^rd September are agreed to be an accurate record.

A report was received to provide the Q2 position for the revenue and capital programme of the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA) for the financial year 2019/20.

It was noted the report was structured to provide Members with an early indication of the forecast outturn position in relation to South Yorkshire Transport Revenue budget, MCA / LEP Revenue budget, Revenue Programme activity and the South Yorkshire Transport Capital Programme, with each explained in detail.

Cllr Dore questioned the South Yorkshire Transport Revenue Budget information and reported decrease in concessionary patronage (not including young person concessionary pass usage), and requested more investigations be undertaken to establish why people don’t use buses.

Mayor Jones commented on the lack of quality of local buses and routes and challenged whether these are conducive to increasing public transport patronage.

RESOLVED, that the MCA notes the 2019/20 Q2 position for the Mayoral Combined Authority’s and LEPs revenue budget and capital programme.

A report was received to outline the current financial position of Mayoral Combined Authority then set out the principles underpinning a 5-year financial strategy for the organisation to deliver on its ambitions within the resources available.

RESOLVED, that the MCA

1. Approves the overall Financial Strategy 2020 to 2025 identified in the report.

Approves the strategy as the basis of developing the detailed 2020/21 budget, to be brought back in early 2020 for formal approval.

A report was received requesting the approval of two schemes with a total value over all years of £14.5m Local Growth Fund (LGF) and approval of one change request and seeks delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the S73 and Monitoring Officer to enter into legal agreements for the schemes.

It was noted an additional scheme with a value of £8m LGF is seeking approval but due to a Non-Disclosure agreement and the commercial prejudice disclosure would cause this scheme is to be considered at item 20 (in the absence of the press and the public).

Members challenged the proposal to invest funding in a housing scheme that would historically have been funded by Homes England. It was noted Homes England have been pressed by the SCR in respect of this particular scheme and confirmed the SCR would not enter into contract with Rotherham MBC until it had been determined that all other funding source options have been exhausted.

It was agreed the SCR should continue to pressurise Homes England to ensure they continue to maximise their investments in the region.

Further details were provided to support the request to amend the M1 Junction 36 Phase 2 Goldthorpe’ scheme.

RESOLVED, that the MCA:

1. Approves the progression of Rotherham Town Centre to full approval and award of £3.9m to Rotherham Borough Council subject to the conditions set out in the Appraisal Panel Summary Table

2. Approves the progression of M1 Junction 37 Ph2 – Economic Growth Corridor (Claycliffe) to full approval and award of up to £10.6m to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council subject to the conditions set out in the Appraisal Panel Summary Table

3. Approves the progression and approval of a project change request from ‘M1 Junction 36 Phase 2 Goldthorpe’

Agree that delegated authority be given to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the s73 and Monitoring Officer to enter into legal agreements for the schemes.

Presented for Members’ consideration in support of agenda item 13.

Presented for Members’ consideration in support of agenda item 13.

A report was received seeking approval to submit the business case for Sheffield City Region’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) bid due on 28th November 2019.

The Mayor thanked everyone for their efforts in producing the submission.

Cllr Dore welcomed this initiatives credential in terms of helping to mitigate the effects of climate change.

RESOLVED, that authority is delegated to finalise the submission of the TCF business case to the Chief Executive and Chief Financial Officer of the Mayoral Combined Authority, in consultation with the Mayor, based upon the comments received on this report and its appendices.

A report was received proposing the MCA declares a ‘Climate and Environmental Emergency”.

It was noted urgent work is scheduled to help identify dates by when a zero-carbon scenario could be realised.

Members considered the need to collaborate at all levels to manage the effects of climate changes.

Members noted the expectation that a defined list of significant SCR actions to address climate change will be developed.

RESOLVED, that the MCA:

1. Declares a ‘Climate and Environmental Emergency.’

Requests that a report be provided at the next meeting setting out, in further detail, the development of a plan for delivering a sustainable City Region, to be produced in collaboration with both universities, alongside a draft Energy Strategy (to be presented to the next meeting).

A report was received asking the SCR MCA to sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant and, in doing so, adapt its employment and equal opportunities practices to reflect the commitments made in signing up to the Covenant.

Mayor Jones noted Doncaster has a gold award for its Armed Forces Covenant work and would welcome the opportunity to provide some lessons learnt. Cllr Purdy noted Derbyshire CC had also achieved accredited status.

RESOLVED, that the MCA

1. Signs up to the Armed Forces Covenant.

Agrees its intention to adapt its employment and equal opportunities practices reflecting the commitments made in signing up to the Covenant.

A report was received to set out the governance implications arising from the changes in Local Enterprise Partnership and membership rules being introduced from 1st April 2020.

Cllr Purdy asserted that from his perspective it was wholly wrong for the Derbyshire Dales DC to be forced by the Governments review of LEP boundaries to be a member of a single LEP area when they had clearer links to the SCR and asked what the effect would be on non-Constituent membership at SCR thematic boards. It was noted that a report to the previous MCA meeting had approved changes to the Thematic Boards to reflect the LEP changes.

RESOLVED, that the MCA notes the contents of this report and approves the changes to the membership of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Audit Committee as set out in the report

Provided for information

A report was received to seek the approval of the MCA to appoint Dr David Smith as Chief Executive Officer and Head of Paid Service to June 2022.

RESOLVED, that the MCA approves the appointment of Dr Dave Smith as Chief Executive and Head of Paid Service to 2022.

A report was received requesting approval of an inward investment scheme with a total value over all years of £8m and seeking delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the S73 and Monitoring Officer to enter into legal agreements for the schemes.

Members discussed the importance of having and adhering to a robust prioritisation process (based on HMT Green Book processes) to determine which schemes receive prioritised approval for funding. Examples were provided explaining how the SCR complies with these principles. The respective roles of the LEP and MCA in respect of approving projects were discussed, noting that the LEP was responsible for prioritising projects and the MCA’s role, as Accountable Body, related to assuring, through the Assurance Framework, that any given proposed funding offered value for money and was lawful.

Mayor Jones abstained from voting on the decision to approve the recommendations.

RESOLVED, that the MCA approves the  inward investment scheme (Project Chorus) with a total value over all years of £8m, subject to the conditions set out in the report, and agrees delegated authority be given to  the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the S73 and Monitoring Officer to enter into legal agreements for the schemes.

A report was received to provide an update on the progress in discussions with regard to an inward investment opportunity.

The matters contained within the report were considered in detail.

RESOLVED, that the report be deferred pending further discussion with the scheme promoter and a further report be presented to the MCA when the proposed investment is clarified.