Agenda and decisions

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.

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 the minutes of the meetings held on the 28^th January and the 11^th February be agreed as a true and accurate record.

RESOLVED that the Board approved the MCA Corporate Plan.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.??Note progress towards implementation of the Scrutiny Protocol to date. 
2.??Note the resolution of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 6th February 2025 to recommend that the MCA implement the Scrutiny Protocol in full.
3.??Note Government’s commitment in the Devolution White Paper to undertake a review of the Protocol.  
4.??Consider proposals for further implementation as set out within this report.
5.??In response to the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee:
a. Note the options available for member remuneration, but agree that a further decision is subject to further consideration, and outcomes of the Government's Devolution White Paper. 
b. Approve that provisions be made for scrutiny of portfolio leads.
c. Approve invitations to the Chairs of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and Audit, Standards & Risk Committee be invited at least once a year to attend the MCA Board and to present the end of year Chair’s reports of their respective Committees, 

RESOLVED that the Board:

1. Approved the appointment of Katharine Hammond as the Chief Executive for the MCA with a remuneration package at a fixed point of £220,000 per annum.
2. Designated Katharine Hammond as the Head of Paid Service for the MCA pursuant to section 4(1)(a) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, from the date employment commences.
3. Extended the appointment and designation of the current MCA Chief Executive and Head of Paid service, Martin Swales, to 1st May 2025.
4. Approved the interim designation of Kate Josephs as Head of Paid Service and officer of the MCA from 2nd May 2025 until the date that Katharine Hammond’s employment with the MCA commences.

Mayoral Decision

Having considered all of the evidence and being satisfied that all legal requirements had been complied with, the Mayor decided on behalf of the Combined Authority, and in accordance with Section 123G (4) of the Transport Act 2000, to make the South Yorkshire Franchising Scheme for Buses and publish the transitional notice set out in Appendix D of the Combined Authority report.

Date of decision: 18^th March 2025

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.    Noted the completion of the consultation on the bus franchising proposals;

2.    Noted, considered and had regard to the content of the Bus Franchising Consultation Analysis report (Analysis Report) presented in Appendix A;

3.    Consider and endorse the MCA’s response to the Bus Franchising Consultation Response report (Response Report) summarised in this report presented in Appendix B;

4.    Recommended that, in accordance with the Transport Act 2000 (the Act), the Mayor makes the bus franchising scheme (the Scheme) as set out in Appendix C;

5.    As the Mayor has decided to make the Scheme:

i.  approve the publication of the Response Report (Appendix B), the Mayoral decision, the Scheme (as set out in Appendix C) and a Transitional Notice (as set out in Appendix D) and to give notice of the Response Report and the Transitional Notice to the Traffic Commissioner;

ii.  agree to delegate the undertaking of the process to bring to an end at the appropriate time the South Yorkshire Enhanced Partnership Plan and South Yorkshire Enhanced Partnership Scheme for Buses in accordance with the Scheme to the Executive Director for Transport in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Transport;

iii. note that transitional funding of £5m for the financial year 2025/26 to begin the implementation of bus franchising has already been agreed by the MCA as part of the MCA’s budget;

iv.  note that £350m of the indicative City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement for 2027-32 (CRSTS 2) has been earmarked to support the required capital investment for bus franchising and decarbonisation; and

6.    Noted that now the Mayor decided to make the Scheme, any future funding arrangements for the implementation of bus franchising will form part of the MCA budget setting process in future years.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the MCA Board approve the use of Bus Grant funding in 2025/26 to:

1.1. Rolled forward tendered evening and weekend services from 2024/25 into 2025/26 to operate until the service change date of 11 April 2026

1.2.Rolled forward tendered school services due to expire in July 2025 to July 2026

1.3.Funded the additional concessionary reimbursement as identified in the January 2025 budget report approved by the MCA Board on 28 January 2025

1.4.Invest additional BSIP funding in bus services as per the Priority List outlined in the exempt Appendix 1

2.    That the MCA Board:

2.1.Noted the conditions placed by DfT on receiving Bus Grant funding

2.2.Considered the proposed approach to discharging these conditions

     2.3 Supported the publication of the BSIP document and submission of the Delivery Plan.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.    Noted the reduced funding allocation from the Department for Education (DfE) for both ASF and FCFJ for Academic Year 2025/26.

2.    Approved 2025/26 Academic Year indicative allocations for grant funding for ASF (£32.80m), and FCFJ (£1.66m); procured provision for ASF (£5.50m) and FCFJ (£1.54m); and Management and Administration for ASF (£1.40m) and FCFJ (£0.03m);

3.    Approved the use of ASF flexibilities for Academic Year 2025/26; and

4.    Delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to negotiate the terms and approve entering into legal agreements for the schemes above.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.    Endorsed the draft 2025/26 Supertram Business Plan, which was attached as Appendix A.

2.    Noted that the draft 2025/26 Supertram Business Plan had informed the MCA’s 2025/26 budget allocation in relation to the MCA Budget approved by the MCA Board in January 2025.

3.    Granted delegated authority to the Executive Director of Transport to approve the detailed delivery plan developed by the wholly-owned tram operating company, South Yorkshire Future Trams Limited.

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.    Approved the revised Quarter 3 budget estimates for financial year 2024/25;

2.    Approved the adoption of the revenue and capital budget estimates for financial year 2025/26;

3.    Approved the reserve strategy for financial year 2025/26;

4.    Approved the treasury management strategy for financial year 2025/26;

5.    Approved the proposed movements in reserves set out in Appendix A to support the adopted reserve strategy;

6.    Noted that the Mayor formally published the 2025/26 Police and Crime Commissioner Precept on 28 February 2025;

7.    Noted the Police and Crime budget approved by the Mayor as presented at appendix E; and,

8.    Delegated authority to the Section 73 Officer to accept a number of grant awards

RESOLVED that the Board:

1.    Noted the proposed amendments to the Assurance Framework to ensure compliance with the Government’s requirements and most recent issued guidance.

2.    Considered any further changes they wish to incorporate for governance, risk management, funding approvals or decision-making arrangements from 1 April 2025.

3.    Agreed the draft Assurance Framework in Appendix A for onward publication and submission to Government.

RESOLVED that the Board considered and approved:

1.    Progression of “Active Travel Routes to Opportunities and Healthier Neighbourhoods ” to full approval and award of £2.26m grant to South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, subject to the conditions set out in Assurance Summary A.

2.    Progression of “Exciting Instruments” to full approval and award of £0.25m grant to Exiting Instruments Ltd, subject to the conditions set out in Assurance Summary B.

3.    Progression of “FHSF Event Central” to post Outline Business Case (OBC) in principle award for up to £5.83m grant to Sheffield City Council, subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary C;

4.    Progression of  “Project IZ0002” to full approval and award of £2m grant to a company, subject to the conditions set out in the Assurance Summary D.

5.    Extension of the current “Business Advisors” programme for a further financial year up to a value of £1m, with an evaluation of the programme to be commissioned;

6.    Progression of the “Barnsley Free Travel Pilot Scheme” to Business Justification Case (BJC), with delegation of approval upon receipt of the business case to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Mayor as the portfolio holder for Transport for a grant or in-kind contribution to Barnsley MBC of up to £1m;

7.    An update on £1.64m grant from the Department for Transport for the delivery of Active Travel 5 programme detailed at section 2.7

8.    Acceptance of £5.02m grant from the Department of Transport for the delivery of Consolidated Active Travel Fund detailed in section 2.8

9.    Acceptance of £6.73m grant from the Department of Transport for the delivery of 25/26 Local Highway Maintenance and onward award detailed in section 2.9

10.Delegated authority to the Portfolio Lead for Skills and Employment, in consultation with the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to develop and submit approvals and accept up to £0.7m grant from the Careers and Enterprise Company for the delivery of the Careers Hub detailed at section 2.10

11.Delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service in consultation with the Section 73 and Monitoring Officer to enter into legal agreements for the points above.

RESOLVED: that the Board noted the decisions and delegations made.