Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

There were no apologies.

To approve the minutes of the meeting on 28 April 2016.

To receive the minutes of the SWLEP Board meeting on 11 May 2016.

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 28 April 2016.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the relevant Standards Committee.

There were no declarations.

To receive any announcements through the Chair.

There were no announcements.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the Wiltshire Council Constitution. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of the agenda no later than 5pm on Friday 24 June 2016 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. The final deadline is 5pm on Tuesday 28 June 2016. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

A statement on projects from the Local Enterprise Partnership for the Chippenham area was delivered by Mrs Marilyn Mackay. In response it was explained the Committee, being made up of the two local authorities for the LEP area, would assess and comment upon LEP priorities, but that the Swindon and Wiltshire LEP itself would make the final decisions on projects, including at its meeting on 13 July 2016.

Councillor Chris Caswill, Chippenham Monkton Division, Wiltshire Council, then received responses to questions submitted to the Committee, with details attached to these minutes. Concern was expressed about public engagement on projects, particularly with local representatives, and it was agreed once technical work had progressed to an appropriate stage, local members should be met with to be consulted.

To updated the JSEC on the current position.

A report on the project prioritisation for the third round of Local Growth Funding was received from Paddy Bradley, Director of the SWLEP Secretariat.

It was explained that it was likely the current round would be the final opportunity to apply for Local Growth Fund monies within the current parliament, and that submissions needed to be made by the end of July, and that a process had been put in place to achieve this.

The Committee discussed the report and the process for agreeing priorities for the SWLEP projects, and whether this was in line with the SWLEP guidelines and would enhance economic growth as desired.

At the end of discussion, it was,

Resolved:

To note the requirements of the Local Growth Deal 3 and the progress of the preparation made to date.

The Committee received Project Highlight Reports detailing the status of projects for 2015/16 and 2016/17. It was stated that the Secretariat held regular meetings with project officers in each relevant council, reported also to the SWLEP Board, and that central government regarded the processes in place as good practice.

The Committee discussed the projects and sought details on those which were not currently rated as Green on an RedAmberGreen system. Some projects, particularly involving the New Eastern Villages projects were retained or had retained elements, requiring approval from the Department for Transport, which caused additional delays and hold up of funds. It was confirmed the end date of the projects there remained unchanged, but there were elements being adjusted on modelling for the schemes. It was agreed that the Committee would write to the SWLEP Board stating its concern the projects remained rated Red or AmberRed due to the Department for Transport, and to ask the SWLEP to seek more details.

In response to queries it was confirm the project costs for the Chippenham Station Hub project were in the expected range, and were being finalised. It was also confirmed the Junction 17 project was now rated AmberGreen

At the conclusion of discussion,

Resolved:

To note the update and to write to the SWLEP Board requesting details be sought from the Department for Transport regarding concerns for the New Eastern Villages projects.

The Committee considered the draft forward work programme. It was explained the assurance framework detailing the structure and procedure of the SWLEP was reviewed annually and suggested changed would be proposed.

In relation to the Strategic Housing Market Assessment and Functional Economic Market Assessment item programmed for the October meeting it was stated that this meeting would discuss interim findings and the final report would be presented at the December meeting. Consultants continue to progress the work including engagement with key stakeholders. Consideration by the Joint Working Group would be progressed in line with these dates.

Initial findings indicate that there would be three FEMAs broadly consistent with the economic zones of the Strategic Economic Plan and four Housing Market Areas. 

To confirm the date of the next meeting as 12 October 2016.

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 12 October 2016.

To consider passing the following resolution:

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Item Numbers 15-16 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in  paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Reason for taking item in private:

Paragraph 3 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Resolved

To agree that in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the public from the meeting for the business specified in Item Numbers 40 because it is likely that if members of the public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information to the public.

Reason for taking item in private:

Paragraph 3 - information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The Committee received a confidential report on the latest updates from the European Structural Investment Fund.

Resolved:

That JSEC notes given all factors, progress to date has been reasonable and that spend and performance profiles are on target to meet the 2018 Performance Review.