Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors John Thomson and Russell Holland, and Mr John Mortimer, acting Chairman of the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Councillor Thomson  was substituted by Councillor Toby Sturgis.

Councillor Holland was substituted by Councillor Oliver Donachie.

To approve the minutes of the meeting on 1 July 2016.

To receive the minutes of the SWLEP Board meeting on 14 September 2016.

Minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2016 were presented for consideration and it was,

Resolved:

To approve and sign as a true and correct record.

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.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

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 a Council received in accordance with the 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 this agenda no later than 5pm on 5 October 2016 in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on 7 October 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 that 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.

There were no questions or statements.

The report summarises the key elements of the submission made to government by the SWLEP.

Paddy Bradley, Director of the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) Secretariat presented a report on the submission of the SWLEP for the third round of Local Growth Deal (LGF) funding on 28 July 2016, detailing proposed projects to the value of £87047m as detailed in the agenda papers. The SWLEP was also seeking financial support to a commercially sensitive inward investment opportunity. Formal announcement of the results of the bid were expected after the Autumn Statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The Committee was also informed that every Local Enterprise Partnership had now been assigned a specific minister to be their principal contact. For the SWLEP, the responsible minister was Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG.

The Committee discussed the LGF bid and the Board sessions to prepare it. It was stated the Board had undertaken many good sessions to identify its priority projects, although it was noted that deliverability would be a key factor in being successful, and that in particular the transport funds available had received applications totalling at least three times the available monies. It was also stated it was unknown if there would be future rounds of funding made available at the present time.

Details were also sought on the announced housing fund, where the LEPs had felt the process had been too convoluted for many larger developers, as well as how LEPs could help aid the process.

Resolved:

To endorse the SWLEP bids to support local economic growth.

Ian Durston, Programme Manager, presented a report from the SWLEP Commissioning Group highlighting the status of current projects. The Committee went through the report noting the progress for each project, seeking additional details as appropriate.

It was confirmed the Porton Science Park and Junction 16 projects were progressing well, although in response to queries it was confirmed Highways England was seeking additional information regarding matched funding in respect of the Junction 15 project.

It was noted that the Corsham Mansion House project had been moved to a Red rating as a result of it being determined previous timescales would need to be extended, although it was anticipated the rating would be improved for the next report, with a planning application for further work expected in 2017.

Other updates and comments included that there was work to identify if costs could be reduced in respect of the Swindon Bus Exchange project, the A350 relief road at Yarnbrook had been delayed as a result of ecological issues due to the presence of bats, and in respect of Junction 17 capacity improvement a business case would be presented to the Commissioning Groups before the end of 2016. The combined New Eastern Villages projects would have a refreshed update shortly, and positive meetings had been held with Network Rail regarding the Chippenham Station Hub, and it was expected the project would move to a Green rating.

The Committee was informed an action plan was being prepared to improve the output of the Higher Futures programme, and the Committee requested that it be brought to them for approval as both local authorities were responsible.

Resolved:

To note the reports and for the SWLEP to note the comments of the Committee.

A report was provided updating the Committee on the progress of the European Structural Investment Fund. It was confirmed that the government had guaranteed some funding for those who signed deals prior to the UK formally exiting the European Union, although it was unclear if all monies would be available after that point.

Details were also sought on the process of currency exchange for receipt of Fund monies, and the need for applications to be made in as timely a manner as possible.

Resolved:

To note the update

To receive a verbal update on the progress with the SHMAA/FEMA.

Richard Bell, Head of Planning, Regulatory Services and Heritage, Swindon Borough Council, and Alistair Cunningham, Associate Director, Economic Regeneration and Planning, Wiltshire Council, provided an update on the Strategic Housing Market Assessment Area (SHMAA) and Functional Economic Market Area (FEMA) work.

Consultants were in the process of presenting their draft findings at stakeholder workshops including adjacent local authorities, statutory consultees, the development industry and land agents. It was intended the Joint Planning Working Group would meet early in 2017 to consider next steps

Resolved:

To note the update.

To discuss any items to be added to the Forward Work Programme.

Scheduled for 8 December 2016:

Outcomes of Local Growth Deal Round 3

Spending Profile for Local Growth Deal 1 Projects

ESIF Update

The Committee considered the Forward Work Plan. It was requested the action plan for Higher Futures be considered at the next meeting, and the Strategic Housing Market Assessment Area work be considered at the first meeting in 2017.

Additional items to be scheduled as appropriate would be consideration of an updated Assurance Framework for the SWLEP and a Post-16 Education review from March 2017 onwards.

Resolved:

To approve the updated Forward Work Plan.

To confirm the date of the next meeting as 8 December 2016.

Future dates scheduled for 14 February, 6 April, 28 June, 18 October and 20 December 2017

The date of the next scheduled meeting was confirmed as currently 8 December 2016. It was agreed future meetings could all take place at the Monkton Park offices in Chippenham.