Agenda item

Heart of the South West Joint Committee (HotSWJC)

To detail the necessary documents which, if agreed, will enable the Heart of the South West Joint Committee to be formally established. 

Minutes:

The Leader presented the report circulated with the agenda, which detailed the constitutional arrangements and inter-authority agreement necessary to enable the Joint Committee to be formally established. Appendix A sets out the arrangements document. Appendix B sets out the Administering Authority in support of the Committee including financial, legal and constitutional functions.

 

 The key role of the HotSWJC is to develop, agree and approve the implementation of the Productivity Strategy, through focusing on collaboration, negotiation and influencing, with full decision making responsibilities.  

 

Councillor Connett commented that the requested £1400 each, from all partners to fund the administration and the work programme of the Joint Committee in 2018/19 was not a large amount. However, totalling £89,000 from all partners was money that could be better utilised across Devon and Cornwall.       

 

In response the Leader of the Council, Councillor Christophers, referred that the nominal amount, of which there was more in each Councillor’s community fund, would enable the Council to be a partner on the Joint Committee to represent the Teignbridge community.  Employment opportunities were available in the area, but more highly paid jobs were required.

 

It was noted that the wording of paragraph 11.5 of Appendix B had been superseded from that which was detailed in the report circulated with the agenda.                                                  

 

It was proposed by the Leader of the Council and seconded that the recommendations set out in the report circulated with the agenda be approved, subject to the updating of paragraph 11.5 of Appendix B. The proposal was carried by 23 votes for and 11 against. 

 

Resolved

 

(a)          The recommendation of the HotSW Leaders (meeting as a shadow Joint Committee) to form a Joint Committee for the Heart of the South West be approved.

 

(b)          The Arrangements and Inter-Authority Agreement documents set out in appendices A and B for the establishment of the Joint Committee be approved, with the commencement date of Monday 22 January 2018, subject to paragraph 11.5 of Appendix B being amended to read: All press releases to be approved by the press office of the administering Authority. 

 

(c)          The Leader and Deputy Leader be appointed as the Council’s named representative and substitute named representative on the Joint Committee.

 

(d)          Somerset County Council be appointed as the Administering Authority for the Joint Committee for a 2 year period commencing 22nd January 2018.

 

(e)          The transfer of the remaining joint devolution budget to meet the support costs of the Joint Committee for the remainder of 2017/18 financial year subject to approval of any expenditure by the Administering Authority be approved.

 

(f)           An initial contribution of £1400 for 2018/19 be approved to fund the administration and the work programme of the Joint Committee, noting that any expenditure will be subject to the approval of the Administering Authority.

 

(g)          The key function of the Joint Committee to approve the Productivity Strategy be approved. (It is intended to bring the Strategy to the Joint Committee for approval by February 2018).

 

(h)          The initial work programme of the Joint Committee aimed at the successful delivery of the Productivity Strategy be authorised. 

 

(i)            The proposed meeting arrangements for the Joint Committee including the timetable of meetings for the Joint Committee as proposed in para 2.14 of the report circulated with the agenda be agreed.

 

 

 

Supporting documents: