Agenda item

Heart of the South West Joint Committee Update

Minutes:

E.42/18          

A report was considered that reminded Members that the Heart of the South West Joint Committee was formally established in early 2018 by the partner councils and organisations that had been involved since 2015 in the Devolution Partnership.  The report noted that the Joint Committee was tasked with improving productivity across the Heart of the South West (HotSW) area in collaboration with the HotSW LEP and other organisations as necessary.

 

The Leader introduced the report that summarised the progress made by the Joint Committee over recent months in key areas of activity and set out actions proposed in the coming months.

 

In the ensuing discussion, reference was made to:-

 

(a)   the need to be involved.  On balance, a number of Members were of the view that the benefits to the Council were greater from being involved in the Heart of the South West Partnership than being on the outside;

 

(b)   the Brexit Joint Regional Sounding Board event on 12 November 2018.  In reply to a request, a commitment was given to provide an interested Member with feedback from this event outside of this meeting;

 

(c)    the Local Industrial Strategy (LIS).  A Member expressed his concern at the extent of the influence that the Local Enterprise Partnership was to have in the development and endorsement of the LIS;

 

(d)   the Productivity Strategy.  A Member took issue with the intention in the Strategy to ‘double the size of the HoTSW area economy over 20 years’.  Whilst an admirable intention, the Member was of the view that it was an unrealistic target and therefore brought into question the credibility of the whole Strategy;

 

(e)   the annual Council contribution.  It was confirmed that, in the event of any future proposal being brought forward to increase the Council’s annual contribution of £1,400, then this would require the approval of the Council. 

 

It was then

 

RECOMMENDED

 

That the Executive RECOMMEND to Council to:-

 

(a)   note the progress report setting out the work of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Joint Committee since its establishment in March 2018;

 

(b)   agree to delegate the development and endorsement of the HotSW Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) to the HotSW Joint Committee (noting that final approval of the HotSW LIS rests with the HotSW Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Government);

 

(c)    note the Heart of the South West Joint Committee Budget statement for 2018/19 (as set out in Appendix B of the presented agenda report) and that, in accordance with the decisions taken at the time the Committee was established, the Council will be asked to make an annual budgetary provision (£1,400 for South Hams District Council) to meet the support costs of the Joint Committee in line with the 2018/19 contribution.  Final clarification on any additional 2019/20 Heart of the South West Joint Committee budget requirement will be provided following the completion of the review of the Joint Committee’s role, function and management support arrangements and development of its work programme for 2019/20; and

 

(d)   agree the Budget and Cost-sharing Agreement (as set out in Appendix B of the presented agenda report).

 

 

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