Venue: Ellesmere Port Library, Civic Way, Ellesmere Port, CH65 0BG
Contact: Sam Jones Tel: 01270 686643 Email: samuel.jones@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Link: Meeting webcast
No. | Item |
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Apologies for Absence To receive any apologies for absence from Members. Minutes: There were no apologies for absence. |
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Minutes of Previous Meeting To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27 September 2024 as a correct record.
Minutes: RESOLVED:
That the minutes of the meeting held on 27th September 2024 be approved as a correct record. |
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Public Speaking/Open Session In accordance with Cheshire East Council’s Committee Procedural Rules and Appendix on public speaking, a total period of 15 minutes is allocated for members of the public to put questions to the Joint Committee on any matter relating to this agenda. Each member of the public will be allowed up to two minutes each to speak, and the Chair will have discretion to vary this where they consider it appropriate.
Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing in advance of the meeting and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.
Minutes: The public speaking procedure was noted. There were no public speakers. |
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Connect to Work Programme (Universal Support) To consider a report which outlines a programme of work which will support economic development across Cheshire and Warrington. The programme will be co-ordinated and delivered as one, in line with and in preparation for devolution for the sub-region. Additional documents: Minutes: Members consider a report which outlined a programme of work which would support economic development across Cheshire and Warrington. The programme would be co-ordinated and delivered as one, in line with and in preparation for devolution for the sub-region, from Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader, Cheshire West and Chester Council.
It was noted that the scheme would result in the receipt of £4.5 million funding from Central Government and would support up to 1300 residents (400 in Cheshire East, 700 in Cheshire West and Chester and 200 in Warrington) within the sub-region to take on training and gain long term employment and nationally would support up to 93000 people. It was noted that Local Authorities were in the best position to support local people directly where they live.
The scheme would work in complementary way with other support programmes, including the NHS Individual Placement Support and the Office for Health Improvement. It was anticipated that 85% of the budget would be used to support adults who were currently out of work, and 15% would be used to help adults retain work or employment.
The Police and Crime Commissioner, Dan Price, extended an invitation to Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee to join a meeting with the Prison’s Minister in January 2025.
RESOLVED:
That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:
1. Acknowledge the information in this report
2. Acknowledge and confirm that Cheshire West and Chester Council (as recommended by Growth Directors) will:
a. Accept the £4.5m funding per year on behalf of Cheshire and Warrington.
b. Lead on the development and submission of a sub-regional delivery plan for the Connect to Work Programme.
c. Act as Lead and Accountable Body for the new Connect to Work Programme for Cheshire and Warrington, a programme that would directly respond to an identified economic priority of the sub-region. |
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Amendments to the Joint Committee Terms of Reference To consider a report requesting amendments to the Terms of Reference for the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee. Additional documents: Minutes: Members considered a report which requested amendments to the Terms of Reference of the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee to extend the statutory leadership role around devolution and expenditure for government funding coming into sub region, from Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader, Cheshire West and Chester Council.
It was noted that the final decision on devolution would be made by each individual Council at their Council meetings:
- Cheshire East Council – December 2024 - Cheshire West and Chester Council – December 2024 - Warrignton Borough Council – January 2025
It was noted that there were several small grammatical changes to the report, which did not change the context, in points A – H which were not shown in red on the published Term Of Reference but would be included in the final version.
RESOLVED:
That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:
1. Agree to ask that each of the Councils of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington amend Part 2 of the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee Terms of Reference as set out in red at Appendix A.
2. Agree that the final decisions related to the establishment of a Combined Authority and a devolution agreement are matters that will be brought back to the three Councils in Cheshire and Warrington. |
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Marketing Cheshire Advisory Board To consider a report which updates the Joint Committee on the steps which are being taken by Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington to simplify the governance of Marketing Cheshire. Minutes: Members received a report which updated the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee on the steps which were being taken by Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington to simplify the governance of Marketing Cheshire, from Councillor Jean Flaherty, Deputy Leader, Warrington Borough Council.
The importance of noting the safety and relatively low level of crime in the Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester and Warrington are, was noted as an importance piece of the marketing for the area.
The significance of the visitor economy to the area was noted (£1 billion+ annually), the range of visitor hotspots in the area, and the rate at which visitor numbers had recovered following the pandemic were noted.
RESOLVED:
That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:
1. Note the steps being taken by ECW, namely:
a. The reconfiguration of Marketing Cheshire’s board to mirror the ECW board.
b. The creation of a Marketing Cheshire Advisory board. |
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Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington Finance Report To receive a report which summarises the financial statements, for the Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington Group for the year ended 31 March 2024. Additional documents: Minutes: Members received a report which summarised the financial statements, for the Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington Group for the year ended 31 March 2024, from Philip Cox, Chief Executive, Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington.
It was noted that the accounts for the last two years show a loss of around £1 million; this was due to a grant received in 2014 from the Local Growth Fund which was used to set up a Life Sciences Equity Fund for Alderley Park, which was explicitly required to be listed as an asset on the Local Enterprise Partnership’s accounts at the time, which over the last few years had struggled and the value of the fund had been reduced.
RESOLVED:
That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:
1. Note the accounts as approved by ECW Board of Directors. |
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Joint Committee Forward Plan To receive an update and seek direction on the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee Forward Plan. Minutes: Members received an update and sought direction on the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee Forward Plan.
RESOLVED:
That the reports on the Forward Plan be adopted and approved. |