Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Members.

There were no apologies for absence.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary, other registerable interests, and non-registerable interests in any item on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2024 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2024 be approved as a correct record.

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.

The public speaking procedure was noted. There were no public speakers.

To consider a report which sets out the findings of an independent assessment of Enviroo’s Business Case for £1,000,000 of Enterprise Zone Grant Funding, and seeks approval from the Joint Committee for Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington to issue a grant funding offer and draw down funds aligned to a Grant Funding Agreement.

The sub-committee considered a report which set out the findings of an independent assessment of Enviroo’s Business Case for £1,000,000 of Enterprise Zone Grant Funding and sought approval from the Joint Committee for Enterprise Cheshire and Warrington to issue a grant funding offer and draw down funds aligned to a Grant Funding Agreement, from Councillor Nick Mannion.

The sub-committee were updated that the project reflected a significant opportunity within the region as the grant would allow for a state-of-the-art recycling facility to be constructed, creating jobs and promoting sustainable practices. 

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:

1. Approve the award of EZ grant funding to Enviroo of up to £1 million to support the delivery of a waste plastics recycling facility subject to the terms and conditions precedent set out in this report.

2. Note that the Chief Executive of ECW, in consultation with the Joint Committee leads for Place and Net Zero, will enter into a Grant Funding Agreement with Enviroo on terms consistent with paras 15 and 16 of this report to implement the grant and monitor the terms of the funding agreement.

To receive a report detailing the formal response of each of the three Councils to the Joint Committee’s request to amend the Terms of Reference for the Committee.

The sub-committee received a report which detailed the formal response of each of the three Councils to the Joint Committee’s request to amend the Terms of Reference for the Committee, from Councillor Louise Gittins.

Members noted that they would like to retain the name of Cheshire and Warrington in order to reflect the history of the town and the significance of it within the area.

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:

1.    Note the agreement by each of the three Council’s to amend the Terms of Reference for the Joint Committee.

2.    Note the amended Terms of Reference for the Joint Committee, detailed in Appendix 1.

3.    Note the request from Cheshire West and Chester as detailed in the report, but agree that the name of the subregion be retained as Cheshire and Warrington.

To receive a report which provides details on the high-level impacts that the new devolution framework, outlined in the English Devolution White Paper published on 16 December 2024, would have if Cheshire and Warrington councils formally decided to move forward with devolved powers and investment.

The sub-committee received a report which provided details on the high-level impacts that the new devolution framework, outlined in the English Devolution White Paper published on 16 December 2024, would have if Cheshire and Warrington councils formally decided to move forward with devolved powers and investment, from Councillor Hans Mundry.

The sub-committee were updated that Cheshire and Warrington had been invited to join the Devolution Priority Programme to create a Mayoral Strategic Authority by May 2026, which would hold devolved powers related to transport and local infrastructure, skills and employment, support for housing, strategic planning and economic development, regeneration, environment and climate change, health and wellbeing, public service reform and public safety. The funding level for Cheshire and Warrington would be determined following the Government’s Spending Review in June 2025.

It was noted that the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee would not make decisions alone; all decision would be ratified by the three individual authorities independently.

Members were updated that, after 18 months, if effective governance and financial mechanisms had been demonstrated, Mayoral Strategic Authorities could apply for Strategic Authority Status.

It was request that options for Ex-Officio and Observer Membership of the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee be considered and Members were informed that the Joint Committee were awaiting national guidance on this matter.

Amendments to recommendations 2 and 4 were proposed by Councillor Gittins and Seconded by Councillor Louise Shore:

2. Agree in principle that the named members of the Joint Committee detailed in this report will oversee the work with officers to develop priority themes for Cheshire and Warrington, before bringing all detail back to the Committee for strategic leadership and oversight, and delegate authority to the Chair, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer, to agree the involvement of any other officer and Members, and updates back such involvement being reported back to this committee to be noted.

4. Involve and collaborate in principal with those Members and officers identified in Table 1 (relevant Cabinet Members and Council Committee Members), Business Advisory Board members as well as the Leaders Board to co-produce the thematic content in the context of the Devolution White Paper and ensure alignment with local priorities and delegate authority to the Chair to involve other Members and officers in line with the authority set out in recommendation 2.

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:

1. Note the content of this report.

2. Agree in principle that the named members of the Joint Committee detailed in this report will oversee the work with officers to develop priority themes for Cheshire and Warrington, before bringing all detail back to the Committee for strategic leadership and oversight, and delegate authority to the Chair, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer, to agree the involvement of any other officer and Members, and updates back such involvement being reported back to this committee to be noted.

3. Engage with officers via these theme areas over the coming weeks to shape and develop thematic content outlined in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

To receive a report which details of the proposed Devolution Work Programme for Cheshire and Warrington.

The sub-committee received a report which detailed the proposed Devolution Work Programme for Cheshire and Warrington, from Councillor Michael Gorman.

The sub-committee were updated that to ensure continuity, there was a request to extend the rotation of the current Chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee by a further 12 months to May 2026.

Members were updated that the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee would act as the Programme Board for the Devolution Programme, any formal decisions from the Joint Committee would be recommended to the three Council’s for approval and regular meetings would take place with Council Leaders and Chief Executives, the Police and Crime Commissioner, and the Chair of the Business Advisory Board. A Devolution Steering Group would be established to make operational decisions, which would comprise of Growth Directors, Programme Team, workstream leads, and would oversee all operational programme delivery.

Members were updated that in the first quarter of 2025, there would be 5 priority activities:

·         Communications and engagement

·         Governance

·         Workforce

·         Finance

·         Local Growth Plan

The importance of Trade Union engagement in the process was noted.

An amendment to recommendation 3 was proposed by Councillor Hans Mundry and seconded by Councillor Nick Mannion:

3. Approve the initial implementation workstreams, with the addition of a workforce development stream, to include full engagement with trade unions, consideration of good practice from other areas and, the headline priorities for all workstreams between January and March 2025.

RESOLVED: (Unanimously)

That the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee:

1. Approve the programme management reporting structure as outlined in the report, noting that the Joint Committee will receive detailed and regular reporting across all elements of the work programme for direction and oversight.

2. Note the anticipated overall programme timeline.

3. Approve the initial implementation workstreams, with the addition of a workforce development stream, to include full engagement with trade unions, consideration of good practice from other areas and, the headline priorities for all workstreams between January and March 2025.

4. Approve the devolution programme budget to March 2025 as outlined in the report and note the anticipated future budget to March 2026 which will be brought back to the Joint Committee in detail at its February 2025 meeting.

5. Approve initial programme costs to March 2025 as detailed in the report, including the use of a Programme Director.

6. Request each of the Councils of Cheshire East (CEC), Cheshire West and Chester (CWaC) and Warrington (WBC) amend the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee Terms of Reference to extend the rotation of the current Chair (CWaC) for a further 12 months to May 2026 and amend accordingly the dates for the following rotations by the same period namely CEC until May 2028, WBC until May 2030 and that it then continue in that rotation.

To receive an update and seek direction on the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee Forward Plan.

Members received an update and sought direction on the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee Forward Plan, from Councillor Louise Gittins.

Members were updated that the Cheshire and Warrington Joint Committee did not intend to modify any health, fire or police boundaries within the area, and the sub-region would not be impacted by the population size restrictions within the Government’s White Paper, and assurances had been sought.

RESOLVED:

That the reports on the Forward Plan be adopted and approved.