Issue - meetings

To receive and approve the Report of the Chief Executive (CX/17/26), attached, together with the Minutes of the Cabinet held on 8 November 2017 (Minute 77, replicated below), relating to the proposals for a Heart of the South West Joint Committee.

The Cabinet RESOLVED (Minute 77) that Council be recommended to;

(a) approve the recommendation of the HotSW Leaders (meeting as a shadow Joint Committee) to form a Joint Committee for the Heart of the South West;

(b) approve the Arrangements and Inter-Authority Agreement documents as set out in appendices A and B for the establishment of the Joint Committee with the commencement date of 22 January 2018;

(c) appoint the Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills as the Council’s named representative and substitute named representative on the Joint Committee;

(d) appoint Somerset County Council as the Administering Authority for the Joint Committee for a 2 year period commencing 22 January 2018;

(e) approve 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;

(f) approve an initial contribution of £10,500 for 2018/19 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) agree that the key function of the Joint Committee is to approve the Productivity Strategy (it is intended to bring the Strategy to the Joint Committee for approval by February 2018);

(h) authorise the initial work programme of the Joint Committee aimed at the successful delivery of the Productivity Strategy;

(i) agree 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.

The Council considered the Report of the Chief Executive (CX/17/26), together with the recommendations of the Cabinet held on 8 November 2017 (Minute 77) relating to the proposals for a Heart of the South West Joint Committee.

The Leader of the Council MOVED and Councillor ClatworthySECONDED that the recommendations of the report and also the minutes of the Cabinet (Minute 77) relating to the Heart of the South West Joint Committee be approved.

Councillor Shaw then MOVED and Councillor Biederman SECONDED;

“that the recommendations as outlined in the Report of the Chief Executive (CX/17/26) be not approved at this time, pending further consideration of:

a)         the geographical framework for devolved arrangements;

b)         the economic strategy for devolution; and

c)         how devolved arrangements can secure democratic legitimacy,

to allow time for them to be fully considered.”

The Amendment in the name of Councillor Shaw was then put to the vote and declared LOST. 

(In accordance with Standing Order 32(4) Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade, Hodgson, G Hook, J Hook, Shaw, Way and Wright asked that their vote for Councillor Shaw’s amendment be recorded).

The Motion in the name of Councillor Hart was put to the vote and declared CARRIED. 

(In accordance with Standing Order 32(4) Councillors Biederman, Brazil, Connett, Dewhirst, Greenslade, Hodgson, G Hook, J Hook, Shaw, Way and Wright asked that their vote against Councillor Hart’s amendment be recorded).