Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Swinburn substituted for Councillor Shreeve.

No declarations of interest were declared by members.

Resolved – That the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 10 December 2021 be approved as a correct record and authorise the chair to sign.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (North Lincolnshire Council – S Green)

The Deputy Chief Executive, North Lincolnshire submitted a report requesting the Joint Committee support entering into an engagement programme with the business community to inform a prospective devolution deal for Greater Lincolnshire, and to propose that enabling the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP) be asked to lead on such a business engagement programme and through this draw upon support from the three upper tier authorities.

The report referred to devolution options and opportunities provided through and since the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, and new opportunities proposed through the Government’s Levelling Up White Paper.

The Deputy Director in his report stated that the Government saw Devolution Deals as a central plank towards their Levelling Up agenda. As such, the key and prioritised elements of their framework are economic in focus. The key identified economic areas included:

·         Skills – at all levels, including skills improvement plans and contracted employment programmes,

·         Business Support – through bespoke and measured schemes, Shared Prosperity Funds and an enhanced advocacy role,

·         Infrastructure – enhanced and better aligned budgets for transport, broadband and utilities, and

·         Investment – new regeneration partnership role for Homes England, possibility of Development Corporations and access to Brownfield land remediation.

Consequently, the report recommended that a structured and prioritised business ‘engagement model’ be developed to ensure that the possible benefits of devolution are conveyed successfully to the business community and that in return this sector’s views be heard and understood.

The core objectives of engagement would be to raise awareness and seek early views from businesses on the possible benefits of a devolution deal based around the proposed ten asks set out in the summary document to the report. The goal was to achieve over 1,000 business and business organisations responses within a six-week period. It was proposed that the central coordinating organisation for undertaking such an approach was the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP). The GLLEP had established reach and direct contact to both larger and SME businesses.  This approach would enable an equitable geographical split of engagement.

The GLLEP would utilise a model of information, advice and guidance on what a “deal” may bring and the implications for the business community. As part of this there would be a multi medium approach to communication including a central interactive website, a series of seminars / webinars, mailings and events. To enable this approach to happen both quickly and to have the desired reach the three upper tier authorities would make available commensurate resources from their respective business development teams. The outcome would be truly representative engagement and endorsement from business and their sector and trade organisations to help set direction and support any future potential bid for a devolution deal.

Resolved – (a)That the GLSOC be asked to enter into an engagement programme with the business community as to the attributes of a prospective devolution deal for Greater Lincolnshire (b) that the GLSOC enable the GLLEP, as described in paragraph 3.3 of the report above to lead on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

In accordance with the Joint Committee’s Terms of reference, the Joint Committee considered proposals for its chair and secretariat for the council (financial) year 2022/23.

Resolved – (a) That Councillor P Jackson (North East Lincolnshire Council) be the chair of the Joint Committee, and (b) that Lincolnshire County Council be the secretariat.