Agenda and decisions

To receive updates from the Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor.

(1)       To consider whether, in accordance with 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) it is in the public interest to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the reports and/or specified appendices listed below in order to prevent the disclosure of information ‘not for publication’ as set out in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended)

(2)    To consider whether, in accordance with 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) it is in the public interest to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the specified appendices listed below in order to prevent the disclosure of information ‘not for publication’ as set out in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), in the event that the content of the appendices need to be discussed:

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Corporate Services and the Portfolio Holder for Policy, Reform & Resources.

RESOLVED - That in relation to the LCRCA Financial Performance Report for the period April-December 2022:

(a)    the contents of the report be noted;

(b)    the proposed revised revenue budget as detailed at 3.5 of the report be approved;

(c)    the proposed adjustments to the grants provided to Merseytravel to cover its operational activities as detailed at 3.8 of the report be approved; and

(d)    the proposed revised capital programme as detailed at 3.14 of the report be approved.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Place and the Deputy Portfolio Holder for Air Quality and Transport.

(Note: the appendices to this report contain information ‘not for publication’ that have been circulated to members of the Combined Authority only)

RESOLVED – That in relation to the next stages of bus reform within the Liverpool City Region:

(a)       the Assessment presented in the exempt Appendix 1 be received and noted;

(b)       the contents of the Independent Audit, that was prepared in accordance with section 123D of the Act as described in paragraph 3.5 and presented in the exempt Appendix 2 to this report be noted;

(c)        the publication of the Assessment, the Independent Audit and all other documentation relevant to the process be approved;

(d)       the Proposed Franchising Scheme as described in paragraph 3.4 and set out in the exempt Appendix 3 be approved;

(e)       it be agreed to proceed with the Proposed Franchising Scheme by undertaking a consultation on the Proposed Franchising Scheme in accordance with sections 123E to 123G of the Act, as described in paragraph 3.6;

(f)         the publication of a notice of the Proposed Franchising Scheme in accordance with sections 123E(2)(d) and 123E(3) of the Act be approved; and

(g)       the tasks necessary to conduct the consultation be delegated to the Executive Director for Place in conjunction with the Deputy Portfolio Holder for Transport and the Metro Mayor.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Corporate Services and the Portfolio Holder for Policy, Reform and Resources.

(Note: the appendices to this report contain information ‘not for publication’ that have been circulated to members of the Combined Authority only)

RESOLVED – That in relation to the Liverpool City Region Memorandum of Understanding and Business Rates Retention Strategy:

(a)       the requirements of the Freeports Framework that sets out the performance management, security audit and assurance processes for Freeports in England be noted;

(b)       the LCR Freeport Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) attached as exempt Appendix 1 be approved;

(c)        the Business Rates Retention Strategy attached as exempt Appendix 2 and the framework as outlined in the report to be implemented by the three Freeport billing authorities to help support investment in LCR Freeport Tax Sites, regeneration and levelling up in the City Region be approved; and

(d)       it be noted that there would be a final discussion with Government on minor amendments from the parties to the MOU and approval be given to delegate authority to the Combined Authority Treasurer to agree such amendments in consultation with the Freeport Director and the Metro Mayor.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Place and the Deputy Portfolio Holder for Air Quality and Transport.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)    receipt of the Local Authority Capability and Ambition Fund (CAF) from Government as identified in paragraph 3.6 of the report be noted, and the allocation of Bikeability funding as identified in paragraph 3.10 of the report and;

(b)    the disbursement of these CAF funds to the constituent local authorities be agreed and to the Combined Authority/Merseytravel as indicated in paragraph 4.1, Table 1 of the report.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Place and the Deputy Portfolio Holder for Transport and Air Quality

RESOLVED – That, in relation to the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Highways Maintenance / Non-Highways Maintenance (CRSTS Maintenance Programme) and Key Routes Network (KRN) programmes:

(a)    the update on the delivery of the Year 1 (2022/23) City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) Maintenance programme be noted;

(b)    the content of the proposed Years 2 to 5 (2023/27) CRSTS Maintenance programme be noted and approved;

(c)    authority be delegated to the Executive Director - Place in consultation with the Chief Legal Officer and Treasurer to put in place and manage funding agreements to disburse funds to delivery partners, in order to progress schemes in the Years 2-5 CRSTS Maintenance programme as detailed in this report;

(d)    authority be delegated to the Executive Director - Place to approve changes to the CRSTS Maintenance programme within the overall programme budget, subject to consultation with delivery partners where appropriate;

(e)    the allocation of an additional £1.96m of CRSTS funding to the Key Routes Network (KRN) Levelling Up Programme (increasing the total allocation to the KRN programme to £46.93m), and the provision of this additional sum to Merseytravel to enable delivery of the Queensway Tunnel Lighting project be approved.

(f)     the authority delegated to the Executive Director of Investment and Delivery on 22July 2022 to finalise negotiations of detailed funding terms and associated agreements for the KRN programme, including the Queensway Tunnel Lighting project, be noted; and

(g)    the exemption of the call in period associated with the Queensway Tunnel Lighting project, as set out in paragraph 3.10 of the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Investment and Delivery and the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills, Equality & Diversity.

(Note: an appendix to this report contains information ‘not for publication’ that has been circulated to members of the Combined Authority only)

RESOLVED – That:

(a)    the devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB) allocation for 2023/24 academic year of £53,698,692 from the Department for Education (DfE) be accepted and the maximum AEB funding allocations to Liverpool City Region grant funded providers, as summarised in Exempt Appendix 1 be approved;

(b)    the delegated grant funding of £2,960,686 from the DfE for the Level 3 Adult Offer for the academic year 2023/24 be accepted as outlined in the letter dated 09 February 2023 noting this was not the full annual budget available as outlined in section 3 of the report;

(c)    the funding of £2,921,579 from the DfE for the Multiply Grant (funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund) for the financial year 2023/24 (year 2) be accepted;

(d)    the funding of £8,200,000 from the DfE for the Skills Bootcamps for the Workplace Wave 4 Grant for the financial year 2023/24 be accepted;

(e)    the methodology that will be applied to calculate the AEB Contract for Service allocations and the Level 3 Lifetime Skills Guarantee allocations for the academic year 2023/24 as outlined in section 4 of the report be noted;

(f)     it be noted that the AEB Assurance Framework will be updated to include Multiply Funding to enable in year changes to reflect the process used for AEB and the Level 3 Adult Offer as described in section 4 of the report;

(g)    the continuation of a Facilitation Fund using AEB in 2023/24 academic year as set out in section 4 of the report be approved;

(h)    the Scheme of Delegation outlined in section 6 regarding the allocations for the Contract for Services AEB delivery for academic year 2023/24, the provider allocations for the Level 3 Adult Offer funding for academic year 2023/24, the provider allocations for the Multiply Grants for the financial year 2023/24 and noting the process already in place to award Skills Bootcamps for the Workplace grant funding to continue for Wave 4 (financial year 2023/24) be approved; and

(i)     the headline data referenced in section 7 of the report relating to the last AEB academic year for 2021/22 and reported in Appendix Two be noted.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Investment and Delivery and the Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economy and the Third Sector.

RESOLVED – That, in relation to progress in investing the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) for the programme period of April 2021 to March 2026:

(a)    the report be noted;

(b)    it be noted that in addition to existing projects recent bids for funding had been received from Local Authorities and work was currently in progress to appraise these; and

(c)    the proposed approach to over-programming of the Strategic Investment Fund by up to £60m be approved, noting that approval for any additional projects would be subject to the Combined Authority Assurance Framework and Combined Authority approval.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Investment and Delivery and the Portfolio Holder for Education, Skills, Equality & Diversity.

RESOLVED – That:

(a)    the provision of up to £4.8m funding from the Strategic Investment Fund for the Ways to Work Programme be approved; and

(b)    authority be delegated to the Executive Director - Investment and Delivery to finalise negotiations of detailed funding terms and associated agreements for the Programme specified at (a) above in consultation with the Combined Authority Monitoring Officer and the Treasurer.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Investment and Delivery and the Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economy and the Third Sector.

RESOLVED – That in relation to changes proposed to previously agreed Strategic Investment Fund projects:

(a)    the material change to St Helens Southern Gateway Package as requested by St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council indicated in paragraphs 3.1 – 3.6 of the report and the extension of time for completion to May 2023 be approved;

(b)    the material change to LCR Strategic Cycling and Walking Network Work Package 5 of the Transforming Cities Fund as requested by St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, indicated in paragraphs 3.7 – 3.13 of the report and the extension of time for completion to June 2023 be approved.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Corporate Services.

Members of the public will be given the opportunity to ask questions which have been submitted in accordance with Meetings Standing Orders No. 11. A period of 30 minutes will be allocated for this item. Copies of valid questions will be circulated at the meeting.

Members of the public who wish to submit questions are asked to contact Democratic Services either by:

Email: democratic.services@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

Telephone: 0151 330 1330

In writing: Democratic Services, LCR Combined Authority, PO Box 1976, No. 1 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP.

A proforma will be supplied for the submission of public questions which for this meeting must be returned by 5.00pm on Monday 27 February 2023.

Members of the public who wish to submit a single position or statement in accordance with Meetings Standing Orders No. 11 are asked to contact Democratic Services either by:

Email: democratic.services@liverpoolcityregion-ca.gov.uk

Telephone: 0151 330 1330

In writing: Democratic Services, LCR Combined Authority, PO Box 1976, No. 1 Mann Island, Liverpool, L3 1BP.

The single petition or statement for this meeting must be returned by 5.00pm on Monday 27 February 2023.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Investment and Delivery and the Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Economy and the Third Sector.

(Note: This report contains Confidential Information that is not for publication that has been provided to members of the Combined Authority only)

RESOLVED – That in relation to the update on SIF funding, the recommendations set out in the Confidential and Exempt Report be approved.

To consider a report of the Executive Director for Investment and Delivery and the Portfolio Holders for Tourism, Culture & Visitor Economy and for Inclusive Economy & the Third Sector.

(Note: This report contains Confidential Information that is not for publication that has been provided to members of the Combined Authority only)

RESOLVED – That in relation to the Event Bid Funding, the recommendations set out in the Exempt Report be approved.