On consideration of the report of the Leader of the Council, having complied with paragraph 15 of the Council’s Access to Information Procedure Rules, Cabinet agreed the following modified recommendations:
(i) Note that a thorough 8 week consultation exercise was undertaken across the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth council areas on the draft Governance Review and the Draft Scheme.
(ii) Note that the consultation results (Appendix 3) confirmed support for the three authorities working together to achieve devolution from central government through a mayoral combined authority.
(iii) Publish the Scheme and Review, and submit a request to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to establish a Solent Combined Authority (such a submission will be dependent on the other two Councils also resolving to publish the final Scheme and review).
(iv) Resolve that if a decision is made to make a submission to the Secretary of State, that Cabinet approve the Governance Review (appendix 1), revised scheme (appendix 2), and the consultation responses and the Motion presented today and include these as part of the submission to the Secretary of State.
(v) Resolve that if a submission to the Secretary of State is made, that the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, be given delegated authority to negotiate the final terms of an Order to establish a Solent Mayoral Combined Authority alongside colleagues from the Isle of Wight Council and Portsmouth City Council.