Issue - meetings

Solent Local Enterprise Partnership Integration into the Solent Unitary Authorities

Meeting: 20/03/2024 - Council (Item 76)

76 Solent Local Enterprise Partnership Integration into the Solent Unitary Authorities pdf icon PDF 449 KB

Report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development detailing the transfer of Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) core function to Local Authorities 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Leader of the Council detailing the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership Integration into the Solent Unitary Authorities. 

 

RESOLVED:

 

(i)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader and Executive Director for Corporate Services (and S151 officer), to agree the final details of the transfer of LEP functions to the UTLAs, including future governance arrangements.

(ii)  To approve in principle the proposed draft governance structures attached as Appendix One that demonstrate how SCC plans to work with our sub-regional partners to achieve our economic growth ambitions which will need to be outlined in an updated Solent 2050 Strategy.

(iii)  Subject to the agreement of PCC and IOWC, to agree that PCC is confirmed as the Accountable Body for the new a new joint UTLA Board, with the Leader of SCC acting as the first board chair.

(iv)  SCC agrees that the existing LEP funding, should be disaggregated to the three Solent UTLAs and be pooled (subject to the agreement of Isle of Wight Council and Portsmouth City Council), for the benefit of economic growth of the sub-region, defined as the combined geographies of the three Solent UTLAs.

(v)  Agree that, subject to the three Solent UTLA area being recognised by the Government as an area for LEP Integration, with appropriate legal due diligence, to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to determine whether SCC will become a Member of Solent Partners (SP).  This agreement to be conditional on all three UTLAs agreeing to become Members of Solent Partners in conjunction.

(vi)  To agree that SCC should not appoint a Director to the Board of Solent Partners to ensure that there is no conflict of interest with the wider governance needed for the new LEP integration arrangements. The three UTLAs will seek appropriate requirements, within the articles of Solent Partners, to ensure representatives of the three Solent ULTAs are entitled to observe board meetings.

(vii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to work with all sub-regional partners to develop an agreement on how to deliver economic growth for the functional economic area and take ownership of the Solent 2050 strategy.

(viii)  To support the creation of a Solent Economic Partnership, inviting adjacent Districts and Boroughs, Hampshire County Council (HCC), and other key public sector stakeholders to participate, to enable Local Authorities leaders and the private sector to have an opportunity to discuss and support economic growth in the Solent sub-region.

(ix)  To approve the proportional disaggregation of existing assets held by the SLEP to the Accountable Body (PCC) on behalf of the Upper Tier Local Authorities, including HCC (subject to the agreement of the three Solent unitary UTLAs).


Meeting: 19/03/2024 - Cabinet (Item 52)

52 Solent Local Enterprise Partnership Integration into the Solent Unitary Authorities pdf icon PDF 449 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Economic Development detailing the transfer of local enterprise partnership (LEP) core function to local authorities.  

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(i)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader and Executive Director for Corporate Services (and S151 officer), to agree the final details of the transfer of LEP functions to the UTLAs, including future governance arrangements.

(ii)  To approve in principle the proposed draft governance structures attached as Appendix One that demonstrate how SCC plans to work with our sub-regional partners to achieve our economic growth ambitions which will need to be outlined in an updated Solent 2050 Strategy.

(iii)  Subject to the agreement of PCC and IOWC, to agree that PCC is confirmed as the Accountable Body for the new a new joint UTLA Board, with the Leader of SCC acting as the first board chair.

(iv)  SCC agrees that the existing LEP funding, should be disaggregated to the three Solent UTLAs and be pooled (subject to the agreement of Isle of Wight Council and Portsmouth City Council), for the benefit of economic growth of the sub-region, defined as the combined geographies of the three Solent UTLAs.

(v)  Agree that, subject to the three Solent UTLA area being recognised by the Government as an area for LEP Integration, with appropriate legal due diligence, to delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to determine whether SCC will become a Member of Solent Partners (SP).  This agreement to be conditional on all three UTLAs agreeing to become Members of Solent Partners in conjunction.

(vi)  To agree that SCC should not appoint a Director to the Board of Solent Partners to ensure that there is no conflict of interest with the wider governance needed for the new LEP integration arrangements. The three UTLAs will seek appropriate requirements, within the articles of Solent Partners, to ensure representatives of the three Solent ULTAs are entitled to observe board meetings.

(vii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Leader to work with all sub-regional partners to develop an agreement on how to deliver economic growth for the functional economic area and take ownership of the Solent 2050 strategy.

(viii)  To support the creation of a Solent Economic Partnership, inviting adjacent Districts and Boroughs, Hampshire County Council (HCC), and other key public sector stakeholders to participate, to enable Local Authorities leaders and the private sector to have an opportunity to discuss and support economic growth in the Solent sub-region.

(ix)  To approve the proportional disaggregation of existing assets held by the SLEP to the Accountable Body (PCC) on behalf of the Upper Tier Local Authorities, including HCC (subject to the agreement of the three Solent unitary UTLAs).