Agenda and decisions

1.      That apologies be received and noted from Cllr Elise Wilson (Cllr Tom McGee attending), Cllr David Greenhalgh (Cllr Martin Cox attending) and Pam Smith.

2.      That apologies from Councillor Allen Brett and Steve Rumbelow (Rochdale), who were unable to join due to technical difficulties be noted.

1.                 That the GMCA express its disappointment that the Government had decided that GM will remain Tier 3, despite the Covid related data evidencing the decline in infection rates in all GM districts and overall the number of cases in GM now being below the national average.

2.                 That the GMCA recognise the exceptional challenges for businesses as a result of GM remaining in Tier 3, in particular those businesses in the hospitality sector, and the GMCA would continue to lobby Government for extra support for those businesses unable to open and operate in the usual way. 

3.                 That the GMCA would continue to urge Government to provide clarity on the thresholds that would enable GM to move to Tier 2, together with a full review of tiers at the earliest opportunity.

4.                 That it be noted that the GM Mayor and Deputy Mayor would be making a statement later today following the recent announcement by HMIC (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services) regarding the requirement for Greater Manchester Police to enter special measures.

To receive declarations of interest in any item for discussion at the meeting. A blank form for declaring interests has been circulated with the agenda; please ensure that this is returned to the Governance & Scrutiny Officer at least 48 hours before the start of the meeting.

That Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett and Councillor Richard Leese declared a personal, prejudicial disclosable interest in Item 18 – GM Investment Framework Approvals.

To consider the approval of the minutes of the GMCA meeting held on 27 November 2020.

That the minutes of the GMCA meeting held on 27 November 2020 be approved as a correct record.

To note the minutes of the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings held during December 2020:

a)          Economy, Business Skills & Growth – 4 December 2020

b)          Corporate Issues & Reform – 8 December 2020

1. That the minutes of the Economy, Business Skills & Growth Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 4 December 2020 be noted.

2. That the minutes of the Corporate Issues & Reform Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 8 December 2020 be noted.

a)       To approve the appointment of Councillor Carter, replacing Councillor Duffield (Trafford), on the Corporate Issues & Reform Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

b)      To approve the appointment of Councillor Adshead, replacing Councillor Lloyd (Trafford) on the GMCA Waste & Recycling Committee.

1.             That the appointment of Councillor Carter, replacing Councillor Duffield (Trafford), on the Corporate Issues & Reform Overview & Scrutiny Committee be approved.

2.             That the appointment of Councillor Adshead, replacing Councillor Lloyd (Trafford) on the GMCA Waste & Recycling Committee be approved.

Report of Councillor Eamonn O’Brien, Portfolio Lead for Young People & Cohesion and Councillor Sean Fielding, Portfolio Lead for Digital, Work & Skills.

Diane Modahl, Chair of the Youth Task Force will also be in attendance at the meeting.

1.                  That the report and final project report be noted.

2.         That the further development of the Young Person's Guarantee into a set of actions with Key Performance Indicators be agreed, covering:

                         I.    Staff resource capacity to develop the scope of the actions and recommendations (from the final project report attached) within the context of the city-region; across partners, business & LAs. This will sit in the GMCA (W&S Team) and work across all areas within the recommendations to act as a connecter to develop the work.

                       II.    Exploration of additional resource requirements to deliver the recommendations in the final project report and where this is within current budgets or where there are gaps; also what can be taken forward at no cost.

                     III.     Accountability process retaining Diane Modahl as Chair of the Young Persons Guarantee, including the engagement of the GM Youth Combined Authority.

                     IV.    Evaluation of what has been successful: Have we reached Young People…One year on.

2.                  3.         That the GMCA commit to action in localities by supporting the generation of further commitments that will be published on the GM Apprenticeships & Careers Service.

3.                   

4.       That the extension of the Our Pass Pilot for further year, from 1 September 2021, be approved.

5.       That a further report be submitted to the GMCA on progress against the developed Key Performance Indicators.

6.    That it be noted that the GMCA would continue to make further representations to Government in the New Year regarding the fair allocation of examination grades for current Year 11 and Year 13 pupils in recognition of the time spent out of the classroom during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Report of Andy Burnham, GM Mayor.

1.              That it be noted that the GMCA supports the immediate intentions of the No Child Should Go Hungry campaign over the Winter to fill gaps in national provision and provide further support to work being led locally.

2.              That it be noted that whilst there was a crisis response element to this campaign it was intended that a more upstream approach to fulfilling the pledge ‘No Child Should Go Hungry’ in GM would be developed over coming months, building on learning through this phase.

Report of Andy Burnham, GM Mayor.

Report of Councillor Elise Wilson, Portfolio Lead for Economy.

1. That the latest update of the Greater Manchester Economic Resilience dashboard be noted.

2. That it be noted that the online version of the Economic Recovery Dashboard was updated regularly and available online.

3. That the recent news regarding the future ownership of the Trafford Centre be welcomed given the significant role in providing employment opportunities and the wider economic impact across GM.

Report of Councillor Elise Wilson, Portfolio Lead for Economy.

Report of Andy Burnham, GM Mayor.

1.           That the agreed MCF delivery priorities across GM and the prioritised first phase for the programme, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report, be noted.

2.           That £6.3 million MCF funding for the three named schemes be approved, in order to secure full approval and enable the signing of a delivery agreement.

3.           That the release of up to £2.12 million of development cost funding for the 4 MCF schemes, set out in section 2 of the report, be approved.

4.           That the addition to the 2020/21 Capital Programme of £12.7 million of costs to be funded from the capital grant of £12.7 million that forms part of the £15.9 million of Active Travel (Tranche 2) funding, as set out in section 4 of the report, be approved.

5.           That the addition of the £3.2 million to the GMCA Transport Revenue Budget, funded from the £3.2 million revenue grant that forms part of the £15.9 million of Active Travel (Tranche 2) funding, as set out in section 4 of the report, be approved.

6.           That the GMCA would urge the Cycling and Walking Commissioner and his team to look for further avenues to build greater capacity within the bee network to further improve connectivity.

Report of Andy Burnham, GM Mayor.

1.           That the progress made in relation to the Growth Deal Transport Programme,as set out in Section 3 of the report, be noted.

2.           That the progress made in relation to the non transport Skills Capital and Economic Development & Regeneration (ED &R) programmes,as set out in Section 5 of the report, be noted.

3.           That the £5.4 million variation of the Growth Deal Transport Grant to maximise eligible grant spend on the Mayors Challenge Fund Cycling and Walking programme for 2020/2021, as set out in Section 2 of the report, be agreed.

Report of Councillor Andrew Western, Portfolio Lead for Green City Region.

1. That it be agreed that GM Local Authorities should collectively bid for £5-6m of Green Homes Grant, to extend the existing green homes grant funded programme from March 21 to September 21.

2. That it be agreed that the GMCA should be the accountable body for the bid on behalf of GM Local Authorities and Registered Providers.

3.       That authority be delegated to the GMCA Treasurer and Monitoring Officer, subject to a successful bid, to contract with BEIS, receipt and defray the funds to partners.

4. That it be noted that equalities impact from this proposal will be managed via utilising delivery companies with robust equality policies, and to note the environmental outcome is to substantially reduce the carbon emissions from approximately 500 homes in Greater Manchester.

Report of Councillor Andrew Western, Portfolio Lead for Green City Region.

1.      That it be noted that GM’s bid for circa £7m of Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Demonstrator funding from BEIS had not been successful, although GM had been included in the reserve list.

2. That it be agreed that the GMCA should be the accountable body for the bid on behalf of GM Local Authorities and Registered Providers, in the event that GM bid was brought forward from the reserve list of bids.

3.      That authority be delegated to the GMCA Treasurer and Monitoring Officer, subject to a successful bid, to contract with BEIS, receipt and defray the funds to partners, in the event that the GM bid was brought forward from the reserve list.

4.      That it be noted that in the event that the GM  bid was brough forward from the reserve list,  equalities impact from this proposal will be managed via utilising delivery companies with robust equality policies and to note the environmental outcome is to substantially reduce the carbon emissions from approximately 250 social homes in GM and to demonstrate innovative delivery mechanisms which can be upscaled and replicated.

Report of Councillor Sean Fielding, Portfolio Lead for Digital.

1.      That it be agreed that the GMCA should enter into a grant funding agreement with DCMS and Manchester City Council to confirm GMCA as the administrative lead for the PSBU as well as the PSAT element of the LFFN programme as set out in this report.

2.      That an increase in the GMCA’s Capital Programme of up to £835,000 to reflect the maximum grant from DCMS for the Manchester City Council LFFN PSBU programme be approved.

3.      That it be noted that Salford City Council will not be pursuing its application to DCMS for a small amount of PSBU LFFN grant funding. 

4.      That authority be delegated to the GMCA Monitoring Officer to review and complete all necessary legal documentation relating to the grant funding agreement to be entered into between (1)   DCMS (as Funder), (2) GMCA (as Administrative Lead for the DCMS LFFN PSBU Grant) and (3) Manchester City Council (as LFFN PSBU Grant Recipient) .

Report of Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, Portfolio Lead for Housing, Homelessness and Infrastructure.

1. That the GM Housing Investment Loans Fund loans detailed in the table below and as detailed further in this and the accompanying Part B report be approved:

2. That authority be delegated to the GMCA Treasurer acting in conjunction with the GMCA Monitoring Officer to prepare and effect the necessary legal agreements.

Report of Councillor David Molyneux, Portfolio Lead for Investment & Resources.

That it be noted that the meeting was inquorate for consideration of this report and the accompanying report at item 21 of the agenda.

Note: the report will be dealt with under the Chief Executive’s delegated powers and the decision published separately.

That, under section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public should be excluded from the meeting for the following items on business on the grounds that this involved the likely disclosure of exempt information, as set out in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

That, under section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public should be excluded from the meeting for the following items on business on the grounds that this involved the likely disclosure of exempt information, as set out in the relevant paragraphs of Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing.

Report of Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, Portfolio Lead for Housing, Homelessness and Infrastructure.

That the report be noted.

Report of Councillor David Molyneux, Portfolio Lead for Investment & Resources.

That it be noted that the meeting was inquorate for consideration of this report.