Agenda and decisions

That apologies be received and noted from Deputy Mayor, Police Fire & Crime  Bev Hughes, City Mayor Paul Dennett (Salford) (represented by Councillor Jack Youd) and Councillor David Molyneux (Wigan).

1. That the GMCA expresses its condolences to the Royal Family following the passing of Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
2. That the GMCA expresses its condolences to the family and friends of the former leader of Oldham Council, Councillor Jean Stretton, following her sad passing.
3. That the GMCA expresses its condolences to the family, friends and GMFRS colleagues of Watch Manager Daniel Lee, following his sad passing.
4. That the GMCA expresses its best wishes to Tony Oakman, who was retiring from the post of Chief Executive of Bolton Council.

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 48 hours before the start of the meeting.

There were no declarations received in relation to any item on the agenda.

To consider the approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 29 July 2022.

That the minutes of the GMCA meeting held on 29 July 2022 be agreed as a  correct record.

To note the minutes of the GMCA Resources Committee held on 29 July 2022.

That the minutes of the meeting of the GM Resources Committee held on 29 July 2022 be noted.

To note the minutes of the GMCA Overview & Scrutiny Committee held on 24 August 2022.

That the minutes of the meeting of the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 August 2022 be noted.

To note the minutes of the meeting on the GMCA Audit Committee held on 27 July 2022.

That the minutes of the meeting of the GMCA Audit Committee held on 27 July 2022 be noted.

To note the minutes of the Greater Manchester Transport Committee held on 12 August 2022.

That the minutes of the meeting of the GMCA Transport Committee held on 12 August 2022 be noted.

1.      To note the appointment of Councillor Joanna Midgely, as a substitute member of the GMCA, replacing Councillor Luthfur Rahman, for Manchester City Council.

2.      To appoint Councillor Tom McGee, Stockport Council, to the GMCA Audit Committee.

3.      To appoint Councillor John Taylor, Stockport Council, to the GMCA Scrutiny Committee Pool of substitute members.

1.    That the appointment of Councillor Joanna Midgely, as a substitute member of the GMCA, replacing Councillor Luthfur Rahman for Manchester City Council, be noted.

2.    That Councillor Tom McGee, Stockport Council, be appointed to the GMCA Audit Committee.

3.    That Councillor Ashley Dearnley, Rochdale Council, be appointed to the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and that Councillor John Taylor, Stockport Council, Councillor Russell Bernstein, Bury Council, and Councillor Robin Garrido, Salford Council, be appointed to the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee Pool of substitute members.

Councillor Bev Craig, Portfolio Lead for Economy & Business and Councillor Amanda Chadderton, Portfolio Lead for Equalities, Inclusion and Cohesion.

1.    That the latest assessment and emerging response, be noted.

2.    That the GMCA’s views on the next steps of the response, be noted.

3.    That representatives of the GM Disabled People’s Panel be requested to present the findings of the GM Big Disability Survey 2022  to the  October 2022 meeting of the GMCA.

4.    That the future iterations of the Cost-of-Living Dashboard incorporate the wider health impacts arising from the crisis.

5.    That the GMCA makes a commitment to reporting on the tangible work undertaken each month to improve the lives of the region’s residents within the context of the cost-of-living crisis.

6.    That it be noted that the GM Overview & Scrutiny Committee welcomed the work undertaken on the cost of living crisis.

7.    That the recommendations made by the GM Overview & Scrutiny Committee be received and noted.

8.    That it be noted that the Mayor of Greater Manchester and Councillor Amanda Chadderton intended to meet with the UK’s five biggest energy suppliers to discuss the issue of pre-payment meters and the impact on residents.

9.    That it be noted that a progress report would be submitted to the October 2022 meeting of the GMCA on the progress on the potential partnership with Amazon to recycle household goods, as per a model pioneered in Fife, Scotland.

Report of Councillor Bev Craig, Portfolio Lead for Economy, Business & International.

1.    That the impacts of the proposal on equalities, carbon and sustainability as set out in the Decision Support Assessment, be noted.

2.    That it be agreed that the report be used as the basis of the Integration Plan proforma to be submitted to Government.

3.    That it be agreed that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead for Economy, Business & International and the Chair of the GM LEP, to submit the completed proforma.

4.    That it be agreed that the role of ‘a strong, independent and diverse business voice’, as set out in para 4.21 of the report, be included in the Constitution as part of the functions of the GMCA.

5.    That it be agreed that subject to the feedback received, a further report be submitted to the October 2022 meeting of the GMCA detailing any required proposed amendments to the GMCA Constitution.

Report of Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

1.    That the progress made towards delivering the Bee Network be noted.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM, to agree the final terms of leases of bus depots to be granted to TfGM and the terms of all subleases of the depots, both in respect of interim leaseback arrangements to existing operators and the franchise depot subleases to be granted to the franchise bus operators.

3.    That authority be delegated to the GMCA Monitoring Officer to complete and execute all leases of bus depots to be granted to TfGM.

4.    That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM, to manage, maintain and insure the bus depots, on behalf of GMCA, by way of lease of the bus depots granted by GMCA to TfGM.

5.    That it be noted that the Mayor of Greater Manchester had requested consideration by given to a proposal for a further amendment to the bus fare structure to introduce a weekly fare cap.

6.    That the confirmed dates for the remaining tranches of the Bee Network be noted.

7.    That the collaboration work between TfGM and GMP on Operation AVRO be noted.

8.    That the need for consistent lobbying of Government, to secure long term funding, for bus franchising be noted.

9.    That it be noted that the bus fare structure would be subject to annual review.

10. That the need for strong representation to Government, from GMCA, Transport for the North and partners across the region, on the Avanti Trains West Coast mainline contract renewal be agreed.

Report of Andy Burnham, GM Mayor.

1.    That the report be noted.

2.    That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive officer GMCA & TfGM to undertake the consultation on a service permit scheme pursuant to the Franchising Scheme (Service Permits) (England) Regulations 2018.

Report of Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

1.    That the proposed governance arrangements for CRSTS funded schemes, which include the assurance route and the funding allocation and draw-down approvals in relation to the Scheme List agreed by the GMCA on 24 June 2022, be approved.

2.    That it be noted that progress on scheme development and delivery would be reported through regular updates to GMCA, the GM Transport Committee and the GMCA Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

3.      That, subject to the approval of the proposed governance arrangements, the release of up to £1.8 million of CRSTS funding to facilitate the development of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Rochdale-Oldham-Ashton Quality Bus Transit (QBT) scheme be approved.

Report of Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

1.         That the release of up to £3.37 million of MCF delivery funding for the two Wigan MBC schemes, set out in section 2 of the report, in order to secure full approval and enable scheme delivery through the signing of the necessary supporting legal agreements, be approved.

2.    That the award of up to £0.08 million of revenue funding to Wigan MBC, for the development of a Mini-Holland feasibility study, following a successful Expression of Interest submission to the Department of Transport, and a subsequent GM prioritisation exercise, as set out in section 3 of the report, be approved.

Report of Councillor Eamonn O’Brien Portfolio Lead for Education, Skills and Work.

1.        That the proposed Working Well: Work and Health Programme contract extension be approved, in principle.

2.        That the proposed Working Well: Specialist Employment Service contract extension for the continued delivery of the existing contracts be approved, in principle.

3.        That authority be delegated to the GMCA Treasurer and Monitoring Officer to agree the final terms of the contract extensions and execute all necessary documentation.

4.        That it be noted that the Chair of GMCA Overview & Scrutiny Committee had agreed that the report was exempt from call-in for the following two reasons:

a.    Working Well and Health Programme: GM is required to extend the delivery of the WHP alongside DWP from 31^st October (as per the legally binding requirement of the shared MoU between DWP and GMCA).

b.    Working Well Specialist Employment Service: the programme is due to cease referrals from 30^th September 2022. The extension will need to progress for referrals to continue from 1^st October 2022.

Report of Councillor Martyn Cox, Portfolio Lead for Green City Region.

1.    That the draft GM Local Area Energy Plan, its contents and the research undertaken to inform its development be noted.

2.    That the GM Local Area Energy Plan for design & publication as included in Annex 1 to the report be approved.

3.    That the next steps in delivering the city-regions Local Area Energy Plan(s) be approved.

4.      That the GM Pension Fund Board be requested to consider further opportunities for investment in renewable energy schemes.

Report of Councillor Martyn Cox, Portfolio Lead for Green City Region.

1.    That the opportunity to bid for circa £20m from Salix (NPBD) under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3b be noted.

2.    That the receipt and defrayment of Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding, with delegated authority to the GMCA Treasurer and Monitoring Officer to sign all necessary legal agreements (subject to successful award) be approved.

Report of Councillor Martyn Cox, Portfolio Lead for Green City Region.

1.            That the forthcoming funding opportunity presented by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) be noted.

2.            That the current delivery of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund through the initial award of £10m grant from SHDF (Wave 1) be noted.

3.            That the proposed application approach, with GMCA acting as the accountable body for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (Wave 2) be approved.

4.            That, if successful, authority be delegated to the GMCA Treasurer and GMCA Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Portfolio Lead, to:

a.    Sign a Grant Funding agreement with BEIS to receive grant funding for a GM Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2 retrofit programme.

b.      Expend the awarded grant funds by defraying agreements via the funding partners i.e. ~17 Registered Providers and/or Local Authorities.

Report of Councillor Andrew Western, Portfolio Lead for Place Based Regeneration & Housing.

1.          That the GM Housing Investment Loans Fund loan detailed in the table below, 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.

3.            That the GM Housing Investment Loans Fund loan detailed in the table below, which has been approved by the GMCA Chief Executive acting in consultation with the Portfolio Leader for Place Based Regeneration & Housing under the delegation set out in the GMCA Constitution Part 3 Section F paragraph 3.17 to approve an increase of less than 10% on a GM Housing Investment Loans Fund loan previously approved by the Combined Authority be noted.

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

1.            That the increase of the previously approved loan facility to Apadmi Group Ltd from £2.7m to up to £3.3m be approved.

2.            That the investment into The Modular Analytics Company Limited of £400,000, approved under delegation, be noted.

3.            That authority be delegated to the Treasurer and Monitoring Officer to review the due diligence information in respect of the above loan, and, subject to their satisfactory review and agreement of the due diligence information and the overall detailed commercial terms of the loan, to sign off any outstanding conditions, issue final approvals and complete any necessary related documentation in respect of the loan noted above.

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 the information.

Report of Councillor Andrew Western, Portfolio Lead for Place Based Regeneration & Housing.

That the contents of the report be noted.

Clerk’s Note: This item was considered in support of the report considered in Part A of the agenda (Item 20 above refers).

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

That the contents of the report be noted.

Clerk’s Note: This item was considered in support of the report considered in Part A of the agenda (Item 21 above refers).