Agenda and decisions

That apologies be received and noted from Councillor David Molyneux (Wigan), Councillor Ged Cooney (Tameside), Geoff Little (Bury), Joanne Roney (Manchester) & Steve Rumbelow (Rochdale).

1.    That the GMCA record its congratulations to Sandra Stewart following her appointment as the Chief Executive of Tameside Council.

2.    That the GMCA record its congratulations to Lynne Risdale following confirmation of her appointment as the Chief Executive of Bury Council with effect from March 2023.

3.    That the GM Police, Fire & Crime Panel’s unanimous agreement to the appointment of Kate Green, as the new Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime, with effect from January 2023, be noted.

4.    That the GMCA records its congratulations to Trafford Leader Andrew Western following his successful campaign to become the new MP of the Stretford & Urmston Ward of Trafford.

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 25 November 2022.

That the minutes of the GMCA meeting held on 25 November 2022 be approved as a correct record.

To note the minutes of the GMCA Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 23 November 2022.

That the minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 23 November 2022 be noted.

To note the minutes of the GM Transport Committee held on 9 December 2022.

That the minutes of the Greater Manchester Transport Committee meeting held on 9 December 2022 be noted.

i.                     To appoint Councillor Eamonn O’Brien as the GMCA representative on the GM Transport Committee.

ii.               To note the Mayor’s appointment of Cllr Mark Aldred as Chair of the GM Transport Committee.

1.    That Councillor Eamonn O’Brien be appointed as the GMCA representative on the GM Transport Committee.

2.    That the Mayor’s appointment of Cllr Mark Aldred as Chair of the GM Transport Committee be noted.

Report of Gillian Duckworth, GMCA Monitoring Officer and Steve Wilson, GMCA Monitoring Officer.

1.    That the recommendations of the report of the GM Independent Remuneration Panel be noted and accepted.

2.    That it be noted that the levelling up bill is still proceeding through parliament and therefore the GMCA does not yet have legislative power to pay allowances directly to the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee members.

3.    That it be recommended that the GM Districts consider paying such allowances to their appointees to the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee in the interim.

4.    That a request be made to the GMCA Treasurer to ensure that appropriate arrangements be put in place with GM Districts to enable the payment of the allowances, subject to reimbursement from the GMCA.

5.    That it be recommended that any Special Responsibility Allowances for Members and Chair of the GMCA Overview and Scrutiny Committee be set as recommended in the report and be backdated to 24th June 2022 when the new scrutiny arrangements were put in place.

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

1.        That the progress made in relation to the GMCA ESF Programmes be noted.

2.        That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM and GMCA Treasurer, in consultation with the Lead Member and Lead Chief Executive for Education, Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital (and subject to considerations around any conflicts of interest which might arise), to take forward the final ESF commissioning, including the procured element, to contract award where required.

3.        That the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM and GMCA Treasurer be requested to ensure that the GMCA continues to comply with all of its obligations in relation to the Greater Manchester European Social Fund Co-Financing Programme, including its obligations to retain records relating to the use of ESF monies for the required period following the end of this Programme in September 2023.

Report of Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

1.    That authority be delegated to the Chief Executive Officer, GMCA & TfGM to cap weekly bus fares in Greater Manchester at £21 for adults and £10.50 for children from January 2023, subject to agreement with bus operators and Greater Manchester Travelcards Limited (GMTL).

2.    That it be noted that the development of a sustainable funding model will be a key part of the annual review of the existing and proposed bus fare caps, to be undertaken in Summer 2023.

3.    That the recommendations raised by the GMCA Overview & Scrutiny be noted and welcomed.

4.    That the GMCA commits to providing monthly updates as we move through 2023.

Report of Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

1.    That Strategic Outline Business Case submission for Bury Interchange Redevelopment to DfT and HM Treasury in November 2022, as part of the retained case process, and the importance of maintaining momentum on this scheme prior to Government’s response be noted.

2.    That the drawdown of £2.6 million of CRSTS funding to facilitate the progression of the Bury Interchange Redevelopment Outline Business Case (i.e. single preferred option) activity, with the intention being that this will enable the scheme to continue to be developed (including throughout the DfT’s assessment of the SOBC as a retained scheme) be approved, noting that a further update will be submitted to the GMCA in due course.

3.    That the overall Local Contribution, financed by borrowings, for the Bury Interchange Redevelopment for the current CRSTS tranche (to March 2027) is £10.8 million be noted and endorsed.

4.    That the update on the Minor Works / Road Safety (previously ITB) funding be noted.

Report of Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester.

1.    That the release of up to £7.209 million of MCF delivery funding for the Manchester to Chorlton Area 3 scheme be approved.

2.    That the release of up to £3.451 million of MCF delivery funding for the GM Spot-Speed Safety Camera scheme be approved.

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

1.         That the loan facility of up to £400,000 to Erlson Precision Holdings Limited be approved.

2.         That the equity investment of up to £300,000 into Miribase Limited be approved.

3.         That authority be delegated to the Combined Authority Treasurer and Combined Authority Monitoring Officer to review the due diligence information in respect of the above investments, and, subject to their satisfactory review and agreement of the due diligence information and the overall detailed commercial terms of the investments, to sign off any outstanding conditions, issue final approvals and complete any necessary related documentation in respect of the investments 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 David Molyneux, Portfolio Lead for Investment and Resources.

That the contents be noted.