(i) To answer questions from members of the public pursuant to Procedure Rule No. 10.
(ii) To answer questions from members of the Council pursuant to Procedure Rule No. 11
Minutes:
QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL NO. 1
Under Procedure Rule No 11, Councillor S Peaple will ask the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Councillor S Claymore, the following question:-
"With the announcement that Coventry is proposing to join the Birmingham / Black Country Combined Authority, and that the Leader of Solihull is going to propose that Solihull MBC do the same; would the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development outline to the Council the issues facing Tamworth regarding the future direction for economic development?"
Councillor S Claymore gave the following reply:-
The original working group of Unitary and Metropolitan Boroughs across Birmingham and the Black Country combined resources to undertake a range of assessments. These included economic benefits; transport and infrastructure, health & care etc. A further piece of work was to consider the role of LEPs which included a number of Districts and Boroughs within Staffordshire and Worcestershire. An element of this work was to establish the geography or scope of a potential Combined Authority. These assessments continue and it is anticipated that they will be extended to include the new members.
Districts and Boroughs have not been directly involved in the working group though they have been kept informed by way of updates. This is shortly to change; District and Borough CEOs are to meet within the next week with a view to establishing their priority requirements and basis of engagement with any Combined Authority. This meeting will be followed by a joint meeting of Leaders and CEOs prior to any decisions or formal considerations being made.
It is proposed that the CEO provide regular updates to Cabinet as part of the Quarterly Performance Reports. Clearly; should there be a requirement for more frequent updates, these will be arranged.
Supplementary Question:-
“Can you please elaborate further and copy everyone in across the board. We need to make sure that public awareness is essential?”
Councillor S Claymore gave the following reply:-
Five years ago with we made the informed decision to work with Birmingham and Solihull and other local Authorities to form a Local enterprise Partnership.
This decision was based on our travel to work data and our economic ties with the conurbation.
We also took into account that Birmingham is the economic hub of the midlands and Solihull is the gateway into it.
Five years on Tamworth has seen the biggest fall in unemployment than anywhere in the UK and currently has the lowest unemployment figures we have seen in a generation.
Although we can't by any means attribute this solely to the work of the LEP, it certainly looks like this economic partnership is working.
Last year it became clear that Government and the labour party were both in favour of further devolution of powers and funding away from central government to those areas who set up a combined Authority similar to the Manchester offer.
The four black country Authorities and Birmingham agreed to form a combined authority which they hoped would go on to reflect the shape of the three LEP areas of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull, the black Country and Coventry and Warwickshire.
This would include the three cities of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry and would make it the largest Combined Authority offer in the Country.
Contrary to the scaremongering that's going on at the moment this won't mean anyone taking on others debts or change of boundaries, each Authority will continue to independently run and govern their own Authorities.
At the moment I see this as a massive opportunity not just for Tamworth but for the whole of the west midlands, however I do have some concerns around the future of the LEPs and I hope they would still have a powerful and active role to play within this.
I also have concerns around the governance and decision making process and of the requirement of an elected Mayor however, what would be critical is that whoever joins would need to adopt a strategic and politically mature relationship with the others for it to work.