To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor K Barrow.

To receive details of a Member of the relevant Executive nominated to attend the meeting in place of a Member of that Executive.

Councillor S Charmley substituted for Councillor K Barrow.

To receive any declarations of interest by Members in respect of items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To provide an update on the discussions between Telford and Wrekin Council (TWC) and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in relation to the commitment by Government in the Marches Growth Deal to explore the potential for sharing land receipts from HCA land sales in Telford. 

Members were presented with a report, together with a commercially confidential exempt appendix, asking that they support the principles for discussion between Telford and Wrekin Council, Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) and Government on the potential for sharing land receipts from HCA land sales in Telford, proposed within the Marches Strategic Economic Plan and referenced in the Marches Growth Deal.

The Chairman of the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Board confirmed the report was a true and fair reflection of the Marches LEP board meeting.

Due to possible staff changes at Telford and Wrekin Council it was agreed to amend the recommendation in the published report to remove named officers and leave only the job title.

RESOLVED:  That the Joint Committee

(a)        support the principles set out in the report and commercially confidential exempt appendix, recognising that these are an initial negotiating position;

(b)       delegate authority to Cllr Bill McClements, Telford and Wrekin Council (TWC) Cabinet Member for Resources & Enterprise and TWC Director: Development, Business and Customer Service, in consultation with the Chair of the Marches LEP, to negotiate the detail of the earn-back mechanism with Government; and

(c)        receive further reports updating on progress as appropriate.

To consider the outcome of a review of options and agree mechanisms for accelerating delivery of the enterprise zone.

Members were presented with a report asking them to consider the outcome of a review of options and agree mechanisms for accelerating delivery of the enterprise zone.

The Chairman of the Local Enterprise Partnership confirmed the report was a true and fair reflection of the Local Enterprise Partnership Board meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the Joint Committee

(a)        approve Scenario 3, as outlined in this report, as the investment approach to take, with an amendment to provide £100k a year from the additional business rates to help meet LEP running costs from 2016/17 onwards for the duration of the model;

(b)       agree business rates generated by the enterprise zone be used to fund the additional investment required;

(c)        recognise that the enterprise zone funding stream is one of the potential sources for the Wye river crossing, but that this funding need not be quantified at this time; and

(d)       ask Herefordshire Council to keep the Marches LEP board informed of progress with the implementation of the Herefordshire Local Development Framework.

To confirm the date of the next meeting.

It was suggested that, if possible, meetings of the Committee should be scheduled immediately in advance of the Local Enterprise Board meetings.  It was agreed that this would be explored.