To elect a Chairman.

RESOLVED: That Councillor AW Johnson be elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

To receive apologies for absence.

It was noted that, subsequent to the publication of the agenda papers, Councillor S Davies had replaced Councillor K Sahota as Leader of Telford and Wrekin Council and had accordingly become that Council’s representative on the Marches Enterprise Joint Committee.

Apologies were received from Councillor S Davies.

To receive details of any Executive Member nominated to attend the meeting in place of the voting Member representing their Authority.

Councillor A McClements substituted for Councillor S Davies.

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

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 February, 2016.

The Solicitor reported in relation to Minute number 7 of the draft Minutes of the meeting held on 15 February that the figures quoted in relation to the project from SBC training had been transposed.  Approval had, as stated, been sought for a total allocation of £50k, but with a capital equipment element of £40k, and with an element for fit out of £10k being conditional on provision of satisfactory detailed figures.  Those detailed figures had subsequently been provided satisfactorily.  The Minute needed to be amended accordingly.

RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 February 2016, as amended, be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To approve the Marches Accountability and Assurance Framework.

The Committee was asked to approve the Marches Accountability and Assurance Framework.

The Marches LEP Director presented the report.  She highlighted how the framework had been updated as described at paragraph 4 of the report.

RESOLVED:  That the Marches Accountability and Assurance Framework attached at appendix 1 of the report be approved.

To approve an annual report of the first year of activity of the Marches Enterprise Joint Committee.

The Committee was asked to approve an annual report of the first year of activity of the marches enterprise joint committee.

The Marches LEP Director presented the report. 

It was requested that the partner councils be asked to promote the annual report on their websites.

RESOLVED:

That:   (a)        the annual report be approved; and

(b)        the approved report be forwarded to the three partner councils’ chief executives for reporting in accordance with their respective councils’ constitutions.

To approve submission of one or more bids to the Local Transport Majors Fund.

The Committee was invited to approve the submission of bids to the Local Transport Majors Fund.

The Marches LEP Director presented the report.  She confirmed that the LEP Board at their meeting on 24 May had recommended the submission of the following Schemes: Hereford bypass and Shrewsbury north west relief road, as set out at paragraph 8 of the report.

It was noted that decisions relating to the progression of any bids would be a matter for the relevant executives of the two relevant authorities.

RESOLVED:  That: the submission of the following bids by the Marches LEP to the local transport majors fund be approved: Hereford bypass and Shrewsbury north west relief road.

To grant preferred bidder status to three organisations and agree arrangements toward contracts for funding under the Marches Growth Deal skills capital fund. 

The Committee considered granting preferred bidder status to the organisations named in the exempt appendix A to the report and agreeing arrangements to award contracts for funding under the Marches Growth Deal skills capital fund.

The Marches LEP Director presented the report to consider preferred bidders. 

Exclusion of public 

RESOLVED: That under section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business during discussion of the appendix to the report on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12(A) of the Act, relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person and it was considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information.

(The following is the complete minute.)

The Committee discussed the proposals.  The Marches LEP Director highlighted that further negotiations with the preferred bidders would take place with a view to utilising the remaining balance of the skills capital funding of £2.8m.

RESOLVED:

That:     (a)     preferred bidder status be awarded and the detailed recommendations as set out in exempt Appendix A be approved; and

              (b)     authority be delegated to the Marches LEP Director following consultation with the Marches LEP Accountable Section 151 Officer to conclude contract negotiations and award contracts to preferred bidders within the financial envelope set out in the financial implications to the report.