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

Councillor Lee Carter substituted for Councillor Shaun 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 13 December 2017.

Resolved that:

the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2017 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To approve adopting the national ‘Register of Interests’ template, ‘Confidential Reporting’ procedure and ‘Whistleblowing’ policy all based on examples set out within HM Governments ‘Best Practice Guidance’ paper (January 2018).

The Marches LEP programme manager explained that the template register of interests form, confidential reporting procedure and whistleblowing policy had been reviewed in dialogue with the MHCLG and the monitoring officer of the lead authority. The templates provided by the government were recommended for adoption.

Current advice from the MHCLG was that the minutes and agenda papers of the marches LEP board did not have to be published as the marches enterprise joint committee was the decision making body in relation to the use of public money and all papers for the joint committee are published in accordance with access to information regulations.  Delegated authority was being sought for the LEP director to amend current arrangements in relation to LEP board papers and minutes if guidance changed on this point.

Members supported the proposals and unanimously agreed the recommendations.

Members asked that arrangements for holding meetings of the marches enterprise joint committee be reviewed to ensure that member’s time was used efficiently. The chairman agreed to circulate a note to members to gather their views.

Resolved that:

(a)  the ‘Confidential Reporting Procedure’ at appendix 1 and ‘Whistleblowing Policy’ at appendix 2 be adopted with immediate effect;

(b)  the national template for ‘Registers of Interest’ at appendix 3 be adopted for implementation with immediate effect;

(c)  the existing Marches LEP Code of Conduct be amended to reflect its application to LEP staff; and

(d)  authority be delegated to the LEP director in consultation with the LEP Board to implement, if required, the publication of LEP Board agendas, meeting papers and decisions.