To elect a chairperson and vice chairperson for the following year.

Resolved that:

Councillor S Davies be elected chairperson for the following year.

Councillor Davies in the chair

Resolved that:

Councillor P Nutting be elected vice-chairperson for the following year.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor P Nutting.

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

Councillor N Laurens substituted for Councillor P Nutting.

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

None.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 21 Feburary 2018.

Resolved that:

the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chairperson.

To approve the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership Energy Strategy.

The Marches LEP programme manager introduced the report and highlighted the key elements of the energy strategy. It was explained that a formal launch of the strategy was planned for October 2018 and that the strategy would also inform the refresh of the Strategic Economic Plan.

The energy strategy steering group would be responsible for taking the work forward, which would include producing a detailed action plan. An important step would be to ensure that senior officials from energy companies were aware of the strategy and its objectives.

In discussion of the strategy Councillor Lester highlighted the value to Herefordshire Council of the Energy from Waste plant which was a joint project with Worcestershire County Council. The plant had significantly reduced waste sent to landfill from the county and as a closed system had minimal impact on air quality. As the plant was located outside the Marches LEP boundary at Hartlebury in Worcestershire it had not been included in the Marches energy strategy.  

It was agreed that moving forward the strategy should include energy facilities and opportunities in the wider region that could have benefit for the Marches area. The Marches LEP programme manager was tasked to action this with the steering group.

Subject to the above action being progressed it was resolved that:

(a)  the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership Energy Strategy at Appendix 1 to the report be approved.

To approve the annual report for the third year of activity (2017/18) of the Marches Joint Committee.

The Marches LEP programme manager introduced the report and summarised the activities of the Marches Enterprise Joint Committee during 2017/18. Decisions taken by the LEP Director under the scheme of delegation were highlighted.

Resolved that the joint committee:

(a)  agree the content of the report which can be used in updating their respective Council’s on the work of the committee.