Decision details

Considered -

A report presented by Will Boardman, Head of Corporate Strategy and City Partnerships at the City of York Council regarding Key Financial and Implementation Principles.

Will Boardman introduced the report and gave an overview of the key points as summarised below:

·         The report provides an outline of the key financial principles and assumptions underpinning planning for the Mayoral Combined Authority (MCA)

·         There is some element of local choice as to how the MCA is structured

·         It is widely accepted that the MCA should be a lean organisation that draws upon the support of the constituent councils, where it makes sense to do so

·         There is a need, however, that the MCA is resourced and structured in such a way that it is a high performing organisation

·         Looking to other Devolution Deals, it is not uncommon for Combined Authorities to grow over time

·         It is proposed that North Yorkshire Council will act as the accountable body for the MCA

·         It is also proposed that the core costs of the MCA will be covered by the Mayoral Capacity Funding and the BEIS funding for the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which amounts to £1.25m per annum

·         There may be additional cost pressures.

There followed a discussion and it was agreed that should the running costs of the MCA be likely to go over £1.25m, then a paper would be brought to the Joint Devolution Committee.

The Chair, County Councillor Carl Les, summed up and stated that he was happy to endorse the principles.

The voting members of the committee indicated their unanimous support for the principles and the recommendations in the report.

Resolved –

1)    That the key financial and implementation principles outlined in the report be endorsed

2)    That where the running costs of the MCA be likely to go over £1.25m, then a paper would be brought to the Joint Devolution Committee for consideration.