Issue - meetings

Heart of the South West (HotSW) - Joint Committee - Council Update

Meeting: 13/12/2018 - South Somerset District Council (Item 71)

71 Heart of the South West (HotSW) - Joint Committee - Council Update PDF 125 KB

Additional documents:

8 HOTSW JOINT COMMITTEE APPX A and B final 24.10.18, item 71 PDF 82 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED:	That Full Council agreed to:-
	a.	note the progress report setting out the work of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Joint Committee since its establishment in March 2018;
	b.	delegate the development and endorsement of the HotSW Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) to the HotSW Joint Committee (noting that final approval of the HotSWLIS rests with the HotSW Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Government);
	c.	note the Budget statement for 2018/19 set out in Appendix B, and that in accordance with the decisions taken at the time the Committee was established, the Council will be asked to make an annual budgetary provision to meet the support costs of the Joint Committee in line with the 2018/19 contribution. Final clarification on any additional 2019/20 budget requirement will be provided following the completion of the review of the Joint Committee’s role, function and management support arrangements and development of its work programme for 2019/20;
	d.	the Budget and Cost-sharing Agreement set out in Appendix B to the report.
Reason:	To note the progress of the work of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Joint Committee,endorse the HotSW Local Industrial Strategy (LIS), note the Budget statement for 2018/19 set out in Appendix B and agree the cost sharing agreement.

(Voting: 32 in favour, 1 against, 2 abstentions)

Minutes:

The Leader of Council advised that the Heart of the South West (HotSW) – Joint Committee had been established to improve productivity in the area and to influence Government. They had agreed a challenging ambition to double the size of the economy in the South West over 20 years with a vision of productivity and prosperity for all. There were three cross cutting themes on inclusive growth, capitalising on distinctive assets and to maximise the potential from digital technology. The Local Industrial Strategy was key to this as it encouraged joint working with combined authorities and it had been expanded to include the nuclear and aerospace industries.

During discussion, the following points were made:-

· Priorities would be set by this partnership and SSDC was one of 14 councils who must work to get the maximum from it for the area.

· The Growth Board must work as a team to come up with projects it wishes to progress with money from the Local Enterprise Partnership.

· Concerned that the Great South West Partnership would become another quango and projects could fall between authorities.

· Concern this was creating another layer of Government.

· Pleased to see that aerospace was now included as a priority under the Local Industrial Strategy and Smart specialisations.

At the conclusion of the debate, the Leader of Council said that the cost of £1,400 to SSDC for administration of the Joint Committee was a small price for inclusion in the partnership.

RESOLVED:	That Full Council agreed to:-
	a.	note the progress report setting out the work of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Joint Committee since its establishment in March 2018;
	b.	delegate the development and endorsement of the HotSW Local Industrial Strategy (LIS) to the HotSW Joint Committee (noting that final approval of the HotSWLIS rests with the HotSW Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Government);
	c.	note the Budget statement for 2018/19 set out in Appendix B, and that in accordance with the decisions taken at the time the Committee was established, the Council will be asked to make an annual budgetary provision to meet the support costs of the Joint Committee in line with the 2018/19 contribution. Final clarification on any additional 2019/20 budget requirement will be provided following the completion of the review of the Joint Committee’s role, function and management support arrangements and development of its work programme for 2019/20;
	d.	the Budget and Cost-sharing Agreement set out in Appendix B to the report.
Reason:	To note the progress of the work of the Heart of the South West (HotSW) Joint Committee,endorse the HotSW Local Industrial Strategy (LIS), note the Budget statement for 2018/19 set out in Appendix B and agree the cost sharing agreement.