Agenda item

The Cabinet considered a report of the Corporate Director Regeneration and Economic Development which provided information on the Secretary of State Consultation on the proposal to establish a Combined Authority for Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear and ask Cabinet to consider the proposed response from the seven local authorities in the North East (for copy see file of minutes).

The Leader advised that the decision to be made was urgent because of the limited time in which the responses could be submitted to the Secretary of State, and due to this it needs to be free from call-in pursuant to paragraph 20(a) of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules. He advised that The Chairman of the Council in consultation with the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board agreed that the decision proposed was reasonable in all circumstances and to it being treated as a matter of urgency, and that the call-in procedure would not apply in these circumstances.

The Corporate Director Regeneration and Economic Development asked the Cabinet to consider endorsing the single local authority response to the Secretary of State. He also suggested that the response include that Durham be protected from the liability which arises from the transport functions of the ITA and Nexus.

Councillor J Armstrong, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board advised that at the Economy and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the 9 December 2013 members considered a cover report and presentation focusing on the consultation by the Secretary of State on the proposal to establish a Combined Authority for Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. There was broad support by the members of the Committee for the principle of the Combined Authority, and the following comments were made:-

• The consultation period was too short, a very tight timescale for consultation particularly as it included the Christmas and New Year holiday periods.
• Due to the tight national timescale and the timing of the consultation this had resulted in a somewhat restricted engagement activity considering the proposed remit of the Combined Authority.
• In order to ensure transparency and openness in the decision making process, there needed to be robust and fit for purpose arrangements for scrutiny to ensure accountability.  

Cabinet members advised of their support for the collective approach across the region, emphasising that this was not another level of local government, it would be a collective body that would be influential and have united voice for the north east at national level.

Resolved:

1.         Agreed that the decision to be made was an urgent matter which should be excluded from call-in pursuant to paragraph 20(a) of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

2.            Endorsed the single local authority response to the Secretary of State consultation.

3.            Agreed that the comments made by Overview and Scrutiny be included in the response by Durham, and that the response include for Durham to be protected from the transport liabilities.

4.            Agreed to delegate to the Corporate Director in consultation with the Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration the finalisation of the joint response and the submission to Government by the 2 January 2014.