Agenda item

As detailed in the recommendations.

The Chief Executive introduced the report and explained that Welsh Government (WG) had issued a consultation paper on its proposals to create a new legal vehicle for regional working, called Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs).  The power to pass regulations creating to CJCs was included in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill that had recently been passed in the Senedd.  WG was consulting on the draft regulations for CJCs.

            There would be four CJCs corresponding to the Growth Deal areas within Wales, with an initial membership of all the Leaders of Council within the areas covered.  They would exercise functions which WG believed were best exercised regionally.  At present, the proposal was for them to undertake economic development, transport and strategic planning.  The CJCs would share a core of common rules but could be tailored to take account of existing regional arrangements and to suit the needs of each region.

            North Wales as a whole, and the Council in particular, had a well-established and effective pattern of co-operation and regional working.  The Council therefore could support the creation of CJCs as a means of furthering regional collaboration.

            The region has an established North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) and was currently part way through the process of approving the final Growth Deal with the UK and Wales Government.  It was essential therefore that the North Wales CJCs should add value to the work of the NWEAB.

            It appeared, from the consultation document, that CJCs would have powers that overlapped with the functions of the principal councils in North Wales and greater clarity was required on the precise scope of the functions.

            CJCs would appoint their own officers and would be required to appoint key statutory officers such as a Head of Paid Service, Monitoring Officer and Section 151 Officer.  The costs of these roles could be kept to a minimum by assigning the responsibilities to a host authority and using existing personnel to absorb the roles

            In addition, WG had published a consultation proposing that the CJCs would take on responsibility for preparing Strategic Development Plans.  Planning Strategy Group (PSG) had prepared a detailed response to the consultation questions which was appended to the report.

            Finally, WG were also proposing that CJCs take on the role of preparing the Regional Transport Plan and developing policies for transport in the region.   The proposal was discussed at Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 8^th December 2020 who supported the basis of the response.

            The outline of a response was included within the report as well as the response to the production of SDPs which had been endorsed by PSG.

            Members expressed concern on the costs that could result from the implementation of CJCs, with officer posts needing to be back filled and the misconception that the proposals would bring efficiencies.  They commented on areas where regional collaboration already successfully took place.

            In response to a question from Councillor Roberts, the Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) explained that the Strategic Development Plan would be unlikely to prescribe sites for development, but may stipulate the number of houses that each local authority would need to provide.  The Local Development Plan would then determine where those houses should be built.

            The Chief Executive said two responses would be prepared, one on CJCs and one on the Strategic Development Plan and they would be shared with the relevant Cabinet Members.  Discussions had taken place on how bureaucracy and costs could be reduced.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the outline of the proposed response to the consultation on CJCs be approved, and delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive to finalise a detailed response in consultation with the Leader and the respective Cabinet Members;

(b)       That the response prepared by the Planning Strategy Group on the preparation of Strategic Development Plans be endorsed; and

(c)        That the response to the proposals in respect of Transport, as recommended by the Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be endorsed.