Agenda item

Daniel Shamplin-Hall, Adviser, updated the Board on the Post-Brexit England Commission (PBEC) and asked members to reflect on the work of the Commission to date, to agree it future policy direction and note the dates of the Commissions remaining roadshows.

Daniel highlighted the following points:

·         With the process of Brexit occupying Government, it has left little scope to tackle the major barriers to success and prosperity facing non-metropolitan England.

·         The Commission has built a broad coalition of partners from across local government, Parliament, business and the public and housing sectors. In May, it began a series of roadshows across the country to gather evidence on the challenges rural and coastal communities faced, and the local policy levers needed to tackle them.

·         Members have seen the interim report published in July 2018 which detailed findings that spanned seven policy areas of the challenges to be faced by non-metropolitan areas. Building on this, the publication of the Commission’s final report is now an opportunity for members to undertake fresh research and develop new thinking on behalf of the sector in policy areas of importance to non-metropolitan councils, and on which it has the direct remit to engage with Government and other key stakeholders in the aftermath of Brexit.

·         It was suggested that the Commission maintained a watching brief over the remaining policy areas covered in the interim report, and on which future LGA activity is being steered by other LGA Boards or working groups.

Actions and decisions:

The Board reflected on the work of the Commission to date and agreed the future policy direction of the Commission.