Agenda item

Ami Beeton, Senior Advisor, updated members on the LGA’s devolution improvement support offer to established and aspiring Combined Authorities (CAs) and provided the latest on the Government’s Devolution Framework, due to be published before the end of the year.

Ami explained the improvement support offer and the nature of the support provided outlined in paragraph 2.1 to 2.3 of the report and also of the new networks that have been established set out in paragraph 24. Ami also outlined that the LGA have ongoing support to combined authorities, and that the LGA are still in the process of developing a sector led improvement tool. This is similar to a corporate peer challenge and is hoping to be completed by late 2019.

Members were asked to consider the current scope of the LGA’s Devolution Improvement and Support Offer and suggest further areas of development.

With regards to the second half of the paper on Devolution Framework, the LGA has supported the Government’s agenda on devolution but there is a want to go further. Recent signals from Government has been that there is a limited appetite for further deals of this type and the LGA are unclear on direction of travel, but as stated in the report there is a commitment to publish the devolution framework by the end of the year. The report also stated that the People and Places Board decided that they will write to the Secretary of State regarding devolution and include key asks that are based on what is already in the CA deal.

Due to the changes of Secretary of State, direction of the devolution framework structure has changed and the Board are in agreement to lobby government and influence this framework before publication.

Decision:

The following decisions were made:

-       The City Regions Board agreed to play a supporting role in the LGA’s work relating to the Devolution Framework and for the People and Places Board to lead in this area.