Agenda item

Rebecca Cox, Principal Policy Adviser, introduced the report which set out proposals on the Board’s work priorities for the coming year. It also provided more detail on the commission from the Leadership Board on the corporate priorities for the year, including Devolution and the Future Shape of Local Government. It was highlighted that work on rural transport would be undertaken later in the year in conjunction with the EEHT Board, which would build on the LGA’s recent ‘Missing the Bus’ publication.

Board members raised the following points in the discussion that followed to inform the Work Programme:

·         It was important for the Board to continue to liaise with other LGA Boards, including with the EEHT Board’s Housing Commission,, to feed in a non-metropolitan viewpoint where necessary on various policy themes.

·         The need to see a clearer reflection of public sector reform as a Board priority in the work programme, as it is the overarching aim of devolution

·         LGA officers should look to liaise with the County Councils’ Network and their work on governance in a two tier setting

·         Members were keen to work with officers to inform and guide the LGA’s support offer in relation to helping areas implement devolution deals, post spending review.

·         Members highlighted the importance of working closely with the City Regions Board to progress issues such as devolution at a strategic level.

Decision

The Board noted the report and agreed that officers should amend the work programme based on their discussion.