Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, the following interest(s) were declared:

1)              Wendy Walters (Chief Executive of Carmarthenshire Council) declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 64 “Appointment of Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) and withdrew from the meeting prior to its discussion.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct

record.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee held on 28 January 2020 be signed and approved as a correct record.

1)              First Remote Meeting of the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee

Councillor Rob Stewart (Chair) welcomes everybody to the first Remote Meeting of the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee.

2)              Pembroke Dock Marine

Councillor David Simpson stated that the Pembroke Dock Marine project had received the support of both the Welsh and UK Government.  He stated that this would great prosperity to Pembrokeshire.  He thanked all involved.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

There were no public questions.

Jason Garcia (Audit Wales) presented the Audit Wales 2020 Audit Plan.  The report informed the Joint Committee of the plan and scope in respect of the external audit of the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee’s Statement of Accounts.

Resolved that the proposed plan and scope of the external audit of the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee’s Statement of Accounts undertaken by the Wales Audit Office be reviewed and agreed.

The Joint Committee Section 151 Officer (Chris Moore) submitted a report which set out the Funding Arrangements to be utilised in the management of the release of City Deal Funding to Delivery Partners.

Resolved that:

1)              The template funding agreements set out in Appendix A & B of the report be approved and adopted to manage the release of funding from the Programme to the Councils and to delivery partners:

i)                Appendix A being a standard agreement between the Accountable Body and the Project Lead Authority;

ii)              Appendix B being a template agreement for amendment by the Project Lead Authority to suit the agreement with the delivery party;

2)              Authority be delegated to the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee Section 151 Officer and Monitoring Officer to make any essential and necessary amendments to the template agreement within Appendix A of the report.

The Joint Committee Section 151 Officer (Chris Moore) submitted a report which set out recommendations in respect of the treatment of interest earned through the investment of programme cash balances.

Resolved that Option 2 as set out in the report be agreed in respect of the treatment of interest earned as a result of the investment of programme cash balances.  Option 2 being:

“Interest generated is redistributed direct to projects on the allocation outlined within the original heads of terms.”

The Swansea Bay City Region Programme Director (Jonathan Burnes) provided an update on the projects forming part of the City Deal Programme.  Those projects include:

Ø    The Swansea City and Waterfront Digital District;

Ø    The Life Science & Well-being development planned for Llanelli;

Ø    The Life Science & Well-being Campuses project;

Ø    Homes as Power Stations;

Ø    Digital Infrastructure;

Ø    Skills & Talent;

Ø    Pembroke Dock Marine;

Ø    Supporting Innovation & Low Carbon Growth;

Ø    Yr Egin.

Resolved that the updates and the progress be noted.

The Chair of the Economic Strategy Board (ESB) (Ed Tomp) provided feedback from the ESB in relation to the Homes as Power Stations project.  He thanked Neath Port Talbot Council for their work in relation to the project.  He stated that he recommended the project to the Joint Committee.

Councillor Rob Jones and Nicola Pearce submitted a report which provided feedback from the Economic Strategy Board and also sought approval to formally submit the five-case model business case to the UK Government and Welsh Government for approval.

Resolved that:

1)              The formal submission of the Homes as Power Stations five-case model business case seeking approval from the UK and Welsh Government be approved;

2)              The project’s Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) be delegated powers to make any minor amendments to the business case as necessary to obtain that approval.

The Swansea Bay City Region Programme Director (Jonathan Burnes) submitted a report which sought to appoint a Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) who is accountable to the Swansea Bay City Region Joint Committee for ensuring the Swansea Bay City Deal (SBCD) programme has appropriate governance in place.

Resolved that the Chair of the Swansea Bay City Region Programme Board be appointed as the Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) for the Swansea Bay City Deal programme.

The Swansea Bay City Region Programme Director (Jonathan Burnes) submitted a report which sought approval for the Programme Management Office Structure.

Resolved that:

1)              Option B2 as set out in Appendix A of the report be approves as the Programme Management Office (PMO) Structure to enable recruitment to the PMO;

2)              The Programme Management Office structure be reviewed within 12 months.

The Swansea Bay City Region Programme Director (Jonathan Burnes) submitted a report which considered current project issues and immediate Swansea Bay City Deal risks.

Resolved that the latest project issues and programme risks be noted.

The Swansea Bay City Region Programme Director (Jonathan Burnes) submitted a report which provided an update on the development of an Integrated Assurance and Approval Plan (IAAP) for the Swansea Bay City Deal programme.

Resolved that the progress being made on developing an Integrated Assurance and Approval Plan (IAAP) for the Swansea Bay City Deal programme be noted.

The Chair of the Economic Strategy Board (ESB) (Ed Tomp) stated that he had provided the ESB feedback earlier in the meeting under Minute 63 “Homes as Power Stations Business Case”.