Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2016 be approved as a correct record.

An apology for absence had been received from Councillor Stephen Cowan (LB Hammersmith & Fulham) who had been substituted for by Councillor Michael Cartwright (LB Hammersmith & Fulham).

Apologies for absence had also been received from Carolyn Downs (LB Brent) and Mary Harpley (LB Hounslow).

None.

To receive verbal updates on matters arising from the previous meetings not covered elsewhere on the agenda

Dan Gascoyne (West London Alliance Director) advised the Committee the actions arising from the meeting held on 21 September 2016 not covered elsewhere on the agenda were in the process of being implemented.

Paul Najsarek (Chief Executive LB Ealing) presented a report which sought views from the Board on possible areas for coordinating activity with Heathrow such as job creation, apprenticeships, infrastructure, inward investment and supply chain development. 

The Board noted the recent government decision to proceed with airport expansion at Heathrow.  It was agreed that the West London boroughs should seek to capitalise on employment, skills and business opportunities. 

The Board were advised that all Heathrow employees had an appraisal target to undertake community work.  It was noted that many of the West London boroughs would have residents that worked at Heathrow and it was suggested that consideration should be given to requesting that employees undertake community work in the boroughs in which they live. 

The Board noted that LB Hounslow met regularly with Heathrow and were working through a number of issues and commitments along with neighbouring local authorities outside of the M25. 

In relation to infrastructure, the Board suggested that Heathrow expansion should take into account:

·         Skills and Employment opportunities for West Londoners;

·         Improving the supporting surface access including: road infrastructure; considering a HS2 spur to Heathrow; developing a direct rail connection from London Waterloo to Heathrow (southern rail access) and the Piccadilly line upgrade; and

·         Promoting public transport and sustainable access for workers (e.g. creating an ultra-low emissions zone around the airport or developing a ‘mini-Holland’ in Southall)

The Board requested that officers to engage with Heathrow Airport Ltd. across all aspects of the Growth, Employment and Skills Programme to ensure that people and businesses in West London are able to fully benefit from opportunities associated with the airport, both directly and through its wider economic footprint.

RESOLVED that the West London Economic Prosperity Board:

1.         Engage with Heathrow Airport Limited and the Department for Transport to negate any negative impacts from Heathrow expansion on residents of the West London boroughs

2.         Request that officers identify future skills requirements, opportunities for businesses and explore links to London Devolution proposals in the context of Heathrow expansion

3.         Engage with Heathrow and Government on the transport and infrastructure proposals as set out in the preamble above.

Pat Hayes (LB Ealing) introduced a report which outlined the key issues relating to increasing the delivery of housing supply in West London and proposed steps to take forward the housing elements of the West London Vision for Growth Action Plan which was approved by the West London Economic Prosperity Board on 8 June 2016.

The Board proposed that officers in Wes London boroughs lobby the NHS to request that surplus land is retained for affordable rented accommodation for key workers. 

It was noted that:

·           Individual boroughs may opposed to the use of Metropolitan Open Land; and

·           Government support would be required in relation to municipal rented housing issues.

RESOLVED that the West London Economic Prosperity Board:

1.         Endorse the view that a key step towards increasing housing supply is to accelerate the delivery of new housing.

2.         Agree that in order to increase and accelerate the delivery of new housing supply, Growth Directors should be authorised to:

a)     Establish a Joint Housing Supply Task Force: to be overseen by the Growth Directors Board and coordinated by West London Alliance (WLA) officers, consisting of boroughs, public sector asset managers, registered providers (RPs) and developers, chaired by a third party

o   The aim of the Task Force will be to build on previous work that has identified barriers to housing supply, to propose strategies and solutions to accelerate the delivery of new housing supply in West London, and build partnerships that can realise this ambitions.

o   Output: to produce a jointly agreed West London proposal for accelerating the delivery of housing supply

b)   Establish a West London Skills Hub: In order to support and accelerate the delivery of Local Authorities’ own new build programmes, the WLA will scope, define and, if appropriate, establish, a sub-regional skills hub for professional support on for example, site assembly, viability issues, etc.  This would dovetail with any work at a pan-London level, rather than duplicating it.

b)     Consider Out of London Property Purchase options:  to look at bulk purchase options for larger (50+ unit) schemes. Work needs to be done to consider financial models, and to specify individual borough requirements, prior to commissioning the procurement of potential schemes.  It is recommended that WLA will work with potential suppliers to develop a business case and a feasibility study around bulk purchase options, with a view to procuring the first scheme by the end of 2017/18. 

d)   Commission a Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA): to publish a West London SHMA by end 2017, aligned with wider work on planning being led by the new West London Chief Planning Officers group. This will provide an evidence base for housing supply and identify the nature of the new build requirement and related infrastructure across the West London sub region, alongside the development of more locally specific SHMAs at borough level.

e)    Submit a bid to the One Public Estate (OPE) Programme: to scope and develop a WLA bid to One Public Estate, for resources to:

·            Engage with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Cath Shaw (LB Barnet) presented a report which updated the Board on the outcome of the West London Post-16 Education and Training Area Review.

RESOLVED that the West London Economic Prosperity Board:

1.         Note the conclusion of the West London Post-16 Education and Training Area Review as set out in the public and exempt reports.

2.         Agree the draft Terms of Reference for Skills and Employment Board (as set out in Annex 1 to the report of officers) and nominate Councillor Steve Curran (LB Hounslow) as Chairman.

3.         Confirm that the Board’s priority, in discussions with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Central Government on skills devolution, is control over how the majority of devolved funding is spent in the sub-region, rather than devolution of funding.

4.         Agree that Councillor Sachin Shah (LB Harrow) be requested to write to the FE Commissioner to express the Board’s disappointment at the outcome of the Area Review process.

RESOLVED that the Board approve the Forward Work Programme.

The Chairman moved that the Board consider a joint approach to the devolution of business rates.

RESOLVED that the West London Economic Prosperity Board instruct the West London Alliance Director to work with Growth Directors and Finance Directors from the West London Boroughs to develop detailed proposals for devolved business rates, with a scoping paper to come to the next meeting of the Board.

RESOLVED that, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 and due to the report containing information given to the Board by a government department on terms which forbid its disclosure, the press and public be excluded from the meeting.

Paul Najsarek (LB Ealing) presented a report which updated the Board on the DWP Work and Health Programme.  It was noted that the Government had agreed to devolve financial control to London.

RESOLVED that the West London Economic Prosperity Board:

1.         Agree that the Ealing Chief Executive will continue to lead negotiations with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and London Government on behalf of the West London Alliance (WLA), supported by the WLA Programme Office, including the need to pursue co-financing status.

2.         Note that the Growth Directors Board will act in an advisory capacity to West London Economic Prosperity Board (WLEPB) on the Work and Health Programme.

3.         Confirm the view that in the event that in order to sign-up to devolution there is a need to underwrite costs associated with transfer of financial control and risk of European Social Fund (ESF) clawback member boroughs should commit to underwrite a proportionate share of any costs, subject to agreement through their own governance processes.

4.         Re-confirm the June WLEPB decision to delegate negotiations on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DWP and the service specification to Ealing Council Chief Executive.

5.         Note the consultation on Employment and Health.

6.         Note the Progress relating to the other Transformation Challenge Award (TCA) Programmes.

None.