MINUTES of MEETING of the STIRLING AND CLACKMANNANSHIRE CITY REGION DEAL JOINT COMMITTEE held in the COUNCIL CHAMBERS, OLD VIEWFORTH, STIRLING and by MICROSOFT TEAMS on 22 JUNE 2023 at 2.30 pm
Present
Councillor Neil Benny, Stirling Council
Councillor Martha Benny, Clackmannanshire Council
Graeme Duff, University of Stirling
Councillor Kenny Earle, Clackmannanshire Council
Councillor Scott Farmer, Stirling Council
Councillor Ellen Forson, Clackmannanshire Council
Councillor Chris Kane, Stirling Council (in the Chair)
Eileen Schofield, University of Stirling
Professor Leigh Sparks, University of Stirling
In Attendance
Nikki Bridle, Chief Executive, Clackmannanshire Council
John Craig, Programme Manager, University of Stirling
Sally Dimeo, Chief Finance Officer, Stirling University
Nicola Drago Ferrante, Growth Deal Programme Officer, Stirling University
Jeremy Greengrass, Administration Support Officer, Regional Project Management Office
Ann Jacob-Chandler, Head of Regional Project Management Office
Pete Leonard, Strategic Director, Clackmannanshire Council
Steven MacDonald, Head of Economic Development & Culture (Interim), Stirling Council
Kelly Matheson, Project Manager, Regional Project Management Office
Dr John Rogers, Executive Director, Research & Innovation Services, University of Stirling
William Rutherford, Finance Manager, Regional Project Management Office
Karen Swan, Committee Officer, Stirling Council
David McDougall, Governance Officer, Stirling Council (Clerk)
Recording of Meeting started
Prior to the start of the meeting, Councillor Kane, as Chair of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee, welcomed everyone to the meeting. He advised on the procedures related to hybrid meetings and the protocols that both Members and Officers should adhere to throughout the meeting.
It was advised that the meeting was being broadcast live via the Public-i portal on the Council’s website and that a recording of the meeting would also be made publicly available on the website following the meeting.
The Chair asked the Clerk to carry out a roll call of all Members participating in the meeting.
CRD1 APOLOGIES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Apologies were submitted on behalf Councillor Janine Rennie (Clackmannanshire Council). Councillor Kenny Earl was in attendance as substitute member.
CRD2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
CRD3 URGENT BUSINESS
There were no items of urgent business brought forward.
CRD4 MINUTES – STIRLING & CLACKMANNANSHIRE CITY REGION DEAL JOINT COMMITTEE – 28 MARCH 2023
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee held on 28 March 2023 were submitted for approval.
Decision
The Minutes of the Meeting of Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee held on 28 March 2023 were approved as an accurate record of proceedings.
CRD5 FORWARD PLANNING
- JOINT COMMITTEE ROLLING ACTION LOG
The Joint Committee Rolling Action Log was submitted for review.
The Head of the Regional Programme Management Office advised that due to some errors within the Rolling Action Log (RAL) circulated with the agenda pack, an updated RAL had been circulated to Committee Members prior the meeting.
Decision
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee agreed to note the content of the Rolling Action Log.
- JOINT COMMITTEE FORWARD PLAN
The Joint Committee forward plan was submitted for review.
In response to a Members question, the Head of Regional Programme Management Office noted the Members concern on the broader economic overview with regards to the levelling up and the major economic interventions for the CRD plan and projects on the forward plan. She advised that there had been work on the Regional Economic Strategy that the Chief Executives had discussed.
The Chief Executive (Clackmannanshire Council), confirmed the Chief Officer Group (COG) had met with Grant Thornton and Council Leaders in recent weeks in which the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) had presented an outlined framework. Discussion following that COG meeting centred on the priorities for RES which identified short and long leet priorities which were in the process of being finalised. She also confirmed that the CRD Joint Committee would be kept updated on the RES once the work was complete.
Decision
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee agreed to note the content of the Forward Plan.
The Chair adjourned the meeting at 2.45pm to allow for cameras
for the public broadcast to be reset.
Recording of the meeting was stopped.
The Meeting reconvened at 3pm, noting
All Elected Members, previously noted, present.
Recording of the meeting started.
CRD6 PROGRAMME STATUS REPORT
A report was submitted by the Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) that updated the Committee on ongoing discussion with the governments. In particular the Active Travel Programme, with specific feedback around Transport Planning Objectives and proportionality of the business case process for smaller projects.
The Committee also noted that work was ongoing on the Clacks Digital Hub Outline Business Case (OBC) which linked in with the wider Regional Digital Hubs programme insights.
Following the approval of the Culture Heritage OBC, discussion had been ongoing on the Culture Heritage and Tourism programme investment priorities.
The Head of Economic Development & Culture (Interim) responded to a Members question and confirmed that the Culture Heritage and Tourism Programme was at the stage of selecting projects along with creation of a project matrix which should be completed by the end of July 2023. The process would be checked with the Projects Board and Members of the Joint Committee. He also noted that the Project Boards’ existing Members were being consulted on whether they continued as Members as the Membership was being updated.
In response to a Members question, the Head of Regional Programme Management Office confirmed that the RPMO had been alerted in the advanced stages to the project cost escalation due to construction inflation. It was an emerging trend which had been reported to the Chief Officers Group (COG) who would report to the Joint Committee for awareness.
Following Members further discussion on the cost escalation within projects, comments were made that a deep dive of the costs was needed and for Committee to be kept abreast. The Chief Executive (Clackmannanshire Council) confirmed that a consolidate programme briefing had taken place noting that augment information could be provided but noted due to inflation and the changing nature of the situation, the need to be transparent and not confusing was required.
Decision
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee agreed to note the update provided within the submitted report.
(Reference: Report by Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO), submitted)
CRD7 REGIONAL ECONOMIC ADVISORY GROUP UPDATE
The Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) submitted a report that noted that following approval to form the REAG by the City Region Deal Joint Committee on 24 January 2023, the Regional Economic Advisory Group (REAG) first meeting was in February 2023.
The Group had worked with a draft terms of reference that included a focus on regional investment including the Deal and had convened on three occasions since its formation. The Group was scheduled to meet again on the 6 June 2023 to further review focus areas.
Private sector and third sector spaces on the REAG were yet to be filled and it was agreed that the group would be asked to identify potential organisations/individuals to fill these in due course.
Following discussion in Committee, Members voiced concern that the private business sector voices felt they were not heard and, noting that each could be independently working on the same area as they were not aware of the landscape. The Head of RPMO advised that the terms of reference of the REAG, which helped drive the economic strategy, needed to be re-evaluated to drive further engagement. She noted that the Forth Valley City Chamber of Commerce which was part of the advisory pool for REAG had supported recent private sector engagement.
In response to Members concerns, The Head of RPMO advised that the development of a communication piece to promote the City Region Deal would be difficult at present due to resource constraints within the RMPO. The Chief Executive (Clackmannanshire) confirmed that there were aware of the capacity resources within the RPMO and the Chief Officer Group (COG) were looking at ways to increase capacity.
Following a request by Members, the Head of RPMO confirmed a report regarding communications strategy would be added to the CRD Joint Committee Work plan and would be produced once resources were in place.
Decision
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee agreed to note the update provided within the submitted report.
(Reference: Report by Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO), submitted)
CRD8 IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2023/24
The Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) updated the Joint Committee with a presentation that supplemented a report submitted by Finance Manager, RPMO on the requirement for submission and agreement with the Governments on the City Region Deal Implementation Plan for 2023/24.
Under the terms of the grant offer letter, an updated version of the City Region Deal Implementation Plan that reflected the current position with respect to milestones and timeless, must be submitted to and agreed governments annually.
There had been considerable work involved in fully updating the milestones and timescales within the Implementation Plan across all partners to ensure it was an accurate and meaningful as possible. The RPMO had worked with all three of the delivery partners since November 2022 to consolidate all relevant information whilst reviewing current lessons learned, dependencies and risks.
The milestones and financial profile had been presented to both the Chief Officer’s Group and Joint Committee Members who had input through various discussion and briefing sessions, the resulting conclusions were contained within the Implementation Plan.
In response to Members questions regarding borrowing costs, the Head of RPMO advised that the financial figures associated with borrowing as detailed in the Implementation Plan were the PWLB rates at a point in time, and for illustration purposes.
The Chief Operating Officer & University Secretary (University of Stirling) advised that both governments were equally as keen for the expenditure of the projects to be fulfilled as it was within their interest to keep to timelines.
The Chief Executive (Clackmannanshire Council) noted that there had been an improved relationship developed between officers and both governments. The Committee was also advised that the Governments had a shared understanding of the risks and the impacts from the City Region Deal, noting progress on business cases due to the development of better relationships.
Decision
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee agreed:-
- to note the content of the report and presentation on the Implementation Plan 2023/24; and
- to approve the proposed milestone (with caveats) and associated financial profile outlined for each programme/project within the Stirling and Clackmannanshire’s City Region Deal.
(Reference: Report by Finance Manager of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO), submitted)
CRD9 DRAFT ANNUAL REPORT 2022
The Finance Officer, Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) submitted a report that detailed the Annual report for 2022 that covered the last quarter of the 2021/22 financial year, as well as the first three quarters of the 2022/23 financial year.
The report was drafted by the RPMO and circulated amongst partners for review, with an initial draft being presented to the Chief Officer’s Group and Joint Committee in December 2022, January 2023 and March 2023.
The report required to be submitted for review and approval by the two governments to allow for publication. Following that approval, the Annual report then sought final approval by the Joint Committee in June 2023.
The Chair of Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee expressed thanks to the Head of RPMO and her officers for the work and effort entailed within the City Region Deal.
Decision
The Stirling & Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee agreed to approve the Draft Annual report 2022.
(Reference: Report by Finance Manager of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO), submitted)
Notice
The Chair and Committee of Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal Joint Committee expressed thanks to Ann Jacob-Chandler, Head of Regional Programme Management Office (RPMO) for the work entailed within the City Region Deal and wished her all the best in her new post of Head of Economic Development, Planning & Climate Change at Stirling Council.
The Chair declared the meeting closed at 4.00 pm