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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED - (i) That the Committee supports the actions outlined to progress the work of the NWEAB development plan. (ii) That the next progress report include the portfolio risk registers. (iii) That the Committee considers a future update on Economic Development in North Wales from the North Wales CJC once scrutiny arrangements have been agreed.
AGREED – That the Committee considered and agreed the proposed work programme and the aforementioned changes.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Dana Davies and Andy Williams.
That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 7 September 2022 be signed as a correct record.
Members were reminded of their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code of Conduct, to declare any interests in relation to any of the business to be transacted at this meeting. The following declarations were made. Agenda item 5 – North Wales Economic Board. Personal and not Prejudicial - Councillor Gary Brown -Works with Brymbo Heritage Trust which was involved with the smart local energy strand as part of the work of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board. The Councillor remained in the meeting taking part in the discussion thereon.
Members of the Committee agreed that item 5 be brought forward at this time.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - (i) That the Committee supports the actions outlined to progress the work of the NWEAB development plan. (ii) That the next progress report include the portfolio risk registers. (iii) That the Committee considers a future update on Economic Development in North Wales from the North Wales CJC once scrutiny arrangements have been agreed.
(Members declarations of interest in relation to this item are set out in Minute 17 above). The Chief Officer Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/96/22s) asking Members to consider the information provided by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB). The Lead Member for Finance and Performance presented the report and highlighted that £240millon had been awarded to the North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) from Westminster and Welsh government to invest across North Wales and explained that as part of its constitution the NWEAB had to be scrutinised on how this will be spent it. Members received a presentation from Hedd Vaughan-Evans Head of Operations, Stuart Whitfield the Digital Programme Manager and David Mathews one of the Programme Managers. The presentation highlighted the NWEAB progress made at Quarter 1 for the year 2022/23 and end of year 2021/22 with a detailed background and explanation of the different programmes outlined below: · Digital Connectivity. · Agri-food and Tourism. · Innovation in High Value Manufacturing and · Land and Property. The Lead Member for Finance and Performance explained that the NWEAB’s priority was to improve the connectivity across North Wales and how essential it would be for businesses operating in rural areas. The NWEAB team were thanked for their work and for their delivery on the NWEAB programmes. Members asked a number of questions, which were responded accordingly, and the following points were highlighted during the detailed debate: · It was confirmed that the Low Carbon Centre project should be shown as a red RAG status project due to the project being linked to the wider capital estate programme at Bangor University. · The Low Carbon Centre project was one of the pillars in Bangor University’s wider strategy and they were currently grappling with the cost of inflation challenges that all projects had been facing. Given that it was tied into a wider campus redevelopment the NWEAB judged the project risks to a significantly higher scale. · There were some challenges with the Llysfasi Zero Net Farm project. The education aspect of the project in respect to agricultural training was strong but not as strong in terms of how it would facilitate job creation. · The NWEAB was currently reviewing the Llysfasi Zero Net Farm project to establish if it would remain with them or if it could be delivered under alternative funding sources. A recommendation thereon will be taken to the NWEAB within the next few months. · The North Wales Corporate Joint Committee has been established but the future economic development function of the NWEAB has not yet been decided. · Risk management was engrained into the following three tiers of the growth deal:- a) Portfolio risks included the key strategic risks that would impact on the whole £240m deal and was reported to the NWEAB on a quarterly basis as part of the performance report. b) Programme and project registers were also maintained and issues would be escalated accordingly. · The NWEAB cannot deliver the growth deal without additional private sector funding. · There were three main ways where the NWEAB involved and engaged with businesses via: a) The Business Delivery Board that was set up as an advisory body to the Ambition Board b) Engagement sessions with private businesses as part of the procurement activity at project level. c) Engagement via project level. · The Smart Local Energy project was not at the delivery stage because the NWEAB was currently developing a business case. AGREED - (i) That the Committee supports the actions outlined to progress the work of the NWEAB development plan. (ii) That the next progress report include the portfolio risk registers. (iii) That the Committee considers a future update on Economic Development in North Wales from the North Wales CJC once scrutiny arrangements have been agreed.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – That the Committee considered and agreed the proposed work programme and the aforementioned changes.
The Chief Officer Governance and Customer submitted a report (COG/94/22s) asking Members to consider the revised work programme. The Scrutiny Facilitator presented the report and highlighted the following: · Proposed that the rearranged meeting take place on 14th November at 4pm. · The Tourism Destination Management Plan to be scheduled for the December Meeting. · The Business Improvement District and Employment Support Programme Scrutiny Topic Selection Forms to be submitted to the next meeting. The following was discussed: · The Tourism Destination Management Plan to include the Business Plan for the New Visitor Centre on Chester Street with updates on: a) Staffing and management structure. b) Outcome measures. c) The impact of the increased interest of the Wrexham Football Club on visitors to the town. · The following new topics be considered for the work programme:- a) Review of Cost of Living and how it was affecting businesses in Wrexham with an update on: - Employment and how the Council were supporting it. - Costs of utilities and supply issues associated with the 3rd Sector. b) Communities for Work with an overview of: - The employment position in Wrexham. - How the Council provides employability support. - How the Council attracts new talent. AGREED – That the Committee considered and agreed the proposed work programme and the aforementioned changes.
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