Devolution and WECA Mayor

NSC outlines the ambition to look towards the West of England as a devolution geography and explore the benefits of a mayoral deal under the existing model.

North Somerset Council state the government, "... advised that their devolution ambition is to devolve new powers over transport, skills, housing, planning and employment support with more regions to benefit from integrated settlements based on certain mayoral conditions" NSC appear to have pre-determined a preference for regional 'Mayoral' governance in its response in Appendix 1. How will a regional mayor affect local democracy? What powers will residents and NSC lose?

UPDATE 18SEP24: NSC Executive meeting outcome

 

Public Question (at 16mins) and NSC discussion (at 21mins)

Council Committee Financial Position/Budget Devolution Discussion (at 44mins-1hr26mins)

Links to NSC Food Security Correspondence

North Somerset Council, "... recognise the need to make the case for additional funding and powers for the whole of the West of England in order to underpin any expansion to include North Somerset" WECA region or North Somerset residents benefit first? "It is unclear what timelines will be forthcoming with the new devolution bill, but together with partners we would be mindful of planned electoral cycles"

Is North Somerset Council being pressured into this regional approach due to its £12million debt and government withdrawal of our public funds for local spending, including funds via WECA's Local Economic Partnership? [NB using a figure of £12million debt would leave NSC with no financial reserves!} Is it considering local democracy, governance and accountability? Will residents still be able to interact with key decision making or will this power be devolved to the metro mayor? How much rural land and food security will be sacrificed for continous urban 'growth' for the UK's continuing population 'decline'?

NB: According to Wiki there are currently only 11 Combined Authorities in the country see map. (PDF) So why are local authorities being pushed towards a mayoral model? Why can't fund flow directly to the unitary authority area? Listen to current NSC budget problems due to regional and national budget allocations. What will be the effect on parishes as NSC devolve services upwards to WECA and downwards to parishes? Will parished precept taxes rise and be added back to the council tax bill? (What are parish precepts?)

Homes England review recommends offloading...  building safety Greater Transparency is required -  Homes England is an officer to WECA - see Companies House officers below? - What will be the relationship between WECA  and North Somerset Council with regards local priorities, expenditure, home building, future responsibilities and liabilities? Examples

• Grenfell Tower is in the Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (local decision makers) and also in the Greater London Authority (regional/mayoral decision makers), who was responsible for what aspects of this commissioning, payment, safety, signoff, etc.? (15SEP24)
• Homes England is set to receive just 0.1 per cent of the £69m it is owed by Ilke Homes, after the firm’s administration process was hit by equipment theft and problems selling completed modules... There is always an inherent risk when investing in new technologies with new business models that look to do things differently, but we remain committed to encouraging greater use of MMC [Modern Methods of Construction], supporting its growth, and diversifying the housing market.” (24OCT23)

Item 6 on the NSC Exec meeting agenda states, "North Somerset Council's response to Government's invitation around devolution (Pages 17 - 22) "

Report of Councillor Bell (Leader of NSC)

• Para 10. "Options Considered We have the option to respond declining the government’s invitation for exploratory conversations, which is felt unviable given North Somerset’s financial context and ambition." How will its 'ambition' affect local taxes and decision making?
• "Alternative geographies have been considered, however the West of England is North Somerset’s primary Functional Economic Area and is therefore being explored as our preferred option. We do not rule out alternative options in the event this becomes undeliverable."
• "The benefits of a mayoral versus non mayoral model will be explored through dialogue with government." What about the dis-benefits of having a mayor? What powers will local people lose?

• Para 2.1 "The Government have established a Council of Nations and Regions to bring together the Prime Minister, the leaders of the devolved administrations and metro Mayors to drive growth" How will governance and work with local democracy? How will decisions be made for NSC residents benefit, not only 'the greater good'? How will our land and food security be managed and protected?
• The government “... will not force places to take on a metro Mayor" If NSC join WECA do residents have to have a mayor by default?
• Para 2.1 "The council understands that Combined Authorities have been invited to share their ambitions for their places through a Growth Plan and that the West of England Combined Authority’s response will be published at their next committee meeting 20th September 2024".Surely this should say 'our' not 'their' places? What is North Somerset's need as opposed to Bristol, South Glos and BANES needs?

Things to consider:

• Populations are different in the four regions
  • approx Bristol 483K (42%), South Glos 263K (23%), North Somerset 203K (18%) & 196K (17%) - will any vote/referendum, if offered, skew outcomes? especially if areas vote together. What will happen to NSC land and food security?
• BBC 2016 NSC vote against West 'Metro Mayor' plan during government £1bn devolution plan.
  • " Mr Ashton also said any future "resources or powers" would be controlled autonomously by the proposed mayor leaving the local authorities "with no say in it whatsoever".
  • "We have worked hard with our fellow West of England partners to get the best available deal for the area, but too much remains that we are not prepared to support". He said the money offered would have to be borrowed, with around £400m spent on interest rates. (17JUN16)C
• Current NSC Leader, Mike Bell, stated in the Draft Corporate Plan (pg7) (now removed from its final  consultation version)
  • "Weston-super-Mare – our largest town is set to become the second biggest settlement in the West of England over the next decade." At the 4 October public meeting Cllr Mike Bell, confirmed that this would be second to Bristol!  
• The current NPPF Consultation Q19c states
  • "c. Maximising delivery in urban areas: the new formula increases targets by more than 30% across our Mayoral Combined Authorities, relative to the existing standard method. This better aligns with the ambition of our local leaders, and[footnote 5] will maximise agglomeration benefits by increasing the contribution new housing makes to economic growth. This approach will also make the most of our transport hu bs, support the objectives of brownfield-first and gently densifying urban areas, including building upwards where appropriate."
• Weston Mercury (12SEP24)
  • "The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) was created in 2017. It takes charge of some large strategic areas such as transport and is run by an elected metro mayor , currently Dan Norris" (15SEP24)
  • Ms Rayner said: “While we will not force places to take on a metro mayor, we will not shy away from making the case for their huge advantages, with some powers continuing to be reserved for institutions with directly elected leaders, such as mayoral combined authorities.”
• The Guardian England’s metro mayors make a farce of local democracy. They must be scrapped
  • "Towns and cities should have properly elected mayors, as is common in other democracies"
• First steps towards global governance and control via C40 Cities?
  • "C40 is a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united in action... Is this 'action' in local residents benefit or global governance and controlled decsion making?
  • Our Leadership Standards set the minimum requirements for all member cities and safeguard the integrity of C40 as a network of climate leaders. Membership operates on performance-based requirements, not on fees, and every city in the C40 network is reviewed annually against our Leadership Standards."
  • NSC is a member of the UK100 Countryside Climate Network. This is directly linked to C40 City Mayors via 2020 report pg7&15). Where do NSC intend to build new housing - on farmland or brownfield sites )? How is NSC managing any woodland or tree projects in relation to agriculture and food security needs?
• Wales
  • Wiki states, "Although Wales is included in the legislation, only one Welsh authority, Ceredigion, held a referendum on such a proposal, in May 2004. Over 70% of the voters voted against the proposal"

Dept for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Letter 05MAR24

• "Ministers are concerned as to the West of England Combined Authority’s capacity to comply with its Best Value Duty" and issued a Notice "... following inconsistent action against concerns highlighted". The concerns we’ve identified include: " 
  • The poor state of professional relationships between the West of England Combined Authority Mayor and the representatives of the constituent members of the Authority which is impacting partnership working and potentially limiting the authority’s ability to optimise strategic opportunities.
  • The Authority’s constitution needs review and clarification to work in a more effective and agile way.
  • The function and purpose of the Authority has not been collectively understood and the roles, responsibilities and ‘powers’ of a combined authority are not fully grasped, resulting in confusion between strategic governance and day to day transactional activity.
  • The Authority lacks a clear, shared narrative regarding the West of England and how it will operate for the benefit of the wider region."
• "Whilst the Authority may continue to receive and be awarded government funding whilst under this Notice, we would emphasise that receipt of funding does not indicate the Department’s broader view of the performance of the Authority, nor would it indicate any change in the status of this Notice, with individual funding programmes being managed and assured independently by their respective departments. This Notice will remain in place for 12 months, after which time, should the Department deem it necessary to continue to seek assurance through such a Notice, the Notice will be reissued"

What is the ownership and governance of WECA? What are the voting powers of residents in this process? Which individuals are accountable to the public in the decision making, expenditure and outcomes?

Companies House West of England Combined Authority?

• One Appointment - 25MAR24 BRISTOL TEMPLE QUARTER LLP (OC451571) 70 Redcliff Street, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 6AL
• Filing History
  • Incorporation on 25MAR24 three weeks after Ministers concerns and letter above:
    • change of Relevant Legal Entitiy from The Homes and Communities Agency (Trading as Homes England) to Bristol Temple Quarter LLP 21AUG24,
    • Member's details change from The Homes and Communities Agency (Trading as Homes England) to Bristol Temple Quarter LLP21AUG24
• 3 People/Officers (15SEP24)
  • Bristol City Council
    • One Appointment 25MAR24 - City Hall, College Green, Bristol, England, BS1 5TR
    • BRISTOL TEMPLE QUARTER LLP (OC451571) (15SEP24)
  • THE HOMES AND COMMUNITIES AGENCY (TRADING AS HOMES ENGLAND)
    • One Appointment 25MAR24 - The Lumen, 2nd Floor, St James Boulevard, Newcastle Helix, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE4 5BZ
    • BRISTOL TEMPLE QUARTER LLP (OC451571) (15SEP24)
  • THE WEST OF ENGLAND COMBINED AUTHORITY (WECA)
    • One Appointment 25MAR24 - 70 Redcliff Street, Bristol, United Kingdom, BS1 6AL
    • BRISTOL TEMPLE QUARTER LLP (OC451571) (15SEP24)

WECA Structure, Ownership and Governance

• Who They Are
  • "The Combined Authority was set up in 2017 to make decisions and investments that benefit people living and working in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Together, our aim is to deliver economic growth for the region and address some of our challenges, such as productivity and skills, housing and transport." Although NSC is involved?
• Committee Structure (15SEP24)
  • "The Committee takes key decisions on matters affecting our region, including funding projects through the regional Investment Fund
  • ... chaired by the Metro Mayor, and is made up of the Leaders from our three constituent councils: Bath & North East Somerset Council, Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council"
  • "The Chair of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) also attends committee meetings in a non-voting capacity"
  • " Overview & Scrutiny Committee: ... made up of 11 councillors drawn from across our three constituent councils. Its role is to review and scrutinise the work of the Combined Authority; it can also make reports or recommendations to the decision-taking committees. Three councillors from North Somerset Council are observers at these meetings and able to comment on matters that affect North Somerset."