Agenda and minutes

 The Chair welcomed all in attendance.

Apologies had been received from Gareth Smith, Katherine O'Connor and Paul Evans.

Declarations were received as below:

·  Brian Bailey – Blackburn Town Centre Improvements

·  Alan Cavill-  21^st Century Conference Centre, Blackpool Heritage Based Visitor Attraction

·  Sue Procter – LCC led projects

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 October 2017 be confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

There were no matters arising that were not addressed in the main agenda.

John Holden-Ross presented the report, and recommended a small number of changes to the core Grant Funding Agreement template, having tested it on a live project.

The main revisions were around confidentiality, Freedom of Information and Data Protection and the status of the parties.

Resolved: that the recommended revisions are adopted

Genecon will attend to present this item

Graeme Collinge, Genecon, presented the appraisal of the North West Burnley Growth Corridor scheme.

It was noted that this scheme had been brought before the Board at an earlier stage than most due to the timescales involved in the requested change in land use for two sites which form a key part of the scheme and the need to link them into the emerging local plan.

It was noted that the HCA appraisal had been requested on the former Baxi Site, and that clarification on timescales for the Townscape Heritage Funding was needed.

Resolved: That approval for a maximum of £7m Growth Deal funding to the North West Burnley Growth Corridor scheme be recommended to the next meeting of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Board subject to the conditions as set out on page 35 of the circulated Appraisal Report, and additionally:

1.  That a timeline be produced showing clearly the interdependencies of the two sites, the flood defences and the road infrastructure

2. That the HCA's development appraisal be provided to establish if the HCA could contribute to fund the flood defence works. An update to be provided to the June meeting of the Growth Deal Management Board. 

3.  That an update on progress in meeting all of the conditions be brought to the June meeting of the Growth Deal Management Board.

Alan Cavill reported that site clearance was underway, the scheduled completion date was April 2019 and that major conference organisers had already shown interest.

Anne-Marie presented the circulated report and LGFA and confirmed that the conditions the Committee had requested previously had been incorporated into the agreement.

Resolved: that the Local Grant Funding Agreement for the Blackpool 21^st Century Conference Centre be approved.

Kathryn Molloy to give a verbal update

Kathryn Molloy informed the Committee that two meetings had been held since the last GDMB meeting, focussing on the two conditions placed on the funding agreement around financial sustainability and activity focus based on Lancashire existing industrial strengths/business base and emerging opportunities. It was noted that positive progress had been made.

The funding strategy would build on the circulated positioning paper and recruiting for two senior posts within the AMRC NW had begun locally. A local engagement strategy would also be developed, as well as a national engagement plan which would focus on engaging Government.

Resolved: that the update be noted

Alan Cavill presented the report updating the Committee on this project, which had now been given the name 'the Amuseum'.

A paper was circulated showing an artist's impression of the new planned structure and layout inside, and it was noted that the majority of the funding decisions were expected to be made by March.

The business case would be brought to the Committee in March.

Resolved: that the update be noted, and the business case be submitted to the Growth Deal Management Board in March.

Verbal update from Sue Procter

Sue Procter updated the Committee on the Preston Western Distributor project.

A report had been presented to the City Deal Executive and Stewardship Board on 29 November, asking for support for the project funding in full to allow the outline business case (OBC) to progress. This had been agreed; the OBC would be taken to the Transport for Lancashire Board in January and to the LEP Board at the end of January, with the intention of placing the Compulsory Purchase and Side Roads Order notice on the February LCC Cabinet Agenda.

Resolved: that the update be noted

Anne-Marie Parkinson presented the update report.

It was highlighted that 99.3% of the funding had now been allocated, and no queries had been raised in relation to the last claim submitted to Government in October.

It was noted that the Blackpool Tramway project had been recommended for approval by Transport for Lancashire on 20 November, and the TRO had been approved.

Further information had been received from Chorley Council for the Shady Lane project, officers were working through the scope of the scheme, and a further update would be presented to the next meet of the Growth Deal Management Board.

Lancaster University had confirmed that the level of ESIF funding contribution to be provided by DCLG for the Lancaster Health Innovation Campus had been agreed. A further comprehensive update would be provided to the next meeting.

The Committee considered and agreed the proposed approach to unallocated funding as set out in Appendix C whereby:

1.  First call would be given to those schemes within the current programme that had requested additional resource;

2.  If no schemes were identified via that process, a second call would focus on priority 1 Growth Deal 3 schemes that had failed to secure an allocation;

3.  If no schemes were identified via that process, a review of priority 2 and 3 Growth Deal 3 schemes would be undertaken to determine if any schemes were still a priority

4.  After exhausting the existing pipeline, LEP Board approval would be sought for an open call for new scheme proposals

It was noted that the decision process should be communicated in a clear and transparent way.

Resolved:

1.  That the programme update be noted

2.  That an update on Shady Lane be received at the next meeting

3.  That the approach to unallocated funding as set out in Appendix C be agreed

4.  That in accordance with the approach as detailed at Appendix C, it is recommended to the next meeting of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Board a further £2.2m Growth Deal funding be approved to the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre NW project

Joanne Ainsworth presented the financial update report, showing the fund's position as at the end of November, which was considered positive.

It was noted that the Blackpool Tramway information had been received after the report had been compiled, so this information would be included in the next report.

Resolved: that the update be noted.

Resolved: that the following would be reported to the LEP Board:

1.  The process to deal with unallocated funds

2.  The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre project to seek approval for a further £2.2m Growth Deal funding from within the Growth Deal programme

3.  The North West Burnley Growth Corridor and Darwen East Distributor projects be presented for Growth Deal funding approval

There was no other business.

The next meeting will be held at 1.30pm on Wednesday 21 March 2018 in Committee Room C – the Duke of Lancaster Room, County Hall, Preston

The next meeting would be held at 1.30pm on Wednesday 21 March 2018 in Committee Room C – the Duke of Lancaster Room, County Hall, Preston