Issue - meetings

Alwen Williams (Interim CJC Chief Executive) and Iwan Evans (Monitoring Officer) to present the report.

DECISION:  

1.     To accept the update, the progress made to prepare for the proposed transfer of the Growth Deal, its funding and the PMO into the CJC, but recognising the challenge and reasons outlined for delay, which will impact the current plans to transfer on 1 November, 2024.

2.     To direct that a further report be submitted on setting out a revised transfer date and supported by a comprehensive risk assessment and detailed plan.

The report was submitted by Alwen Williams, Interim Chief Executive of the CJC.

RESOLVED:

1.     To accept the update, the progress made to prepare for the proposed transfer of the Growth Deal, its funding and the PMO into the CJC, but recognising the challenge and reasons outlined for the delay, which will impact the current plans to transfer on 1 November 2024.

2.     To direct that a further report be submitted on setting out a revised transfer date and supported by a comprehensive risk assessment and detailed plan.

DISCUSSION

A summary of the report was provided which updated CJC members on the progress that had been made to establish the Corporate Joint Committee, which included the transfer of the Growth Deal, its funding and the Portfolio Management Office.

The CJC was reminded of the background and the original decision which was a decision in principle as legislation relating to the CJC continued to develop. It was noted that the work related to the programme plan to identify and mitigate potential risks that may affect the transfer on the 1 November continued. The key legal issues being developed as set out in part 5.2 of the report were mentioned before referring to the challenges that could cause delays.

It was acknowledged that significant progress had been made on most aspects of the project but that the process would take longer than expected and that contingency planning was underway to establish whether certain elements of the transfer could be achieved this year and which would transfer in 2025. It was reiterated that it was a complex change involving the transfer of people to a new corporate body and therefore there was a responsibility to ensure that that body was ready to receive the people and for the working arrangements to be adequate.

The Chair thanked the Interim Chief Executive of the CJC for the comprehensive progress report and thanked her for her patience in the effort to transfer the Growth Deal. It was reported that the Welsh Government was also working incredibly hard to meet the targets. It was hoped to be able to meet the target in terms of the date aimed for, but it was recognised that this could be challenging which was why a revised contingency transfer date was required.

It was noted that the report was clear and detailed the different concerns and various complexities involved in the process of establishing the Corporate Joint Committee.