Agenda and decisions

To note any apologies for absence.

To receive any declarations of Personal Interest

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the meeting held on 20 September 2024 be signed as a true record.

Dewi Morgan (Host Authority Head of Finance and Statutory Finance Officer) and Sian Pugh (Host Authority Assistant Head of Finance) to present the report.

To approve:

·       'ISA260’ report by Audit Wales in respect of NWEAB.

·       NWEAB’s final Statement of Accounts for 2023/24 (post-audit).

Hedd Vaughan-Evans (Head of Operations) to present the report.

·       To consider and note the Quarter 2 Performance Report and updated Portfolio Risk Register.

·       To approve the submission of the Quarter 2 Performance Report to the Welsh Government and UK Government as well as the local authority scrutiny committees.

Alwen Williams (Portfolio Director and CJC Interim Chief Executive) and Dylan J. Williams (North Wales Councils’ Lead Chief Executive for the Economic Ambition Board) to present the report.

1.     To accept the update on work to establish the North Wales CJC including the transfer of the Growth Deal and progressing on tasks required to carry out the statutory duties of the CJC.

2.     To authorises the Portfolio Director to agree a revised programme and transfer date with the Local Authorities and Higher and Further Education partners within the target date of 31 March 2025.

3.     To approve the extension of the temporary arrangements to release the Portfolio Director's time for two days per week to undertake the Interim Chief Executive role until 31 March 2025 or the transfer date, depending on which comes first.

The Chair shall propose that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the discussions on the following items due to the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

There is an acknowledged public interest in openness in relation to the use of public resources and related financial issues. It is also acknowledged that there are occasions, in order to protect the financial and commercial interests that matters related to such information need to be discussed without being publicised. The reports deal specifically with financial and business matters and related discussions. Publication of such commercially sensitive information could adversely affect the interests of the bodies and the Councils and undermine the confidence of other Growth Deal participants in sharing sensitive information for consideration. This would be contrary to the wider public interest of securing the best overall outcome.

Alwen Williams (Portfolio Director) and Hedd Vaughan-Evans (Head of Operations) to present the report.

1.     To approve the 2024 update of the Portfolio Business Case and its submission to the Welsh Government and UK Government as part of the annual award of funding process.

2.     To request that the Portfolio Director submit all required documentation and change request form to the Welsh and UK Governments as part of the annual award of funding process and delegate to the Portfolio Director, in consultation with the Vice-chair of the North Wales Ambition Board, the Monitoring Officer and the s151 Officer, authority to negotiate with the Welsh Government and UK Government on the timing of the award of funding and to make any minor amendments for either government.

3.     To note the Gateway Review report and request that the Portfolio Director develop an action plan to address the recommendations.

4.     To approve the withdrawal of the Deeside Anaerobic Digestion plant project from the North Wales Growth Deal.

5.     To agree the approach to projects that are at risk of reallocation of funding and ask the Portfolio Director to initiate the process and report to the Board on the main decision points set out in Appendix 5.

6.     To arrange a meeting with relevant Welsh Government and UK Government Ministers, ensuring that additional strategic matters are arranged in advance to provide further certainty in the North Wales Economic Ambition Board Portfolio Business Case.