Agenda and decisions

To receive 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 Chair for consideration.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th March, 2022 be signed as a true record.

Report by Dewi Morgan (Statutory Finance Officer)

1.       To note and accept the NWEAB’s revenue out-turn report for 2021/22 (Appendix 1 to the report) and the Capital End of Year Review as at March 2022 (Appendix 3).

2.       To approve the opening of two new reserves as well as the transfers to reserves as detailed in Appendix 2.

3.       To delegate the authority to the Portfolio Director, in consultation with the Chair of the Board, or in his/her absence, the Vice-chair, and the Statutory Finance Officer, to approve expenditure from the Projects reserve in 2022/23.

Report by Hedd Vaughan-Evans  (Operations Manager)

1.       To note the Quarter 4 Performance Report and updated Portfolio Risk Register.

2.       To approve the submission of the Quarter 4 Performance Report to Welsh Government and UK Government as well as the local authority scrutiny committees, whilst also noting that the Board is concerned about the increasing costs and risks facing the delivery of the Growth Deal and that, as a result of these concerns, it will have further discussions at its next meeting and, in the meantime, will consider mitigating steps, which will include discussions at a national level.

Report by Henry Aron (Energy Programme Manager)

1.       To approve the preferred way forward for the project.

2.       To authorise the Portfolio Director, in consultation with the Programme Board, to prepare and issue a Prior Information Notice in accordance with the report.

The Chairman shall propose that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion 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 deals specifically with financial and business matter 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.

Report to be circulated to Board members only.

1.       To approve the Outline Business Case for the Enterprise Engineering & Optics Centre project and, subject to Welsh and UK Government approval of the assurance process undertaken, Wrexham Glyndŵr University (WGU) addressing the matters set out in the report, as set out in Section 7 request that a Full Business Case is prepared for the Board to consider following the completion of the procurement process and the consenting process.

2.    To note that approval of the OBC will act as approval of the change request in relation to match funding from Wrexham Glyndwr University.  As a result of approving recommendation 1, to note that there is a requirement to notify Welsh and UK Government of the change agreed.

3.    To accept the recommendation of the Portfolio Management Office and the Portfolio Board that any future approval of the Full Business Case be conditional upon Wrexham Glyndŵr University still delivering the original scope of the project and directly investing the same total amount in North Wales as was originally agreed even though it cannot be accounted for as part of this Growth Deal project.

4.    To delegate to the Portfolio Director final approval of the procurement specification and social value criteria prior to the project sponsor commencing procurement.

5.    To note that the final funding arrangements for the project which will form the basis of the Grant Offer Letter will be agreed at the Full Business Case stage and authorise the Portfolio Director, in consultation with the Host Authority Section 151 Officer and Monitoring Officer, to agree draft terms for approval by the Board.