Committee details

CONSTITUTION OF THE THAMES VALLEY BERKSHIRE CITY DEAL JOINT COMMITTEE

1.1       The Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal Joint Committee (“the Committee”) is constituted as a joint committee of the six Berkshire unitary authorities in accordance with arrangements made under Section 101 (2) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the Local Authorities (Arrangements for the Discharge of Functions)(England) Regulations 2012. 

1.2       The purpose of the Committee will be to take decisions on behalf of the six authorities under the Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal with a view to securing the following outcomes over the 3 years from 1 April 2014:

Employment and Skills Gateway:

·                     To reduce youth unemployment by 50% within 3 years;

·                     To generate 1,300 new employment opportunities for young people including helping 800 sustain work for at least six months;

·                     To develop new approaches to reduce churn in the labour market ensuring 900 young people do not make a repeat claim within 9 months of their last, and increasing the earnings of 450 young people by 10%;

·                     To deliver improvement in existing schemes including 1,500 new work experience placements;

·                     To create 300 additional apprenticeships and 800 new Youth Contract Wage Incentives.

Growth Hub:

·                     To set up a one stop shop web site as the single gateway for Berkshire’s growth businesses, providing access to information, an overview of grants and business support services that are available, and an open innovation platform.

·                     To offer a programme of coaching, advice & training, and ‘account management’ from an experienced team that will assist businesses develop strategies and plans for growth. The Growth Hub will partner with other national offerings such as MAS, UKTI, GrowthAccelerator, TSB, and with the LEP’s Funding Escalator.

·                     To offer a competitive grants programme to directly fund businesses that need between £10k and £40k to develop new products, prove new technologies and get ideas to market.

·                     To develop a business network delivering relevant events and topical activities across Berkshire, to provide knowledge and information exchange for growth businesses.

·                     To be Located at the University of Reading but reaching out across Thames Valley Berkshire through local ‘touch points’.

2          MEMBERSHIP

2.1       The Committee will consist of six members with each of the six Berkshire unitary authorities appointing one member to the Committee plus 6 non-voting co-opted representatives of the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP.  A substitute member may be nominated for each voting and non-voting member of the Committee to deputise when necessary.

2.2       A member appointed to the Committee will hold office until such time as he/she is removed and replaced by his appointing authority or ceases to be a member of the Council by which he was appointed then membership will cease.

3          APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN

3.1       The Committee will, at its annual meeting in each year, appoint a chairman and the chairman will, unless he resigns his office or ceases to be a member of the Committee, continue in office until a successor is appointed at the next annual meeting.  In the event of the Chairman ceasing to be Chairman at any time before an annual meeting, the Committee may elect a member of the Committee to be a temporary Chairman to hold office until a Chairman is elected at the next annual meeting.

3.2       The Committee may, at its annual meeting in each year, appoint a Vice-Chairman and the Vice-Chairman will, unless he resigns his office or ceases to be a member of the Committee, continue in office until a successor is appointed at the next annual meeting.  In the event of the Vice-Chairman ceasing to be a member at any time before an annual meeting, the Committee may elect another member of the Committee to be a temporary Vice-Chairman until a Vice-Chairman is elected at the next annual meeting.

3.3       The Chairman and Vice-Chairman will not be members of the same Council (unless (but only for as long as) the non-availability or unwillingness to serve of any member or members at any relevant time prevents this clause from being observed).

4.         MEETINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

4.1       The first meeting of the Committee will be the annual meeting for the year then current and thereafter the first meeting held after 31 Mayin any year will be the annual meeting.

4.2       At all meetings, the Chairman, if present, will preside.  If the Chairman is not present, the Vice-Chairman, if present, will preside.  If both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman are absent, the meeting may choose a person to preside at that meeting.  Any powers exercisable by the Chairman at a meeting of the Committee will be exercisable by any other person presiding at the meeting in accordance with this clause.

4.3       If there are equal numbers of votes for and against a proposal, the person presiding will have a second or casting vote.  There will be no restriction on how they choose to exercise a casting vote.

4.4       The Committee will hold ordinary meetings at least twice a year (including the annual meeting) except that:

4.4.1    The Chairman may in their discretion cancel any ordinary meeting if in their opinion there is insufficient business to be transacted;

4.4.2    A special meeting may be convened at any time on the requisition of the Chairman or at least two members of the Committee

4.4         The Committee Procedure Rules set out in Bracknell Forest Council’s Constitution will apply (mutatis mutandis) to the proceedings of the Committee.

4.5         The quorum will be three voting members.  In the event that a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Committee within 15 minutes of its notified commencement time the meeting will stand adjourned to a time and place to be determined by the Chairman.

5          FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

5.1       The function of the Committee is to monitor and take decisions in relation to the implementation of the Thames Valley Berkshire City Deal on behalf of the six Berkshire unitary authorities. 

5.2       For the avoidance of doubt, it is agreed that the Committee will not be responsible for making decisions on:

5.2.1    Changes to the policies and targets of the Councils.

5.2.2    The determination of the budget of the Councils regarding the Project.

5.3       The Committee will not be empowered to acquire land or any interest in land.

5.4       The Committee may arrange for work to be carried out directly or on an agency or contract basis by any of the Councils.

6          OFFICERS, STAFF AND ACCOMMODATION

6.1       The proper officer within Bracknell Forest Council being the Head of Democratic & Registration Services will be the Clerk to the Committee and the Section 151 Officer of the Accountable Authority will be the Treasurer to the Committee

6.2       The Borough Solicitor of Bracknell Forest Council will be the Legal Adviser to the Committee.

6.3       The City Deal Project Manager will be directly responsible to the Committee.

6.4       The Committee will secure the provision of (but not employ) such staff, accommodation and other resources as the Committee considers necessary for the discharge of its responsibilities.