Purpose

To ratify the West Midlands Trailblazer Deeper
Devolution Deal

Content

That Cabinet:
1.   
Endorse the West Midlands Combined Authority
Trailblazer Deeper Devolution Deal (appendix 1) following the
conclusion of negotiations between the West Midlands Combined
Authority and government.
 
2.   
Consider the prepared Governance Review (appendix 2) and Scheme
(appendix 3) outlining the proposed model for Mayoral West Midlands
Combined Authority governance of the Bus Service Operators Grant
subsidy, and feedback to West Midlands Combined Authority
Board.
 
3.   
Approve the implementation plan (appendix 4) for the
deal and agree to further discussions with Government.
 
4.   
Agree to receive further reports at the appropriate
time resulting from the detailed requirements of the
deal.
 
The Cabinet notes:
1.   
The contents of the deal and recognises that it
contains a number of commitments to further devolution with the
potential for significant further steps.
 
2.   
That at a meeting of the West Midlands Combined
Authority Board on the 9 June 2023 it was agreed not to pursue the
statutory process to provide West Midlands Combined Authority with
the ‘health improvement duty’ offered as part of the
deal. The health improvement duty, therefore, would not form a part
of the deal.
 
3.   
That the report would be considered by Scrutiny
Board on 26 September 2023.