Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive

Decisions:

1.              That the reports of the UK/ Welsh Government and the Joint Committee internal reviews plus the analysis of the issues set out in Section B to the circulated report, be accepted;

2.              that officers pursue a revised/remodelled business case as set out in Section C to the circulated report, and that business case be submitted to Cabinet and the Joint Committee for approval as soon as possible;

3.              that the Leader of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council be granted delegated authority, in consultation with the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members for Finance and Regeneration & Sustainable Development and the Leaders of the Opposition groups^[1], to determine the Council’s future participation in the City Deal and, if determined appropriate, to serve a notice of withdrawal from the Joint Working Agreement (as identified in paragraphs 35-39 of the circulated report);

4.              that authority be delegated to the Chief Executive of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Head of Legal Services, in consultation with the Leader of Council, to agree changes to the Joint Working Agreement as they relate to governance and ancillary matters only with the objective of making early progress on project delivery (Note: for the avoidance of doubt, this proposal would not apply to any material change to the Council’s legal and financial obligations under the extant Joint Working Agreement, which is reserved for Member decision as required);

5.              that the circulated report be referred to Council for further discussion as seen fit.

Reason for Decisions:

To invite Members to provide direction on the conduct of further discussions on the City Deal and determine whether the Council should continue to participate in the absence of short to medium term progress.

Implementation of Decisions:

The decisions will be implemented after the three day call in period.