WLEP Mid-Year Review – 2019/20 FAR Committee 3 September 2019

Context BEIS have outlined plans for Mid-Year Reviews to complement the Annual Performance Review process HMG guidance has now been finalised and issued HMG are looking for the Mid-year reviews to be as light touch as possible but to still cover the 3 main areas of Strategy, Governance and Delivery. HMG won’t be providing indicative ratings at mid-year, although may provide less formal feedback WLEP mid-year review is scheduled – 11 Sept

Areas to Be Covered GOVERNANCE 2018/19: APR Letter and Action Points LEP Review implementation progress WLEP Scrutiny arrangements STRATEGY LIS Progress / SEP Refresh / Inward Investment DELIVERY 2019/20: WLEP Annual Delivery Plan 2018/19 Local Growth Fund Delivery Data

GOVERNANCE

Completion Target Date Completion Target Date 2018/19 APR Actions Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 1 LEP to detail proposals for new approach to business engagement through refreshed Business Board and other mechanisms by April 2019 WLEP End of July 2019 Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 2 LEP to address distributional concerns across the county as part of the LIS development and consultation process – through 2019. WLEP Ongoing during 2019

Completion Target Date Completion Target Date 2018/19 APR Actions Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 3 BEIS / CLGU to join Programme Review Board for the 5G project from March 2019 WLEP By March 2019 March 2019 Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 4 The LEP to do more post implementation reviews on projects – to ensure lessons are fed back into future programme and to wider partners WLEP Ongoing during 2019

Completion Target Date Completion Target Date 2018/19 APR Actions Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 5 CLGU recommended that a Programme Delivery Sub-Board structure or similar, which reviews all LEP funded projects and considers the future project pipeline, be put in place for 2019/20 financial year WLEP To be completed during 2019/20 March 2019 Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 6 LEP to do further work to update and review the project pipeline during 2019 WLEP Ongoing during 2019

Completion Target Date Completion Target Date 2018/19 APR Actions Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 7 LEP to use capacity funding to best effect to support LIS development during 2019 and to put in place a LIS Programme Board in 2019 to deliver this important piece of work WLEP Ongoing during 2019 March 2019 Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 8 CLGU Area Director to take forward issue on release of remaining funding within CLGU CLGU Area Director By mid-March 2019 at latest

Completion Target Date Completion Target Date 2018/19 APR Actions Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 9 LEP to ensure maximum use is made of Growth Hub intelligence and ensure that the LEP Board is updated on its activities WLEP Ongoing March 2019 Action # Action Point Owner Completion Target Date Date Completed Status 10 LEP to ensure that opportunities for collaboration with other LEPs are explored as part of LIS development, particularly on agritech, medtech as well as their continued work on 5G / cyber WLEP Ongoing

Completed and published LEP Review GEOGRAPHY Unresolved ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status We expect all Local Enterprise Partnerships will follow best practice within the sector and produce an annual delivery plan and end of year report. April 2019 Completed and published

LEP Review LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status Government expects that each Local Enterprise Partnership consults widely and transparently with the business community before appointing a new Chair, and appoints a Deputy Chair. 28 February 2019 This is included as part of WLEP’s LAF which has been approved by FAR Committee and WLEP Board Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status In line with best practice in the private sector, Local Enterprise Partnerships will want to introduce defined term limits for Chairs and Deputy Chairs where these are not currently in place. 28 February 2019 Also included as part of WLEP’s LAF which has been approved by FAR Committee and WLEP Board

By end of 2019/20 financial year LEP Review LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status Government’s aspiration is that Local Enterprise Partnerships work towards strengthening the representation from the private sector, increasing representatives from the private sector so that they form at least two thirds of the board, to ensure that each Local Enterprise Partnership can truly be said to be business-led. In order to maintain focused board direction and input, Government will work with Local Enterprise Partnerships to establish a maximum permanent board of 20 people, with the option to co-opt an additional five board members with specialist knowledge on a one year basis. By end of 2019/20 financial year WLEP undertook recruitment exercise in early 2019 to increase private sector representation. WLEP Board now comprises a total of 14 members with 10 from the private sector (71%)

LEP Review LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status Government expects refreshed Local Enterprise Partnership boards to improve their gender balance and representation of those with protected characteristics. Our aim is for Local Enterprise Partnership boards to have equal representation of men and women by 2023. As a step towards achieving this, we will replicate the target set in the Hampton-Alexander Review for FTSE 350 boards; Local Enterprise Partnerships should aim for a minimum of a third women’s representation on their boards by 2020. One third women by end of 2019/20 financial year Equal representation of men and women by end of 2022/23 financial year Target for end of 2019/20 is 5 (4.66 is 33% of 14) women represented on board Current number is 2 Number reduced following local election changes WLEP plan to do further recruitment in 2019 to address this recommendation

LEP Review LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status Local Enterprise Partnerships will need to provide a secretariat independent of local government to support the Chair and board in decision making. LEPs to outline timeline WLEP Executive Team are independent of local government Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status Government will support all Local Enterprise Partnerships to have a legal personality. By April 2019 WLEP are registered as a company limited by guarantee (operating in dormancy)

First AGM to be held in 2019/20 financial year LEP Review ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status Local Enterprise Partnerships will want to identify a single Accountable Body within in each area that is responsible for all Local Enterprise Partnership funding. By Spring 2020 WLEP have single accountable body arrangements in operation with Worcestershire County Council Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status As legal entities, all Local Enterprise Partnerships will be required to hold an annual general meeting. We will set an expectation that these are open to the public and businesses to attend and properly promoted. First AGM to be held in 2019/20 financial year Date not yet set, however opportunity to link to WLEP Annual Conference or LIS Business Engagement event

LEP Review ACCOUNTABILITY AND PERFORMANCE Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status We will expect all Local Enterprise Partnerships to set out exactly who is accountable for spending decisions, appointments, and overall governance locally. To be put in place for the 2019/20 financial year This is included as part of WLEP’s LAF which has been approved by FAR Committee and WLEP Board Recommendation Deadline Progress RAG Status The Government will support Local Enterprise Partnerships to set out how they will ensure external scrutiny and expert oversight, including participating in relevant local authority scrutiny panel enquiries to ensure effective and appropriate democratic scrutiny of their investment decisions. LEPs to outline plans for how to comply WLEP have had arrangements in place with Accountable Body for over 18 months. WLEP have twice presented to OSPB

WLEP Queries for HMG GOVERNANCE Geography overlaps – proposed next steps? PAC Report – HMG response? LEP Delivery Plan feedback – future focus? What is expectation of AGM from HMG? STRATEGY LIS Timelines – acceleration request from HMG expected? DELIVERY Additional capacity funding for WLEP? UKSPF details / timeline? Any grapevine rumours on funding opps post-Brexit?

“To build a connected, creative, dynamic economy that delivers increased prosperity for all those who choose to live, work, visit and invest in Worcestershire.” Contact: luke.willetts@wlep.co.uk Director of Operations Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership