On 3 June 2025
Cabinet:-
(i)
Approved the adoption of the Economy and Place
Strategy (EPS) at Appendix 1 of the report;
(ii) Approved
the creation of a non-executive Economy and Place Partnership Board to be
chaired by the Deputy Leader: further details and terms of reference are set
out in Appendix 2 of the report;
(iii) Noted
the creation of the officer EPS delivery board and delivery arrangements, which
will be managed by Executive Director of Place, Prosperity and Sustainability
(PPS): further details and terms of reference are set out in Appendix 2 of the
report;
(iv) Accepted
£75,902,277 grant funds devolved to the council from the West Midlands Combined
Authority (WMCA) integrated settlement which includes all related grant funds
for 2025/26 plus retrofit funds which is a 3-year deal;
(v) Accepted
from WMCA £1,860,000 revenue grant funds for 2025/2026 Youth Employment
Trailblazer;
(vi) Accepted
from WMCA £10,000,000 capital grant funds to deliver the Business Energy Advice
Service Energy Efficiency Grant Programme and £1,000,000 revenue grant funds as
a project management and administration fee;
(vii) Accepted
£582,522 capital grant funds for delivering UK Shared Prosperity Fund business
support grant programmes on behalf of Solihull MBC and Shropshire Councils, and
£27,000 revenue grant as a project management and administration fee;
(viii) Approved
the delivery plan at Appendix 3 of the report and the proposed spend for these
following areas and noted that for the spend listed at 3.8.8 of the report
further match funding approvals will be required as part of the business case
to be approved at Cabinet. Decision making will follow the key decision process
and for capital schemes be made via the capital gateway process:
(a) Local growth and place – Business:
UK Shared
Prosperity Fund
(b) Local growth and place -
Community, Place and Skills: UK Shared Prosperity Fund
(c) Local growth and place -
Investment Zone
(d) Local transport – Active Travel Capability Fund
(e) Adult skills - Adult Education
Budget including Free Courses for Jobs
(f) Buildings’
retrofit Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund
(g) Buildings’ retrofit Warm Homes:
Local Grant and including associated procurement
arrangements
(h) Buildings’ retrofit: Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme
(i) Employment support: Connect to
Work
(j) Youth Employment Trailblazer
(k) Business Energy Advice Service
(BEAS) Energy
Efficiency Grant Programme
(l) Business support grant programme
on behalf
of Solihull MBC and Shropshire Council
(ix)
Delegated authority to the Executive Director of
PPS (or their delegate) in consultation with the Director Commercial &
Procurement (or their delegate), the Executive Director of Finance (Section 151
Officer) (or their delegate), and the Director of Law and Governance (or their
delegate) to approve the Procurement Strategy for Warms Homes Local Grant to
the value of £9,186,413 and award of the contract;
(x) Delegated
the administration of the expenditure of the funds accepted (as set out in the
delivery plan at Appendix 3 of the report) to the Executive Director of PPS (or
their delegate) in consultation with the Section 151 officer, relevant chief
officers and portfolio holders, and in accordance with the Council’s financial
regulations;
(xi) Noted
that an annual update will be provided to Cabinet for information, and to
include recommendations for decisions relating the future Economy and Place
Strategy, devolved funds and governance arrangements as needed; and
(xii) Authorised
the Director of Law and Governance (or their delegate) to negotiate, execute,
and complete all necessary documentation to give effect to the above
recommendations.
THE DEADLINE
FOR CALL IN IS 1600 HOURS ON MONDAY 9 JUNE 2025.