Update on Natural Environment WMCA workstream Natural Capital Roundtable Birmingham 19 March 2018 Dr Simon Slater, Associate Director Sustainability West Midlands, (Interim Head of Environment WMCA) s.slater@swm.org.uk
The West Midlands Combined Authority Role Focus: local economic growth and public sector efficiency Core members: Black County, Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry councils (7), and others joining within wider 3 LEP reach, and still growing Powers and funding: devolved areas of transport, housing, skills. 8bn 30 year programme (90% HS2, transport, public estate) Elected Mayor: May 4 2017 for 3 years Andy Street, voted by electorate within 7 council area. Chairs cabinet of representatives from elected local councils www.wmca.org.uk Strategy: Single Economic Plan and supporting programmes. Also Midlands Engine - WM & EM transport, research and inward investment focused initiative, and still growing.
WMCA Direct Levers of Influence Governance & Operations Strategy and Policy Programmes (& Budgets) Key Sites (& WMCA contribution) Mayor and Board Portfolios Environment, Wellbeing & HS2, Economic Growth, Housing and Land, Skills and Productivity, Cohesion & Integration & Public Service Reform, Transport, Finance & Investments. Mayors Renewal Plan Jan 2017 Transport for West Midlands WMCA transport arm for delivery of local buses, metro, rail, stations services. (121m 2017/18) WMCA Operational Budget Staffing etc (4m 2017/18) Board/Committees Audit/Risk, Investment, Scrutiny, Public Services Reform, Transport Delivery, Wellbeing, Housing and Land Deliveery Staff awareness and specific training Communications internal and external Estate management facilities and staff travel Procurement social value policy Nov 207 Investment system assessment, decision support, required outputs and monitoring Building standards required by funding Economic Strategic Economic Plan & Performance Management Framework June 2016 WM Science and Innovation Audit June 2017 Productivity and Skills Commission launched April 2017 Land Commission Land Action Plan Feb 2017 WMCA Investment Prospectus 50 plus sites June 2016 WM Local Industrial Strategy - Expected end of 2019? Transport Movement for Growth and 10 Year Delivery Plan June 2016 Cycling Charter Aug 2016 WM Low Emissions Delivery Plan July 2016 Environment WMCA Environment Priorities Sept 2017 WMCA Environment Strategy 2014 rebranded internal focused centro one. Regional Energy Strategy Expected March 2018 Health WMCA West Midlands on the Move Physical activity Nov 2017 Mental Health Commission - Action Plan launched Jan 2017 Other Leadership Commission launched 2017 Sources are wmca.org.uk website (last accessed 7/2/18) and WMCA 2017/18 Annual Plan Transport programmes road, rail, metro investment, HS2 links, delivered by TfWM and others (HS2 Growth Package 4.4 Billion Local Transport 1.7 Billion, Enterprise Zone expansion 20m) Housing Programme supporting key sites ( 500m) Land Remediation Programme -focus on sites in Black Country ( 200m) Employment and Skills Programme still being developed ( 30m) Public Service Reform - early years intervention, estates, finances etc (Real Estate 1.1 Billion) West Midlands Growth Company - Foreign investment, tourism, business support WM Innovation Alliance - Centre for Demonstration of Intelligent Systems Energy, Buildings, Health ( 50m) Energy Capital Regional Energy Commission on Energy Innovation Zones ( 0.2m) Black Country LEP Wolverhampton Station Interchange - station improvements, offices, retail, leisure by 2019 Wolverhampton, Dudley, Birmingham, Solihull Metro extension by 2026 ( 1.1billion) Dudley Enterprise Zone High Tech Manufacturing Hub Wolverhampton and Walsall Enterprise Zone i54 Environmental, Automotive, Aerospace Black Country Garden City Housing and Green infrastructure across area Birmingham and Solihull LEP Birmingham Curzon Street HS2 -Station, Homes, Commercial Space by 2026 ( 1 billion) Solihull UK Central HS2 (Station, Homes, Commercial Space) by 2026 East Birmingham and North Solihull Regeneration (Homes, Commercial Space, Transport) in scoping Birmingham Greater Icknield and Smethwick Housing Cannock Kingswood Industrial Park Coventry and Warwickshire LEP Coventry Friargate - offices, retail by 2022 ( 200m) Coventry & UK Central corridor - commercial, homes, transport by 2026 ( 400m)
SWM Role Our Role WMCA Sustainability Delivery Partner Since January 2016 SWM has been delivering a range of support programmes for the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as the Government recognised regional sustainability champion body and the WMCA sustainability delivery partner The Independent Sustainability Commission and Advisor (SWM Board) Stakeholder Management and Communications The WMCA Environment Delivery Board and Action Plan Strategy Development and Monitoring for the WMCA Good Practice Benchmarking for the WMCA Programme Development in Energy, Innovation, Green Finance and Business Support, Natural Capital, and Air Quality Monthly updates via SWM newsletter and dedicated webpage http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/about-us/west-midlands-combinedauthority-sustainability-support-programme/
http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/resources/uk-clean-growth-strategyindustrial-strategy-and-wm-devolution-deal-opportunities-for-wm-local-industrialstrategies/ Progress since July 2017 July 2017 Mayor agrees creation of Environment Portfolio Role on the WMCA Board Cllr Patrick Harley, Leader of Dudley Council September WMCA Board and Mayor agree Environmental Priorities of Portfolio based on SWM recommendations includes: Commitment to improve performance to become best in class Environment Delivery Board to lead workstreams where WMCA could add value http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/resources/wmca-environmentalpriorities/ October 2017 New Devolution deal for WMCA includes: Regional Energy Commission and Strategy Commitment to produce new Local Industrial Strategy to reflect Clean Growth and Industrial Strategy priorities.
Progress Update November 8 2017 Following SWM Board recommendations WMCA Environment Portfolio Holder agreed: Scope and role of Environment Delivery Board reporting and action focused Members to initially invite to reflect existing activity and coordination Jan Britton, CEO Sandwell and Patrick White WMCA Director of Industrial Strategy appointed to be lead WMCA officers supporting Portfolio holder and SWM Focus initially in year 1 on a few of the 10 workstreams to include Air quality and the economic opportunities of electrification After SWM Board input and further discussion other early priorities included Natural Environment, Green Business, Green Buildings, Energy and the internal operations and reporting of the WMCA http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/resources/11482/
Progress Update November 28 2017- annual conference with Mayor and Climate Change Committee Commitment from Mayor to come back next year and report progress and also look at need of joining up different activities to become more sustainable Stakeholders comments used to help draft WMCA Environment Delivery Board workstream ideas. http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/resources/swm-annual-conferencedelivering-the-west-midlands-combined-authority-sustainability-priorities-281117/
Progress Update January 2018 onwards Publication of 25 year Environment Plan http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/resources/25-year-environmentplan/ WMCA Director Patrick White, on behalf of WMCA leadership team confirm SWM support programme for 2018 SWM to provide Interim Head of Environment role & temporary secretariat role for the Environment Delivery Board First meeting of Environment Delivery Board to happen after local elections in May for workstream leads to report progress. Next Steps SWM developing workstreams with evidence and input from conference, stakeholders and workstream leads to agree and progress SWM meetings with workstream leads and WMCA Director Patrick White to ensure alignment with WMCA internal activities and WM Local Industrial Strategy
What would a Natural Environment WorkstreamLook like? Natural Environment has been chosen as one of the priority work streams. The Chair of the workstream is Georgia Stokes, option of a Deputy, advised by the existing Natural Capital Roundtable. SWM would help support progress through secretariat of the Environment Delivery Board and coordinating - progress reports, policy input, internal and external communications, and joint events. At quarterly Environment Delivery Board meetings chaired by the WMCA Portfolio holder. The workstream lead would: Report progress to a 2 Year Action Plan with year 1 quick win actions, year 2 building longer-term business cases. Coordinate with other Environment Board workstreams in promoting good practice and seeking to influence and integrate across all WMCA activities. Provide a constructive challenge function by feeding into annual independent progress reports to the WMCA by SWM.
What would a Natural Environment WorkstreamLook like? Natural Environment Workstream would have a 2 Year Action Plan to fit with the remaining term of the Mayor and focus on getting the foundations and momentum right. With year 1 quick win actions, year 2 building longer-term business cases. Actions types 1. Internal WMCA operations and influence on partners e.g. WMCA project and monitoring system, key sites 2. Scaling up existing good practice from partners e.g. improved coordination and communication, events around improving natural environment on key sites 3. Innovation once stages 1 & 2 complete where can working on regional level add value e.g. 25 year plan locally & natural capital return on investment model
Developing the action plan Ideas to date from conference, research, and Natural Capital roundtable Internal WMCA operations and influence on partners Use experience of HS2 work to build simple criteria into project funding, building and monitoring Build capacity and resources within WMCA and partners to use system to deliver include challenge and reporting from key programmes and sites Scaling up existing good practice from partners Agree demonstrators with a selection of key sites e.g. UK Central Build support from other local stakeholders with expertise to roll out existing Green Infrastructure support tool to WMCA benchmarking good practice event? State of Environment report for WMCA area with stakeholder event to offer constructive challenge and support. Engage partners in local industrial strategy Innovation once stages 1 & 2 complete where can working on regional level add value Develop response to 25 year Environment Plan locally and agree WMCA support Explore Natural Investment group to attract and coordinate investment e.g. National Grid, EA, Severn Trent etc
For more information Monthly updates on overall WMCA support programme via SWM newsletter and dedicated webpage http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/work-with-us/subscribe/ http://www.sustainabilitywestmidlands.org.uk/about-us/west-midlands-combinedauthority-sustainability-support-programme/ Or contact the below (please note these roles are part-time or voluntary therefore there will be a delay in any response) Interim Secretariat of the WMCA Environment Delivery Board DrSimon Slater, Associate Director, SWM s.slater@swm.org.uk WMCA Natural Environment Workstream Chair and member of the WMCA Environment Delivery Board Georgia Stokes, Chief Executive of the Birmingham and Blackcountry Wildlife Trust Georgia.S@bbcwildlife.org.uk