Governance information for the LEP

Find out more about the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is governed.

The Combined Authority is the accountable body for the LEP, ensuring all of our decisions and spending is overseen by local elected politicians.

Constitution and procedures

These documents set out, among other things, how we conduct our meetings and business, how decisions are made and recorded, and how the public can get access to information about our work:

Assurance Framework

The joint Assurance Framework for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Combined Authority) and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) sets out the arrangements that the Combined Authority and the LEP have in place to ensure that public money is managed effectively.  It explains how the Combined Authority and the LEP identify, appraise, and evaluate schemes to achieve value for money.

Assurance Framework

The Assurance Framework has been prepared in accordance with HM Government's National Local Growth Assurance Framework.

The LEP Chair and the LEP Chief Executive have provided an assurance statement setting out their commitment to high standards of governance and transparency.

Code of Conduct and Conflicts of Interest

LEP Board Members

On appointment LEP Board Members are required to sign up to our Code of Conduct which sets out the conduct expected of members and includes procedures for how they must declare and register any commercial or other interests.

LEP Board Members are also required to complete, and keep up to date, a register of interests.

The LEP Board Members' Code of Conduct requires that any offer of a gift or hospitality received as a result of membership of the LEP Board is recorded. 

Officers

All Officers of the Combined Authority are required to comply with a Code of Conduct. As part of the LEP’s governance arrangements, senior officers and officers involved in advising on LEP decisions are also required to confirm that they will have regard to the following principles – selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership in their conduct at all times and that they will comply with the Combined Authority’s Code of Conduct for Officers and Gifts and Hospitality Policy and Procedure.

Officers of the LEP are also required to complete a separate register of interests and to review this every six months. These are reviewed by the LEP Chief Executive and the Section 73 Officer and held by the Combined Authority. Government requires that the register of interests of the LEP Chief Executive is published.

Conflicts of Interest

The LEP and Combined Authority have adopted a Conflicts of Interest Policy and Conflicts of Interest Protocol which set out the process which the LEP and the Combined Authority follow to demonstrate that applications from businesses for loans or grants are dealt with in an impartial, fair and transparent way. The policy applies to members and officers and include requirements to register and declare interests.

The AEB Conflicts of Interests Policy sets out the process to be followed by members and officers in relation to any decision to be taken in relation to Adult Education.

You can download these documents.

Complaints, Whistleblowing and Freedom of Information requests 

We have put in place arrangements for dealing with complaints and concerns. 

The following procedures include arrangements for making complaints, a separate complaints procedure for dealing with confidential complaints, a whistleblowing policy, the Combined Authority’s complaints policy and policy for dealing with requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

Recruitment procedure for private sector representatives

The LEP Board appoints its private sector representatives, including the Chair, in accordance with open recruitment processes which are set out in the LEP recruitment procedure (which also covers engagement with the business community in relation to the appointment of the LEP Chair, succession planning and induction arrangements for private sector representatives).  The Recruitment Procedure can be downloaded here.

Board members' remuneration and expenses

The following document sets out arrangements for LEP Board members’ expenses. 

A summary of remuneration and expenses paid to LEP Board members can be found here:

Equality and diversity

The LEP is committed to achieving diversity and promoting equality of opportunity and does all it can to ensure that no member of the public, service user, contractor or staff member working within a partner organisation will be unlawfully discriminated against. 

The LEP Board will be appointing a new Diversity Champion at its meeting on 21st September.

You can also read the LEP Equality and Diversity Policy including Statement

SME Champion

The LEP board have appointed Mandy Ridyard, LEP Board member, as SME Champion.

Written record of decisions taken on behalf of the LEP

Written Record – Decision Date 30 April 2019 – Decision: to approve the Conflicts of Interests Policy and Protocol

Written Record - Decision Date 1 April 2020 - Decisions made at Conference Meeting on 1 April 2020

 

LEP Integration Plan

Following publication of the Levelling Up White Paper, the government is encouraging the integration of LEPs into mayoral combined authorities (MCAs). In Leeds City Region, the process of integration planning will be led by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority working in close partnership with the LEP.

Under our integration plans, the LEP will be a non-statutory partnership body driving inclusive growth and improving productivity. It will become the primary business advisory board to the Mayor and the MCA and will provide strategy and policy advice to meet the current and future needs of the region’s economy. The focus of the LEP Board will be provide a private sector voice to the decisions of the Combined Authority specifically relating to economy, productivity, trade and investment, inclusive growth and employment and skills.

Mark Roberts is acting LEP Chair during the integration process. Once Leeds City Region’s integration plan has been approved by government, recruitment for a permanent LEP Chair will be undertaken.

LEP annual performance review

In the 2021/22 Annual Performance Review, the LEP met all requirements from Government across the themes of Governance, Strategic Impact and Delivery.