Agenda item

Councillor Roger Ramsey, Cabinet Member for Value, introduced the report

Cabinet was informed that the report set out proposals to formally establish a North East London Strategic Alliance (NELSA).  Its objectives were contained within the report and it sought approval for the Council to join the new organisation.  The report also outlined discussions taking place about the wider devolution agenda.

Cabinet was reminded that NELSA came into existence after the dissolution of the North London Strategic Alliance, which had been established in 1999 as the sub-regional strategic partnership for North London. Membership then included Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.  In early 2014, Hackney, Haringey and Islington withdrew and the decision was taken to dissolve the partnership.

The purpose of the NELSA partnership was to develop a clear vision and voice for North East London, to work together to raise awareness of the challenges faced by the North East London boroughs, to lobby to obtain the necessary infrastructure and investment and to pursue shared opportunities.  This new grouping met in July 2014 to discuss options for the way forward.  The potential members all agreed that they would like to pursue this as an option for a strategic partnership. Alongside this, East London Solutions had also been considering how to increase strategic collaboration on economic regeneration.

NELSA was formed as a politically-led strategic partnership, at present consisting of Barking and Dagenham, Enfield, Newham, Redbridge, Waltham Forest and Havering (as an observer to date).  Its main purpose was to lobby for a fair deal for NE London, particularly in terms of ensuring sufficient infrastructure investment to support NE London and to be a strong voice for the sub region.  It had not yet been formally constituted, but discussions on the governing documents were at an advanced stage and alongside this, a legal funding agreement was proposed and the above authorities had been invited to sign up to it (a letter was attached as Appendix 2 to the report), at an annual cost of £10k per authority.  No proposals were yet in place as to how this funding might be used, but it would include promotion of the partnership and commissioning of research as agreed by the proposed Leaders’ and Mayors’ Board.

Reasons for the decision: Were set out in the report.

Other options considered: Not to join NELSA at this stage, which was not recommended for the reasons set out in the report.  To request Observer status at NELSA – this was unlikely to be agreed by the other participating authorities.

Cabinet agreed that the Council become a founder member of NELSA and authorised the Group Director, Communities and Resources to approve and execute membership documentation following consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance.