The Portfolio Holder for Highways and Transport considered a report by the Director of Commissioning on West Midlands Rail devolution.

RESOLVED:

i)          That the proposed governance arrangements be approved as set out in this report for the development and oversight of the WMR Ltd, established as a company limited by guarantee with a Board of Directors appointed from each of the constituent partner authorities for the purpose of providing local democratic strategic guidance for the specification of the new West Midlands rail franchise being let by the Department for Transport (DfT) during 2017.

ii)         That Shropshire Council joiningWMR Ltd as a member be approved.

iii)       That the appointment by the Council of Cllr Keith Barrowas a principal director on the Board of WMR Ltd and Cllr Simon Jonesas his substitute director on that Board be approved.

iv)       That the Corporate Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Solicitor to the Council be authorised to agree and enter into or execute such documents as are necessary to give effect to these decisions.

v)         That the intention be noted that WMR Ltd will in due course enter into a formal partnership agreement with the DfT that will set out the rights and obligations of WMR Ltd in relation to the award of the new West Midlands Rail Franchise and related matters and that:

a)        that agreement will require approval by a 75% vote of WMR Ltd’s members and will be the subject of a future report to Cabinet; and

b)        any WMR Ltd member may resign its membership of WMR Ltd at any time, including where the member does not approve the terms of any such agreement.