|
SUMMARY BOARD MINUTES OF THE TWENTY FIRST MEETING
HELD
ON MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2000 AT SEEDA HEADQUARTERS
Members Present
Allan
Willett CMG (Chairman), Professor Clive Booth, Cllr. Ken Bodfish
OBE, Cllr. David Rogers, Cllr. Kevin Wilson, Jim Baker, Cllr.
Kit Oliver, Caroline Williams, Janis Kong, Barry Camfield, Bryan
Davies, Sarah Ward OBE, Russ Nathan CBE, Mary McAnally, Dr Peter
Read
Apologies
for absence
None
Others
in Attendance (for all or part of meeting)
Anthony
Dunnett (Chief Executive, SEEDA), Jeff Alexander (Agency Secretary,
SEEDA), Phil Bailey (SEEDA), Paul Hudson (SEEDA, Director), John
Parsonage (SEEDA, Director), Barrie Giles (SEEDA, Director)
Summary
of Meeting
1.
The Board :-
Welcomed the two new Members (Mary McAnally and Dr Peter Read)
to the SEEDA Board;
Held a first discussion on the emerging "SEEDA Strategy for Business";
Reviewed the latest draft of the SEEDA Accountability Plans;
Received a report on the Chairman's recent activities;
Reviewed recent developments with the Local Learning and Skills
Councils;
Agreed future arrangements for the attendance by the Regional
Assembly and the Government Office for the South East (GO-SE)
at SEEDA Board meetings;
Noted the impact of the recent floods in the South East;
Reviewed and noted SEEDA regeneration investment.
SEEDA
Strategy for Business
2.
Members were reminded that PriceWaterhouseCooper (PWC) had been
asked to produce a report that would inform SEEDA's proposed new
approach to international development. Subsequently, following
the SR2000 announcements it became clear that the international
strategy would need to be a strand within an overarching SEEDA
Strategy for Business. This was because SEEDA now needed to agree
Public Service Agreements with Government which, if targets were
to be met, required active engagement with business.
3.
Therefore work had been proceeding on producing a comprehensive
and holistic SEEDA Strategy for Business. The Strategy was designed
to engage businesses in the South East and ensure that it contributes
to delivering the various Regional Economic Strategy objectives.
4.
Members welcomed the general thrust of the proposed strategy and
its timeliness. They appreciated that implementation of the strategy
would take time and resource would be a key issue. Further work
was now required in the light of the Board discussions.
SEEDA
Accountability Plan
5.
Members had considered earlier drafts of the SEEDA Accountability
Plan at their September Board meeting. At that meeting it was
agreed that the Plans required some reworking and that they should
be agreed by the appropriate lead Board Member who should also
seek to secure the input of the relevant SEEDA Board Committee.
Plans would be considered in detail during Board meetings in January,
February and March.
Chairman's
Review
6.
The Chairman reported on his activities since the previous Board
meeting and raised some issues for discussion. He noted that RDA
Chairs had held a Dinner with the CBI and that RDA Chairs expressed
their thanks for the support given by the CBI to RDAs. The Chairman
had hosted a dinner for the Chairs of the Local Learning and Skills
Councils (LLSCs). The event had been successful and SEEDA will
continue to establish good working relations with the LLSCs. The
Chairman had attended the first meeting of the Thames Gateway
Strategic Partnership which is a Minister-led Group tasked with
ensuring a strategic approach was taken towards Thames Gateway
and that the various organisations involved in Thames Gateway
worked together.
7.
The Chairman noted that he had been pleased to address the Sussex
Association of Local Councils. This proved to be an interesting
meeting providing a useful opportunity or the Chairman to put
the SEEDA message to a largely rural audience.
Learning
and Skills Councils
8.
It was noted that the announcement on the proposed Board membership
of the six LLSCs was expected on 24 November.
9.
There was a brief discussion in regard to whether SEEDA should
organise or co-ordinate an event, on a regional basis, on the
Learning and Skills agenda. The audience would be the Boards of
the LLSCs with their Chief Executives. This issue will be considered
further by the Board.
SEERA/GO-SE
Attendance at SEEDA Board Meetings
10.
It was agreed that the Chair and Chief Executive of the Regional
Assembly, and the Regional Director of GO-SE, would be invited
to attend SEEDA Board meetings three times per annum for all parties
to update and brief on progress and discuss regional and strategic
issues. The Chief Executive of the Regional Assembly and GO-SE
Directors would be invited to attend SEEDA Board on particular
issues on an ad hoc.
11.
This arrangement has been agreed by all parties.
Flooding
12.
Members recognised the severe impact on the region as a result
of the recent floods. It was noted that some local authorities
would be writing to DETR about the funding of infrastructure rehabilitation
after the floods. It was also agreed that the proposed presentation
by the Environment Agency to the Board on their State of the Environment
Report should consider the impact of the recent floods.
Date
of Next Meeting
13.
Thursday 14 December 2000 at SEEDA Headquarters, Guildford.
|
