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SUMMARY BOARD MINUTES
OF THIRTY SECOND MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 13 DECEMBER
2001 AT
SEEDA HEADQUARTERS, GUILDFORD
Members Present
Allan Willett CMG (Chairman), Cllr. Ken Bodfish
OBE (Deputy Chairman), Professor Clive Booth (Deputy Chairman),
Sarah Ward OBE, Cllr. Kit Oliver (OBE), Caroline Williams, Dr
Peter Read CBE, Russ Nathan CBE, Janis Kong, Barry Camfield, Cllr.
Kevin Wilson, Bryan Davies, Jim Baker, Mary McAnally, Cllr. David
Rogers
Apologies for absence
None
Others in Attendance (for all or part of
meeting)
Mark Gibson (DTI, Director General, Business
Competitiveness Group), Anthony Dunnett (Chief Executive), David
Saunders (GO-SE, Regional Director, Item 8), Paul Bevan (Regional
Assembly, Chief Executive, Item 8), Jeff Alexander (Agency Secretary
and Director, Strategy and Corporate Services), Phil Bailey (SEEDA,
Head of Secretariat), Marianne Neville-Rolfe (SEEDA, Director,
Business and International Division, Items 5 and 7), John Parsonage
(SEEDA, Director, Learning and Skills), Paul Hudson (SEEDA, Director,
Regeneration and Infrastructure, Items 6 and 7), Paul Lovejoy
(SEEDA, Head of Strategy, Item 7), Chris Moore (SEEDA, Senior
Development Manager, Item 6)
Summary of Meeting
1. The Board :-
- Noted the Declaration of interests by Members;
- Welcomed Mark Gibson (DTI, Director General,
Business Competitiveness Group) to the meeting;
- Discussed and approved the Enterprise Gateways
Initiative;
- Received an update on Hastings;
- Received a report on the Chairman's recent
activities;
- Considered the core elements of the Corporate
Plan;
- Discussed the Local Government White Paper
and Planning Green Paper with David Saunders and Paul Bevan
- Received an update on the Regional Economic
Strategy Consultation Events;
- Reviewed and noted the Finance Report and
various SEEDA programme investments.
Declaration of Interests
2. No conflict of interest with any of the items
on the agenda were declared by Members.
3. The Chairman asked that it be noted in the
record that he had been appointed Lord Lieutenant of Kent with
effect from 6 January 2002. Therefore it would be necessary for
the Deputy Chairs to take on any matter in regard to Kent if it
was likely it could prove controversial or there was any possibility
of a conflict of interest.
4. The Chairman's statement was noted.
Mark Gibson
5. Mark Gibson attended the first part of the
Board meeting. He congratulated SEEDA on the remarkable progress
it has made during the short time since the Agency was established
He praised initiatives such as the Enterprise Hubs and the high
calibre of SEEDA's staff.
Enterprise Gateways
6. The Board noted that the Enterprise Gateway
proposal involved introducing a modified concept of the Enterprise
Hub model in the more disadvantaged areas of the region. Key features
of Enterprise Hubs would be retained, particularly the availability
of flexible supported workspace and access to business support
services, but the initiative would also address the needs of a
wider and greater variety of companies, including not for profit
companies. Business Links had been involved in the development
of the initiative.
7. The Board endorsed the proposal and agreed
it should be progressed
Hastings - Update
8. The Board noted that Lord Falconer visited
Hastings on 22 November. Work was now progressing on producing
a plan for the necessary actions. There would be public consultation
on the plan.
Chairman's Report
9. The Chairman reported on the following activities:-
Workforce Development
10. The Chairman felt that the recent Workforce
Development Conference and the Reception for key Trade Union people
had been crucial in SEEDA's developing work in workforce development.
The Conference had been addressed by the Chairman, Alan Johnson
(DTI Minister with responsibility for the Regions and employment
relations) and John Monks (TUC General Secretary).
Regional Assembly Plenary meeting - 21 November
2001
11. The Chairman spoke at he Regional Assembly
Plenary meeting which focussed on SEEDA achievements in policy
areas such as regeneration.
Hastings Visit - Lord Falconer - 22 November
2001
12. The Chairman had accompanied Lord Falconer
on his visit to Hastings which had been reported by the Chief
Executive earlier in the meeting.
Sustainable Business Awards - 22 November
2001
13. The Chairman noted that Michael Meacher
had been particularly impressed by SEEDA's work on Sustainable
Development and that the Awards ceremony was the first of its
kind in the country (Mr Meacher had been the keynote speaker at
this event).
SEEDA Advisory Council - 6 December 2001
14. The Chairman reported that he had increased
the membership of the SEEDA Advisory Council.
Meeting with South East Labour MPs - 10 December
2001
15. The Chairman noted that a useful briefing
meeting with the region's Labour MPs.
Corporate Plan 2002/2004
16. The Board recalled that they had previously
considered:-
- the Tier 2 outcome targets which, together
with the RES, form the strategic context of the Plan;
- the broad split of proposed activities, budgets
and outputs;
- the general principles to be applied to the
delivery of the single funding regime;
- a discussion paper on how SEEDA will need
to work with partners to develop and deliver holistic local economic
development programmes.
17. The draft Corporate Plan now brought these
elements together. The draft Plan would be considered by the Regional
Assembly Executive Committee on 14 December and then presented
to Government on 21 December. Wider consultation would follow
on the implementation of the Plan.
18. Members acknowledged that the draft Plan
focussed on activities that required funding but they asked that
the draft Plan also recognised other activities that do not involve
funding. This would include SEEDA's transport role and the general
role of influence within the region and Government.
19. The Board approved the core elements of
the draft Corporate Plan that was being presented to them;
GO-SE/Regional Assembly Liaison
20. The meeting was joined by David Saunders
and Paul Bevan.
Local Government White Paper
21. David Saunders explained that the Government's
objective was to put into place a fresh and constructive relationship
between local authorities and Government. David Saunders believed
that the proposals were positive for local authorities. The Board
noted that the White Paper aimed to bring in new arrangements
for Standard Spending Assessments in 2003/04 and that the White
Paper flagged up the importance of need and costs of delivering
services. The Board also noted that the White Paper confirmed
that the role of local authorities should play a leading role
in setting up and taking forward Local Strategic Partnerships.
Planning Green Paper
22. David Saunders reported that the Planning
Green Paper proposed abolishing the County Structure Plans and
change the nature of Local Plans so that they were simpler and
easier to keep up-to-date. There would also be more powers resting
with the Regional Planning Guidance. The objective was to deliver
a simpler, quicker and more business friendly planning process.
23. Regional Developments Agencies would not
be a statutory consultee but their comments would be sought on
major planning cases and they would be involved in the preparation
of Regional Planning Guidance.
24. Paul Bevan reported that a useful and positive
dialogue was continuing on SEEDA's draft Corporate Plan.
Regional Economic Strategy (RES) - Consultation
Events
25. Jeff Alexander updated the Board. Progress
was being made on the Consultation events. Invitations for the
Chairman's Dinners with business had been issued and responses
were good. The local Economic Partnerships were progressing their
sub-regional local strategies and other work was in hand that
would inform the RES consultation. This included the work by Professor
Huggins on the Knowledge Based Economy and international comparisons
and the Future Think exercise.
Date of Next Meeting
26. Thursday 24 January 2002, at SEEDA Headquarters.
Start time to be 10.30hrs.
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