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SUMMARY
BOARD MINUTES OF THE NINETEENTH MEETING
HELD
ON THURSDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2000
AT TEACHERS TRAINING AGENCY, LONDON
Members
Present
Allan
Willett CMG (Chairman), Professor Clive Booth, Cllr. Ken Bodfish
OBE, Cllr. David Rogers, Cllr. Kevin Wilson, Russ Nathan CBE,
Jim Baker, Cllr. Kit Oliver, Caroline Williams, Janis Kong, Barry
Camfield
Apologies
for absence
Bryan
Davies, Sarah Ward OBE,
Others
in Attendance (for all or part of meeting)
Anthony
Dunnett (Chief Executive, SEEDA), Jeff Alexander (Agency Secretary,
SEEDA), Phil Bailey (SEEDA), Barrie Giles (SEEDA, Director Enterprise),
Greg Ward (SEEDA Project Manager, Enterprise Hubs)
Summary
of Meeting
1.
The Board :-
Agreed that SEEDA would recognise and support the five Enterprise
Hubs that had been submitted to the Board;
Agreed a process for taking forward the development of the SEEDA
Accountability Plan which recorded progress on implementing the
key objectives of the Regional Economic Strategy;
Received a report on the Chairman's recent activities
Reviewed SEEDA's position on setting up a Regional Venture Fund;
Reviewed progress on the development of an International Strategy
for SEEDA;
Noted that South East England House had been opened by Neil Kinnock,
European Vice-President, on 12 September and that the draft Regional
European Strategy had been launched at the same event;
Noted the recent Spending Review 2000 announcement.
Reviewed and noted SEEDA regeneration investment.
Enterprise
Hubs
2.
A sub-group had been set up to examine Enterprise Hub bids and
make recommendations on the four Enterprise Hub bids now being
submitted to the Board. Bids were seeking SEEDA recognition and
support and had secured the approval of the sub-group.
3.
The following hub proposals were agreed for recognition and
support from SEEDA:-
Brighton and Hove
Isle of Wight
North Oxfordshire
Southampton
4.
The Board recalled that the New Greenham Common Enterprise Hub
proposal (now known as Newbury) had been approved at a previous
meeting, subject to conditions. It was agreed that this Enterprise
Hub be approved.
SEEDA
Accountability Plan (SAP)
5.
The Board discussed how best to progress this issue. Members
were anxious that SEEDA secured ownership of the SAP from local
partners and the RES-related Board Committees. It was recognised
that consultation had been taking place with the Economic Partnerships
as the plans were being developed.
6.
It was agreed therefore that Board Committee Chairs would now
seek further input from their respective Committees. The plans
would then be presented, by the relevant Executive Director,
to the Board, on a phased basis, during January, February and
March with the aim of securing Board approval of all plans by
1 April 2001.
International
Strategy
7.
The Board were informed that a Consultancy firm were undertaking
an extensive review of SEEDA's international activities, particularly
Inward Investment. The report would look at issues such as regional
partner activities, aftercare and current marketing policies
and make recommendations to SEEDA. It was noted that the Economic
Partnerships had welcomed news of this study and SEEDA taking
the initiative.
Regional
Venture Fund
8.
Members took the opportunity to review SEEDA's current position
and policy on setting up a regional venture fund. They noted
that the Department of Trade and Industry had not yet been able
to obtain European Commission approval to their Enterprise Fund
and that approval was not likely to be forthcoming for some
time.
9.
It was agreed that SEEDA still wants to establish a Regional
Venture Fund but that it needs Government support which cannot
yet, because of difficulties in obtaining European Commission
approval, be delivered. Therefore SEEDA is considering its options.
South
East England House
10.
The Chairman and Members congratulated all those involved in
organising and preparing the opening of South East House. The
event had been very well attended, allowing significant networking
to take place, and was successful in raising the profile of
the South East within the Brussels community. The draft Regional
European Strategy had been launched at the opening ceremony.
Spending
Review 2000
11.
The Board noted that the Government's had very positive outcomes
for RDAs in terms of recognition of their role as lead regional
bodies for promoting economic development, increased funding
and increased flexibilities (from April 2001) to deploy this
funding in ways which best met the needs of the region.
Date
of Next Meeting
12.
Thursday 12 October 2000 at SEEDA Headquarters, Guildford.
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