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SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
MINUTES OF THE 57th BOARD MEETING 13th SEPTEMBER 2004
Sterling House, Exeter
The minutes of the 56th meeting were agreed as a correct record.
Matters Arising:
Regional International Trade Strategy
Brian Kemp reported that the strategy was with the printers and would be distributed within a couple of weeks.
A30/A303 and A358
Geoff Wilkinson informed the Board that the Government now expected to make its response later in the year.
Stakeholder Survey 2004
The Chairman explained that the stakeholder survey was still work in progress and that a report to the Board was expected in November.
The Chairman introduced Stephen Peacock to the Board as the new Director of Enterprise and Innovation.
The Chairman thanked Nick Buckland for deputising for her at key events the previous week. She advised the Board that the Richard Caborn visit, attended by Nick Buckland, Mike Leece and Geoff Wilkinson had gone extremely well.
The Chairman informed the Board that the DTI and RDA had formally accepted Robin Nicoll's resignation. Robin was originally due to leave the Board in December and would not have been eligible to re-apply.
The Chairman explained that she and Geoff Wilkinson would take over the RDA Chair of Chairs responsibility from 1st October 2004. During the next six months both expect to have additional responsibilities and will need to drive through important areas of work such as the finalisation of the Funding Formula Review and the Tasking Framework for RDAs.
The Chairman advised the Board that the RDAs were working on assessments of lead role performances. An overview of the South West RDA's perceived performance would be fed back to the Board once completed.
Jeremy Pope informed the Board that everything was progressing well with the Bournemouth Hotel School. The school would have a well designed foundation course and a 300 room hotel opposite the Bournemouth International Centre. Specific courses focussing on the centre's conference industry would be part of the school's curriculum.
Bournemouth and Poole College was also undergoing a £30-40 million refurbishment which would have a beneficial impact. The 'Hotel School' concept would be launched to businesses in the hospitality sector in February 2005.
Expenditure
Geoffrey Wilkinson outlined that RDA expenditure was running at a higher rate than this time last year. This showed that the RDA was working strategically and committing its resources, but would also have to strengthen its planning processes.
RDA Chief Executives were continuing their discussions on the Funding Formula but no agreement had yet been reached. The RDAs as a group were working with the DTI on updating and refining indicators within the existing formula. Ministers still had to agree to any changes.
Performance Fund
The South West RDA was expecting confirmation from Ministers of an overall 'good' performance rating for 2003/4 and, for the purpose of budgeting, the RDA had assumed an amount of £2.5million would be awarded.
Winkleigh Renewable Energy Plant
Commercial in confidence
Suzanne Bond introduced the item, and Ian Watson then updated the Board on Stage One of the Marketing Campaign. In the light of the success of the campaign to date, the Board was asked to agree interim funding for a further year to extend the current campaign. This would allow time for the full results of Stage One to be measured and an application as to how the campaign should develop for a further three year period would then be presented to the Board during 2005.
Colin Skellett asked what the campaign was doing to support business retention. Ian Watson confirmed that this was an area which was being looked at over the extension year of the current campaign, and with the intention of encouraging businesses to become more positive about their region.
Harry Studholme expressed his support for the campaign but raised concern over losing the definition of what the South West branding was all about. He felt that the campaign would lose resonance if it was attached to certain products and that care needed to be taken with what was being branded. He felt that the Lloyd Maunder advertising on trucks had worked particularly well.
Ian Watson said that the marketing team were working closely with South West Food and Drink to gain a better understanding about how product branding might work and they hoped to be in a position to roll out guidance towards the end of the year. He emphasised that the campaign was not just about location but also about promoting the spirit and attitude of the people of the South West.
Mike Leece was very supportive of the campaign which he felt should continue as an effective communications tool. He felt that the RDA had shown real leadership in the campaign.
Jonathon Porritt queried whether the campaign would require a similar amount of finance for a further 3 years at the end of March 2006. Suzanne Bond agreed that it would be no less than the current rate of funding, especially if the RDA chose to widen the international aspect of the campaign.
Board decision
The Board endorsed the strategic approach of the campaign (measuring additional visitor revenue on the tourism side and positive perception change metrics on the business side) and approved a further one year's funding of £1.44m for the campaign.
Nick Lewis confirmed that the Board's detailed comments on risk management had been recognised and included in Appendix 2 (Top 9/10 risks). KPMG were now leading the agency's work on Risk Management.
Harry Studholme reminded the Board that following a review of the internal audit function, KPMG had replaced PWC as the new internal auditors. He emphasised that Risk Management procedures were already in place but that they would need documenting and co-ordinating in a revised Risk Management Strategy.
Harry Studholme suggested that a carefully worded addition to the list of major risks could be 'changes in government funding schemes and government approach to issues' as previously suggested by Brian Kemp.
Board decision
The Board agreed to add the proposed additional risk item to the Top 10 Risks.
Nick Lewis introduced the Agency's efficiency plan. The plan had been agreed in principle by the DTI and would be sent to OGC to show that the DTI were fulfilling their efficiency gain obligations.
Jonathon Porritt warned against the RDA absorbing a blanket commitment of additional responsibilities without extra resources. He also suggested that the RDA should look to make savings in the area of procurement, especially work with consultants. Nick Lewis agreed that there was a limit to efficiency savings and that the RDA would consider new commitments carefully.
Duncan Hames wanted more emphasis given to discontinuing or scaling back activities, and felt that the RDA should be looking at identifying areas of decreased emphasis in the corporate planning process, otherwise efficiency savings would be difficult to achieve.
Board decision
The Board endorsed the Agency's efficiency plan.
Colin Molton introduced the Compact. Work had been ongoing over a period of 18 months to produce the framework.
Judith Reynolds asked what the future direction of the Compact would be, and whether it would be widened to other partners. Colin Molton confirmed that it would be available to a wide variety of partners and that they could use the Compact when considering their own target framework of activities to try to achieve complementarity.
Board decision
The Board endorsed the framework.
Commercial in confidence
Commercial in confidence
Suzanne Bond tabled a summary of the work undertaken to date, including the meeting of the Corporate Plan Board Sub-Group on 8 September. The key components of the emerging corporate strategy were outlined in the Board paper. Suzanne Bond asked for the Board's agreement on points 1-4 of the tabled paper, the key components of the corporate strategy.
Colin Skellett agreed with the six areas of increased emphasis, but suggested the Board's commitment to the environmental agenda could only be delivered with increased resources.
Brian Kemp suggested that working with partners to bring in other funding was a key skill for the RDA to master in order to ensure maximum added value.
Jonathon Porritt asked for clarification on the purpose of the summary document which he felt should be better aligned to the Regional Economic Strategy. He noted that a summary document would need to describe the whole of the Corporate Plan, not just any areas for increased emphasis.
Jonathon Porritt added that the evolving sector strategy needed to be looked at in relation to the data from the sectors research which would be available in November.
Board decision
The board endorsed the work to date and noted that the wording of the document should be finalised at a future Board Sub-Group meeting.
The Board noted the accounts.
Colin Molton explained that Nigel Costley had been invited to lead a South West delegation to Treasury on Objective One and the future of Structural Funds post 2006, using Cornwall as a case study. Nigel Costley was working with the RDA European team internally as well as with GOSW and a range of partners in Cornwall and would be able to report back to the Board on progress at the November meeting.
Nick Lewis outlined the issues. The Freedom of Information Act would come into effect from 1st January 2005. Staff would be trained to deal with enquiries and requests should be passed to the Knowledge and Information team.
a. Projects Approved
Noted.
b. Executive Reports
Noted.
c. Policy Consultation Reponses
Noted.
d. Summary of Board Advisory Group minutes
Harry Studhome noted that the recent meeting of Board Advisory Chairs had been useful and Chairs had agreed ways of improving communication between the Board and its Advisory Groups.
e. Decisions taken using Urgency Procedures
Noted.
f. Documents Sealed
Noted.
g. Loan Write Offs
Noted
h. Audit Committee minutes
Noted.
i. Remuneration Committee minutes
Noted.
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