Minutes of the Board Meeting held On Friday, 8 October 2004 At
Renaissance House, Warrington
Present:
Bryan Gray (Chairman)
Martin Harris
Pauleen Lane
Anil Ruia
Brenda Smith
Mike Storey
Maureen Williams
Joe Dwek CBE
John Dunning
Robert Johnston
Neville Chamberlain
Dave McCall
Richard Leese
Also Present:
Steven Broomhead
Bernice Law (Secretary)
Keith Barnes, GONW
Ian Haythornthwaite (60/06)
Helen France (60/04)
Peter White (60/04)
Rob Smith ODPM (60/00,60/01,60/02,60/03,60/04)
61/00 Presentation: North West Tourism Forum
Felicity Goodey, Chair of Tourism Forum and James Berresford, Head
of Tourism gave a presentation on the Regional Tourism
Priorities. They emphasised that their focus is on the
delivery of the Tourism Strategy with marketing as key, but the
quality of our North West offer being the driver..Presentation:
Liverpool WaterfrontJim Gill, Liverpool Vision gave a presentation
on Liverpool City Centre Waterfront as an International Visitor
destination. The presentation provided the context for
current and future NWDA investment in the City Centre
Waterfront.
61/01 Introduction and apologies for
absence
Apologies for absence were received from
Marie Rimmer and Denis Mendoras.
61/02 Minutes of the meeting held on 10 September
2004
These were approved as a correct record.
61/03 Action points from last meeting and matters
arising
There were no matters arising.
61/04 Sub regional partnerships:
discussion
Helen France gave a presentation on Sub Regional Partnerships which
included the principles to test the viability of sub regional
arrangements and which gave an update on progress to date.The Board
discussed options for the Agency’s engagement with SRP’s,
which were considered against the following key
issues:-
· Democracy
· Strategy
· Delivery
· Benefits and Risks
· Implications for the NWDA and Area Offices
After discussion, the Board gave broad agreement to Option 2 as the
direction they wished to move forward on; that SRP’s should provide
strategic plans and focus for their sub regions, but with
minimal financial delegations from the Agency.
In giving this broad steer, the Board emphasised the following
points which need to be addressed as this issue moves
forward:-
· The NWDA will retain accountability for its financial
resources.
· That the Regional Economic Strategy is the fundamental
document and that Sub Regional Plans should fit with the RES.
· SRP’s are not a delivery agent, but should be involved in
commissioning projects
· The Agency must clarify its position and give clarity on
what commissioning means.
· Different SRP’s have made different rates of progress and
the Board recognised that one size and style of SRP will not “fit
all”.
· Capacity issues: The Agency must define what it means
by capacity building and leadership.
· The Agency needs to define its relationship with SRP’s to
avoid any future misunderstandings.
· Timing in moving forward is important. The Agency must
give clarity about timetable. The Board agreed that the
Agency should continue to have a physical presence in each sub
region and asked that the role and brief of area offices be
examined to cover a wider brief than regeneration.
The Board emphasised the importance of communication of these
message to sub-regional partnerships and requested a report back to
the December Board meeting with an action plan detailing
policy and operational actions and timetable.
61/05 Chief Executive’s Report
The report from the Chief Executive covered the following
issues:-
1 Peer review of NWDA
The Chief Executive reported that the Improvement Development
Agency (IDEA) conducted a peer review of the London Development
Agency (LDA) as part of LDA’s preparation for their formal
Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) inspection.
As part of DTI’s aim for greater scrutiny of RDA’s it is likely
that a national inspection of all RDA’s will take place in 2005 and
work is being done based on the LDA review to establish criteria
for this. IDEA have been commissioned to conduct an external peer
review of the NWDA.
The review will seek to establish a clear perspective on where we
are in terms of our strategic interfaces and corporate management
in order to inform an improvement plan. The NWDA Peer Review
will take place in January / February 2005.
2 Action for sustainability
The Board noted that as a core member of the Action for
Sustainability Management Board, the Agency had contributed to the
development of an Action for Sustainability Framework Document
published by the Regional Assembly.
The Framework represents the conclusion of the first comprehensive
review of Action for Sustainability (AfS) and identifies the vision
that AfS is working towards as well as the principles and
priorities to be addressed to deliver a more sustainable future for
the North West.
3 Route Development Fund
Richard Leese declared an interest in this item and took no part in
the discussion.At the December 2003 meeting the Board approved in
principle, proposals to establish a Route Development Fund (RDF).
The aim of the fund is to attract new air services into the
region’s airports and will be used to:· Help develop inward
investment and export opportunities;
· Promote route development and related initiatives that
support identified tourism and business priorities and projects
(not least the Capital of Culture); and
· Increase connectivity to the region in relation to the
availability of other transport modes.
RDF has been discussed and agreed with the Department of Transport
(DfT) and the fund will be officially launched at the World Travel
Conference in London on 8th November. It was agreed that Anil Ruia
will chair the Agency’s RDF Board, which will be established mainly
to determine the funding for route applications.
4 Performance Improvement Plan
The Board noted that Government Office North West awarded the
Agency a “good” performance rating for 2003/04 and provided a
positive report to DTI. However, a number of areas for
improvement have been identified.
In response, the Agency’s Executive Management Board (EMB) has
agreed a performance improvement plan, which identifies the key
issues to be addressed, proposed actions, lead responsibilities and
deadlines. GONW will use this document as part of the performance
monitoring framework for the Agency.A progress report will be
presented to the February 2005 Board Meeting.
5 Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act
2004
The Chief Executive reported that regulations bringing in key parts
of the new Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act came into force on
28th September 2004. The regulations cover new arrangements for
plan making at regional and local levels.
The Board noted that Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) replace
Regional Planning Guidance. Unlike RPG, RSS is a statutory planning
document. The RSS will be part of the local authority’s development
plan and other elements of the plan must be ‘in conformity’ with
RSS. Planning applications must be determined in accordance with
the development plan unless material considerations indicate
otherwise.
Using his powers under the Act, the Secretary of State has
determined that RPG for the North West has become the RSS.
Government Office has confirmed that the Partial Review of RPG for
the North West will still go ahead, given that adoption of a new
RSS for the region is not likely to take place until 2006. The
Partial Review of RPG will now be dealt with as a Partial Review of
the RSS for the North West and the Examination in Public (EIP) will
be held between 23rd November and 3rd December 2004.
6 Review of Planning Guidance (RPG13) and possible
impact on housing
The Board noted that the Housing Land Supply Task and Finish Group,
chaired by Joe Dwek had held a seminar in July to consider housing
land supply issues in the North West. The event included
presentations from the NWRA, GONW, the House Builders Federation
and representatives from Cheshire, Cumbria and Merseyside.
One of the main considerations at the seminar was the review of the
planning guidance (RPG13).
Amongst other things, RPG13 sets out the distribution of new
housing across the region through the provision of annual average
rates of housing for each local authority or shire county area.
Local authorities are required to monitor and manage the
availability of land identified in development plans to achieve the
rates of provision in RPG.
Subsequently a number of housing restraining policies are being
compiled as a result of RPG 13. Such restraining policies are
having a wide impact on the region’s housing markets and its
housing construction industry. The Chief Executive reported
that a number of other key issues were also raised including a
possible policy conflict in Housing Pathfinder areas and rural
areas as well as the impact upon employment opportunities in the
region.
7 Hadrian’s Wall
The Chief Executive reported that a major study into the future of
Hadrian’s Wall, as a driver of economic growth, was delivered to
One North East and the NWDA earlier this year. The report set out a
new vision of the Wall as The Greatest Roman Frontier and
recommended a number of investments to improve the way that
visitors can experience the World Heritage Site.
The study recommended the need for a single organisation to be
responsible for conservation, development and marketing. A joint
ONE-NWDA working group is taking forward the study’s
recommendations.
8 OMEGA Strategic Regional Site: NWDA’s
position
Richard Leese and Mike Storey declared an
interest in this item and took no part in the discussion.
The Chief Executive reported on the Agency’s formal position in
relation to the Omega Site.When designating the strategic regional
sites on 14th December 2001, the NWDA Board passed a number of
resolutions including confirmation that the delivery of strategic
sites is critical to the effective implementation of the Regional
Economic Strategy.
The designation also made it clear that the resolutions applied to
the 11 sites listed in the first Regional Strategy, which included
OMEGA as well as the additional 14 sites that were designated at
that time.Prior to this, in June 2001, the NWDA Chief Executive
assured the Board that the developers would ensure a high quality
sustainable development at Omega, with strong transport linkages to
Warrington and adjoining employment areas.
The RES, the Mersey Belt Policy Statement and the above resolutions
have informed the Agency’s written representations in support for
Omega in Warrington’s Draft UDP. In particular, the Agency
has encouraged the right mix of uses, high quality design and
landscaping and full public integration with other parts of
Warrington and surrounding catchment areas, including Halton, St
Helens and Wigan.
An outline planning application for phases 1 and 2 was submitted to
Warrington Borough Council in October 2003 and the Board noted that
the Agency had expressed its support
9 Links with China
The Chief
Executive reported that the Agency, with support from UK Trade and
Investment, is developing economic links with China. This will
include a scoping study of the potential future establishment of a
Chinese Business Park and an Expo type Exhibition Centre in the
region.
A Memorandum of Understanding with the province of Guangdong is
also intended to be developed. It was agreed that Martin Harris
will be the Board Member with lead strategic responsibility for
this initiative.
10 Northern Way Growth Strategy:
Update
The Board noted that on 20th September
the Deputy Prime Minister launched the first Growth Strategy report
“Moving Forward – the Northern Way”. The event was connected
to the North East and North West by video link.
For the North West the link was to Renaissance House, and Martin
Harris chaired a small panel, which included Phil Hope, the ODPM
Parliamentary Under Secretary, Louise Ellman MP for Liverpool
Riverside and the Warrington MPs Helen Southworth and Helen
Jones.
A number of Stakeholders and Journalists also attended.The report
has now been distributed to key Stakeholders in the region, as well
as all the documentation being placed on the website.
The Chief Executive reported that the Deputy Prime Minister
announced the Northern Way Growth Fund, comprising £100m, of which
£50m is from ODPM and the remainder will be matched from the RDAs
own budgets.
The purpose of this Fund is to “kick start the new Strategy into
practical action”. The pressure is now on to make progress in
relation to the implementation of the Northern Way Growth Strategy
over the next few months, with progress to be reported at the
Sustainable Communities Summit in Manchester at the end of January
2005.
11 Realising the potential of our
regions
The Chief Executive reported on the
Government’s draft document “Realising the Potential of Our
Regions” which describes the programme of measures which are in
place to support the economic performance of the English
regions.
It is based on the framework set out in the document “Devolved
Decision Making 2 – Meeting the Regional Economic Challenge” which
was issued alongside the 2004 Budget.
To build on this document, the Deputy Prime Minister would like to
work with the RDA’s and other partners “to produce a comprehensive
agenda that sets out a clear strategy for increasing the prosperity
of each region”.
It was noted that he intends to publish the results of this work at
the Sustainable communities Summit in January. Consequently the
RDA’s will be working closely with ODPM to take this forward.
12 NWDA involvement in Elevate
The Board noted the progress with Elevate, one of the four Housing
Pathfinders in the North West, which covers East Lancashire, which
is seen nationally and regionally as the most challenging HMR area
in terms of its strategic vision and delivery capacity.
Agency staff have been working closely with the pathfinder team
over the past 12 months to align our investment against Elevate
priorities and we are currently:
· Leading a key piece of work, linked to the RES review to
determine the economic future of East Lancashire;
· Leading the engagement of East Lancashire in the Northern
Way; and
· Producing in conjunction with Elevate a future investment
plan for NWDA resource to support the delivery of the housing
pathfinder.
Elevate are seeking to establish a Limited Company to lead on
strategy and to address delivery capacity.
61/06 Finance Report
The Acting Director of Finance and Corporate Resources updated the
Board on the following issues:-
· NAO Management Report for 2003/04 has been considered by the
Audit Committee and the issues raised have been included in a
detailed management action plan to ensure they are dealt
with.· Funding Formula Outturn. The funding formula has
been agreed by all RDA’s. The NWDA will receive Grant in Aid
of £387m for 2005/06 to cover all contingencies and new
responsibilities.
· Strategic Investment Plan - the production of this
document is ongoing and will be reported to the Board in November
and February.
The Board noted the Agency’s Estates Strategy and the Asset
Management Plan, which had been considered in detail by the Audit
Committee. It was agreed that it was more appropriate for
this matter, in future, to be referred to the Infrastructure Sub
Group for deliberation.
The Board noted the Agency’s response to the Gershon plan to
deliver a 2.5% efficiency compounded over a three year
period.
61/07 Chairman’s Report
The Chairman’s report was noted.The Chairman also reported on
the new appointments to the NWDA Board, John Merry, John Moverley,
David Brockbank and Peter Hensman.The Board gave feedback on the
Agency’s Annual General Meeting.
61/08 Report of NWDA sub groups
The report of the NWDA Sub Groups were noted.
61/09 Board members feedback
Brenda Smith reported on the region’s success in securing the World
Swimming Championships in 2008 in Manchester and congratulated all
who had been involved in this.
Date and time of the next board meeting
Friday, 12 November
The meeting finished at 4.00 p.m.