MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING HELD ON THURSDAY, 17
NOVEMBER 2005 AT RENAISSANCE HOUSE, WARRINGTON
Present:
Bryan Gray (Chairman)
Jo Dwek
Sir Martin Harris
Peter Hensman
Robert Johnston
Dave McCall
John Moverley
John Merry
Marie Rimmer
Anil Ruia
Brenda Smith
Mike Storey
Maureen Williams
Also Present:
Steven Broomhead
Bernice Law (Secretary)
David Higham (GONW)
Ian Haythornthwaite (73/09)
Peter White (7304)
Simon Nokes (73/04)
Nick Gerrard (73/04)
Mark Hughes (73/07)
73/00 PRESENTATION: LIVERPOOL
WATERFRONT
The Board received a presentation from Bob Prattey, Chief Executive
and Martin Jenkins from Liverpool Arena and Conference Centre on
the proposed arena and conference centre, which would be developed
on the Liverpool Waterfront.
It was reported that work to build the facility commenced on 10
October 2005, using 35 sub contractors and around 600
operatives. The arena will seat 9,900 people with a further
1,350 able to be accommodated in the conference hall, exhibition
space of 7,000 square metres and 18 ancillary rooms.
The aim is that the project will be completed for the Liverpool
Capital of Culture 2008 - with a target market of concerts, sports
and public entertainment experiences and exhibitions.
The Board were informed that onward marketing was in progress,
using Liverpool as the attack brand and that bookings were very
strong.
73/01 INTRODUCTION AND APOLOGIES FOR
ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Pauleen Lane and David
Brockbank.
73/02 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 13 OCTOBER
2005
These were approved as a correct record.
73/03 ACTION POINTS FROM LAST MEETING AND MATTERS
ARISING
The Board noted the Action Points from previous meetings.
- ITEMS WHICH REQUIRE A DECISION
73/04 NORTHWEST REGIONAL ECONOMIC
STRATEGY
The Board received a presentation on the Regional Economic Strategy
(RES) consultation responses and commended the inclusive process
that had resulted in an excellent response. The Board expressed its
appreciation of the work of the Agency RES team, Partners,
Stakeholders and the RES Advisory Group.
Each Board Sub-Committee had reviewed the document and the
consultation responses and was generally pleased with the emerging
document. Each Chair gave feedback from the Sub Committee
meeting. There was a need to ensure:
- The sharpness of the document
- The distinctiveness of the document as the North West RES
- The document makes clear that it is the Region’s RES and not
the Agency’s
- That a lead partner is clearly identified for each action.
The Board approved the document, subject to amendments as above.
It would then be circulated to each Board Member for final comments
prior to submission to Government.
73/05 ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW REGIONAL EUROPEAN
GROUP
The Board acknowledged that the European agenda is becoming
increasingly important for the region in terms of both policy and
resource. The revised RES identifies effective engagement
with Europe as a key issue for the North West.
The Board noted that the Agency had reached agreement with the
Regional Assembly to establish a single group to replace the
current NWRA Key Priority Group and the NWDA European Strategy
Group.
The Board agreed that the European Strategy Group should be
wound up and endorsed the proposal to establish a single group,
which would enable the region to engage more effectively with
Europe. The group would consist of representation from the private
sector, education (HE and FE), trade union and health. It would
also include the NWDA Director of Strategy and an NWDA Board
Member. Maureen Williams expressed an interest in being the
Board representative on this Group.
73/06 NEW RDA INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE
ASSESSMENT
The Chief Executive provided a presentation on the Independent
Performance Assessment, which was a new approach to the assessment
of RDA performance and was announced in the Budget 2005. The
National Audit Office (NAO) would conduct an IPA on each RDA.
The Board noted that NWDA and EEDA had agreed to be the first RDAs
to undergo assessment.
There were three themes against which NAO would assess RDAs
- Aims – the extent to which the RDA has developed robust
ambitions and priorities in its regional leadership role
- Action – the extent to which the RDA has developed its own and
partners’ capacity and planning and performance systems to meet
regional ambitions
- Achievement – the extent to which the RDA has delivered what it
set out to do during the period covered by the assessment.
The IPA will be based on a self assessment which each RDA would
prepare in advance.
The Board noted the timetable. The preparation of the self
assessment had started on 31 October 2005 and would be presented to
the Board on 15 December 2005 for consideration.
The Board also noted that the on site inspection of the Agency
would take place from 13 to 24 March 2005 with the final report in
May 2005.
73/07 BUSINESS LINK REVIEW
Mark Hughes provided a progress update on the development of the
future vision for business support and Business Link in the North
West. This included a framework, which would support the
Agency's desire to be more policy led, focussed on RES priorities
and address the need for de-proliferation in public sector business
support activities. He also outlined details of the future Business
Link service, which encompassed the national guidelines; and the
concepts for a universal and targeted business start-up and
business development service.
The Board were supportive of the work so far. A further
presentation would be provided in January 2006 when the Board would
be asked to approve the future strategy of Business Link in the
North West.
73/08 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
1 New Arrangements to Address Regional
Priorities
The Board noted that, as part of the Regional Funding exercise,
Government had invited regions to submit advice on their priorities
for expenditure on housing, transport and economic development for
the period 2006/07 onwards. The deadline for submissions was
the end of January 2006.
In the North West, an initial arrangement had been reached with
GONW and the Regional Assembly to use the existing Regional Housing
Board, Regional Transport Forum and the Regional Economic Strategy
Advisory Group to make initial recommendations. The advice would
then be co-ordinated by the NWDA and NWRA Chief Executives and the
GONW Regional Director before being approved for submission by a
Regional Priorities Board. The composition of the Regional
Priorities Board is currently being negotiated.
The Board noted that with regard to expenditure on economic
development there was little scope for further advice, given that
this covered RDA budgets only and was therefore constrained by the
medium term plans set out in the Agency’s Corporate Plan that had
been approved by Government.
2 Developing Policy within NWDA
The Board noted that the Chief Executive had put in place a
system to co-ordinate and prepare policy advice, which would then
be considered by the Board as appropriate. The main objective would
be to ensure that the Agency had a clear position on RES priorities
and those areas of wider UK policy on which the Agency is asked to
take a view. By April 2006 an online briefing system
would be in place for Board Members and staff to ensure they have
the most up to date policy position.
3 North West State Of The Nation 2005:
Infrastructure Assessment
The Board noted the findings from the Institute of Civil
Engineers’ assessment of the state of infrastructure in the
region. The aim of the report was to stimulate debate and
highlight the actions that civil engineers believe should be taken
to improve the region’s infrastructure. For each of the
key infrastructure areas a grading system had been used to show
performance over the last 12 months as well as providing an
assessment on sustainability. Overall the region had been
assessed as average (grade C) with overall sustainability being
assessed as C+.
4 BBC Move to Manchester
The Board noted that on 20 October the BBC had announced the
decision by its Governors to progress plans for the Corporation to
relocate to the Manchester city region. The Board noted that
there are four proposed sites: two in Manchester (Central Spine and
Quay Street) and two in Salford (Salford Quays and
Greengate). The Chief Executive reported that the Agency’s
role was to ensure that the move brought maximum economic benefit
to the region.
The Chairman reported that he had had a very positive meeting
with Mark Thompson, the Director General of the BBC earlier that
day.
5 Northern Way and Northern Transport
Compact
The Board noted that, following the launch of the Northern Way
Business Plan in June 2005, the Northern Way Management Group had
approved a number of projects for Growth Fund expenditure.
They also noted the detail of each project and the benefits that
each project would bring to the North West.
The Board were advised that the Northern Way Steering Group had
agreed to the objectives and membership of the Northern Way
Transport Compact. The Compact would provide advice on strategic
transport issues at pan northern level. Membership would consist of
RDAs, Government Offices, Regional Assemblies, and representation
from the City Regions, Passenger Transport Authorities, the private
sector and a public transport user group. Professor David
Begg, Chairman of the Commission for Integrated Transport would
chair the Compact until the end of December 2006.
6 Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
(LTSM)
The Board noted that, following confirmation of $50m of research
funding to LTSM from the Gates Foundation, the building of the new
£24m Centre for Tropical and Infectious Diseases will go
ahead. NWDA will provide funding (which would attract matched
funding from ERDF) towards the total cost. Contributions will
also be provided from the University of Liverpool and private
benefactors of LSTM.
7 Restructuring of the UK’s Police
Force
The Board noted that a review of the UK’s Police Force had been
conducted which had concluded that
- The current 30 year old structure of 43 forces of different
sizes and capabilities is no longer fit for purpose
- The UK should move to create new, larger forces with a minimum
of around 4000 officers; and with greater capacity to address a
wider range of law enforcement issues.
The number of forces in the UK is likely to reduce to around
20. For the North West there are two main options: a single
force or a reduction to three.
The Board noted that the Agency would enter into discussion, via
GONW to ensure that there is a strategic fit between any option
that is under consideration and the economic priorities and
policies contained within the RES.
The Board also noted that the Agency had recently entered into a
joint arrangement with GONW to provide a member of staff to ensure
greater impetus into the region’s efforts to reduce business crime
and increase police engagement in this regard. The Agency is
also supporting the establishment of a region-wide, private sector
led, Fraud Forum and supporting inter-agency co-operation on
serious business crime.
73/09 FINANCE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
The Board noted
- The Agency’s financial position for the period ending 30
September 2005.
- The approved delegations for the period 19 September 2005 to 26
October 2005
- That the Public, Private Partnership (PPP) is progressing and
that Legal and Property Surveying contracts had been let that
week.
The Board approved single tender actions for the Employee Health
Screening Scheme and Speke Garston Development Company (remediation
of former hanger 4).
73/10 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The Chairman reported on the new regional Learning and Skills
Council structure and said he would be arranging a meeting in the
near future with those Board colleagues who represented NWDA on the
LSC’s.
The Chairman also reported on a forthcoming meeting with Lord
Sainsbury to discuss the future of Daresbury, Nuclear Research, and
Microprocessing.
The Chairman reminded the Board that a Dinner would take place
at the World of Glass, St Helens on the evening of 14 December
2005. The December Board meeting would commence at 8.30 a.m.
on 15 December 2005.
It was agreed that the Board would spend time together on
Thursday, 16 February 2006. The main item for discussion
would be the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007.
The Chairman announced the appointment of Vanda Murray as a new
Board Member.A meeting of Sub Committee Chairs would be convened in
the near future.
The Chairman informed the Board of the appointment of Fiona
Mills as the new Director of HR and Organisational Change.
She would join the Agency in January 2006. He thanked
colleagues for their involvement in the interview process.
73/11 MINUTES OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HELD ON 13
OCTOBER 2005
The Board noted the minutes from the Audit Committee held on 13
October 2005.
73/12 MINUTES OF THE ENVIRONMENT SUB COMMITTEE HELD
ON 13 OCTOBER 2005
The Board noted the minutes from the Environment Sub
Committee held on 13 October 2005.
73/13 DATE AND TIME OF THE NEXT BOARD
MEETING
The next meeting will be at Renaissance House on 15 December
2005 at 8.30am.