MINUTES OF THE BOARD MEETING HELD ON 15 NOVEMBER 2007 AT
OAKMERE CONFERENCE CENTRE, LIVERPOOL
Present:
Bryan Gray (Chair)
Sir Martin Harris
Joe Dwek
Peter Hensman
Pauleen Lane
Dave McCall
Vanda Murray
Marie Rimmer
Anil Ruia
Brenda Smith
Mike Storey
Maureen Williams
Also Present:
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive
Patrick White, Executive Director of Policy /Secretary
Phil Robinson (NWRA)
Mark Hughes (95/04)
Simon Nokes (95/06)
Mark Atherton (95/07)
95/01 INTRODUCTION, APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Apologies were received from John Moverley and Keith Barnes
(GONW)
95/02 MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18 OCTOBER
2007 AND MATTERS ARISING
The minutes were approved as a correct record.
95/03 ACTION POINTS FROM PREVIOUS
MEETINGS
The Board noted the progress made on the action points from
previous meetings.
95/04 HIGH GROWTH SUPPORT PROJECT
The Board was reminded that the Regional Economic Strategy
identified action to increase business start up, survival and
growth as a way of reducing the GVA gap and increase the number of
“knowledge” occupations to bring the North West proportion up to
the England average.
Work conducted in response to this action identified the client
base/needs in the underperforming sectors of high growth, knowledge
based start-ups, women, BME communities, disabled entrepreneurs and
hard to reach communities.
Specific support for hard to reach communities had already been
commissioned under the Regional Start-Up project.
The Board was asked to consider the proposed project which would
deliver support for high growth and knowledge based start-ups that
satisfied the criteria including the ability and ambition to
achieve significant growth.
The Board noted that the NW Science Council had provided advice
in respect of the content of the project and the Agency’s
Enterprise and Skills Sub Committee had agreed to recommend the
project for NWDA Board approval.
The Board was advised that the focus of the project would be on
those businesses that had identified potential for significant
growth and would contain two major elements:
- Support for pre start and new start up “knowledge based”
businesses
- Support for businesses that are more than two years old.
Support would include:
- Mentoring, coaching and consultancy as
required.
- Training sessions including encouragement to make use of peer
learning and networking.
- Promotion and access to existing growth entrepreneurs to share
experiences.
Additional features would include:
- “Out of hours” support so that it could be accessed by the
employed and unemployed at the same time.
- Linkages to HE/FE networks to encourage local delivery.
- Exposure to successful entrepreneurs at an early stage.
- Opportunity for employed people to identify whether business
start up was right for them without jeopardising their existing
position.
- Expert training and education from an experienced team.
The Board noted that companies would be expected to contribute
both in cash and “in kind” to the project; and an “umbrella”
insurance policy would be offered to potential non – executive
directors to remove what was a potential barrier to their
engagement with clients.
The Board was advised that coaching rather than alternative
forms of support was now proving to show a higher probability of
“transferring” knowledge and experience to businesses; and would
ensure a sustainable approach by individual businesses to achieve
their own growth potential.
The Board was also advised that Business Link Northwest would be
the “gateway” for all enquiries and referrals. Delivery of
the training and coaching would be put out to tender.
The Board noted that the project required Agency investment
which would be matched by private sector investment from the
companies involved. Expected outputs were 2536 jobs created;
1106 businesses assisted; and £350m economic impact return.
The Board agreed to support the initiative and approved funding
for the project, subject to further review by the Enterprise and
Skills Sub Committee during the tender process to ensure that
delivery was consistent with the Agency’s objectives for Business
Link and Business Support Simplification.
In addition, the Board asked for delivery to be subject to
ongoing monitoring and evaluation to ensure that early lessons
learned were applied to future years.
95/05 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
The Board was advised that as a public sector business of
significant size the Agency had significant responsibilities to
maximise the economic, social and environmental benefits of how it
operated as an organisation. The Board recognised that this
responsibility sat alongside, but was separate from, the core
responsibility that the Agency had to influence sustainable
economic and social development through its core investment
programme and strategic activity.
As a result the Agency had been working with Business in the
Community (BITC) to develop its Corporate Social Responsibility
role and policy. Indeed the two organisations had made use of
each other’s skills and expertise to take forward the whole issue
of CSR policy and evaluation. This work had identified that
the Agency had already carried out a significant amount of CSR
related activity and that its main internal systems and procedures
took account of its responsibilities (for example: energy use and
efficiency). However to take this forward BITC had made a
number of recommendations which in turn led the Agency to develop
its CSR policy and priorities.
The Board agreed the Agency’s CSR policy, but asked for further
work to be done on the annual priorities to ensure that
stakeholders were identified clearly and the right links were made
to the Agency’s Investment Programme and the Corporate Plan.
95/06 RES TRANSFORMATIONAL ACTIONS MONITORING
REPORT
The Board received a six monthly report on the progress made by
the region to deliver the RES Transformational Actions. The
Board noted that significant progress had been made with eight of
the TAs, and that steady progress was being made with a further
28. However there was still considerable work needed to
deliver the TAs relating to skills and employability.
The Board was advised that workforce productivity was one of the
main causes of the continuing economic performance gap and whilst
it was acknowledged that the skills and employability TAs were long
term, there was evidence that the complexity of delivery structures
and relative immaturity of the delivery arrangements in place were
important factors. The Board was advised that Government had
recognised the issue and through CSR had confirmed its intention to
further align the work of Departments and agencies with regional
priorities. The Board noted that a separate Board Task and
Finish Group had been convened to review the issue in detail and to
make recommendations for the way forward in respect of RES
delivery.
The Chief Executive would ensure that dialogue between TA lead
officers and respective Board Members was more focused and improved
in respect of the progress towards the achievement of RES
Transformational Actions (TAS). A revised list of TAs with
respective nominated Board Members and officers would be presented
to the Board at its next meeting.
95/07 CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN PROGRESS
REPORT
The Board received an update on the progress made to deliver the
Climate Change Action Plan. The Board noted that whilst
progress was steady, activity needed to move more quickly to
achieve all of the year 1 aspirations contained within the
Plan.
Several research studies had been completed including:
- A study on regional Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
- A Climate Change Perceptions study.
- An analysis of regional energy data collection and
modelling.
The Board noted that the studies would inform the future
development of the climate change programme and target setting as
well as a communications strategy, which was currently in
development. A new regional climate change website was
launched in July and newsletters were being circulated on a
quarterly basis.
The Board agreed the importance of maintaining a sense of
urgency and asked the Agency to work with partners to further
improve commitment to the changes required to meet the Climate
Change challenges. The Board agreed that this should involve
identification of strands of innovative activity and measures to
help business understand the potential for change.
The Board also asked for the development of a Climate Change
baseline to be taken forward as a matter of urgency.
95/08 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
a) Regional Select
Committees
The Chief Executive reported on Government’s announcement that the
House of Commons Modernisation Committee would examine the
Governance of Britain Green Paper proposals that sough to improve
democratic accountability and scrutiny of the delivery of public
services in the English regions. The Board noted that in
effect, the Committee would consider whether Regional Select
Committees were the way forward, without excluding the
consideration of other potential models. Evidence had been
requested by 23 November 2007 and the Agency would provide a
response.
The Committee was expected to report by March 2008. As
Government would base its decision on the recommendations from
Parliament and the SNR consultation, there was unlikely to be a
final conclusion until May 2008. Board Members were asked to
provide the Chief Executive with any views or comments which they
would like to be included in the RDA’s input to the Committee.
b) BERR Strategy Document – Our Commitment to
Business
The Board noted that the RDA sponsor Government Department, the
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform had
launched its new three year strategy document “Our Commitment to
Business’. The document confirmed the Department’s central
role in creating a more competitive Britain that could respond to
the challenges of the future, including globalization and climate
change. BERR would work with businesses, employers and
consumers to create an environment that would support business
success. The Department was responsible for the following
Government PSA targets:
- To raise the productivity of the UK economy.
- To deliver the conditions for business success in the UK.
- To improve the economic performance of all English Regions and
reduce the gap in economic growth rates between Regions.
c) Further Education and Training Bill: Royal
Assent
The Board was advised that the Further Education (FE) and Training
Bill had now become law. The Act would bring about changes to
the governance arrangements for FE colleges, who would now be able
to validate and award their own Foundation Degrees. It
would require streamlined arrangements for the introduction of new
courses, and would also have implications for FE funding.
The Act would also streamline and restructure Learning and
Skills Councils and it confirmed their new regional structures,
which would allow LSCs to respond more quickly to skills
initiatives. They would be allowed to intervene in FE colleges
deemed to be under-performing and would also be able to fill
vacancies on college boards.
The Board also noted that Government was expected to commission
a review of the role of the National LSC. In particular in
respect of its role in Adult Education and Training, given the
decision made in the Comprehensive Spending Review that from April
2009, all 14 – 19 resources and Train to Gain brokerage would move
to Local Government and RDAs respectively. The details of how
14-19 changes would be implemented were likely to be the subject of
further Government consultation.
The Chief Executive reported that he continued to be a member of
the shadow regional LSC Board. Recruitment for the new
Board would take place early in 2008.
d) Our NHS/ Our
Future
The Chief Executive reported that he had become a member of the
Regional Strategic Health Authority’s Strategic Programme
Board. This would enable the Agency to contribute to the
national consultation on the future of the NHS. There were
three main themes being considered: access to NHS services; the
quality of the services provided; and health and well being.
The Agency was working closely with NHS Northwest to develop its
approach to health inequalities. A final report would be made
available in July 2008.
The Board was reminded that the national consultation was being
led by Health Minister Lord Darzi. In the North West the
focus would be on a fair, personal, effective and safe NHS.
At the first meeting of the Strategic Programme Board, the Chief
Executive had stressed the need to link those priorities to
economic and regeneration objectives (i.e. the RES).
e) Health and the
Economy
The Board received a copy of a document that had been prepared by
the Agency’s Regional intelligence Unit, which summarised the
recently published Northwest Public Health Observatory report on
Health and Equality. The Board noted that the Agency would
work closely with the NHS Northwest towards the development of
healthy workforces and health promoting organisations.
f) Regional Index of Sustainable Economic
Wellbeing
The Board also received a briefing note, again prepared by the
Agency’s Regional Intelligence Unit, following the recent
publication by the New Economic Foundation of the Regional Index of
Sustainable Economic Wellbeing (RISEW). The report sought to
take account of a wide range of economic and quality of life type
measures and was very positive for the North West. In terms
of GVA per head the region was eighth out of nine regions, but of
all the regions in the country, the North West had the smallest gap
between GVA per head and RISEW per head (which discounts GVA to
take account of quality of life factors).
g) Government Response to the Eddington and Stern
Reports
The Chief Executive reminded Board Members that in October 2006,
Sir Nicholas Stern had reported to Government on the economics of
climate change; and in December 2006 Sir Rod Eddington reported on
the long term links between transport and the UK’s economic
productivity, growth and stability.
In response (in October 2007) Government had published the
document “Towards a Sustainable Transport System – Supporting
Economic Growth in a Low Carbon World”. The Board noted that
the document outlined Government’s proposed approach to support
economic growth in relation to transport; and described how
Government was:
- Responding to the recommendations from the Eddington study
- Ensuring that transport will play its part to deliver the
overall reductions in carbon emissions recommended by the Stern
Review.
The document also set out DfT’s ambitious policy and investment
plans for the period up to 2013; its proposals for a new approach
to a longer term transport strategy; and its plan to engage and
consult with a wide range of stakeholders to evidence and develop a
strategic transport framework.
The document also confirmed that Government would consult and
develop guidance on the mechanisms by which regional and individual
local authority funding would be allocated, building on the
existing RFA and LTP processes. The RDAs’ influencing role in terms
of rail connections and ports was clearly acknowledged.
The Board noted the timetable for consultation and was advised
that the Agency would provide a response to be agreed by the
Infrastructure Sub Committee.
h) West Coast Mainline
Update
The Board noted that following the launch of the West Coast Main
Line Strategy in 2003, the planned major refurbishment of the
line’s rail infrastructure as well as the introduction of a new
train fleet with a higher operating speed of 125 mph, had almost
completed. The Board was advised of the work that was still
to be undertaken and that some of the work would continue past
December 2008. The key outputs for the North West from
December 2008 would include a 20 minute frequency service from
London to Manchester (half hourly at the moment); faster journeys
from the North West to London; and much faster Liverpool, Preston
and Glasgow services.
i) Uk Cities Monitor
2007
The Board noted that Estate Agents Cushman & Wakefield had
recently published “UK Cities Monitor” which outlined the results
of a survey that the Company had undertaken on the UK’s major
business cities. The report acknowledged that cities were
recognising that they were increasingly in competition with each
other to attract inward investment. The survey examined 15
cities across the UK; and included a total sample size of 200
companies from around the UK.
Findings from the survey had been very positive for
Manchester. It was one of the three top UK cities for
business; and was seen as the best for a new headquarters building
and also for a new back office function. It was also the top
rated city for the availability of office space and the
availability and cost of car parking. It was second to London in
terms of the quality and value of hotels for business
travellers. The report also confirmed that all of the cities
surveyed could expect some expansion over the next ten years.
However Manchester was expected to have the biggest influx over
that period. Ten of the companies surveyed stated that they
expected to locate there.
Overall Manchester was ranked second (London being top) having
moved up one place from the previous year; and Liverpool was ranked
ninth, again having moved up one place.
j) Steam Tourism
Figures
The Chief Executive reported on the Scarborough Tourism Economic
Activity Monitoring (STEAM) Tourism figures for the region for
2006. The Board noted that STEAM was an economic model owned
and operated by Global Tourism Solutions (GTS) UK Ltd, which
provided estimates of tourist numbers, tourist days and total
revenue generated for overnight tourists and day
visitors. It was used by three RDAs - East Midlands
Development Agency, ONE Northeast and NWDA; and also by
VisitScotland and VisitWales.
The results for the Northwest for 2006 were
good:
- Visitors to the region had generated £11.4bn revenue – that
showed an increase of 2% on 2005. (This supported
approximately 190,000 full time equivalent jobs in the regional
economy.)
- Close to 30m visitors had stayed overnight in the region,
spending £4.6bn. Regional day visitors generated an estimated
£6.8bn.
k) Northwest Tourism
Awards
The Board noted that on 10 October 2007 BBC North West Tonight had
hosted the Northwest Tourism Awards. Tourism businesses and
officials from the across the region had attended the event, which
had been organised by the Agency. The Board noted the list of
winners, who would now have the opportunity to represent the region
on the national Enjoy England Awards for Excellence, organised by
VisitBritain, to be held in April 2008.
l) Pennine Lancashire City Development Company
(East Lancashire)
The Board was reminded that the Local Government White Paper,
published in October 2006, included a proposal to develop City
Development Companies (CDCs). A CDC was envisaged as an
arms-length delivery vehicle that would work across local authority
administrative boundaries to mirror functional economic
footprints. Government approval was not required and Local
Authorities could determine responsibilities, although there was a
stipulation that CDCs should have an economic focus. The Sub
National Review (SNR) reinforced the potential role of CDCs.
The Chief Executive reported that Pennine Lancashire Local
Authorities [led by Blackburn BC and Lancashire County Council
(LCC)] had discussed with DCLG the potential for a CDC as the
delivery arm of a Pennine Lancashire Multi Area Agreement.
Subsequently GONW had formally invited Blackburn BC and LCC to
develop pilot proposals.
Pennine Lancashire Local Authorities had since formally agreed
to develop a proposal to establish a CDC from April 2008; and the
Board noted its proposed remit.
m) Unitary Authority
Update
The Board noted that the judicial review, which had been called by
a number of Local Authorities to determine whether the Secretary of
State had the appropriate powers to determine the creation of
Unitary Authorities, had concluded. The Board was advised
that the Judge, Mr Justice Underhill had ruled against the
challenge although some of the Local Authorities (including
Congleton Council) may appeal.
n) Economic and Fiscal Impact of
Immigration
The Board received a summary (provided by the Agency’s
Regional Intelligence Unit) of a report on the economic and fiscal
impact of immigration which had been recently submitted to the
House of Lords by the Migrant Impact
Forum.
The Board noted that the report considered the socio-economic
impact of migration to the UK. The main conclusion was that
it had a positive effect on the economy, but there was an urgent
need to consider the appropriate infrastructure to support and
integrate migrants.
o) Liverpool New Development
Company
The Chief Executive reported that during the past month he had made
considerable effort to determine the function, role, purpose and
spatial focus of the new Liverpool Development Company. He
reminded Board Members that the new Company would be a merger of
Liverpool Vision, Liverpool Land Development Company and Business
Liverpool and would be in place from 1 April 2008.
The Chief Executive confirmed that the Agency had recently
received for comment, a document which outlined a protocol for the
relationship between the new Company, TMP, the Local Authorities
and the Agency in respect of Inward Investment. Liverpool
City Council had indicated that the new Company would have no role
in the promotion of Tourism for the City Region.
The Board noted that following an open competition, Michael
Parker, currently the Chief Executive of British Nuclear Fuels, had
been appointed as Chairman; and the new Company would soon produce
its Business Plan.
p) ISO27001
The Board
welcomed the news that the Agency’s ICT team had successfully
achieved accreditation against the internationally recognised ISO
27001 standard in Information Security Management. NWDA was
first RDA to have achieved this standard.
q) Disability Discrimination
Act
The Chief Executive reported that as a result of changes to
legislation within the Disability Discrimination Act the Agency was
required to make some alterations to its premises at Renaissance
House. Hence, over the next month there would be some building work
and refurbishment taking place. All efforts would be made to
minimise disruption.
r) West Cumbria
Masterplan
At its request the Board received an update on the West Cumbria
Masterplan. The Agency would seek to ensure that the
Masterplan had sufficient spatial focus.
95/09 FINANCE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
The Board noted the Agency’s financial position for the period
ending 30 September 2007.
95/10 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The Chairman provided an update report on Daresbury. He
advised that Government’s decision not to pursue the 4GLS project
was disappointing but in a very positive context. Daresbury
had attracted 59 companies and the private sector was leading the
next phase of development.
The replacement for 4GLS - the New Generation Light Source
should be located at Daresbury and the region would seek strong
Government re-commitment to the bipolar approach to science as
announced in summer 2006. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer was likely to visit Daresbury in the New Year, which
would provide an important opportunity to showcase its success.
95/11 MINUTES FROM THE ENTERPRISE AND SKILLS SUB
COMMITTEE HELD ON 19 SEPTEMBER 2007
The minutes were noted.
95/12 MINUTES FROM THE INFRASTRUCTURE SUB COMMITTEE
HELD ON 19 SEPTEMBER 2007
The minutes were noted.
95/13 MINUTES FROM THE EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY SUB
COMMITTEE HELD ON 20 SEPTEMBER 2007
The minutes were noted.
95/14 MINUTES FROM THE ENVIRONMENT SUB COMMITTEE
HELD ON 19 OCTOBER 2007
The minutes were noted.
95/15 DATE AND TIME OF THE NEXT
MEETING
The next meeting will take place at 9.30am on 13 December 2007
at Renaissance House, Warrington.