SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 
MINUTES OF THE 35th BOARD MEETING 16 September 2002 
Sterling House, Exeter 
 
 
Present:

• Sir Michael Lickiss - Chairman
• Doris Ansari - Board Member
• Nick Buckland - Board Member
• Peter Chalke - Board Member
• Nigel Costley - Board Member (to item 9)
• Brian Kemp - Board Member
• Mike Leece - Board Member
• Alf Morris - Board Member (to item 9)
• Robin Nicoll - Board Member
• Jeremy Pope - Deputy Chairman
• Jonathon Porritt - Board Member
• Colin Skellett - Board Member
• Geoff Wilkinson - Chief Executive
• Suzanne Bond - Director of Strategy and Communications
• Nick Lewis - Director of Corporate Services
• Colin Molton - Director of Development
• Anne Bulleid - Executive Office
• Melanie Farrant - Executive Office

Apologies: 
Helen Holland - Board Member 
 
 
1. MINUTES FROM 35th MEETING 
 
The minutes of the 34th meeting were agreed as a correct record. 
 
The cross-RDA response to the Regional Governance White Paper was noted. It was acknowledged that the issues raised in the paper provoked such diverse reactions that it had not been possible to produce a response addressing all points made, including the point made at the last board meeting that SWRDA did not want to respond to what was felt to be a political issue. 
 
2. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 
 
The Board noted the report circulated. The Chairman explained that his meeting with Adrian Hill of HEFCE had been very positive, exploring how RDAs and HEFCE could work together so that the substantially increased funding for the third leg of higher education to be channelled through HEFCE could link into regional economic strategies. 
 
The RDA Chairs meeting with Patricia Hewitt in the South West on 12 September had been successful and she had been particularly impressed by the Eden project. The launch of the Annual Review 2001-02 on 13 September had gone well and the Chairman thanked in advance the nine board members who would be presenting in their sub regions during the coming week. 
 
RDAs collectively had agreed to sponsor a table at the CBI annual conference dinner in Manchester on 25 October. Any board members interested in attending should contact Melanie Farrant. 
 
The Chairman reaffirmed his full support for Colin Skellett in the light of recent events. The DTI's position was now aligned with that of the RDA. The Chair Designate, Juliet Williams, had now met the Chief Executive and the Chairman had invited her to attend board meetings in October and November. The official handover would be at the board meeting on 16 December. Juliet Williams would also be attending the RDA Chairs Forum meetings in October and December. 
 
3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S REPORT 
 
The Chief Executive explained that the CSR2002 settlement for 2003/4did not include new money for RDAs as had originally been indicated by the Treasury. Both the Chairman and the RDA Finance Directors had been in correspondence with Alan Johnson expressing dissatisfaction with the settlement, and the Chairman confirmed that he would be explaining the situation fully at his meetings with the region's MPs. DEFRA funding for regional food production would be channelled through Food From Britain but it had been agreed that this would not be spent without direct reference to the relevant RDA. The Executive Team was asked to consider how the RDA should manage the disappointing results of the Spending Review for 2003/04. 
 
The first performance report under the new targetry framework was considered. The Chief Executive explained that the RDA now had to report on outcomes rather than forecasts and a process to collect accurate and reliable data was being developed. Although it was long, the report was a good way to communicate the RDA's work. The Executive Team was discussing with GOSW how to manage production of the reports and would take into account board members' comments, particularly those relating to the resources required to compile the reports. 
 
It was noted that Jeremy Pope and Geoffrey Wilkinson had been appointed to the Board of South West Tourism. 
 
4. REGIONAL REGENERATION FUND 
 
Colin Molton introduced the report and confirmed that investment funding was being explored through a number of sources. Interest from banks and funds had been strong, in part due to the strength of the RDA as a potential partner, and the quality of projects and growth prospect offered within parts of the South West. The RDA would also envisage working in partnership with housing providers to secure the provision of affordable housing and to develop brownfield sites. 
 
Board Decision 
The Board endorsed the proposal to investigate further the establishment of a Regional Regeneration Fund. A detailed proposal would be brought to a future board meeting. 
 
5. PERSONAL LIABILITY INDEMNITIES 
 
Geoffrey Wilkinson introduced the report which set out the current position with regard to personal liability indemnities for board members, senior staff and committee members. 
 
Board Decision 
The Board approved the issue of personal liability indemnities to relevant staff and committee members. 
 
6. SIGNING AND SEALING OF DOCUMENTS 
 
Currently only the Chairman and board members were authorised to authenticate the sealing of documents. It was proposed that this authorisation be extended to include all members of the Executive Team. It was also proposed that Juliet Williams be authorised to affix the RDA's seal from 14 December 2002. 
 
Board Decision 
The Board approved the proposed changes to the Agency's sealing arrangements. 
 
7. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT - RDAS' DRAFT MODEL PUBLICATION SCHEME 
 
All public authorities were required under the Freedom of Information Act to develop by November 2002 a publication scheme declaring what classes of information they would publish. RDAs had collectively developed a model publication scheme which was commended to the Board. 
 
Board Decision 
The Board agreed to adopt the model RDA publication scheme. 
 
8. PENINSULA MEDICAL SCHOOL 
 
Commercial in Confidence 
 
Nick Buckland declared an interest as a Governor of Plymouth University and did not participate in the discussion or decision. 
 
9. RES REVIEW 2002 
 
The draft for consultation had been circulated. This phase of the consultation exercise would run up to 11 October and a further draft would be available for the board meeting on 21 October.  
 
A number of comments were made:

• Some the targets for the RDA were generated by the government and therefore did not reflect the region and its characteristics;
• RDAs were seeking clarification of productivity targets from the DTI and these targets would be properly set out in the Corporate Plan;
• There was some concern that the draft did not reflect the significance of rural issues to the region's economy;
• The potential of the sea and coastline should be drawn out;
• The preface should make the RES specific to the south west and the final version of the document should be more exciting and bring alive the vision for the region. This should be reflected in the preface;
• Key partners should own specific priority actions in the RES and their support through co-signing the strategy should be included to make it truly regional;
• The state of the region report should be sharper and more stimulating;
• Statistics to illustrate the SW's economic performance over the past three years were unreliable or unavailable so measurement of progress could not be made. However, a progress figure against each of the tier 2 targets would at least create a baseline which might illustrate how the strategy could affect the economy of the region by 2012.

The Board endorsed the work carried out to date and praised the draft document. The sub-group of board members would continue to meet to oversee production of the final version. The emerging priorities would become clearer in the Corporate Plan. 
 
10. FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF AIR TRANSPORTATION IN THE SOUTH WEST 
 
Claire Gibson gave a presentation outlining the regional air transport consultation document. The Department for Transport was managing the consultation exercise which had included discussion with the air transport industry and would now include workshops and seminars. The RDA would build on this exercise and hold meetings with key partners. As well as an RDA response a joint submission between the RDA and the Regional Assembly would be considered. 
 
A number of comments were made in response to the presentation:

• Air travel would continue to increase above other forms of transport as economies grew;
• International capacity was essential to economic growth;
• The significance of the region's aerospace and technological sectors should be recognised in any response;
• An holistic approach to air and other forms of travel within the UK should be taken;
• The issues covered by the study would generate an enormous response and decisions within the region could not be taken without knowledge of plans in other regions;
• The wider social, environmental and economic implications of any model the RDA considered supporting would need to be taken into account before a final decision was reached;
• The RDA's Regional Gateways Strategy should be reviewed as and when relevant information emerged.

Due to the significance of air transport it was agreed that an outline RDA response should be considered at the October board issues meeting before finalisation at the November board business meeting. 
 
11. STANDING ITEMS 
 
a. Projects Approved 
The list of projects approved was noted. Section 5 consent had now been received for the Camborne Pool Redruth URC and would be announced by the Minister on 16 October. The Tolvadden Energy Park had recently received a Building Research Establishment Environmental Award and was the first development of its kind to receive this sort of recognition. 
 
b. Executive Reports 
Noted. 
 
c. Policy Consultation Responses 
Responses to South Gloucestershire Revised Deposit Draft Local Plan, Exeter Local Plan First Review Second Deposit, Regional Expressions of the England Forestry Strategy, CLBA Rural Tourism Opportunities for Growth, and the Regional Governance White Paper. 
 
d. Decisions taken using Urgency Procedures 
It was noted that the Chairman took urgent decisions in respect of Swindon Urban Regeneration Company, the Knowledge Exploitation South West (KESW) Project, and the RDA's Finance System. 
 
e. Documents Sealed 
Noted. 
 
f. Remuneration Committee Report 
Noted. 
 
12. ANY OTHER BUSINESS 
 
a. Care and Nursing Homes in the South West 
Cross-RDA backing would be sought to support the LGA's argument for central government action to address the number of private care homes going out of business. 
 
13. DATE, TIME AND VENUE OF NEXT MEETING 
 
Monday 21 October at 10.00 am at Stroud District Council's offices.