SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 
MINUTES OF THE 82nd BOARD MEETING 11th DECEMBER 2006 
Harbour Heights Hotel, Sandbanks, Poole 
 
Present: 
Juliet Williams - Chairman  
Nick Buckland - Deputy Chairman  
Cathy Bakewell - Board Member 
Christine Channon - Board Member 
Nigel Costley - Board Member  
Alan Courts - Board Member 
Kelvyn Derrick - Board Member 
Duncan Hames - Board Member 
Brian Kemp - Board Member 
Jonathon Porritt - Board Member  
Christine Reid - Board Member  
Judith Reynolds - Board Member 
Harry Studholme - Board Member 
Eric Thomas - Board Member 
 
In attendance: 
Jane Henderson - Chief Executive 
Suzanne Bond - Executive Director Strategy and Communications 
Nick Lewis - Executive Director Resources 
Colin Molton - Executive Director Operations and Development 
Stephen Peacock - Executive Director Enterprise and Innovation 
Richard Thomas - Director of Marketing and Communications 
Jeff Chinnock - Head of Corporate and Government Affairs  
Caroline Bloodworth - Board and Policy Advisor 
Claire Gibson - Director of Planning, Transport and the Environment (item 4) 
Nick Harrington - Operations and Development Manager (item 4) 
Stephen Bohane - Head of Operations, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (item 4,5) 
Ian Piper - Director of Sustainable Communities (item 5) 
Rosemary Wells - Director of Enterprise (item 8) 
 
Observer: 
Bronwyn Hill - Regional Director, GOSW 
 
Apologies: 
Colin Skellett - Board Member  
 
 
1. MINUTES FROM 81ST MEETING AND MATTERS ARISING 
 
The minutes of the meeting were agreed as a correct record. It was agreed that the information on CO2 emissions resulting from Board members' travel would be presented on a pro rata basis. 
 
2. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT 
 
The Chairman provided an oral update on a number of items: 
 
Board members' press interviews. The Chairman asked that Board members inform Richard Thomas when undertaking press interviews that make reference to their role on the RDA Board. 
 
Attendance at future meetings. The Chairman had agreed that Richard Thomas would attend future Board meetings as an observer. 
 
Leitch Report. The Chairman reported that she had spent a considerable amount of time in recent weeks at the DfES where she had been consulted on the Leitch Report on behalf of Regional Skills Partnerships. 
 
Partners for England - Tourism. The Chairman reported a recent step change in the engagement of local authorities. Suzanne Bond confirmed that work continued at a national level (with DCMS, VisitBritain, RDA network and the Local Authority network) towards a concordat that would be completed by June 2007.  
 
3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S REPORT 
 
Jane Henderson provided an oral update on the following items: 
 
Barker/Eddington Reviews. Jane Henderson outlined the implications to the RDA of the Treasury-commissioned reports that had been released to coincide with the Pre Budget Report.  
 
RDAs and Treasury. Jane Henderson reported on a recent meeting with John Healey about the role of the RDAs in climate change and the need for RDAs to take a lead in promoting economic development within environmental limits.  
 
English Partnerships/Housing Corporation. Jane Henderson explained that an announcement was due shortly on the future of both organisations. 
 
Ministerial visits. Recent visits to the region had been made by Alistair Darling (Plymouth), where he had launched the Plymouth Enterprise week at a business breakfast. Margaret Hodge had recently visited the north of the region for an aerospace-focussed day, but which had also included a round table discussion with businesses and other partners.  
 
LEGI (Local Enterprise Growth Initiative) announcements. Bids made by Bristol and Plymouth had been unsuccessful with all successful bidders in this round being in the north of England. Feedback was being sought to ensure higher quality bids could be submitted to any LEGI third round. 
 
Airbus (Commercial in confidence) 
 
4. NEWQUAY AIRPORT  
Commercial in confidence  
Christine Channon declared an interest and was ineligible to vote. 
 
 
5. ST AUSTELL TOWN CENTRE 
Commercial in confidence 
 
 
6. NATIONAL MARINE AQUARIUM (NMA) 
Commercial in confidence 
 
 
7. EU PROGRAMMES 
 
Colin Molton outlined progress to date, including the setting up of task and finish groups. Negotiations continued with DCLG and sensitive issued remained around staffing and TUPE arrangements. The outcome of this would be reported back to the Board in due course. 
 
Board decision 
The Board:  
- Endorsed the strategic priorities identified in the draft Operational programmes for Convergence and Competitiveness, as outlined in the appendices. 
 
- Agreed to support the ERDF management and delivery proposals and empower the RDA's European Programmes Strategy Board to lead negotiations with DCLG.  
 
- Noted the aspiration to be carbon neutral across the Operational Programmes. 
 
- Noted that steps had been taken to integrate work associated with the transfer of EU Rural Development activity into the Agency. 
 
- Endorsed the strategic priorities identified in the Regional Development Programme for England (RDPE) Regional Implementation Plan, for submission to Defra during December 2006. 
 
- Agreed to support the EFF management and delivery proposals and empower the RDA's European Programmes Strategy Board to lead negotiations with Defra and the Marine Fisheries Agency 
 
- Noted the role of Regional Skills Partnership and work being undertaken to inform the Regional ESF Skills Strategy. 
 
- Endorsed the action to identify appropriate CFO and funds to support HE/higher levels skills priorities for Convergence.  
 
 
8. BUSINESS SUPPORT SIMPLIFICATION 
 
Rosemary Wells outlined the background to, and significance of, this Government-inspired initiative, which promised to simplify access to services for businesses, improve the quality of business support and deliver better value for money for the public purse. Work was underway at both national and regional level. The first stage in the South West was to look at the Agency's own business support activity. By 2008 all South West RDA products and services would need to have been evaluated.  
 
It was agreed that a scoping paper would come to the Board in Spring 2007 with more detailed information. Local authority Board members confirmed they would be happy to assist with the paper.  
 
Board decision 
The Board noted the objectives of Business Support Simplification, the work and timetable currently being undertaken, and the potential implications for the provision of business support in the region. 
 
9. BOARD FORWARD PROGRAMME 
 
The Chairman outlined that the Board forward work programme was a flexible planner for Board meetings and subject to change. 
 
10. MIGRANT WORKERS 
 
The paper was intended to highlight that the Agency needed to be conscious of the issue. In discussion, it was agreed that it would be helpful to identify the respective roles of the Agency, Equality South West, the Regional Assembly and local strategic partnerships on different aspects of this topic.  
 
11. AOB 
 
It was agreed that the Board should visit Cornwall during its 2007 programme of meetings. 
 
The Chairman offered her thanks to Brian Kemp for his hard work over the past five years as a Board member.