SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 
MINUTES OF THE 69th BOARD MEETING 17th OCTOBER 2005 
Marine Skills Centre, Poole, Dorset 
 
 
Present: 
 
Juliet Williams - Chairman 
Cathy Bakewell - Board Member 
Nick Buckland - Deputy Chairman 
Christine Channon - Board Member 
Nigel Costley - Board Member 
Alan Courts - Board Member 
Duncan Hames - Board Member 
Brian Kemp - Board Member 
Christine Reid - Board Member 
Judith Reynolds - Board Member 
Colin Skellett - Board Member 
Harry Studholme - Board Member 
Eric Thomas - Board Member 
 
In attendance: 
 
Nick Lewis - Director of Corporate Services 
Colin Molton - Director of Operations and Development 
Stephen Peacock - Director of Enterprise and Innovation 
James Harris - Head of Skills 
Jeff Chinnock - Corporate and Parliamentary Affairs Manager 
Caroline Bloodworth - Corporate and Parliamentary Affairs 
 
Visitors: 
 
Malcolm Gillespie - SW Regional Director, Learning and Skills Council (items 2-8) 
Steve Lydon - Director, SWESA (items 2-6) 
Geoff Kemp - Sunseeker (item 7 only) 
 
Apologies: 
 
Jonathon Porritt - Board Member 
Geoffrey Wilkinson - Chief Executive 
Suzanne Bond - Director of Strategy and Communications 
 
1. MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE REVIEW/CHIEF EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT/ FEEDBACK FROM RT HON ALUN MICHAEL MP DINNER 
 
The Chairman updated the Board on the staff response following the recent consultation exercise and on the progress to date on the implementation of the review.  
 
The Chairman provided an update on the recruitment process for the Chief Executive post and Board members discussed the outcomes of the dinner with the Minister. 
 
2. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION 
 
The Chairman welcomed the Board to the Marine Skills Centre and introduced James Harris, RDA Head of Skills, and guests for the day, Malcolm Gillespie and Steve Lydon. 
 
3. MINUTES FROM 66TH AND 67TH MEETINGS AND MATTERS ARISING 
 
The minutes of the 66th and 67th meetings were agreed as a correct record. 
 
It was agreed that the report on property intervention in Cornwall would be circulated by Colin Molton at the end of November. 
 
4. SOUTH WEST ENTERPRISE AND SKILLS ALLIANCE (SWESA) 
 
Stephen Peacock outlined the programme for the day. He explained that giving priority to the skills agenda had been a key outcome of the RES Review process. He outlined the current status on skills in the region in the context of national priorities and drew attention to the issue of children leaving school without basic literacy and numeracy skills. Whilst this was clearly a major problem the political attention currently being focused on the issue of basic skills offered a potential opportunity to address the issue.  
 
Brian Kemp outlined the key challenges facing SWESA. The need to stir up the system (out of the low wage, low skills economy); to speed up the pace of change; and to manage government expectations. He highlighted the need to evaluate the impact of the Sector Skills Agencies, to prioritise and to look further at the performance of secondary schools in the region, particularly in respect of the teaching of maths and english. 
 
James Harris provided an overview of SWESA activities. This included the SW Skills for Life Unit (LSC/RDA joint working) and the Trade Union led 'Learning Works for All'. He outlined the Regional Leadership and Management programme, including the SW Director Development Programme. As part of the joint planning element, he explained that the Skills Balance Sheet was used to assess the needs of sectors to ensure that funding was targeted appropriately. The balanced scorecard was used to measure progress in the South West, a process which had been recognised as best practice by DfES and DTi.  
 
It was agreed that the use of the balanced scorecard in measuring progress would provide a useful contribution to evidence of RDA effectiveness in advance of CSR2007.  
 
There was discussion about the provision of leadership and management skills which were to be delivered by Business Links. It was explained that the delivery models planned would differ across the region in order to benefit from the best local practice.  
 
There was general concern about the low levels of investment in training by employers. It was recognised that one of the biggest drivers for training was regulation (e.g. Health and Safety). This raised questions concerning the attitude of some Business Links to such regulations.  
 
5. LEARNING AND SKILLS COUNCIL (LSC) OVERVIEW / NATIONAL EMPLOYER TRAINING PROGRAMME (NETP) 
 
Malcolm Gillespie provided an overview of the LSC in the region. He explained that the South West received £800m of a national £10bn LSC budget. Approximately 50% of that funding was directed at Further Education (FE) colleges, and FE delivered by Higher Education institutions and local authorities. Between 15 and 20% of the budget provided funding for sixth form education with a similar percentage for work based learning activities. The remainder met LSC administration funding needs.  
 
Malcolm Gillespie further explained that, on the supply side, the LSC's main task was to ensure that the system was more responsive to the needs of the economy. This was achieved by agreeing delivery plans with local colleges. The issue of funding intended for post-16 activity being used to provide pre-16 assistance was raised as an area of concern 
 
The national Employer Training Programme (NETP) was to be rolled out nationally and brokerage was to be a key element.  
 
The issue of early years support was raised and it was accepted that there were problems around the region where, in some families, unemployment had been the norm for as many as four generations. There was a need to break this cycle. 
 
(Juliet Williams left the meeting at this point; Nick Buckland took over as Chairman). 
 
6. SKILLS PROJECTS 
 
James Harris provided some examples of RDA funded projects. He explained that the Agency had a very small sum of money to invest when compared to the LSC, for example. It was therefore incumbent on the RDA to try to identify activities that made a real difference.  
 
James Harris explained that skills programmes were often part of other RDA projects (e.g. CUC and West@work), and also included sector support (e.g. Tourism Skills Network). Projects might also focus on the development of a specific qualification (e.g. NVQ Coastal Zone Management).  
 
It was agreed that there was a continuing need to ensure that skills were fully integrated within the large infrastructure projects in which the Agency was involved. The issue of migrant workers was also raised. 
 
7. MARINE SKILLS CENTRES 
 
Stephen Peacock explained that Marine South West had identified that skills barriers were holding back the sector in the region and had proposed a network of skills centres to be located in Poole, Falmouth and Plymouth.  
 
The Centres were planned to be located close to a prime manufacturer in the sector (Sunseeker in the case of Poole). The RDA had invested £800k in Poole and £1.7m in Plymouth and Falmouth. The Poole centre had secured additional £750k funding though its status as a Centre of Vocational Excellence (CoVE). Work was underway at the Falmouth site, with an expected start in December/ January 2006. In Plymouth, approval had been given for the first phase and negotiations continued with the local authority about the main site. 
 
Stephen Peacock introduced Geoff Kemp from Sunseeker who outlined the history, current levels of business and future plans for the company. He explained his role as a member of the Poole Marine Skills Centre Steering Group and the importance of the facility to Sunseeker and its supply chain. He explained that work continued to market the centre to all marine sector companies and awareness events were being held to achieve this aim. 
 
8. BOURNEMOUTH HOTEL SCHOOL 
 
Colin Molton provided an update to the Board on the teaching hotel project, including the EU public sector procurement process (OJEU) which had taken place. He outlined the plans that had been developed by the preferred bidder, Dawnay Day Hotels Ltd and discussed the next steps in the process. This included the submission of a planning application in November 2005, legal work in January 2006, with work expected to start on site in spring 2006. The hotel was due to open in spring 2007. Colin Molton explained that there would be a detailed agreement in place to ensure the continued delivery of relevant training for the future.