 SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
MINUTES OF THE 41ST BOARD MEETING 24 March 2003
Sterling House, Exeter
Present:
- Juliet Williams - Chairman
- Doris Ansari - Board Member
- Nick Buckland - Board Member
- Peter Chalke - Board Member
- Nigel Costley - Board Member
- Brian Kemp - Board Member
- Mike Leece - Board Member
- Robin Nicoll - Board Member
- Jeremy Pope - Deputy Chairman
- Judith Reynolds - Board Member
- Colin Skellett - Board Member
- Harry Stadholme - Board Member
- Geoff Wilkinson - Chief Executive
- Suzanne Bond - Director of Strategy and Communications
- Carolin Bull - Director of Enterprise and Innovation
- Nick Lewis - Director of Corporate Services
- Colin Molton - Director of Development
- Anne Bulleid - Executive Office
- Melanie Farrant - Executive Office
Apologies:
- Helen Holland - Board Member
- Jonathon Porritt - Board Member
- Eric Thomas - Board Member
1. MINUTES FROM 39th and 40th MEETINGS
The minutes of the 39th and 40th meetings were agreed as a correct record.
Geoff Wilkinson reported that, since the issues meeting on 24 February, the RDA had altered proposals for the Regional Regeneration Fund to provide a grant for the fund to purchase property in order to overcome the DTI's concern about gifting assets. However, as the scheme was still considered novel and contentious it required Treasury approval and a decision was not expected before the end of this financial year.
Nick Lewis confirmed that amendments had been made in the light of board members wishes to ensure that the Fund's objects could be changed only with the agreement of founder organisations (ie the RDA and the Housing Corporation). He anticipated that FSA regulations and the calibre of members on the Fund's board would ensure that the objects were pursued.
Nick Lewis reported that, following the January board meeting on 27 January, Bill Price had been appointed as the RDA's Director on RISE.
2. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
Juliet Williams reported that she expected tourism and rural issues to be discussed at forthcoming RDA chairs' meetings and would be asking for input and support from board members and the Executive. At a recent chairs meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister had been complimentary about the role of RDAs and had asked for support for his Sustainable Communities action programme.
Caroline Bull confirmed that there was an emerging responsibility for RDAs to promote a link between higher education and business. Nigel Costley asked that the RDA attempt to gain active support from the National Health Service and the CBI with LSCs.
Juliet Williams asked board members to continue to submit details of their RDA commitments.
3. CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S REPORT
Geoffrey Wilkinson informed board members that Alan Johnson had asked to launch the South West RES. Juliet Williams apologised for the style of the automatically generated invitations to board members to this event.
Comments from both GOSW and the DTI had been incorporated in the final version of the Corporate Plan submitted to ministers which it was hoped would be approved by the month end.
The RDA had actively been involved in developing the new lead body for tourism shortly to be launched, and had raised c£4m across RDAs and the private sector for the English marketing campaign which would start in the second half of April. Juliet Williams thanked Geoff Wilkinson for his exceptional efforts in this work.
The recent decision by the government to publish only 6 month and full year outputs was welcomed.
December accounts showed funding headroom of c£10.5m and further slippage was anticipated; however, further commitments recently made or under consideration were expected to take up all available headroom. Board members were assured that examples would be available to back up output figures next time they were released. Nick Lewis reported that including publicity clauses at the outset of funding offers was being considered.
Suzanne Bond confirmed that the RDA was able to provide an indication of the impact of the Iraq war on the region's economy for the next board meeting.
Work carried out by the SW UK Brussels Office on the mid-term review of CAP and Agenda 2000 would be of interest to board members and Doris Ansari agreed to circulate details.
4. DECEMBER 2002 ACCOUNTS
The Board noted the December 2002 accounts and Nick Lewis referred to the updated information on spending included in the Chief Executive's report.
In response to questions, Nick Lewis said he anticipated that the proportion of spend in the fourth quarter of the next financial year would be less than that in the current year. The high proportion of spend in the last quarter of 2002-03 was attributable to the advent of the single pot and uncertainty over the final budget figures, to the new directional emphasis for RDAs and to the significant SRB spending in the twelfth month.
Nick Lewis went on to explain that legislation governing RDA expenditure meant it could not spend unless approval was in place, and therefore forecast spend could not exceed approved spend. He agreed to add a column to future reports showing original approval amounts. A system was currently being developed to improve the accuracy of forecasting and in the coming year the RDA would be concentrating on making improvements to its cash flow forecasting.
5. DRAFT BUDGET
Nick Lewis set out how the budget figure for 2003-04 of £133.5m was calculated. He explained that the current year's budget did not include non-cash costs.
It was agreed that Regional Infrastructure projects described under Strategic Objective 3 of the 2003-04 budget would be reclassified simply as Infrastructure projects.
Board Decision
The Board approved the draft budget and noted that a full budget would be provided at the June board meeting.
6. NATIONAL CENTRE FOR MICROSYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY (NM2C)
7. ST AUSTELL TOWN CENTRE
8. OSPREY QUAY
9. RESPONSE TO SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON SKILLS SHORTAGES IN ADVANCED ENGINEERING IN THE SOUTH WEST
Caroline Bull introduced a paper circulated with the agenda that set out how the RDA was responding to recommendations made by the select committee. It was felt that the select committee process had been a useful, albeit slow, exercise.
Brian Kemp suggested that the Executive Team and / or the Board should review an independent analysis carried out in order to better understand a high skills society. It was also suggested that board members sitting on local LSCs should help to encourage students at school to take an interest in engineering and that regional branches of professional organisations such as EEF should be more engaged in addressing skills shortages.
10. INWARD INVESTMENT UPDATE
The report circulated with the agenda highlighted inward investment work in the current year and set out a protocol drawn up for company contact. Board members visiting south west companies were advised to contact the Executive Office for details and history of the company held on the RDA's CRM system and then contact the appropriate team for a briefing.
Brian Kemp asked that investor support staff seek to identify whether assistance could be provided to lessen the need to import, such as training or supply chain solutions.
It was agreed that the experience of retaining Tripos in the region, and other similar cases, should be drawn on as lessons for the future.
11. STANDING ITEMS
a. Projects Approved
Noted. Nick Lewis made two corrections to the report as a result of the Investment Group meeting of 19 March. The RDA would now be funding £75k gross (£55k net of £20k DoT contribution) for the regional airport study and had agreed with DoT that it would take the lead on this study. The RDA contribution to the Theatre Royal Production and Education Centre was now decreased from £672k to £500k.
In order to better understand the value of speculative developments such as Gore Cross Business Park, the Development team and Strategy and Communications Directorate were looking at data to identify the impact of RDA involvement and intervention.
The Board would receive a presentation on the RDA's appraisal process at the June business meeting.
b. Executive Reports
Noted.
Commercial in Confidence
c. Policy Consultation Responses
Noted.
d. Summary of Advisory Group minutes
Noted.
e. Decisions taken using Urgency Procedures
None had been taken since the last report to the January board meeting.
f. Documents Sealed
Noted.
g. Loan Write Offs
Noted.
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