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MINUTES OF THE FORTY SIXTH MEETING OF SOUTH EAST
ENGLAND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
HELD ON THURSDAY 20 MARCH 2003 AT
SEEDA HEADQUARTERS
Present
James Brathwaite CBE (Chairman)
Professor Sir Clive Booth (Deputy Chairman)
Cllr. Ken Bodfish OBE (Deputy Chairman)
Robert Douglas
Elizabeth Brighouse
Mary McAnally
Terry Mills
John Peel
Janis Kong OBE
Poul Christensen
Cllr. Sarah Hohler
Cllr. Thornber CBE
Cllr. Keith House
In Attendance
Anthony Dunnett (SEEDA, Chief Executive)
Paul Martin (Regional Director, Government Office for the
South East, Items 4-7 & 12)
Nick Skellett (Chair, Regional Assembly, Item 7)
Paul Bevan (Chief Executive, Regional Assembly, Item 7)
Marianne Neville-Rolfe (Agency Secretary and Director, Strategy
and Corporate Services)
Paul Hudson (SEEDA, Director, Development and Infrastructure)
John Parsonage (SEEDA, Director, Learning and Skills)
Charlotte Dixon (SEEDA, Director, Economic Inclusion and
Sustainability)
Jeff Alexander (SEEDA, Director, Business and International)
Peter Radley (SEEDA, Broadband Consultant, Item 6)
Steve Coppins (SEEDA, Project Manager, Broadband, Item 6)
John Shaw (SEEDA, Project Manager, Hastings ad Bexhill, Item
8)
Phil Bailey (SEEDA, Head of Secretariat)
Item 1 Welcome and Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from:-
Barry Camfield
Dr Peter Read CBE
Item 2 Minutes of last meeting (20 February 2003)
Matters Arising
Finance Report
1. Robert Douglas updated the meeting by noting that a meeting
had been arranged with Marianne Neville-Rolfe to review of the
presentation and content of the Finance Report.
Board Dates 2004
2. It was agreed that proposed dates for SEEDA Board meetings
in 2004 should be sent to all Members
Board Guests
3. Members agreed that the attendance of Board guests should
be encouraged in those cases where they could contribute effectively
to policy discussions or more widely to enhance their discussion.
4. Lord Haskins, currently undertaking a review of the Department
of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and its Agencies,
has expressed an interest to visit SEEDA. The Board considered
that it would be appropriate for Lord Haskins to attend the Board
meeting on 2 May and asked that this be pursued (Note - Lord
Haskins was invited but unable to attend due to diary commitments.
However Lord Haskins reaffirmed his intention to visit SEEDA).
5. It was also agreed that Genie Turton, (Director, Office of
the Deputy Prime Minister) should be asked to attend the Board
meeting on 11 June despite the organisational changes at ODPM
because of the Board's intention to hold a discussion on
Housing (Note - Genie Turton has accepted invitation to
attend).
Housing Update
6. The Board asked for an update on the proposed Regional Housing
Board. The Chief Executive explained that discussions were continuing
between the Government Office, Regional Assembly, Housing Corporation,
English Partnerships and SEEDA on the draft regional housing
strategy and establishing the Regional Housing Board.
7. The full and summary minutes were approved as a correct record
of the Board meeting on 20 February.
Item 3 Declarations of Interest
8. John Peel, as Chair of Sussex Enterprise, declared an interest
in Item 8(1) because Sussex Enterprise was a deliverer of business
support services under the Plan.
9. Ken Thornber, as Leader of Hampshire County Council, declared
an interest in Item 9(3) because Hampshire County Council provided
funding to tenants on the site in question.
10. It was agreed that these declaration did not debar the Member
from participating in any discussions on those items.
Item 4 Chairman's Report
11. The Chairman reported on a number of his meetings held since
the previous Board meeting.
Visit to Milton Keynes
12. The Chairman reported that he had visited Milton Keynes
as part of his regional visits. He felt that the business community
should became more engaged because of the importance of the economic
agenda in Milton Keynes. The Chairman was also recognized the
importance of infrastructure development (such as hospitals and
transport) as part of the Growth Area agenda.
Meeting with Patrick Carter - Chairman, Sport England
13. The meeting agreed that sport was an essential element in
the regeneration and economic performance of deprived areas and
there was broad support for the proposal to mount a bid to stage
the America's Cup in the Isle of Wight.
Visit to Isle of Wight
14. The Chairman expressed his admiration for the work of the
Wight Economic Partnership and was heartened by the discussions
he had held on the Island. The Chairman was able to report on
positive progress on Project Cowes following the agreement by
SEEDA on recent site acquisitions.
RDA Chairs Meeting
15. The Chairman noted that RDA Chairs and Chief Executives
had held an away day in Newcastle and that he was impressed with
the efforts made to regenerate Newcastle and the surrounding
area.
16. RDA Chairs had also met recently as part of their regular
RDA Chairs Forum. The Deputy Prime Minister joined them and held
a discussion on the Sustainable Communities Plan. The Chairman
reported that he had stressed the importance of infrastructure
investment to accompany the proposals in the Plan.
Dinner with South East Vice Chancellors
17. The Chairman noted that he had hosted a Dinner with some
of the region's Vice-Chancellors but that Charles Clarke,
Secretary of State for Education and Skills, had been unable
to attend. Nevertheless an excellent discussion was held on the
HE White Paper. Clive Booth, Deputy Chair, the Chief Executive
and the Executive Director of Learning and Skills had also attended
the dinner.
House of Lords Select Committee Inquiry - Science, Engineering
and Technology
18. The Chairman reported that he and the Chief Executive had
given oral evidence to the Select Committee and that the evidence
had been well received.
Sussex Enterprise - Annual Conference
19. The Chairman had given a presentation at the Sussex Enterprise
Annual Conference and he felt that the Conference had gone very
well.
Item 5 SEEDA's Programmes for Vibrant Communities
20. Charlotte Dixon (Director, Economic Inclusion and Sustainability)
introduced this item by noting that her presentation would be
focusing on the key Priority Objectives as set out in the Regional
Economic Strategy (see attached slides).
Community Participation and Leadership
21. Charlotte Dixon stressed that the building blocks to deliver
leadership were being put into place through the creation of
the four Area Teams (all Area Directors are in post), establishing
the sub-regional partnerships and learning the lessons of the
five pilot Area Investment Frameworks (AIFs). Work to complete
the AIFs was in hand, with guidance now issued to partners and
it was essential that SEEDA and regional partners used the opportunity
offered by AIFs to put into place a strategy for each of the
priority regeneration areas. It was important that SEEDA communicated
the new 'devolved delivery' arrangements to all partners,
regional and local so that all understood the importance of the
sub-regional partnerships and that the sub-regional partnerships
involved local community groups. In addition SEEDA was in touch
with the mainstream funders about how best to work in partnership
and developing arrangements to work with organizations in areas
that do not fall into the priority regeneration areas.
22. Members briefly discussed the importance of the AIFs. They
recognized that AIFs were a framework for drawing together planned
and actual economic, environmental, and social investment in
a defined area (priority regeneration area) and then identifying
needs and gaps in that area. Partnerships should prioritise needs
and then develop action plans to meet those needs. The process
for establishing AIFs was important as the AIF itself and this
was illustrated by the recent launch of the East Kent Area Investment
Framework where all partners were linked by a common agenda.
23. The Board recognized that an important aspect of Community
Participation and Leadership was capacity building. This was
proceeding in a number of ways including tasking forward action
from the Social Inclusion Statement, ensuring the sustainability
of regional partners, working with the Neighbourhood Renewal
Unit to create a Regeneration Network and supporting the Funders
Forum.
Urban Renaissance
24. The Board acknowledged the importance of the recent announcements
for the South East in regard the Sustainable Communities plan
and its significance for the Urban Renaissance agenda. The Board
were assured that the funding bids being developed from the Growth
Areas would be robust and demonstrate innovative thinking and
that SEEDA was working closely with local partners.
Connecting Diversity with Prosperity
25. The Board were made aware of a number of initiatives that
had already been taken by SEEDA. These including establishing
the South East Race Equality Network. SEEDA had produced a Race
Equality Strategy and were in the process of producing an Equality
and Diversity Strategy. Significant work was underway with the
region's Business Links in supporting women-owned and BME
businesses throughout the region
26. SEEDA's role was to identify and disseminate best
practice and build the capacity of the diverse networks.
Community Infrastructure and Services
27. Members acknowledged that SEEDA did not lead in this area
but that the Single Regeneration Budget programmes (and successor
arrangements), the AIF process and specific projects gave SEEDA
the opportunity to add value.
28. Members briefly discussed a number of elements emerging
from the presentation. It was felt that the Police Forces had
a substantial contribution to make and that Crime and Disorder
Partnerships could be brought into the AIFs planning process
(the Board welcomed the news that the Centre for Police Excellence
was being located in Reading). Members considered the key ingredients
of a 'safe' community noting that creating a pleasant
environment was as important as security devices such as CCTV.
The Board concluded discussion by noting that it was important
that the local community felt that they owned their own area
rather than having measures imposed on an area.
Item 6 Broadband
29. Peter Radley introduced discussions on this item by referring
Members to the paper that had been provided which set out a high
level strategy to accelerate the deployment and use of Broadband
services and the supporting infrastructure across the region.
He noted that the present roll out of broadband is typified by
two issues. First, the public sector does not identify the synergies
available from 'joining up'/connecting public networks
and making them more widely available. Second, due to the slow
development of the demand for broadband telecommunications, operators
are selecting the prime areas to deliver services, neglecting
areas where demand may be more difficult, but arguably where
the need is greater. This threatens to create a 'digital
divide' that further disadvantages communities in rural
areas and deprived wards. One key objective of SEEDA's
strategy is to address the market failure of timely availability
of broadband services across the whole region.
30. The proposed strategy is based on the principle of SEEDA
catalysing faster availability of broadband services through 'broadband
brokerage' by:-
- identifying, and seeking to act as a catalyst to
bring forward, aggregation schemes to bridge significant infrastructure
gaps;
- Providing early funding for exchange unbundling, which can
be recouped from the margins resulting from long term viability
of the business created;
- establishing pilot wireless and satellite grant programmes
to increase viability and demand for broadband in marginal
areas.
31. The strategy proposes five roles for SEEDA:-
- Champion new technologies and major infrastructure
projects
- Addressing market failures works on public sector and community
aggregation
- Increasing Broadband content
- Promotion of broadband benefits
- Making SEEDA a broadband beacon organization
Delivery Mechanisms
32. It was explained that SEEDA should:-
- Create a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to implement
the government's plans for the aggregation of public
sector bandwidth demand in the South East. The structure
of the
SPV will be determined through close cooperation
with the UK Broadband
Task Force;
- champion aggregation programmes at the community
level; and
- help fund the expansion of broadband coverage
into areas which are not currently broadband
enabled and where there is no short term prospect of BT enabling
exchanges.
33. Members welcomed the presentation. They agreed that it was
important to generate enthusiasm at community level for broadband
access and accepted the roles outlined for SEEDA, noting that
SEEDA was the lead RDA for broadband. Members recognised certain
of the commercial realities in regard to cable operators and
BT but did believe that take up was the crucial issue. Therefore
they endorsed the importance of the work on developing interesting
and local content and promoting the benefits of broadband throughout
the region.
34. The Board:-
- Agreed the SEEDA Broadband Strategy accelerating
the provision of universal access
to broadband through programmes that stimulate the availability
of fibre,
DSL/cable
modem, wireless
and satellite.
- Noted that a further update will be presented to
the Board at a future
meeting in the Summer.
- Noted that discussions are progressing regarding the
establishment of a regional Special Purpose Vehicle, for implementing
the aggregation of public sector bandwidth requirements (and
potentially 'unbundling exchanges') in the South
East of England.
Item 7 GO-SE/Regional Assembly
35. Paul Martin, Cllr. Nick Skellett and Paul Bevan joined the
Board for this item.
36. Paul Martin opened discussion by reminding Members that
the Government Office for the South East (GO-SE) had an excellent
relationship with SEEDA. He noted that GO-SE had a sponsorship
role in regard to SEEDA but that equally important GO-SE was
a partner in the regional agenda. There were several priorities
shared between the organisations including affordable/key worker
housing, transport, tackling social and economic exclusion, skills
and the Growth Areas. It was important to continue he work in
aligning priorities, programmes and influence where appropriate.
37. The Board discussed a number of the issues raised by Paul
Martin. They welcomed the increasing regional dimension to
the transport agenda. The Board stressed that the transport
priorities identified in the Regional Economic strategy were
not a 'wish
list' but presented after robust consultation and reflected
investment that would benefit other regions. On a more local
level, and in regard to Local Transport Plans, it was important
for local authorities transport planners to work more closely
together and there might be a role for regional authorities to
act as a 'broker'. Members also discussed issues
in regard to skills and the need for Government to ensure
properly funded public services in the South East.
38. The Regional Assembly updated the meeting on recent development
and asked the Board to note that the consultation draft of
he 'Regional
Waste Management Strategy' had been launched. It was recognised
that Waste Management was a controversial issue and that
SEEDA had a role in finding markets for waste and promoting
environmental technologies.
39. The meeting briefly discussed existing arrangements in South
East House, based in Brussels and it was agreed that Liz Brighouse,
as Chair of the Joint Europe Committee would bring a paper to
the Board with proposals for future arrangements on a regional
presence in Brussels.
Item 8 Hastings
Hastings and Bexhill Business Plan (Item 8(1))
40. Members were updated on progress in delivering the Five
Point Plan for Hastings and Bexhill, as approved by the SEEDA
Board in March 2002 and subsequently agreed with Government
and local partners. Members were asked to approve SEEDA's input
to the Hastings and Bexhill Business Plan, utilising the £38m.
funding provided by Government.
41. Members were reminded that, following Government approval
of the Hastings and Bexhill Five Point Plan in April 2002, progress
over the past 12 months has focused on:-
- Recruitment of a Project Director and key members
of the
project team
- Development of an appropriate Executive Delivery
Vehicle
(EDV) to implement the Five Point Plan (see Item
8(2))
- Development of site masterplans, project phasing
and
a business plan.
- Progressing a select number of 'early wins' across
each of the areas of the 5 point plan, notably (e.g. acquisition
of a major redevelopment site adjacent to Hastings Station
and the establishment of a University Centre ready for a
September 2003 intake)
42. A range of projects have been worked up, and are grouped
within four key packages, namely:
- Hastings Town Centre
- Housing Joint Venture
- Rother Developments
- Access to Hastings and Bexhill
43. The Business Plan envisages three phases in order to accommodate
standard commercial risk management practices:-
- Phase 1 (2002 - 06) - focusing on upfront
public sector investment through the EDV to maximise the
commercial viability of projects and minimise the risk to
private investors;
- Phase 2 (2005 - 2009) - overlaps with
the commencement of the initial phases providing commercial
joint
venture investment, attracting private, as opposed to public,
finance;
- Phase 3 (2006 onwards) - characterised
by subsequent phases of self-sustaining commercial investment.
44. Members noted that, in addition to the funding provided
by ODPM for (predominantly) physical regeneration, SEEDA has
an existing SRB programme. This is being focussed on a range
of community led projects, complementary to the above expenditures,
to address the social inclusion issues.
45. Members congratulated the Chief Executive and Hastings and
Bexhill project team on the achievements to date. They welcomed
the objective of renewing Hastings and Bexhill, creating a thriving,
economically active population. The Board asked that their congratulations
were passed on the all members of the partnership and Task Force.
46. The Board:-
- Noted expenditure incurred to date within the framework
of this Business Plan (expenditure has been individually
approved
or
noted
by the Board
as appropriate
throughout
the
year);
- Agreed the broad structure and content of the Hastings
and Bexhill Business Plan
- Noted and agreed the process by which detailed
approval
by both SEEDA and Government will be secured
- Noted the principal projects approved and funded
in
the current financial year
Formation of Executive Delivery Company (Item 8(2))
47. The Board were asked to approve the establishment of a company
to pursue the Regeneration of Hastings and Bexhill. The Board
were reminded that policy approval was provided in December 2001.
The purpose of the company was to implement the Hastings and
Bexhill Business Plan, although the Board were assured that any
variances to the plan would need to be agreed by the SEEDA Board.
48. The Board:-
- Approved the establishment of a company, to be known
initially as Hastings and Bexhill Renaissance Limited, in
which
SEEDA
will participate
in
terms
of its powers
under
Section
5
(2) (c) of
the Regional Development
Agency Act 1998; and
- Delegated to the Chief Executive the agreement of
the
Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company
Item 9 Chief Executive's Report
General Report
49. The Chief Executive's report was noted and has been
published on the SEEDA website (www.seeda.co.uk)
50. The Board agreed that the evidence provided by SEEDA
to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Select Committee looking
at Regional Disparities and the evidence submitted to the House
of Lords Enquiry on Science, Engineering and Technology be made
available on the SEEDA website.
51. The Board agreed that SEEDA publishes the full set of minutes,
after approval by the Board, albeit excluding commercially sensitive
items and any exchanges that might be regarded as sensitive by
Members
52. The Board agreed that certain Board papers would be published
from time to time, as agreed by the Board.
Item 10 Strategy for Future Enterprise Hubs and Enterprise Gateways
53. Jeff Alexander introduced this item by outlining the new
approach to developing Enterprise Hubs and Gateways. The intention
is to take the projects forward in two phases; phase 1 will be
to build capacity and establish the Hub or Gateway networks;
phase 2 will be to provide the property elements and bespoke
facilities.
54. The strategy paper set out key issues to be tackled which
included strengthening the financial sustainability of the Hubs
and Gateways and prioritizing Enterprise Gateways in view of
the numbers of expressions of interest by partners. Members welcomed
the proposed strategy believing that it was now correct to adapt
the strategy in the light of lessons learnt to date and that
the change in approach to focusing on networks was appropriate.
They asked that the projected number of 20 new Hubs and Gateways
for 2003/04 should not necessarily be regarded as a maximum figure.
55. The Board:-
- Endorsed the strategy for taking forward the next steps
of SEEDA's Enterprise Hubs and Gateways.
Item 11 Faringdon Enterprise Gateway
56. It was explained that the Faringdon Enterprise Gateway will
have a broad sector focus (reflecting its location in a diverse
rural community) and specifically will work with the Countryside
Agency to address problems identified through the market towns
health check initiative.
57. The Board gave policy approval to establish the Faringdon
Enterprise Gateway.
Item 12 Operational Review
Finance Report
58. The Board reviewed and noted the Finance Report.
Item 13 AOB
SEEDA Advisory Council
59. Members were informed that the next meeting of the SEEDA
Advisory Council would be on 16 June, at the Café Royale,
London.
60. Members agreed that the membership of the Major Projects
Committee should be changed in the light of Ken Thornber's
notice to resign (as a consequence of his membership of the
Audit Committee).
It was agreed that Board members of the Major Projects Committee should be Janis Kong, Peter Read and John Peel.
Item 14 Date of Next Meeting
61. The next meeting of the SEEDA Board will be on Friday 2
May 2003, at SEEDA Headquarters.
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