|
SUMMARY BOARD MINUTES OF THIRTY FOURTH MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 21 FEBRUARY 2002 AT
SEEDA HEADQUARTERS, GUILDFORD
Members Present
Allan Willett CMG (Chairman), Professor Clive Booth (Deputy Chairman),
Cllr. Ken Bodfish OBE (Deputy Chairman) (left at 14.30hrs), Cllr.
Kevin Wilson, Sarah Ward OBE DL, Cllr. Kit Oliver OBE DL, Caroline
Williams, Dr Peter Read CBE, Janis Kong OBE, Elizabeth Brighouse,
James Brathwaite CBE, Barry Camfield, Mary McAnally
Apologies for absence
Robert Douglas, Ken Thornber CBE
Others in Attendance (for all or part of meeting)
Anthony Dunnett (Chief Executive), Jeff Alexander (Agency Secretary
and Director, Strategy and Corporate Services), Phil Bailey (SEEDA,
Head of Secretariat), Paul Hudson (SEEDA, Director, Regeneration
and Infrastructure), Marianne Neville-Rolfe (SEEDA, Director,
Business and International Division)
Summary of Meeting
1. The Board :-
- Noted the Declaration of interests by Members;
- Noted that David Saunders, Regional Director, Government Office
for the South East, had taken up a new post in the Department
of Trade and Industry.
- Received a brief report from Dr Peter Read on the RDA meeting
with Professor Porter and Patricia Hewitt
- Noted that GO-SE were organising an event on Corporate Social
Responsibility
- Discussed progress on setting up the Regional Venture Capital
Fund
- Agreed to a proposal that SEEDA becomes involved in the delivery
of the European Social Fund as a recognised co-financing organisation.
- Agreed to the proposal to establish a Crawley Enterprise Hub,
subject to full appraisal;
- Received a report from the Chairman;
- Noted an update on the Corporate Plan and Review of the Regional
Economic Strategy;
- Discussed a proposed SEEDA response to the Planning Green
Paper;
- Noted that the Regional Assembly had agreed dates for the
first "Select Committee" scrutiny meeting
- Reviewed and noted the Finance Report and various SEEDA programme
investments.
Declaration of Interests
2. Jim Brathwaite declared a non pecuniary interest in item 7
- Crawley Enterprise Hub - because he was a Director of Sussex
Enterprise. It was agreed that this declaration of interest did
not debar participation in discussion on those items.
David Saunders
3. The Board asked for their best wishes to David Saunders to
be sent and noted that Charlotte Dixon would be in temporary charge
at the Government Office.
Clusters
4. Peter Read reported back on his meeting with Professor Porter
and Patricia Hewitt at a Dinner with RDA Chairs. He noted that
he held some reservations about whether clusters could be imposed
on the business community. Nevertheless Professor Porter's views
continued to influence Government thinking and it was important
that SEEDA take those views into account in any submission to
Government.
5. The Board noted that the review of the Regional Economic Strategy
provided the opportunity for SEEDA to promote its views on clusters
and the work to date, such as Enterprise Hubs and Sector Groups.
The Board felt that effort should be directed at encouraging and
assisting existing clusters rather than creating new clusters.
Corporate Social Responsibility
6. The Chairman reminded the Board that he had tried to promote
a national one-day Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility.
Whilst that event had not taken place, GO-SE were organising a
regional event. It was agreed that SEEDA should be involved and
that GO-SE should be asked to find out if Douglas Alexander, the
DTI Minister responsible for this subject, was available to address
the event.
7. The Board supported the Chairman's proposals. They viewed
Corporate Social Responsibility as an important issue that cuts
across many of SEEDA's agendas.
Regional Venture Capital Fund (RCVF)
8. The Board noted that the proposed Fund had not yet reached
its target. This was because the Fund could not attract corporate
or Local Authority Pension Fund support to the same degree as
in other regions. The Board was asked to approve the recommendation
that they agree the principle of SEEDA providing an equity injection
into the Regional Venture Capital Fund on a pari passu basis with
private sector investors.
9. The Board briefly discussed the proposal. They noted that
the opportunity cost had to be balanced against whether the Fund
would proceed without the SEEDA investment. The investment met
the objectives of SEEDA's Finance for Growth strategy and would
lever in other money. It would demonstrate commitment to the Fund
and confirm SEEDA's willingness to invest in SMEs. The region's
Business Links supported the proposal.
10. The Board agreed to the principle of SEEDA providing an equity
injection into the Regional Venture Capital Fund on a pari passu
basis with private sector investors.
Co-financing
11. The Board noted the proposal that SEEDA becomes involved
in the delivery of the European Social Fund as a recognised co-financing
organisation. The intention was to ensure a more strategic fit
with the Regional Economic Strategy and it was likely that most
of the funding would be on the Learning and Skills agenda. SEEDA
would work closely with the Local Learning and Skills Councils
and a joint prospectus would be issued.
12. The Board welcomed this initiative. They noted that the additional
funding would be directed to activities that SEEDA supported and
that the criteria surrounding the provision of funding fitted
SEEDA's objectives.
Crawley Enterprise Hub
13. The Board considered the proposal to establish an Enterprise
Hub in Crawley to serve Crawley and a wider area to include Redhill/Reigate,
East Grinstead, Horsham and Burgess Hill. The Hub will be based
around physical incubation space at the planned Diamond Innovation
Centre, part of a new Business and Innovation Centre to be developed
by Basepoint plc., a private sector developer. The proposal had
also benefitted from research by Oxford Innovation Ltd.
14. The Board believed that Crawley had the potential to benefit
from n Enterprise Hub and welcomed the proposal. They noted the
focus on high tech, high growth companies and that linkages would
be established with a number of Universities and Higher Education
Institutes.
Chairman's Report
Regional Economic Strategy Business Dinners and RES Events
(6 and 14 February)
15. The Chairman had held two Business Dinners to date and both
had gone well. The RES Events (Hampshire/Isle of Wight and Kent/Medway)
had been well attended and successful. The Board noted that feedback
had been positive.
Visit by Patricia Hewitt to Oxford - 20 February
16. The Chairman reminded the Board that SEEDA had been promoting
Oxford to the Government through activities such as the Oxford
Day, the visit by Mark Gibson and now a visit by Patricia Hewitt.
A meeting had been held at the Wafic Said Business School followed
by a visit to the new Mini Cooper production line.
Corporate Plan 2002/04 - Update
17. Jeff Alexander informed the Board that the DTI had now commented
on the draft Corporate Plan. A few minor amendments would be required
and a summary version produced.
Review of Regional Economic Strategy
18. Jeff Alexander noted that a timetable was emerging on the
review of the Regional Economic Strategy which meant that Members
would be considering a first draft consultation document at their
meeting in March. This would allow for publication in early April
followed by a three month consultation period.
19. The Board's attention was also drawn to a suite of documents
that would accompany and inform the RES. These include:-
- the State of the Region report;
- a report by the Future Think Committee chaired by the Chairman;
- and work undertaken by Robert Huggins to develop a set of
key indicators in order to measure the performance of the South
East compared with other Knowledge Based Economies
20. In addition the RES would need to link in with other regional
strategies and policy frameworks.
Planning Green Paper
21. The Board discussed and agreed the basis of SEEDA's response
to the Government's Planning Green Paper.
Regional Assembly
22. Kevin Wilson noted that he had been unable to attend the
Regional Assembly Plenary meeting but he asked the Board to note
that two dates had now been agreed for the "Select Committee"
hearing. The first of these was 22 March and would be attended
by the Chief Executive, Jeff Alexander, Marianne Neville-Rolfe
and senior officers from each Directorate. Kevin Wilson would
also attend. The issue was "SEEDA's contribution and role
in the more successful areas of the South East".
Date of Next Meeting
23. Thursday 21 March 2002, at SEEDA, Chatham Maritime. Start
time to be 10.30hrs.
|
