This Bulletin reports the main issues covered at the Executive Committee meeting of 13 April 2007

GOSE Report

GOSE Director Rolande Anderson reported that publication of the report of the panel of inspectors following the South East Plan Examination in Public (EiP) is likely to be delayed.

She advised members that it was unlikely that the report, originally expected in July 2007, would be published by Government until autumn.

Government decisions on spending priorities, expected as part of July’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR07) announcement, have also been delayed until autumn.

GOSE believes that sub-regional collaboration is likely to be a priority in this and other forthcoming Government policy announcements, so the Assembly’s role in defining, facilitating and working with sub-regions is important. Multi Area Agreements (MAAs) offer a new means of developing partnerships on a wider geographical basis than those covered by current Local Area Agreements.

Another new development is the transfer of social care inspection to GOSE.

Chief Executives Report

Committee members received copies of an updated Assembly logo, to be used from April 2007. The new logo highlights the Assembly’s constituent membership by including the strap-line ‘Councils and communities in partnership’.

The Assembly has also created associated branding for the Regional Housing Board and Regional Transport Board.

Assembly Chief Executive Paul Bevan also reported on two significant events on 30 March. First was the completion of four months of EiP hearings on the South East Plan. Second was a successful Assembly-hosted Climate Change Summit attended by 130 organisations.

A financial report for the first nine months of 2006-7 indicated a forecast surplus of £83,700 at the end of March due to higher than expected income. The full year financial report will be presented to a future Executive Committee.

Regional Housing Strategy

The Executive Committee agreed a detailed response to the consultation by the Regional Housing Board on the Regional Housing Strategy. The strategy will inform housing priorities and expenditure from 2008-2011.

Key points in the Executive’s response included:

• Deliver affordable housing as a top priority, with investment focused on urban areas as long as the Housing Corporation can meet expenditure timetables
• Maintain investment in rural affordable homes taking account of inflation in construction costs and land values
• Reflect the South East Plan’s targets for social rented and shared ownership homes
• Maintain funding for ‘decent homes’ improvements and encourage high environmental standards in new homes
• Maintain funding for legal Gypsy and Traveller sites
• Place a stronger focus on the housing needs of older people
• Invest in projects to support brownfield land development and forward funding of infrastructure.

SEEDA Report

The South East’s Olympic ‘offer’ will be launched on 9 May, reported SEEDA Chief Executive Pam Alexander. SEEDA is co-ordinating the event on behalf of partners and has invited Olympic athlete Jonathan Edwards. SEEDA has also appointed Paddy Herlihy, formerly with Sport England, as regional Olympics co-ordinator.

Pam Alexander reported on Chancellor Gordon Brown’s recent visit to the region.

Lobbying efforts with MPs and ministers are continuing on the review of Portsmouth Naval Base.

Changes to SEEDA’s staff structure took effect in April, aligning staff behind the Regional Economic Strategy priorities of global competitiveness, smart growth and sustainability. Strategy and communications will also have a high priority.

On financial matters, SEEDA gave early warning that it has not met its budget target for brownfield land development due to delays in bringing forward a large, complex site in Kent. Pam Alexander also reassured members that allegations of financial impropriety in recent newspaper articles were false.

RES Implementation Plan

A draft of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) Implementation Plan will be launched for consultation in mid May. SEEDA aims to have strong involvement from stakeholders, to reinforce key principles in the RES and to maximise compatibility with the Delivery Plan for the South East Plan. The goal is a joint regional delivery plan for the South East Plan and the RES.

Select Committees

SEEDA presented its responses to two recent Assembly scrutiny select committees.

Social enterprise

Assembly members accepted SEEDA's report on actions planned in response to the select committee's recommendations but asked for an update on progress in 12 months' time.

SEEDA outlined the following actions that are in hand or planned:

• The need for better monitoring - A study began in March 2007 that will propose ways of measuring progress against actions in the region’s Social Enterprise Enabling Framework. Capacity building within Business Links is underway and SEEDA is piloting a social audit tool that will help measure businesses’ social and environmental impact
  
  
• Develop the Social Enterprise Enabling Framework further - Two posts have been created to support implementation of the strategy and a revised action plan will be produced
  
  
• Review the Enabling Framework Steering Group - A workshop is planned for May to create a regional leadership structure between the steering group and the new South East Social Enterprise Network
  
  
• Provide business support for social enterprises - Investment in cultural change is leading to greater partnership with and support for social enterprises
  
  
• Develop potential for social enterprises to supply the public sector - SEEDA will train procurement teams across the region to highlight the potential of social enterprises as suppliers.

Business Support and Business Links

Assembly members expressed concern about the lack of detail in SEEDA's response to this select committee and questioned whether it accurately reflected the committee's discussions. Members asked SEEDA to provide a detailed action plan and called for an update on progress in 6-12 months' time.

Particular concerns were raised about poor perceptions of the Business Links brand, however SEEDA Chief Executive Pam Alexander explained that Government strongly supported use of the same brand in all regions.

Key SEEDA responses included:

• Develop a coherent strategy for business support -This will be included in the consultation draft of the Regional Economic Strategy Implementation Plan
  
  
• Simplify business support services - Mapping of all business support services is underway to identify overlaps. Consultation has also begun with stakeholders and partners and SEEDA is also involved in national simplification working groups.

Environment Agency Dialogue

The Environment Agency’s (EA) role in helping to deliver the South East Plan was a key topic of discussion at the Assembly’s fifth annual dialogue meeting with the EA in February.

Joint working between EA and the Assembly has helped define the costs of environmental infrastructure needed to support the South East Plan. Further joint work is underway to identify any gaps in funding and how these could be filled.

Flood defences were also discussed, with a particular focus on South Hampshire and suitable locations for new development in the area.

Regional Health Summit

The first meeting of the Assembly’s new-format Regional Health Summit was held in March. Membership of the summit now focuses on Chairmen and Chief Executives of key regional organisations including the Assembly, SEEDA, Regional Housing Board, GOSE, voluntary sector organisation RAISE, and the region’s two Strategic Health Authorities.

Debate centred on high level strategic issues such as health funding for the region, NHS strategic planning versus public perceptions of service, and the role of member organisations in improving public health.

The Assembly and several other summit members, led by GOSE, are involved in preparing a regional strategy for health. Although not a statutory document, some consultation is planned with local authorities and Primary Care Trusts in the region.

A Healthy Region Forum conference will be held in summer 2007 to extend these health debates to a wider audience.

European Development Fund

Projects that support the knowledge economy and sustainable development should be top priorities for European funding. These were the key points agreed by the Executive Committee in response to consultation on the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The South East England Competitiveness Operational Programme, published for consultation by SEEDA and GOSE, will receive €24 million from ERDF and a similar amount in match funding from SEEDA. Consultation asks for views on types of initiatives to be funded. Consultation closes on 1 June 2007.

The Assembly will be a member of the programme monitoring committee.

Reports from Committees

The Executive Committee also noted reports from the Regional Housing Board, Regional Planning Committee, Joint Europe Committee and SEEDA’s Social Dialogue Forum.

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Last updated: 21 August 2007