EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - 15 MARCH 2002

The Executive Committee met on 15 March 2002. This Bulletin summarises the proceedings.

Business Plan 2002-2003
The Executive Committee agreed an ambitious Business Plan for 2002-2003. The Plan covers more than 30 strands of activity under the three core areas of the Assembly's business - Advocacy, Accountability and Regional Planning.

The Plan includes nine key aims and identifies for each of them:

• what we will be doing (activities);
• why we are involved (outcomes);
• how we will proceed (outputs), and;
• when and how much we expect to achieve (targets).

The Executive Committee asked for explicit recognition within the Plan of the important contribution to be made to increasing the supply of affordable housing in the region.

DTLR Delivery Plan
The Executive Committee formally endorsed the Delivery Plan for the £600,000 a year of direct funding available to the Assembly from the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR). This Plan covers the next two years of funding, i.e. 2002-2003 and 2003-2004.

The DTLR's direct funding to the Assembly is for strengthening regional accountability. The Delivery Plan sets out how the Assembly expects to scrutinise the work of SEEDA; to this end we will be developing further our regional research and monitoring capability, and continuing to build the Assembly's representative role. The Plan is inevitably a continuation of this year's activities on these themes, by virtue of which we have, for example, installed geographic information systems, recruited staff to support social environmental and economic partner representatives, expanded our external communications work, and held hearings on SEEDA's policies and impact.

This DTLR funded work is integrated within the Assembly's Business Plan for 2002-03.

Regional Social Inclusion Statement
The Executive Committee, on the Assembly's behalf, formally endorsed the Regional Social Inclusion Statement.

The purpose of the Statement is to give impetus to the implementation of the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal. It commits regional bodies (including the Assembly, SEEDA, GOSE, RAISE, the Health Development Agency, the Social Care Region and the Housing Corporation) to the social inclusion agenda.

The consultation by the regional partners last autumn was extensive and a high volume of responses was received. The Executive Committee itself considered the consultation draft of the Statement on 19 October 2001.

Members of the Executive made a number of observations in supporting the Statement, including a request for greater emphasis on the exclusion faced by those living in geographically isolated areas. The Statement was endorsed, with the Committee's comments either to be incorporated within the final version or to be addressed by the regional task group that will progress the Statement's action plan.

The Statement will be launched on 10 May 2002.

The Cultural Cornerstone
The Assembly Chair, Vice-Chairs and Chief Executive met recently with the Regional Cultural Consortium (RCC) to explore ways in which cultural objectives can be more closely integrated into broader regional policy. This dialogue took place against the backdrop of a Government review of the role of RCCs generally, prompted by the forthcoming Regional Government White Paper.

As a result, the Executive Committee was invited on 18 March to consider and endorse the regional cultural strategy, 'The Cultural Cornerstone'. This strategy for the South East was published in June last year. Since then, the Cultural Consortium has been considering reactions and responses, and is now preparing an action plan to take forward the strategic priorities identified in the strategy.

SEEDA Accountability
Jeff Alexander of SEEDA reported on stage one of the Regional Economic Strategy (RES) Review. He felt that the RES consultation events held to date around the region had been constructive and well-attended. Feedback from each of the events is available on the SEEDA web site (www.seeda.co.uk). Partners also have the opportunity to give further input to the RES review with an online questionnaire.

The Consultation Draft of the RES will be available in April and the formal consultation period will last for three months.

In response to questions concerning the expansion of SEEDA's staff, Jeff Alexander explained that recruitment was now underway for front-line staff to deliver key aspects of SEEDA's work. He expected SEEDA's total staff complement to reach about 190 people.

SELECT COMMITTEE- 22 MARCH 2002

The first Select Committee to be convened under the Assembly's scrutiny arrangements with SEEDA will be taking place on Friday 22 March at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors at 3 Cadogan Gate, London SW1.

The Committee's task is to examine the impact of SEEDA's policies and activities to date on areas of economic success, namely Thames Valley, Oxfordshire and Basingstoke, and to consider SEEDA's potential future impact.

A scene-setting issues paper has been commissioned from consultants Arups, drawing together existing work on the economic development of these areas. SEEDA have also prepared an "issues paper" themselves, setting out their approach to the Areas of Economic Success. Submissions to the Committee have been received from key players in those three areas including economic partnerships, local authorities, Friends of the Earth and Surrey Learning and Skills Council.

The meeting will be open to the public and media. If you would like to attend, please contact the Secretariat.

NEWS IN BRIEF…

GOSE update
Charlotte Dixon is acting Regional Director following David Saunders' departure from GOSE. Charlotte reported to the Executive the imminent arrival at GOSE of Department of Health colleagues to form the new Integrated Public Health Group for the South East. In addition they will be working on social inclusion and other regional policy agendas.

The Home Office team already located at Bridge House is also being integrated into the Government Office structure.

Framework for Employment and Skills (FRESA)
Kathy Slack, Head of Learning and Skills at SEEDA, gave a short presentation to the Executive Committee on the new Framework for Employment and Skills. The Framework is being developed by a forum convened by SEEDA for the purpose, including local Learning and Skills Councils, employers, GOSE, RAISE, higher education and National Training Organisations. The FRESA aims to identify what needs to happen with skills in the South East to maintain and grow a healthy labour market. It will be published alongside the new RES in October this year.

Railways
The Committee asked for the Assembly to put pressure on the Government urgently to resolve the problems that have led to the closure of the Channel Tunnel to freight trains. The Committee voiced serious concern about the impact of the closure both on road traffic congestion and on the region's economy. The Chair has written to the Minister for Transport accordingly.

The Executive Committee also voiced alarm at the recent announcement by the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) that they intend to impose a minimum fare of £10 on rail tickets bought with a Network Railcard. The Committee were concerned that this would discourage people from using public transport, and asked for representations to be made both to the Government and to ATOC.

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Last updated: 21 August 2007