This Bulletin reports the main issues covered at the Executive Committee meeting of 20 October 2006.

REVIEW OF ASSEMBLY CONSTITUTION

The Committee agreed changes to the Rules of Procedure to accommodate the Regional Housing Board (RHB) and Regional Transport Board (RTB) now they have been transferred to the Assembly.

These included the addition of one Assembly member to the RHB, bringing the total representation to six. This matches the RTB template. The additional member will be drawn from the party with the greatest representation on the Assembly.

The Committee also recommended to the Assembly changes to the Constitution in order to:

1. Make general provision for partnership boards, delegating powers to the Executive Committee to agree the creation and remit of such boards
   
   
2. Clarify the status of town and parish councillors as local government members with or without party allegiance
   
   
3. Ensure the representation of all main political parties, as required by Government guidance, so that should a party holding more than 6% of council seats in the region control no councils, and therefore have no Assembly member, it would nonetheless be invited to nominate a small number of members to Assembly committees
   
   
4. Increase the size of the Executive Committee to 31. The chairmen of the RPC, RHB and RTB would become full voting members of the Executive; an additional place is also proposed for the social and environmental partners to provide equity with the economic partner representation on the Committee and maintain the proportionality between local government and stakeholders.

Members were advised that work is being carried out by the English Regions Network collectively on members' interests and codes of conduct conduct.

IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

The Committee approved the latest version of Delivering the South East Plan (the Implementation Plan) subject to a number of small alterations.

The document was widely welcomed and it was stressed that it was important to continue to update it throughout the life of the South East Plan.

Economic partners in particular expressed interest in being able to have further input as the Plan is actioned.

The Committee welcomed the intention to create a single implementation plan for the region that incorporates the RES as well as the South East Plan in future.

PLANNING DELIVERY GRANT (PDG)

The Committee agreed responses to Government on PDG and a proposed new Housing and Planning Delivery Grant (HPDG). The consultation sets out the proposed criteria which Government intends to use in future, with an increasing bias towards local authorities performing well against housing targets. This is further emphasised in the proposal to replace PDG with the HPDG which is a direct response to Kate Barker’s views that local authorities need incentives to deliver housing.

Government has proposed for some time that PDG would be reduced in 2007/08 but that this would be offset, in the case of Regional Assemblies, by an increase in the single pot funding. The agreed response seeks Government’s continued commitment to funding planning at the regional level, acknowledging the ongoing policy development, implementation and monitoring work required to support the strategies.

The response to the consultation on the HPDG raises significant concerns about the narrow focus Government appears to have on planning, where housing delivery would be the key criteria for awarding future grant. This will undermine the fundamental objective of the planning system which is to deliver sustainable communities which are properly supported by the right infrastructure; it is not simply about putting bricks on the ground.

The Committee agreed an additional point highlighting the delays caused by a lack of resources to recruit and retain planners in the region.

SEEDA REPORT

Pam Alexander, SEEDA Chief Executive, reported on the Development Agency's work since September and drew attention to a number of key areas.

1. Redundancy Support Service
   At a previous meeting the Committee had asked for more information on the effectiveness of this service. Pam Alexander explained that SEEDA felt the service to be very successful, having helped 7,500 people into work against a target of 4,000
   
   
2. Changes to Eurostar services from Ashford
   SEEDA representatives, local MPs and councillors have met Richard Brown, Eurostar Chief Executive, to discuss the service reductions at Ashford. Eurostar will share their research behind the decision. SEEDA will press for "at the very least" one service a day from Ashford to Brussels
   
   
3. Board appointments
   Pam Alexander announced the appointment of a number of new SEEDA Board members. These are Fiona Pollard, Robert Goldfield, and Alex Pratt all representing the business community. Also appointed were Cllr Sue John, Deputy Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council representing local government; and Pamela Charlwood, Chief Executive of South Central Connexions, representing the voluntary and community sector. Three current Board members have been reappointed for a second term: Rob Anderson, Peter Jones and Phil Wood. Board members Elizabeth Brighouse, Sarah Hohler, Mary McAnally, and Dr Peter Read will step down in December
   
   
4. CSR07
   As well as working on the South East Regional submission, SEEDA has also been involved in a submission on behalf of the Greater South East regional development agencies
   
   
5. Board visits
   The SEEDA Board has recently visited the Thames Gateway and will be in Reading on 31 October to launch the Regional Economic Strategy and for SEEDA's open meeting.

SEEDA RESPONSE TO SELECT COMMITTEE

Pam Alexander welcomed all the recommendations of the recent Select Committee on Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (see Bulletin 72).

It was felt that the report was very timely as SEEDA moves from policy to action in delivering the Regional Economic Strategy.

Pam Alexander noted that some of the challenges raised are easy to agree with, but will be harder to implement. She used the example of the recommendation to focus SEEDA's resources, as this would mean that some projects that already receive support would no longer do so.

GOSE REPORT

Sheila Hopson of GOSE, gave the Committee an update on the Government Office’s work.

1. CSR07
   GOSE was pleased to be invited to work on the regional submission for the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 (CSR07). The Treasury is grateful for the amount of work put into the document and GOSE is pressing for clear and timely feedback. This is due to be given in the November pre-budget report
   
   
2. Voluntary Sector Review
   There is a review underway to assess the roles and responsibilities of voluntary organisations in social and economic regeneration
   
   
3. Local Area Agreements (LAAs)
   GOSE is considering the drafts for Round 3 which were submitted at the end of September. There are 42 enabling measures and the results are expected to be announced in the week commencing 23 October. A deadline of 8 December has been set for the second draft of Round 3 LAAs
   
   
4. Ministerial visit
   Alistair Darling MP, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, visited Southampton recently to see the challenges facing the region. He visited a number of businesses and heard about issues such as skills shortages and employing and training older people
   
   
5. GOSE review
   The restructuring is continuing. A strategic advisory group is being established to work with the GOSE Board. Membership of the Group is yet to be decided, but it will include external partners.

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND ALLOWANCES

The Committee agreed to recommend no increase in subscriptions to the full Assembly meeting in November, owing to the constraints on local authority funding.

The Leadership Group will examine the budget implications of this decision including the impact on reserves.

REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES

The Committee also received reports from the following meetings:

• Regional Housing Board, 6 October
• Regional Planning Committee, 27 September
• SEEDA Social Dialogue Forum, 18 September

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Last updated: 21 August 2007