Agenda and minutes

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Venue: Committee Room 'D' - The Henry Bolingbroke Room, County Hall, Preston. View directions

Contact: Andy Milroy  Tel: 01772 530354 Email:  andy.milroy@lancashire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome and Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

The Chair, Mr E Booth, welcomed all to the meeting.  Apologies for absence were noted from Mike Tynan, Malcolm McVicar, Richard Evans, Councillor Stuart Hirst, Councillor Simon Blackburn and Cliff Robson.  Officer apologies were noted from Neil Jack.  Cliff Robson asked the Board to consider allowing David Holmes (BAE Systems) to attend as an Observer in his absence.  In addition the Chair welcomed Alan Cavill (Blackpool Council) and Ruth Connor (Marketing Lancashire) to the meeting and requested that the Board consider approving that they attend as Observers.

 

Resolved:  The Board agreed that David Holmes, Alan Cavill and Ruth Connor be present as Observers for the Part I agenda items but excluded from the Part II agenda items.

2.

Minutes of the meeting held on 10th February 2015 pdf icon PDF 102 KB

Minutes:

A correction to the previous minutes was reported regarding an updated provided by Mr Damms during the Any Other Business section, the section was updated to include reference to the Stakeholder Group, with the updated minutes placed in the minute book.

 

Resolved:  The Board approved the updated minutes of the meeting held on 10th February 2015 as an accurate record, the minutes were duly signed by the Chair.

3.

Matters Arising

Minutes:

None

4.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 33 KB

Minutes:

Mr Booth and Mr Carter declared interests in Item 7 - Growing Places Fund, specifically Teanlowe Shopping Centre.  As the report was an update with no specific decisions to be taken regarding Teanlowe Shopping Centre it was agreed that both Directors could participate in this item.

 

Mr Mendoros declared an interest in Item 8 – Growth Deal Update.  Mr Mendoros Chairs Pendle Vision Board, it was agreed that this did not represent a direct conflict therefore Mr Mendoros was permitted to be present for Item 8.

 

Councillor Townsend declared an interest in Item 7 – Growing Places Fund, specifically Innovation Drive, On The Banks and Burnley Bridge.  As the report was an update with no specific decisions to be taken regarding these projects in was agreed that Councillor Townsend be permitted to participate in this item.

5.

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership - Approval of Dormant Accounts - Year Ending 30th September 2014 pdf icon PDF 59 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:  The Board approved the accounts and financial statements for the Year Ending 30th September 2014 and authorised the Chair to formally sign the accounts.

6.

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership - Nomination of new LEP Directors pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Minutes:

The Chair presented a report which proposed the appointment of two additional LEP Directors, Mr Mark Smith, Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University and Mr David Taylor, David Taylor Partnership.

 

The Chair provided some background to the Board on the proposed new Directors and stated that Mr Mark Smith is the current Vice Chancellor of Lancaster University with his external appointments including membership of the Board of the UK Research Reserve; Ampère Prize Committee; Board of the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and Engineering and Physical Research Council's College.  He was also a member of the UK Government Treasury/Financial Skills Council (2006-08) working group looking at issues concerning the supply of people for the wholesale financial services sector and was a member of the Russell Group Pro Vice Chancellors for Research Group.

David Taylor is the Chairman of the Lancashire based David Taylor Partnership, and is recognised as a leading national expert exponents of Urban Regeneration with extensive experience in Public, Private and Voluntary Sectors.  David was the founding Chief Executive of English Partnerships and Amec Developments, and more locally was also the Chair of Elevate, East Lancashire's, Housing Market Renewal Company. David has been involved in the development and delivery of wide variety of development and regeneration strategies, programmes and projects of national and regional significance.  His key strengths relate to his capacity to manage and maintain partnership working arrangements and to develop innovative regeneration solutions. 

 

The Chair commended the skills and qualities that Mr Smith and Mr Taylor would bring to the LEP Board and recommended that the Board endorse their appointment as new LEP Directors.

 

The Board stated that they were satisfied with the information provided at the meeting by the Chair in respect of the proposed additional Directors, but requested that for future new Director appointments additional information as to why prospective new Directors are suitable for appointment and additional background information is added to the reports and that thought be given to the process for appointment.  The Chair noted and agreed to the request.

 

Resolved:  The Board agreed to recommend that the sole member of the company (Lancashire County Council) considers and approves the appointment of Mr Mark Smith and Mr David Taylor as new Directors of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership.

 

7.

Growing Places Update (Part II)

Minutes:

This item was private and confidential as it contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 41 (Information provided in confidence relating to contracts) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  It was considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information).

 

MrCavill, Ms Connor and Mr Holmes left the meeting at this point.

 

Mr M Kelly, Director of Economic Development, Lancashire County Council, presented a private and confidential report regarding the Growing Places Fund.

 

Mr Kelly provided a progress update on the LEP's £19.3M Growing Places Fund (GPF) and provided information to the Board on the current investment programme and development pipeline.

 

Resolved:  That the Board:

 

(i)  Noted the progress made with Growing Places Fund investment fund; and

 

(ii)  Requested that a further report be presented to the Board meeting to be held on 21st April 2015 on any proposed restructuring of the Luneside East Growing Places funding agreement.

8.

Growth Deal Update (Part II)

Minutes:

This item was private and confidential as it contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 41 (Information provided in confidence relating to contracts) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.  It was considered that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information).

 

Mr M Kelly presented a private and confidential report regarding the Growth Deal, specifically the Northlight regeneration initiative in Pendle.

 

Mr Kelly explained that the report sought Board approval to provide a Growth Deal contribution of £3.7M to the project sponsor of the Northlight scheme, subject to an agreed funding agreement.

 

Resolved: Following a discussion, the Board agreed to:

 

(i)  Note the progress made by local partners in restructuring the funding profile of  the LEP's Priority 1 scheme, Northlight, and agreed to include the scheme as part of the LEP's Growth Deal 1 programme;

 

(ii)  Redirect £1.7M in additional Growth Deal funding which was previously assigned to the Fleetwood Fish Park in support of Northlight;

 

(iii)  Provide an additional £2M in Growth Deal funding by 1 April 2016, through the active management and value engineering of the LEP's overarching £251.2M Growth Deal funded delivery programme; and

 

(iv)  With the above subject to a Growth Deal funding agreement with the Northlight scheme sponsor, which, inter alia, confirms all other identified funding contributions have been successfully secured.

9.

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership - Assurance Framework pdf icon PDF 129 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

MrCavill, Ms Connor and Mr Holmes rejoined the meeting at this point.

 

Ms B Joyce, Head of Strategic Development, Lancashire County Council presented a report and gave a presentation regarding a proposed Lancashire Enterprise Partnership Assurance Framework.

 

Ms Joyce explained that Government has asked each LEP to prepare an Assurance Framework in order to establish "processes, protocols and policies" of the LEP in one document.  As accountable body, Lancashire County Council (LCC), needs to confirm to Government in April 2015 that an Assurance Framework has been prepared in line with guidance.

 

It was reported that the Assurance Framework had been  considered by the LCC Scrutiny Committee on 13th March 2015 and  their comments  were tabled for Board members to consider.

 

The next stage in the process was for the LEP to consider and endorse the Assurance Framework which would  then be presented to the Lancashire Chief Executives Group on 30th March 2015, and then  to the LCC Cabinet on 2nd April 2015 for formal approval. Confirmation would then be sent to Government that the LEP has prepared an Assurance Framework in line with the guidance.

 

Board Members acknowledged the comments of the LCC Scrutiny Committee,  in particular that the development of Section 2 of the Framework on "Local Authority Partnership working" will be key to setting out the LEP engages with locally elected representatives and how they can be involved in supporting and developing accountability.

 

In addition, Board Members sought clarification regarding the conflict resolution section of the Assurance Framework and the powers of the independent person(s).

 

The Company Secretary, Mr I Young, clarified that the conflict resolution policy would be used as a last resort in the unlikely event that the accountable body and the LEP were unable to resolve any dispute over a recommendation or decision taken by the LEP.  In those circumstances it was proposed that the LEP and Accountable Body would agree to the appointment of an independent person(s), the purpose being to seek to facilitate agreement. It was not intended however that the LEP or Accountable Body would be bound by a decision or recommendation of the independent person. The Board were advised that if it was not possible to resolve a particular issue by agreement then rather than resort to expensive and protected arbitration or mediation provisions it would be preferable to have differences determined by the courts, particularly as disputes may involve vires issues.

 

The Chair informed the Board of an error in Skills Board Terms of Reference, page 93, Section 6 – Chair and Deputy Chair.  The wording of this section stated that the Skills Board shall appoint one of its number to act as Chair ("the Chair"), and that the Chair of the Skills Board will be a private sector representative and be a member of the LEP Board.

 

The Board was reminded that it had appointed Amanda Melton as the new Chair following the resignation of Owen McLaughlin as a LEP Director at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Lancashire Enterprise Partnership - Communications and Marketing pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Minutes:

Ms Ruth Connor, Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire Limited, presented a report to the Board (circulated).

 

Ms Connor explained that Lancashire's historically under-performs with regard to the positioning and marketing of the Lancashire offer to potential investors, businesses and growth sectors, and that the LEP may wish to consider adopting the Communications and Marketing Strategy as set out to assist with addressing this issue.

 

It was highlighted that although many local businesses and institutions are recognised as leaders and innovators in their fields, Lancashire, as a whole, has failed to promote these successes and systematically leverage key local assets and opportunities, with a view to attracting other highly motivated businesses and investors to the area.

 

Ms Connor detailed a proposal to commission an independent and suitably qualified agency to develop a compelling Lancashire Story, with an inital 12-month media and communications campaign, as part of an agreed strategy.

 

It was also proposed that the Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire manages this commission on behalf of the LEP, under the direction of the LEP Chairman, with the support of the Head of Communications and Director of Economic Development at Lancashire County Council. It was further proposed that an additional LEP Director be sought to support the LEP Chairman in managing this commission. The Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire will provide progress reports to each LEP Board with the first update scheduled for the Board meeting on 16 June. 

 

The Board sought clarification as to the timescales for the appointment of the agency, Ms Connor confirmed the plan was to appoint the agency by June 2015 if the proposal is approved.

 

The Board requested that Communications and Marketing be added as a standing item to each LEP Board agenda in order to monitor closely.

 

Resolved: That the LEP Board:

 

(i)  Noted and commented on the contents of the report;

 

(ii)  Approves the proposed approach to developing a strategic marketing proposition for Lancashire, as set out in the report;

 

(iii)  Delegated authority to the LEP Chairman, with the support of the Director of Economic Development of the Lancashire County Council and the Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire, to finalise an agency brief in accordance with the report;

 

(iv)  Approved the proposals, as set out in 2.5 and 6.4 of the report, regarding the commissioning and management arrangements for the appointment of consultants;

 

(v)  Agreed to identify a LEP Board Director to support the LEP Chairman with this workstream, for the next meeting to be held on 21st April 2015; and

 

(vi)  Requested that the Chief Executive of Marketing Lancashire provides regular updates, within the standing item section of Board agendas, on the appointment of consultants and the resultant work programme and stakeholder engagement strategy.

11.

Any Other Business

Minutes:

Ms B Joyce reported that Rail North are holding a Lancashire Business Breakfast on Monday 23rd March 2015 in Preston and that LEP Directors are welcome to attend. It was confirmed that information regarding the event will be emailed to LEP Directors in due course.

 

Mr E Booth advised that a LEP network meeting is due to take place on Thursday 26th March 2015 and asked for a volunteer to attend as he was unable to do so due to other commitments.  Mr M Damms offered to check and confirm his availability.

 

It was also reported that formal Growth Deal signing will take place within the next week, with County Councillor Jennifer Mein signing the documentation on behalf of the LEP.

12.

Date of Next Meeting / Programme of Future Board Meetings

Next Meeting: Tuesday 21st April 2015 – 6.00pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston

 

2015 / 2016 Programme

 

Tuesday 16th June 2015 – 6.00pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston

 

Tuesday 6th October 2015 – 6.00pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston

 

Tuesday 15th December 2015 – 6.00pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston

 

Tuesday 2nd February 2016 – 6.00pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston

 

Tuesday 5th April 2016 – 6.00pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston

 

Tuesday 14th June 2016 – 6.00pm, Room to be confirmed

Minutes:

The Board noted the date of the next meeting was Tuesday 21st April 2015 at 6pm, Cabinet Room 'D', County Hall, Preston and also noted the future programme of meetings for 2015/16.