The Yorkshire and Humber Assembly
28 September 2006
Below is a summary of issues discussed and decisions taken at the meeting of the Executive Board 28 September 2006. You can download the papers from this meeting from the link at the bottom of the page. The formal minutes will be available following the next Regional Executive Board meeting.
For more information on any of the issues discussed, contact the Assembly.
Comprehensive Spending Review
Regional leaders on the Assembly have agreed eight key issues to press Yorkshire and Humber's case for future Government spending.
For the first time the Government has asked the region to work together to submit evidence and advice for its Comprehensive Spending Review, which will set out where billions of pounds of public spending will go up until 2011.
Working with Yorkshire Forward and the region's Government Office, the Assembly has helped develop evidence and advice, setting out how public funding could be better used to achieve the Government's regional economic performance and regeneration targets.
Eight major issues have been identified and have formed the basis of a regional submission which has now been sent to Government. These are: Transport, Enterprise, Innovation and Science, Inclusion and Employment, Skills, Investment, Housing and Quality of Place.
Following lengthy discussions, members approved the submission, subject to reflecting a number of specific comments at the meeting, particularly in relation to transport, housing and rural issues.
Work on the submission followed the success of partners in Yorkshire and Humber working together on the Regional Funding Allocations process.
The CSR submission will now be considered by the Treasury before being passed to specific funding Departments to comment on the detailed proposals.There will be further opportunites for both the Assembly and individual organisations across the region to submit further views before final announcements on regional funding are made.
For more details contact Sue Jeffrey at 01924 331561, email sue.jeffrey@yhassembly,gov.uk
Integrated Regional Framework
The Assembly is leading work on developing a blueprint for making Yorkshire and Humber a more sustainable region.
In line with recent Government guidance on strengthening delivery of sustainable development in the English regions, the Assembly is taking forward work on a new Integrated Regional Framework - to ensure regional strategies and investment work collectively to improve delivery of regional priorities.
The new framework - which will merge the existing Advancing Together and Regional Sustainable Development frameworks - will also resolve gaps and conflicts in current strategies and lead to better policy and decision making.
Preliminary work using regional statistics has identified a number of key issues where the region has persistent and problematic trends. These are: Wdiening Gaps in Income and Inequalities, Transport, Climate Change/Energy, Housing Affordability and Obesity.
Following discussions between the Assembly, Yorkshire Forward and Government Office to draw up the most efficient and effective approach, members agreed a report setting out the basis for approaching the work.
This includes a working group of officers from partners to lead the frameowrk’s development work, and setting up a system of key leads in organizations across the region to ensure wide input into the work. For more details contact Sian Ferguson on 01924 331563, email sian.ferguson@yhassembly.gov.uk
Other Business
Regional Governance Arrangements
Following the first round of functional and other board meetings since the re-structure of the Assembly’s work, members discussed details of the new governance arrangements. It was agreed to evaluate the work through an external study, to report to the AGM in July 2007. Members also agreed to an away half day to discuss the work of the Board and develop a forward programme.
Investment Planning Review
Details of Yorkshire Forward’s review of its Sub-Regional Investment Planning process were presented. The review is focusing on three issues - joining up delivery; developing better quality projects and building stronger partners.
Following discussions, it was agreed Yorkshire Forward would take back comments from members about the planning of investment on a geographical basis and whether consideration should be given about planning investment using city regions where appropriate or sub regions where more suitable.
European Structural Funds
Details of how organisations from across the region are being invited to comment on an early draft of the European Structural Funds Operational Programme 2007 – 2013 for Yorkshire and Humber were discussed.
Each region must produce and submit an Operational Programme to the European Commission by 30 April 2007 to outline how their funding allocation will be spent. The formal consultation will begin on 18 December 2006. However, initial views are now being sought so they can be incorporated into the consultation document.
Members were invited to forward comments and views directly to Government Office, via Patrick Heffron at patrick.heffron@goyh.gsi.gov.uk by Friday 27 October 2006.
You can download the papers and minutes from this meeting below.
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