12 April 2007

You can download the agenda and papers for this meeting below. For more information contact the Assembly.

Below is a summary of issues discussed and decisions taken at the meeting of the Regional Executive Board on 12 April 2007. You can download the papers from this meeting from the link at the bottom of the page. Formal minutes will be available following the next Regional Executive Board meeting. For more information on any of the issues discussed, contact the Assembly on 01924 331555.

Integrated Regional Framework

In line with recent Government guidance on strengthening delivery of sustainable development in the English regions, the Assembly is leading 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.

Initial consultation on the how draft version of the IRF is being developed - including detailed responses from 25 organisations- were discussed by members, including comments made on work already carried out to identify key “landmark ‘’ issues where the region has persistent and problematic trends. These are: Widening Gaps in Income and Inequalities, Transport, Climate Change/Energy, Housing Affordability, Obesity, Violent Crime and the need for Higher Level Skills and Innovation.

Members agreed the draft report in principle to allow a formal consultation across the region to begin next month. This work will also include an exchange of services in a peer appraisal of the IRF by the North East Assembly. For more details contact Sian Ferguson on 01924 331563, email sian.ferguson@yhassembly.gov.uk

European Structural Funds

Members discussed and agreed the draft operational programme for the European Regional Development Fund.

The Yorkshire and Humber region has been awarded a total of €583 (£396) million (based on 2006 prices), of which €271 (£184) million is ring fenced for South Yorkshire with €312 (£212) million available for West and North Yorkshire and the Humber. This funding is allocated for the period 2007 to 2013. The North West region is the only English region to be allocated more funding than Yorkshire and Humber.

As part of the work, 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 draft programme was pulled together during work which began in April 2006 and focuses on five priorities for funding:

• promoting innovation and research and development;
• supporting and stimulating successful enterprise;
• sustainable communities;
• economic infrastructure for a competitive economy; and
• technical assistance.

The report will now be considered by Yorkshire Forward’s Board on April 19, prior to going to Government for Ministerial approval and submission to the European Commission. For more details contact Lyndsey Bunn on 01924 331565, email lyndsey.bunn@yhassembly.gov.uk

Yorkshire Forward Corporate Plan

Yorkshire Forward Chair Terry Hodgkinson and Chief Executive Tom Riordan presented details of the Plan, which is to considered by Yorkshire Forward’s Board later this month.

Issues affecting the work included the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007, Yorkshire Forward’s seven year review, city-region developments, the new European funding programme and the organisation’s recent Independent Performance Assessment by the National Audit Office.

Tom explained that the plan - with an overall focus on Yorkshire Forward’s role in improving the regional economy- looked at developing five key objectives:

• Championing delivery of the Regional Economic Strategy;
• Helping people to access jobs, skills and transport;
• Helping businesses to start-up, grow and compete through innovation;
• Regenerating cities, towns and rural communities; and
• Improving Yorkshire Forward’s capacity to help deliver the RES

Members asked a number of questions following the presentation, including issues about more involvement of Local Authorities in assisting loans arrangements; how likely government cutbacks would affect delivery by Yorkshire Forward; links with other RDAs across the Yorkshire and Humber boundary but with links into our region; and business support and communication issues. Tom assured the comments would be fedback into the Yorkshire Forward board meeting on April 19.

Regional Spatial Strategy

Head of Planning Strategy Richard Wood gave members a brief update of progress on the Examination in Public’s Independent Panel Report. The report is due to be published next month and the Assembly’s Planning Board and officers would be meeting this week to examine how it might respond to the report and its findings. For more details contact Richard Wood on 01924 331555, email richard.wood@yhassembly.gov.uk