21 June 2007

Below is a summary of issues discussed and decisions taken at the meeting of the Regional Executive Board on 21 June 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.

Review of Governance Arrangements

At the Assembly’s Annual General Meeting last year, it was agreed that the new governance structures of the organisation should be monitored and evaluated to ensure they are appropriate and effective. The evaluation was undertaken by independent consultants, Arup, and is now complete. Tom Bridges from Arup presented the findings of the report to the Board.

The main findings were:

• The new Assembly’s governance arrangements are right, and are operating with increasing effectiveness. However the network of officer advisory groups and policy forums supporting the roles of the Assembly’s Functional Boards should be looked at in more detail.
• Assembly members and Board members are engaged with the Assembly, and as a result, people are more confident about what the Assembly does.
• The Assembly should build on these firm foundations to strengthen the way that we work with other regional organisations at all levels.
• The Assembly works in the uncertain environment of national politics, but should build on the positive progress made over the last year.

Members raised a number of issues, including the lack of representation of the city regions on the Regional Housing Board, and the need for a regional dialogue on national policy. It was agreed that these would both be addressed at the Assembly’s Annual General Meeting in July.

Members agreed to forward the report to the full Assembly for final consideration.

For more information, contact Sue Jeffrey on 01924 331560, email: sue.jeffrey@yhassembly.gov.uk

Assembly AGM

Notice is given that the Assembly Annual General Meeting will take place on 12 July 2007 starting at 1.30pm in Wakefield Council Chamber. The papers for this meeting will be circulated in the week beginning 2 July and will be available to download from the Assembly’s website.

Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward will be speaking at the beginning of the Assembly meeting. Other key items will include: a debate on future regional policy; the final draft report of employment scrutiny presented for approval; and a discussion on the Arup report on the Assembly’s governance arrangements (see item above).

Also at the AGM, the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Assembly will be approved; Chairs and Deputies of the Functional Boards will be elected; some constitutional changes will be approved; and the statement of accounts, schedule of meetings and the annual report for 2006/07 will be approved.

For more information, contact Emma King on 01924 331590, email emma.king@yhassembly.gov.uk.

Other business

European Social Fund 2007-2013 Draft Regional Framework

The European Social Fund (ESF) is a national programme, led by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Yorkshire and Humber region has been allocated a total fund of approximately £258milllion, with around £118 million going directly to South Yorkshire.

During the summer, the Regional Skills Partnerships in each English region must submit an agreed regional framework explaining how the allocation will be spent.

Since January 2007, in this region, a task and finish group has produced a list of proposed activities that will be supported in line with the programme priorities of extending employment opportunities and developing a skilled and adaptable workforce.

The draft regional framework has been subject to a consultation period over the last 6 weeks, and the comments and views are currently being applied to the framework. Assembly members can still submit comments to Lyndsey Bunn until 28 June 2007. The documents are available to download from the Assembly’s website.

The Regional Skills Partnership Board will meet on 21 July to approve the draft framework ready for submission to government.

For more information contact Lyndsey Bunn on 01924 331555, email: lyndsey.bunn@yhassembly.gov.uk

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