8 January 2009

The Regional Executive Board met on 8 January 2009. A summary of the discussion and decisions from the meeting as well as the agenda and papers are below. Formal minutes from the meeting are also available below.

Summary of the meeting

SNR/Regional Transition Arrangements

Members discussed developments on work involved in the Government’s Sub-National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration (SNR), which has a number of implications for regional and sub-regional level working, including the abolition of Assemblies.

Since the last REB meeting, the Government finally published the response to the SNR consultation on 25 November 2008 and confirmed that, amongst other things, it is to take forward proposals on:

• Reformed Regional Governance Structures - in particular, to establish a Local Authority Leaders Board in the region;
• Give Yorkshire Forward and the Local Authority Leaders Board joint responsibility for drafting the Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS), preparing an implementation plan and monitoring delivery of the IRS.

Most of these proposals will be included in the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill that had its second reading in the House of Lords in December. It will be considered further in Committee this month and then move to the Commons. It is expected to receive Royal Assent in the autumn.

Executive Director Sue Jeffrey told members the Government’s Transition Guidance was expected to be circulated on 12 January and that this would provide assistance with the final wind up of the Assembly, the transfer of staff and the distribution of assets. As part of the Business Planning process previously agreed by members, work is underway to determine arrangements for staff, post 31 March.

Other issues discussed included an update on how the SEE Partners are progressing with the development of new arrangements and the Chairmanship of the new Regional Board.

Members agreed that the final meeting of the Assembly, required to pass the necessary resolutions to dissolve the organisation, will be held on 26 March 2009. For more details contact Sue Jeffrey on 01924 331560, email sue.jeffrey@yhassembly.gov.uk

Regional Funding Advice (RFA)

Members were updated on an RFA meeting which had taken place earlier in the day attended by the Regional Minister Rosie Winterton MP. Executive Director Sue Jeffrey said the main message conveyed to the Minister was that the Government needed to allow the region greater flexibility in terms of the use of funding.

In terms of transport, Executive Director Chris Martin said there was a long list of schemes already in the existing funding programme, which meant that there was likely to be only limited scope for adding in new transport schemes for support in the period up to 2018/19. A range of stakeholders were being involved in the difficult task of taking of assessing the various bids for new funding. Proposals for additional new transport priorities are due to be discussed and signed-off by the Regional Transport Board on 23 January.

Chris also said it was important that Yorkshire and Humber, along with other regions aim to develop enough projects during the first few years of this work to maximise the use of the funding available. For more details contact Chris Martin on 01924 331555, email chris.martin@yhassembly.gov.uk

For more information, contact the Assembly.