08 November 2005
Attending: Mike Holland – Smye Holland Associates
Nick Plumb – Greenwoods Professional Services
Councillor Holdich – PCC
David Nicholls – Business Link for Cambridgeshire
Roger Tallowin – O&H Hampton
Councillor Curtis – FDC
Councillor Harper – FDC
Richard Dade – Dickens, Watts and Dade
John Brigde – Cambs Chamber of Commerce
Richard Hall – Axiom Housing Association
Advisers: Neil Darwin – PCC Economic and Community Regeneration
Will Spinner - PCC Economic & Community Regeneration
David Wilson - EEDA
Mark Oakley - Fenland District Council
Steve Winstanley – PCC Planning Services
Roy Brown – PCC Peterborough Learning Partnership
Adam Speed – PCC Democratic Services
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Allan Arnott, Mick Leggett, Richard Astle and Patrick O’Leary.
The minutes were accepted as an accurate record of the meeting.
3. Matters Arising
Adjacent Sub Regional Economic Partnerships (SREP’s)
Will Spinner informed the group that contacts in neighbouring authorities had indicated a willingness to be involved in this SREP. As this meeting was chiefly concerned with finalising internal and governance issues it was felt more appropriate to invite neighbouring local authorities to the first meeting in the new year.
Action: Will Spinner to invite representatives to the next meeting.
Sub Group Resources
Mike Holland had spoken to Liz Wade and subsequently written to Gillian Beasley about resources for sub group and was awaiting an answer on what would be made available.
Action: Mike Holland to follow up for a response.
4. Name Change and Related Issues
Following discussion it was agreed that the group would formally adopt the name Peterborough Regional Economic Partnership and develop a logo to go with the name.
Action: Mike Holland, Will Spinner and Neil Darwin to circulate ideas for the logo.
Once the logo had been agreed Mike Holland would write to partners / relevant agencies in the new year informing them of the name change and new logo accompanied by the Sub Regional Economic Strategy (SRES).
The group considered the latest draft governance document prepared by Nick Plumb.
Following discussion the document was approved and adopted by the group.
Action: It was agreed that the document would be circulated along with the letter informing partners of the change of name and the SRES.
Adam Speed to add the document to the GPP website.
6. SREP Summit
Will Spinner circulated the presentation slides from the SREP Summit. The summit was encouraging as EEDA had stressed the importance of SREPs. One of the break out topics was performance management, EEDA was looking to put a structure in place. The group felt this was a useful development and would assist with the partnership’s own performance monitoring.
Action: David Wilson to give a presentation on EEDA Budgets and core products at a future meeting.
7. Sub-Regional Economic Strategy (SRES)
Will Spinner presented the final draft of the SRES for approval.
Following discussion the SRES was approved subject to the addition of improved maps on page 3 and subject to the comments circulated by Mike Holland via email. It was agreed that the partnership should aim to set definite targets in the appendices to the document.
Action: Will Spinner to circulate the final SRES and appendices.
8. Peterborough Employment Land
Steve Winstanley from PCC Planning Services discussed the provision of employment land within Peterborough explaining that Planning Services were witnessing a possible shortage of employment land. The purpose of attending this meeting was to discuss whether the SRES could inform planning and help achieve a balance between releasing and selling land within the City Centre.
Following discussion it was agreed that a working group would meet to discuss employment land and draft a report for March 2006 informed by the Shared Intelligence Report.
Action: Richard Dade, John Bridge and Roger Tallowin to meet to develop a response on behalf of the partnership and feedback to Steve Winstanley.
9. Investing in Communities Update
As the wrong papers had been circulated prior to the meeting, the group was unable to discuss the Investing in Communities Strategy for endorsement prior to submission to the GPP Board on 29 November and the Fenland Strategic Partnership on 16 December.
Following discussion it was agreed that the group would need to consider the latest version of the strategy and complete the debate via email.
Action: Neil Darwin to circulate the latest version of the Investing in Communities Strategy.
10. Learning Centre at Perkins
Roy Brown from the Peterborough Learning Partnership discussed the proposed learning centre on the Perkins site. The Learning Partnership was looking for PREP endorsement of a capital bid to EEDA for the establishment of the centre.
Following discussion the partnership agreed to endorse the Learning Partnership’s bid to EEDA.
Action: Neil Darwin to write a letter of endorsement on behalf of the partnership and forward to Mike Holland for approval.
11. University
Mike Holland stated that the on going debate about a University for Peterborough had not engaged with the Private Sector.
Action: Mike Holland to bring a further paper on this issue to the partnership. The paper would explore the consultation being undertaken with the private sector and whether it was with the relevant parties.
12 Sub Groups
Housing
Richard Hall informed the partnership that the Housing Sub Group was in the process of arranging 3 breakfast meetings with Politicians, Housing Officers and the Public Sector to discuss housing growth aspirations, what the barriers were and how to overcome them.
Business Support
David Nicholls informed the partnership that the Business Support Sub Group was awaiting the results of the EEDA review into business support and would then hold similar meetings to the Housing Sub Group.
Regeneration
Mike Holland was to hold a meeting with the joint chairs, Julian Base and Will Spinner to see how to take forward the work of the regeneration sub-group.
13. AOB
Jobs Fair
It was agreed that the partnership would use its name to support the Jobs Fair.
Projects Pipeline
Action: Will Spinner is to produce a list of criteria which partners can use to put forward projects for possible future funding.
Quarter 2 Financials and Work Plan
Will Spinner circulated the latest quarter’s financial figures and the latest draft work plan.
Action: Any comments should be sent directly to Will Spinner.