Agenda item

Consider report by Executive Director.   (To follow)

There had been circulated copies of a report by Executive Director, Mr Dickson, updating Members on the establishment of an Interim Economic Partnership to lead the delivery of interim arrangements in advance of the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency, and seeking agreement on a number of proposals to take these forward.  Following completion of Phase 2 of the Enterprise and Skills Review, the Scottish Government announced the creation of a new Enterprise Agency for the South of Scotland and that the Agency would be a public body established via primary legislation.  Given the long lead time to create a new public body, the Government also announced that it would establish interim arrangements so that momentum from the Review would not be lost.  The interim arrangements had been the subject of extensive discussions between officers of all partners and the Scottish Government.  Scottish Government Ministers had given a commitment that an interim approach would be put in place by end of 2017 to ensure that the South of Scotland benefitted from a new approach to economic development as soon as possible.  The report explained that the Council’s Executive Director, Mr Dickson, had been appointed by the Scottish Government as the Lead Individual to co-ordinate the partnership during the interim period.  The Committee congratulated Mr Dickson on his appointment. Mr Dickson advised that the appointment was a two year secondment and he would still retain responsibility for economic development within the Council. He highlighted that this was a unique opportunity for the South of Scotland to make transformational impact on its economy and the wellbeing of its communities and citizens.  In response to a question regarding whether the Council had sufficient resources to support the project, Mr Dickson advised that all partners had been asked to commit resources, mainly staffing, to support the Lead Individual and the Interim Economic Partnership as a priority.   

DECISION

(a)        NOTED:-

(i)         the arrangements proposed by the Scottish Government to support early delivery of services and the development of the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency in the period prior to its inception in April 2020;

(ii)        that the Council had been invited by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work to join the proposed Interim Economic Partnership; and

(iii)       the contents of the Memorandum of Understanding that would establish the Interim Economic Partnership, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report.

(b)       AGREED:-

(i)         that the Council should commit to the Memorandum of Understanding and join the Interim Economic Partnership that was being established to oversee and direct the interim arrangements;

(ii)        that the Chief Executive, or her delegate, should represent the Council on the Interim Economic Partnership;

(iii)       that in developing the budgets for 2018-19 and 2019-20, that allocations should be made to support the work of the Council through the Interim Economic Partnership during the interim arrangements for the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency;

(iv)       that the Council should work with Scottish Government to ensure additional, new resources were made available to support the work of the Interim Economic Partnership and ensure early benefit from the development of the new Agency through the interim arrangements;

(iv)       that a report be brought before a future meeting of the Committee to allow Members to review and comment on the work plan developed by the Interim Economic Partnership;

(v)        that a report be brought before a future meeting of the Committee to consider options on how the Council might develop its relationship with, and influence over, the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency; and

(vi)       to receive further reports on the Interim Economic Partnership as proposals developed further.