Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from the following:

Dr Ita O’Donovan (Chair)

Juneed Assad

Manjo Ambasna

Rod Cullen

Councillor Pat Egan

Paul Head                              -Shamila Mitre substituted.

Naeem Sheikh

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2008 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 6 October 2008 be confirmed as a correct record fo the meeting.

Members of the Board must declare any personal and/or prejudicial interests with respect to agenda items and must not take part in any decision required with respect to these items.

No declarations of interest were made.

The Chair will consider the admission of any items of Urgent Business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be considered under agenda Item 13 below).

No items of Urgent Business were received.

The Board received a report setting out the process for the Local Area Agreement (LAA) Refresh. The report also sought approval to renegotiate certain LAA targets within the Boards responsibility.

It was proposed that the following targets should be renegotiated:

NI 153 –Percentage point reduction in the out of work benefits claimants

It was proposed that this target should be revised down from 4.7% to 3.9% as it was envisaged that the number of people becoming unemployed would be greater that the £2M calculated.

NI 171 –New business registration rate

At present there was no data available to measure this. This would be available for the next quarter and would be reported on then.

The Board was advised that it was forecast the UK would suffer a worse recession that other western countries and that other Authorities had indicated that they would reduce their targets in relation to out of work benefit claimants.

It was noted that the recently published Government White Paper on reforms to the Benefit system aimed to encourage people to work wherever possible and included a number of new initiatives to achieve this. In response to a query as to how this would affect the number of people claiming Benefits the Board was advised that the measures proposed would also mean that there was additional funding available to support those most in need.

It was noted that the London Development Agency’s (LDA) targets were not aligned to those contained within the LAA. It was requested that the LDA make a presentation to the Board at a future meeting setting out how it the links between its targets and those contained within the LAA.

The Board was advised that the LDA was looking at ways to address this and that and that it was currently undergoing a review of its targets with a view to achieving a more outcome based focus. This would help ensure that its targets were better aligned to the LAA targets. 

The LDA was holding an open meeting on its Investment Strategy for North London at the Bernie Grant Centre on ?? Members of the Board were urged to attend this meeting as it would provide an opportunity to comment on the approach and priorities proposed. It was noted that as part of the LDA’s restructure the post occupied by the current Board member representing the LDA would longer exist.

The Chair requested that a presentation from the LDA should be arranged for a future meeting and that officers should write to the LDA to determine who the new representative on the Board and link officer would be.

RESOLVED:

1. That the timetable for completing the LAA refresh process be noted.

2. That the proposed revised targets for submission for GOL be approved.

3. That the LDA should be contacted to arrange for a presentation on the links between its targets and those contained within the LAA.

4. That officers should write the LDA to determine who the Boards new representative and link officer would be.

A -Performance Management Highlight Report – Second Quarter 2008/09

B –Enterprise Partnership Risk Register

C -Working Neighbourhoods Fund Consultation

The Board received a report providing an overview of work in relation to the LAA since the last meeting.

Performance Management Highlight Report –Second Quarter 2008/09

An overview was provided of performance against LAA National Indicators (NI’s) and Stretch Targets within the Boards responsibility.

It was suggested that within the narrative of the covering report there should be an overview of local and national performance in order to provide a context in which to assess performance. This would provide a clearer picture of how the Partnership was performing not only to the Board but to the wider HSP and members of the public. 

Enterprise Board Risk Register

Each of the HSP Thematic Boards was required to produce a Risk Register following the HSP’s adoption of a Risk Management Strategy in July 2008.

The Register identified key risks and remedial actions associated with the delivery of LAA targets. In addition to this it also addressed generic risks such as membership, data and information management and non-delivery of outcomes.

It was agreed that NI 153 should be monitored on a quarterly basis, rather than every six months, as set out in the report.

Working Neighbourhoods Fund Consultation 

The Board was advised of revisions proposed by the Government in relation to the criteria governing the allocation of Working Neighbourhoods Funding (WNF) for 2009-11.

It was noted that the proposed revision would result in an increase of £86,300 for Haringey over 2009-11 based on the figures included within the consultation document.

It was suggested that the figures included within the consultation document should be used with caution as it was accepted that Haringey had a very transient population that tended to vary significantly.  The Board was advised that this had been taken into consideration and work was being carried out with Partners to achieve the most accurate picture possible.

The Board received a report setting out the findings of the Area Based Grant (ABG) Review and its recommendations.

The report proposed that the ABG should be allocated to the Thematic Boards on a two year basis in order to provide stability and this would commence in April 2009. Individual Thematic Boards were responsible for commissioning and the delivery of partnership priorities, LAA outcomes and targets within their remit.

There was agreement that a sub group should be formed to look at how the Board would commission programmes in more detail and that a narrative should be formed setting out the rationale for the allocation of funding. Once the sub group had agreed a draft commissioning document this would be circulated to Board members for comment.

RESOLVED:

1. That the letter from the Chair of the HSP regarding the ABG Review be noted.

2. That a sub group should be created to form a draft commissioning document setting out a programme of activity and intentions relating to LAA outcomes.

3. That, once a draft document had been formed, it should be circulated to Board members for comment.

A verbal update will be provided.

RESOLVED:

That this item should be deferred until the next meeting.  

The Board received an update on the three key Tackling Worklessness programmes in the Borough:

• The Haringey Guarantee
• Families into Work
• North London Pledge

It was noted that in addition to the programmes listed above a number of initiatives focussing on the development of apprenticeships were currently being undertaken.

Concern was raised that private sector businesses, in particular smaller businesses, often had a negative perception of apprenticeships and were unwilling to become involved with what was perceived as the bureaucratic process  attached to offering an apprenticeship. This point was acknowledged, however, it was noted that for larger organisations and public sector bodies, there were apprenticeship models that could be used effectively.

There was agreement that Business Link should be consulted with regard to the development of apprenticeship schemes and how these could be applied to the private sector and small businesses.

RESOLVED:

1. That the developments and progress in relation to each of the programmes be noted.

2. That the work towards the development of apprenticeships be noted and that Business Link should be consulted with regard to the development of apprenticeship schemes and how these could be applied to the private sector and small businesses.

The Board received a report that provided an update on Business and Enterprise activities funded from the Area Based Grant.

In response to a query as to what action was being taken to improve the opportunities in the west of the Borough, the Board was advised that were several schemes specifically targeted in this area, including partnerships in Wood Green and Green Lanes. In addition work was also being carried out with the Neighbourhoods Team to see how links could be made with existing schemes in these areas.

In terms of the opportunities offered by the Olympics the Board was advised that the Cabinet Member for Business and Enterprise was meeting with John Armit to discuss how the Borough could benefit from the Olympics. However, it was unlikely that there would be a significant amount of funding available as the three Olympic Boroughs would be the main beneficiaries.

RESOLVED:

1. That the report be noted.

2. That the outcome of discussion between the Cabinet Member for Business and Enterprise and John Armit be reported to the Board.

This report will be sent to follow.

The Board received a presentation on the impact of the Credit Crunch on Haringey’s labour market.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted and circulated with the minutes for information.    

The Board received, for information, the Borough’s formal response to the Green Paper on Welfare Reform.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.  

To consider any new items of Urgent Business admitted under Item 4.

No items of Urgent Business were raised.

To consider any items of AOB.

No items of AOB were raised.

The date of the next scheduled meeting is 16 March 2009.

Please note that the calendar for the new Municipal Year is being drafted at present. Once dates have been agreed members of the Board will be notified. 

The Board was asked to note the date of the next meeting was 16 March 2009.