December
Minutes of Scottish Enterprise Board: 9 December 2005
Present:
Sir John Ward CBE, Chairman
Jack Perry, Chief Executive
Frank Blin CBE
Pat Denzler
Barbara Duffner OBE
Fred Hallsworth
Douglas Lamb
Colin McClatchie
Donald MacRae
Charlie Morrison
Ray Perman
Professor Timothy O’Shea
In attendance:
Janet Brown, MD Industries
Iain Carmichael, Chief Financial Officer
John Phillips, MD Corporate Services
Lena Wilson, Chief Operating Officer
Charlie Woods, Chief Economist and Director Strategy
Brian Jamieson, SE Secretary
Apologies:
Roger McClure, Scottish Funding Councils
LEC Chairs:
Simon Foster, SE Ayrshire
Patrick Machray, SE Grampian
Minutes of Board meeting held on 4 November 2005 – SE(M)184
The minutes of the previous Meeting and Outstanding Action Points SE(05)186 were approved, subject to noting that Patrick Machray’s apologies had been intimated and in relation to SE(05)156 that all dependencies “must” be fully committed.
Chairman’s report
The Chairman reported on his recent meeting with the Deputy First Minister, with political spokespersons and with business journalists.
The LEC Chairs Meeting the previous evening had identified a way forward for the structural review.
A helpful meeting had been held with the ITI Scotland Board.
Chief Executive’s report
At ITI Energy, Nial McCollam had been appointed Chief Executive. A search was in progress at ITI Life Sciences for a Chief Executive.
A private meeting would take place with the Enterprise and Culture Committee of the Parliament in January.
Internally, a Management Conference held quarterly would replace the role of the Executive Board Advisory Committees
Charlene O’Connor, Chief Executive of SE Forth Valley had been appointed to head the Skills and Learning Directorate.
Meetings had been held with Kevin Woods of NHS Scotland and the Principal of the University of Glasgow, Sir Muir Russell.
The Manufacturing Advisory Service had been launched at a Conference.
Cyclacel Ltd
The Board was briefed on the current proposal. The Board would give consent to the deal being proposed on certain conditions. Final approval was delegated to the Board’s Urgent Approvals Committee.
Riverside Inverclyde Regeneration Framework – SE(05)173
Bill Morton, Lorraine McMillan and David Bell joined the Meeting for this item.
Bill Morton placed the proposal in the context of the emerging Metropolitan West Plan.
Lorraine McMillan explained the rationale for the intervention and method of delivery through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).
The Board agreed the proposed level of commitment to the SPV on condition that:
- all other dependencies were committed;
- the SPV would capture benefits in the uplift of land values; and
- the categories of expenditure to which SE would contribute would return for approval.
Scottish Investment Fund – SE(05)174
Gerard Kelly and Martin Hughes joined the Meeting for this item.
The presentation recalled the previous Board discussions and set out the recommended approach following extensive consultations. This Fund, aimed at investments in the range £2 to 5 million, would use a partnering model with Deal Promoting Partners and Deal Syndicate Partners.
The Board approved this paper. The launch could be an opportunity to set this initiative in the context of SE’s pipeline of support for business growth.
(Barbara Duffner and Frank Blin left the Meeting)
This Agenda item is omitted from the published Minutes meantime due to its commercial sensitivity. It will be inserted when that sensitivity has passed.
Metropolitan Region East Plan – SE(05)177
Jim McFarlane and Seonaid Vass joined the meeting for this item.
Lena Wilson set the context of this, the second of the Regional draft plans. Seonaid Vass presented the opportunities and challenges which had been identified and the next steps to be taken. An update would come to the Board in April, with the final Plan for approval in June.
The Plan was welcomed as a necessary context for projects.
It was noted that LEC Chairs would have an input to the plans.
Finance report – SE(05)178
It was noted that the revised resource allocation procedure had accelerated expenditure throughout the year so that the skew to year end was avoided. The new Management Conference was one mechanism being employed to test the priorities for the Network among competing projects.
Performance Committee minutes – SEBPC(M)(05)2
Attention was drawn to the accompanying report which indicated upward trends in the majority of indicators.
Remuneration Committee minutes – SEBRC(M)(05)4
Nominations Committee minutes – SEBMC(M)(05)6
Investment Committee minutes – SEBIC(M)(05)5
These minutes were noted.
Information papers
Marketing and Sales Skills in Young Technology Companies - SE(05)179
Provision of Electricity Infrastructure - SE(05)188
Global, UK and Scottish Economic Commentary - SE(05)180
Strategic Fit Diagram - SE(05)181
Monthly Update – International Ops - SE(05)182
Monthly Update – Operations - SE(05)183
Monthly Update Industries - SE(05)184
Approvals within Delegated Authority - SE(05)185
Outstanding Action Points from SE Board - SE(05)186
Complaints and Testimonials - SE(05)187
Calendar of Forward Events - SE(05)176
The information papers were noted.
Brian Jamieson
SE Secretary
December 2005