Regional Funding AdviceRegional Funding Advice

“Delivering sustainable economic growth for the South West”

Andrew Slade Executive Director, Strategy and CommunicationsSouth West RDA 17th October 2008

What am I about to sit What am I about to sit through?through?

key regional objectives for RFA2

principles of engagement

the process

securing input and ownership

challenges, risks & opportunities

Introducing the RFA2 TeamIntroducing the RFA2 Team

South West RDA Ian Piper (Chair)

SWRA Jenny Pritchard

RSP Jim Neilson

EP (HCA) David Warburton

Housing Corporation (HCA)

Matt Dodd

GOSW Alistair Reekie

- a joint effort

Challenging backdrop to Challenging backdrop to the exercise… the exercise…

global economic

crisis

tight budgets /

limited headroom

organizational

transition (regional

and local)

uncertainty around

SNR outcomes

General contextGeneral context

RFA focused on sustainable economic growth

established South West regional policy

drivers:

growth within environmental limits

embedding the five drivers of productivity

(skills, investment, innovation, enterprise &

competitiveness)

working with priority places to maximize

growth opportunities and to tackle

deprivation

So what are our South West So what are our South West regional objectives for RFA2?regional objectives for RFA2?

ensuring national funding streams support

regional delivery as effectively as possible

agreement on priorities within and across

funding ‘blocks’ (and across time?)

getting the ‘best bang for the bucks’ - leading to

quicker and better delivery of agreed regional

strategic outcomes, and - looking ahead

developing thinking on post 2011/12 priorities to

help inform a new Single Regional Strategy

Principles (i)Principles (i) – ground rules

this is about delivery of existing strategic

objectives and priorities:

RES, RSS (including RTS), SW Skills

Strategy

and not developing new strategies

exercise based on known & indicative

funding allocations – not about ‘begging

letters’ (but should provide basis for ongoing

dialogue)

option to ‘vire’ between and combine

funding streams

Principles (ii)Principles (ii)

New emphasis on:

innovative approaches to delivery

RIF and joint delivery teams in place

what other solutions can we offer?

alignment with wider national and regional

context

SNR

RSS

the economic climate

integration across funding streams - thematic

and spatial (‘transcending boundaries’)

Growth areas (Way Growth areas (Way Ahead/RSS)Ahead/RSS)

Index of Multiple DeprivationIndex of Multiple Deprivation

RDA Corporate Plan RDA Corporate Plan

Process – a tight timetableProcess – a tight timetable

Stages

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb

1. Evidence & analysis

2. ‘Block’ priorities

3. Develop draft integrated advice

4. Develop final advice

5. Sign-off and submission

Input and Ownership Input and Ownership

‘…advice will be more credible if it is based on a

wide consensus and reflects the views of the

broadest range of stakeholders, including the

business community, social, environmental and

economic partners, and the third sector.’

Taken from ‘RFA : Guidance on Preparing Advice’

overall advice

development of component priorities

Hugely important that this is a joined-up, Hugely important that this is a joined-up,

strategic responsestrategic response

So how do I get involved?So how do I get involved?

1. Evidence, analysis & ideas

2. ‘Block’ priorities

3. Develop draft integrated advice

4. Develop Final Advice

- stakeholder event (17/10)

- Call for Evidence (LAs /others)

- specific arrangements: eg Economic Development block steered by Business Task &Finish group; EDOs meetings etc.

- clarification on points with individual and ‘clusters’ of stakeholders

- input through existing mechanisms and groups (e.g. RHG, RSP,RTB etc.)

- 2nd Stakeholder event (8/1/09)

- again - input through existing groups and mechanisms

Updates on the process throughout via RDA/SWRA website and RFA e-mail bulletin

Big tests for this regionBig tests for this region

can we be strategic – but not revisit strategies?

can we articulate how a ‘single RFA pot’ will

help us?

can we demonstrate rigorous underpinning

evidence and analysis?

can we make tough choices?

can we identify and overcome barriers to

delivery?

can we demonstrate the co-operation and

collective leadership that these times demand?

If we get it wrong…If we get it wrong…

we’ll make the exercise the sum of its parts

we’ll dissipate money and effort

we’ll lose credibility and influence with

Whitehall/Government

national funding for the region will take its

own course

= slower and less effective delivery

of our South West priorities

The prize if we get it rightThe prize if we get it right

we will enhance our reputation for

innovation and integrated thinking

we will have clarity about and

commitment to our priorities for investment

we will provide a real regional voice to

HMG

we will make national funding work harder

for the region

= optimized outcomes for

the South West

““Nothing great was Nothing great was ever achieved without ever achieved without enthusiasm.”enthusiasm.” (Emerson)(Emerson)

Final thought…