http://www.nwda.co.uk/pdf/Whowearev3

Who We Are and What We Do

October 2006

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Who we are and what we do

Who we are The Government established nine Regional Development Agencies in 1999 to enable businesses and communities in the regions to formulate solutions appropriate for the different economic challenges they face.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest. As a business-led organisation, the NWDA provides a crucial link between the needs of business and government policies. As such, a major responsibility for the Agency is to help create an environment in which businesses in the region can flourish through offering business support, encouraging new startups, matching skills provision to employer needs and bringing business investment into the region.

The economy of England’s Northwest experienced a period of restructuring and underperformance in the 1980s and 90s.

A stronger period followed and, since 2000, the Northwest’s economic performance has been good, with 150,000 new jobs created in the last four years and faster growth than the average for England. However, with a £13 billion economic gap between the Northwest and the rest of England, there is still much to be done to realise the region’s potential.

The Agency’s vision is to forge a clear identity for the region as vibrant, ambitious and globally-competitive, building on its history of innovation, a skilled and productive workforce and an outstanding quality of life.

It will invest £1.5 billion (2006/7 - 2008/9) and directly influence a further £1.2 billion of other public and private sector investment into the region.

Formally, the Agency is accountable to, and reports into, the Department for Trade and Industry. Additional accountability is provided within the region through the North West Regional Assembly.

Its performance is measured by the National Audit Office’s Independent Performance Assessment. The NWDA was among the first of the RDAs to be assessed, being awarded a “Performing Strongly” rating, the highest ranking available.

The Agency is governed by a private sector-led Board, chaired by Bryan Gray, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Agency across all areas of activity.

The Board ensures the Agency has a strong focus on the themes, actions and priorities within the Regional Economic Strategy (RES). Operationally, the Agency itself is divided into directorates and managed by an Executive Management Team, led by Chief Executive Steven Broomhead. This leaflet explains these directorates more fully.

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The Regional Economic Strategy The current Regional Economic Strategy (RES), launched in March 2006, sets out a clear vision for the region’s economy and identifies specific priority actions to meet the economic challenges and opportunities of the next ten years and close the economic gap with the rest of England. It is the foundation for all activity undertaken by the NWDA. Whilst led by the Agency, the RES is the region’s strategy, having been drawn up by an Advisory Group of 25 private and public sector partners and following extensive and inclusive consultation with over 4,000 organisations.

It identifies three major drivers to improving the Northwest’s economic performance:

1) Improving productivity and market growth Increasing the number of higher added-value jobs in the region, as well as retaining existing high value jobs through investment in innovation, research and leadership.

2) Growing the size and capability of the workforce Getting more people into work, especially in the region’s most deprived areas, amongst disadvantaged communities and areas remote from growth.

3) Creating the right conditions for sustainable growth and private sector investment Through investing in the region’s environment, culture, infrastructure and communities.

The RES sets out 122 actions for achieving the vision, across five themes: Business, Skills and Education, People and Jobs, Infrastructure and Quality of Life. For the first time, 45 of these have been designated as transformational actions that the region must prioritise to really drive growth.

Who we are and what we do

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Our structure The Agency has a clear organisational structure in place to ensure the effective delivery of the RES. Details of the directorates within the Agency are outlined below, together with a summary of the main responsibilities for each team. More detailed information on the Agency's objectives, activities and resources can be found in the NWDA Business Plan.

Enterprise, Innovation & Skills

Infrastructure and Development

The Enterprise, Innovation & Skills directorate works to exploit the growth potential of key business sectors, improve the competitiveness and productivity of businesses and develop the region’s knowledge base, all of which are fundamental to improving global competitiveness and securing economic growth for the Northwest.

The Infrastructure and Development directorate works closely with partners in the development of projects from initial concept to investment decision. Working with partners, the directorate provides a high quality approach in developing projects that have the most significant economic impact for the region.

The directorate is specifically responsible for:

The directorate is specifically responsible for:

•

Developing a clear enterprise and innovation policy which fully integrates skills policy, ensuring that skills provision is matched to employer need and that skills gaps are identified and addressed;

•

Working closely with partners, including Local Authorities and Urban Regeneration Companies, to develop and assess projects;

• •

Growing key regional growth sectors specifically biomedical, energy and environmental technologies, advanced engineering and materials, food and drink, digital and creative industries, and financial and professional services;

Advising partners on the development of project proposals and ensuring that projects are designed to deliver the RES;

•

Working with partners to broaden the rural economic base and the development of specific rural policy for the Agency;

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Driving forward sustainable development and climate change issues, including the production and implementation of the Regional Climate Change Action Plan;

•

Leading on planning, transport and housing issues, including statutory consultation on planning applications.

•

•

Developing the new regional Business Link service to provide a consistent, efficient and high-quality service focusing on the needs of businesses; Assisting the region’s companies and entrepreneurs to access grants and growth capital and delivering a range of financial products to both businesses and investors;

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Supporting major scientific research projects and developing university and business collaborations;

•

Working with major Northwest companies to ensure their continued growth and securing new overseas investments into the region.

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Policy

Operations

Influencing national policy and leading regional policy is critical to the Agency’s effectiveness. The Policy directorate works closely with key regional partners and nationally with government to ensure that the region has the most supportive policy environment in which to work.

The Operations directorate is central to the delivery of Agency-funded projects and includes a strengthened team of project management and delivery specialists.

The directorate is specifically responsible for:

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Working closely with partners to ensure the delivery of Agency funded projects on time, within budget and with a strong emphasis on delivery of outputs and evaluation of outcomes;

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Improving perceptions of the region as a place to visit, work and invest in and attracting major events to the region;

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Working with tourism businesses to grow the visitor economy, providing policy leadership on tourism and working with businesses to improve the tourism product for visitors;

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Managing the Agency’s data and information, Freedom of Information and corporate governance issues.

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Managing the Agency’s strategic relationships with Sub-Regional Partnerships, Urban Regeneration Companies, Local Authorities and the Northern Way;

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Monitoring and reviewing the implementation and delivery of the RES;

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Co-ordinating and leading all NWDA policy development;

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Working with partners to ensure the region exploits EU funding opportunities;

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Leading the development of Health and Social Inclusion policy through engaging with NHS, community and voluntary sectors and leading the Agency’s Equality and Diversity agenda;

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Providing research and economic intelligence as a resource for the Agency and the region.

The directorate is specifically responsible for:

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Corporate Resources In addition, the NWDA also has a corporate resources directorate, which is responsible for a number of functions including: •

Managing the Agency’s procurement of goods and services

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Delivering property based projects and managing the Agency’s property assets

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Providing comprehensive legal, ICT and financial services for the Agency

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Managing the Agency’s risk policy

HR and Organisational Change The Agency also has a HR, Organisational Change and Development directorate. This is responsible for dealing with all HR issues in the Agency including staff development and organisational change.

Our achievements The NWDA has consistently met or exceeded all targets set by government, helping to boost economic development in the Northwest. Since its inception in 1999, the Agency has: • • • •

Created or safeguarded 161,200 jobs Created 12,000 new businesses Reclaimed 3,700 hectares of brownfield land Levered £2.1 billion of private sector investment

In addition, the Agency was one of the first RDAs to be assessed by the National Audit Office in 2006, being awarded a “Performing Strongly” rating, the highest ranking available. The assessment, which measured how effectively the Agency is working to improve the region’s economy, recognised key strengths including strong partnership working, effective leadership, strong financial control, commitment of staff and record of achieving outputs.

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How we deliver Projects and schemes supported and funded by the NWDA are largely delivered by public and private sector partners, at a sub-regional and local level. Once a project has been developed and has secured Agency investment, a team of specialists will work closely with partners to deliver the scheme.

The Agency works with a wide range of local and regional delivery partners including Local Authorities, community and voluntary groups and the private sector. However, perhaps the most significant partners are Urban Regeneration Companies (URCs).

The Agency has been instrumental in the establishment of URCs in key towns and cities across the Northwest – New East Manchester, West Lakes Renaissance (Cumbria), ReBlackpool, Central Salford, and Liverpool Vision – the first URC to be established in the UK. Acting as champions for their local areas, URCs aim to coordinate focused plans for the regeneration and future development of their towns and cities, and stimulate new investment. The Agency is also a major partner in Liverpool Land Development Company

which is spearheading economic development and regeneration in four of Liverpool’s Strategic Investment Areas.

To ensure local solutions to local problems the Agency has formed 5 Sub-Regional Partnerships, which bring together business, the public sector and voluntary and community groups. They are responsible for leading economic development within their sub-regions and identifying economic priorities which will deliver the RES. The 5 Sub-Regional Partnerships are: • • • • •

Cheshire and Warrington Economic Alliance Cumbria Vision Greater Manchester Forum Lancashire Economic Partnership The Mersey Partnership

The future Through sustained investment in the region’s people and businesses, and with a remit increasingly focused on providing strategic leadership, the Agency will create real economic benefits for the Northwest.

Economic Strategy, and focusing on the actions that will have the greatest impact on our economy. By working together in partnership, we will deliver real transformational change across the region.

Along with other regional partners, the Agency will continue to focus on playing its part in delivering the Regional

For further information on our projects and activities please visit www.nwda.co.uk

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Who we are and what we do

Board and Executives Executive

STEVEN BROOMHEAD Chief Executive

BERNICE LAW Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Chief Executive

IAN HAYTHORNTHWAITE Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Resources

MARK HUGHES Executive Director, Enterprise, Innovation and Skills

PETER WHITE Executive Director, Infrastructure and Development

steven.broomhead@nwda.co.uk

bernice.law@nwda.co.uk

ian.haythornthwaite@nwda.co.uk

mark.hughes@nwda.co.uk

peter.white@nwda.co.uk

JAMES BERRESFORD Director of Tourism

FRAN HULBERT Director of Skills Policy

PETER MEARNS Director of Marketing & Communications

FIONA MILLS Director of HR, Organisational Change and Development

PATRICK WHITE Director of Policy

james.berresford@nwda.co.uk

fran.hulbert@nwda.co.uk

peter.mearns@nwda.co.uk

fiona.mills@nwda.co.uk

patrick.white@nwda.co.uk

BRYAN GRAY MBE DL Chairman

PROFESSOR SIR MARTIN HARRIS CBE DL Deputy Chairman

DAVID BROCKBANK

JOSEPH DWEK CBE

PETER HENSMAN

Cllr DR PAULEEN LANE CBE

DAVE McCALL

Cllr JOHN MERRY

PROFESSOR JOHN MOVELEY OBE

VANDA MURRAY OBE

Cllr MARIE RIMMER CBE

ANIL RUIA OBE JP LLB ACA

BRENDA SMITH

Cllr MIKE STOREY CBE

PROFESSOR MAUREEN WILLIAMS

The Board

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Publications

Regional Economic Strategy 2006

Regional Economic Strategy 2006 Summary

State of the Northwest Economy – Long Term Forecast 2006

Annual Review & Business Plan

Cities Northwest

315° magazine NWDA Quarterly Magazine

Regional Funding Allocations: The Advice of the Northwest Region

Northwest Input to CSR 2007

Useful Web Links Cheshire and Warrington Economic Alliance The Mersey Partnership Cumbria Vision Lancashire Economic Partnership Manchester Enterprises Liverpool Vision Central Salford URC West Lakes Renaissance New East Manchester REblackpool Government Office North West North West Regional Assembly Liverpool Land Development Company

www.cwea.org.uk www.merseyside.org.uk www.cumbriavision.co.uk www.lancashire-ep.org.uk www.manchester-enterprises.com www.liverpoolvision.co.uk www.centralsalford.com www.westlakesrenaissance.co.uk www.neweastmanchester.com www.reblackpool.com www.go-nw.gov.uk www.nwra.gov.uk www.liverpooldev.co.uk

The Northwest Regional Development Agency PO Box 37 Renaissance House Centre Park Warrington WA1 1XB Tel: +44 (0)1925 400 100 Fax: +44 (0)1925 400 400

www.nwda.co.uk www.englandsnorthwest.com www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com

This document is available in large print, braille, audio tape and the following languages; Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Somali, Urdu and Hindi.

Please contact the Marketing Department on 01925 400100 Printed on Cyclus Offset, manufactured using only 100% recycled post consumer waste

October 2006 NWDA G10-07