Statement of Performance 09-10

STATEMENT OF PERFORMANCE 2009/10

INTRODUCTION

This is the second Statement of Performance published by Tendring Regeneration Ltd, t/a INTend, in accordance with the Service Level Agreement between the Company and Tendring District Council.

The purpose of the Statement is to provide the Council, as the sole shareholder, with information on the various activities undertaken by the Company since April 2009.

GOVERNANCE

In May 2009 the Council reviewed its Board nominations rights and agreed to remove the six Council appointed Directors leaving five Company appointed Directors who, under the quorum requirements of Clause 38 of the Articles of Association were unable to meet as a corporate Board. For this reason no meetings were held between April and November 2009.   

The Council also agreed in May 2009 to amend Clause 3.5 of the Memorandum of Association to clarify that the activities of Company would be in accordance with directions issued by the Executive of the Council.

In August 2009 two of the Company appointed Directors, Peter Thompson and Sharon Alexander resigned as Directors.

At its meeting on 29 October 2009 the Council agreed to appoint the remaining Directors as Council Directors as well as appointing Councillors Double, Shearing, Oxley and Steady.  The Company Articles were also changed to specify that the minimum number of Council appointed Directors be six out of a total of 11.

The newly constituted Board met on 27 November when Councillor Double was elected Chairman. Three Area Boards Chairs were also appointed and the incumbents requested to review the Area Board structure, its potential role and continued relevance.

EXECUTIVE STRUCTURE

For a majority of the year the Executive team has been fully staffed. The post of Planning Consultant became vacant in January 2010. No decision has been taken yet on the future of this post. 

DELIVERY ACTIVITIES

‘Delivering a difference’ is the Company’s mission statement. Although a formal Delivery Plan could not be approved for the past year work has continued on a variety of projects agreed in the 2008/09 Plan and further work undertaken at the request of the Council’s Executive.

Details of the key projects are set out in the Annex. In addition the company has also provided the range of services required of it under the Service Delivery Agreement which include:-

·       Business advice and support

·       Liaison with the Council’s Planning Service in relation to applications affecting the regeneration of the District

·       Drafting responses to regeneration related consultation documents for agreement by the Council

·       Identifying of potential funding sources

·       Providing an Inward Investment marketing and support service

·       Day to day management of the assets within the Community, Partnerships and Development Portfolio

·       Representing the Council where requested in relation to Haven Gateway Partnership activities

·       Management and development of the SSCF interaction programme for the Pier Ward of Clacton and Jaywick in accordance with the terms of the grants

·       Provide advice and support to TDC in the development of its Property Strategy and Asset management Plans

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND FUND RAISING

The Company has continued to use Jamesons of Clacton to be its accountants and auditors. The company banker is the Co-operative Bank.

As last year the Company’s formal accounts will be submitted to the full Council as part of the overall Council’s accounts in June this year.

The Company receives three main funding streams from the Council:-

·       Service Level Agreement payments of £400,000, payable in two instalments (April and October)

·       Service Delivery Agreement payments in respect of the work undertaken in delivering the Council’s regeneration activities and the work of the seconded staff.

·       Specific commission payments from the Council. In the current year these comprised up to £100,000 from the Council Pathfinder award from Government to undertake a coastal study to maximise the economic benefits of tourism. A further sum of £50,000 from the Haven Gateway Growth Point budget has been awarded to produce a design brief for the Pier Gap gateway area of Clacton .

The Board receives management accounts at each meeting and agrees any budgetary allocations to specific projects.

Because the future and role of the Company was subject to discussion the Company has operated on its balances brought forward from 2008/09 to meet staff and operational costs. The first tranche of 2009/10 SLA and SDA funding will be claimed in February/March 2010.

The Company maintains a minimum in its current account with the majority of funds held in a ‘treasury’ account with its Bankers.

During the year the Company has been instrumental in reshaping and securing some £630,000 of Haven Gateway funding for Clacton despite the sub region suffering a 43% reduction in its overall Growth Point budget.

The Company co-ordinated, on behalf of the Council and its partners, a successful bid to the DEFRA Coastal change Pathfinder programme resulting in a £1m award to the District. The Council has allocated half of this fund to the ‘Crag Walk’ project to help protect the Naze at Walton and the Company will be providing specialist advice and project management support to the Steering Group.

COMMUNICATIONS

During the year we have, at the request of the Council, taken a low key approach to our marketing activities and the main information channel of communication has been through the Company website.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

The dramatic economic downturn during 2009 has had a severe impact on regeneration opportunities. It has led to increased competition for investment both within the existing economic base of the district and for inward investment.

To be competitive requires the business community, the Council and the Company to be clearly focussed on investigating and testing the feasibility of new investment opportunities.

The work of the Company in producing forward thinking and commercially tested proposals such as the Walton Regeneration Framework will assist the Council and the district in articulating these opportunities.  

As the Council’s delivery arm and responsible for managing its regeneration activities it is incumbent upon the Company to work closely with partners to maximise development and funding opportunities. It also has a key role to play as a catalyst for change utilising its Development and Delivery Fund.

The Company is halfway through its initial three year funding period and has been requested to develop a business case for its longer term future to demonstrate how it will become self sustaining.

                                                                                                                                                           Les Double

                                                                                         Chairman - For and on behalf of the Board of INTend