PAPER
B2
Purpose
: For Decision
REPORT
TO CABINET
Date : 11 OCTOBER 2005
Title : PROPOSED WITHDRAWAL FROM THE
HAMPSHIRE, ISLE OF WIGHT AND WEST SUSSEX BRUSSELS OFFICE AND FROM THE
CONFERENCE OF PERIPHERAL AND MARITIME REGIONS
REPORT OF THE LEADER OF THE COUNCIL
IMPLEMENTATION DATE : 21 October 2005
SUMMARY/PURPOSE
1 This report recommends withdrawal from
the Hampshire, Isle of Wight and West Sussex (HWWS) Brussels Office from April
2006 and the Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR), including
the Islands Commission from January 2005, and contains a review of the current
arrangements for consideration.
BACKGROUND
HWWS Brussels Office
2 The Isle of Wight Council has contributed to a shared
office in Brussels since 1997. The current partners are Hampshire, West Sussex
and Southampton Councils and the Hampshire Fire Service. In April 2001 the office moved to co-locate
in South East England House (SEEH) in Brussels with 3 other sub-regional offices
from the SE of England and a SEEDA / SEERA representative.
3 The
partnership employs two Brussels based members of staff who are intended to
work with a lead Member and officer from each partner. Together they contribute
to the delivery of corporate strategic aims by providing a service for all
directorates and units within the partner organisations to engage in European
issues both in Brussels and in the UK.
Partnership
Working
4 Local
government has responsibility for implementing approximately 70% of EU
legislation (80% of environmental legislation). Early information on new
proposals is therefore beneficial to assess the likely impact on local services
and, where possible, to influence changes before they are enacted. Partnership
working on these matters has the potential to bring greater influence can be
achieved individually.
5 The aims of the Partnership are set out below:
♦ To ensure a better understanding of the impact Europe has on local government and better engagement between all levels of governance.
♦ Track and analyse policy in order to develop expertise and contacts in specific policy fields of importance to HWWS and to provide first class intelligence and information for officers and Members in the home authorities
♦ Represent and lobby on behalf of the partnership to raise the profile of our sub-region, to develop the role of local government as the level of government closest to the citizen in EU decision-making, and influence policy and legislation that impacts on the local level;
♦ Provide timely and relevant information and interpretation of the latest developments in order to respond to enquiries and raise awareness.
♦ Support and enable Members, the Chief Executives and Chief Officers and their staff to engage effectively with officials and politicians in the European institutions and regions.
♦ Benefit from shared expertise and representation between the partner organizations.
Joint
Work
6 The annual business plan for the Partnership outlines
activities for both UK and Brussels-based staff. Delivery of the business plan
is reviewed at partnership meetings, where priorities and activities can be
modified or supplemented. The lead officers meet regularly and those from the
local authorities attend the South East European Officers Group.
7
In addition
to having partnership representation on South East England Joint Europe
Committee (JEC) (a body made up of representatives from the South East England
Development Agency (SEEDA), The South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA)
and one representative from each partnership in South East England House),
individual partners have political representation or membership of the
following European networks:
o Arc Manche - a maritime network of English
counties and French regions bordering The Channel
o Assembly of European Regions (AER)
o Conference of Peripheral and Maritime
Regions (CPMR)
o RETIS - network of European regions
interested in promoting social inclusion.
o Eurocities – network of European cities
o Maritime Cities Network
o Energie-cities.
o POLIS – network of European cities and
regions for the development of innovative technologies and policies in local
transport
8 This
provides access to a variety of networks through which the partnership can
lobby for joint priorities, access information and expertise and contact
potential partners for joint projects.
9
Whilst in the past the
European Institutions have tended to negotiate at National government level,
the last few years have seen an increased desire to consult with (and listen
to) local and regional government as this is seen as being closer to the
citizen. In a crowded arena with some 250 regional offices in Brussels, the
only practical way of doing this is for European institutions to interact with
Europe-wide networks rather than individual authorities. This means local
authorities have to engage with regional bodies, such as SEEDA, SEERA, the
Local Government Association (LGA) and Local Government International Bureau
(LGIB) and create or join groups of local and regional authorities such as Arc
Manche, Conference of Peripheral and Maritime Regions (CPMR) the Assembly of European
Regions (AER), and Eurocities to ensure for their point of view is heard.
ACTIVITIES
FOR 2005-2006
10 In preparing the business plan for the current year the partners agreed six priority areas:
1) Reform of structural funds
2) Environment
3) Governance and regionalism
4) Social care and inclusion
5) Urban and rural
regeneration
6) Awareness-raising of EU issues within the partner organizations.
7) Items to monitor for potential opportunities (very light touch)
11 Brussels-based
staff provide support in these agreed areas through
o a weekly ‘Euroflash’ newsletter,
o regular ‘policy updates’,
o direct emails to staff
o thematic distribution lists for more urgent
information.
o funding advice and support as required
12 In addition the HWWS partnership benefits from the office co-location arrangements, which gives the HWWS partnership access to, and benefit from, a larger resource than it could provide on its own. The 5 offices located there share reception and library facilities as well as technical information and have an agreed annual business plan identifying areas where it is beneficial to work together for the mutual benefit of the SE Region. Together with the work done by their UK counterparts, this contributes to the delivery of the SE Regional European Strategy and provides an opportunity to influence the regional agenda.
CPMR and Islands Commission
13 The CPMR represents and protects the interests of peripheral and maritime regions. Membership includes 149 regions from 27 states, both members and non-members of the EU, all located in one of Europe’s main sea basins. It is the umbrella organization for 7 geographic commissions, of which the Islands Commission is one that the Isle of Wight Council has been an active member of for many years.
14 CPMR and the Islands Commission are primarily political lobbying organisations, although there is also the opportunity for joint working, networking and exchange of best practice. The European institutions have increasingly been using the organization as a means of consulting with regional and local authorities. In particular the Islands Commission is from time to time invited to collaborate with the European institutions on matters requiring expertise in island issues. The main participation is through attendance at the annual general assembly of each of these by officers and Members.