Scottish City Region and Growth Deal Delivery Board - May 2024

Attendees and apologies

Board Members

 

Alasdair MacDonald Chair (AM), UK Government, Scotland Office, Deputy Director for Policy
Anne-Marie Martin (AMM), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development, Deputy Director
Eva Groeneveld (standing in for Lauren Bruce) EG, UK Government, DLUHC, Scotland Hub Lead
Will Durkin (v) (WD), UK Government, HMT, Union Strategy & Devolution Capability
Michael Walker (MW), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development, Senior Finance Business Partner

UKG Officials  

Miriam Simpson (MS), UK Government, Scotland Office, Head of City Deals and Levelling Up
Elma Durdevic (apologies) (ED), UK Government, Scotland Office, Interim Head of City Deals and Levelling Up
Laura Barker (LB), UK Government, Scotland Office, Team Leader City Deals and Levelling Up

SG Officials 
 

Kate Bryson (KB), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development, Head of East & West of Scotland Growth Deals
Kimberley Daly (KD), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development, Head of Highlands, Islands, Edinburgh and South Growth Deals
Fiona Lloynd (FL), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development Team Leader
Jennifer Treasure (JT), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development Team Leader
Allison Rice (AR), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development Team Leader
Hazel Tierney (v) (HT), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development. Finance Business Partner

Secretariat

Peter McGregor (v) (PMG), Scottish Government, Regional Economic Development, Programme Manager
Lejla Thompson (apologies) (LT), UK Government, Scotland Office, City Deals and Levelling Up

Items and actions

Welcome, introduction and apologies

AM welcomed attendees to the meeting and noted apologies.

Minutes

Minutes of the previous board meeting, 29 February 2024, had been approved by correspondence.

Finance Business Partner Update

An update on finance was discussed and current underspend was noted.

Hot Topics

The board discussed the key issues identified by the Working Group. These spanned areas including sunk costs and communication protocol.

Action Tracker

AM noted the Fair Work paper had been agreed by correspondence prior to the Board meeting. 

It was noted that update to Memorandum of Understanding was progressing and would be agreed by correspondence after the Board meeting.

Risk Register

The Board were satisfied that appropriate risks were being recorded, discussed and managed. 

Performance Dashboard

The Board discussed key points from the dashboard.

Continuous improvement

LB addressed the paper. Discussion on workstreams and need to progress this work. Recognition that a balance is needed between acting and planning. MS, KB and KD to set out the next steps for progress against priority workstreams.

The Board noted that a number of Deals are discussing raising change requests and there is a need for detailed guidance on the process. AM, AMM, KB, KD, MS and LB to discuss at the meeting following the Board.

AOB

Co-chairs view of the board

Co-chairs tested if the Board was seeing and discussing key issues, thought that it was but agreed to keep this under review. They particularly noted that the addition of this item, in combination with the discussion of pressing delivery issues, gave the right balance of focus on delivery, governance, and strategy.

It was suggested that benefits realisation, communications, and horizon scanning (political and fiscal) should be standing items. Discussion on if the agenda could be streamlined but in recognition of needing standing items. Attendance, such as Team Leaders as observers, was raised.  LB to consider feedback for the next Board meeting.

Highlands Islands Enterprise/Scottish Enterprise

AM asked for a better understanding of Enterprise Agency roles, the associated risks and opportunities. Agreement that this should be discussed further ahead of the next Board meeting.

Fair Work Paper

As per discussion under agenda item 5, Action Tracker.

Close and next meeting

AM thanked everyone for their contributions and closed the meeting
The next Board is scheduled for 29th August 2024 and Scotland Office will be providing the secretariat.