Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which provided an update on the Council’s membership of the North Sea Commission (NSC), Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR) and sought approval for Elected Member and officer travel to the General Assembly of the NSC in Stavanger from 16 June to 18 June 2010, as well Project Development meetings for the development of new transnational projects.

Firstly, it was advised that in order for the Council to take full advantage of its role in influencing European Policy, and drawing down EU funds, it was important that the Council continue to attend and input at CPMR, NSC, the various thematic groups and project development meetings.  Such activity would also contribute in the Council being able to draw down external monies to develop and deliver projects for the Council.  To date the following meetings had been scheduled:- NSC Executive Meeting in April and October/November; and CPMR Political Bureau on 11 June.  Participation in projects would require travel to project development meetings, which were hosted, usually, in the lead project partner member state or a mutually agreed location across Europe.  Where possible, the Council would host partner meetings in order to keep costs to a minimum.  The number of meetings per project would vary.

The report advised that the Council had been invited to participate in the following projects:-  Age Sustainable Communities; Torry Community Wetlands Project; Greenspace Infrastructure; Creative Spaces; Lively Cities; European crossed exchanges intra Europe and Mundi; Renewable Public Transport Enterprise and The Torry Point Battery.  In 2009/2010 the Council had a success rate of over 90% in the submission of applications for the development of projects from different EU funding programmes.  As such the Council was successful in drawing down £2,285,702 in 2009/2010. 

Turning to financial implications, it was advised that the programme had been developed in line with a broadly similar level of funding as in 2009/2010.  Costs for elected members attending various meetings of the NSC (approximately £2,000) would be met from the elected members travel budget, whilst costs for the officer accompanying elected members (again approximately £2,000) and officers attending NSC and project development meetings would be met from the relevant service’s budget.  If successful, 50% of these costs would be recovered from the projects.  Finally, match funding to partner EU funded projects would be met from existing budgets, from the relevant services.  Any new projects would be forwarded to the Committee for consideration, subject to budgets being available.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to approve travel and attendance by an elected member and up to two officers to the NSC General Assembly in Stavanger, Norway in June 2010;

(ii)        to approve officer travel and attendance to relevant NSC meetings (NSC Executive meetings in April and October / November) and CPMR meetings (Political Bureau 11 June – TROMS, Energy Group in October) and officer travel to European Project development meetings within Europe Member States in 2010/2011, and to note that locations and timings of project development meetings would vary in the year, as and when, the lead partners called for the meetings;

(iii)       to approve the Council’s participation in the following European projects and officer travel to project meetings:-

·        Age Sustainable Communities (Interreg IVB North West Europe)

·        Torry Community Wetlands Project (Life+)

·        Greenspace Infrastructure (GIN) (Interreg IVB North Sea Region)

·        Creative Spaces (Interreg IVB North West Europe)

·        Lively Cities (Interreg IVB North West Europe)

·        European crossed exchanges intra Europe and Mundi (Intelligent Energy)

·        Renewable Public Transport Enterprise (REPUTE)

·        The Torry Point Battery

(iv)       to note the success of the Council drawing down £2,285,702 in 2009/10 of external monies to be utilised in EU projects over a period of three years; and

(x)        to commend officers for their work in achieving external monies.