ESPON UK Network Advisory Group Meeting - Minutes

23rd September 2009 | 4 pm Hilton Hotel, Leeds

Present:
Andreas Schulz-Baeing, University of Manchester
Bea Jefferson, Yorkshire Futures (representing the Association of Regional Observatories)
Cliff Hague, ECP
Gillian Kyle, ECP
Imogen Stone, CLG
Jenny Crawford, ECP
Jo Talbot, Roger Tym & Partners (chairing)
Olivier Sykes, University of Liverpool
Paula MacLachlan, UK (North) Contact Point for the INTERREG
Rhian Brimble, RTPI Development Planning Network
Simin Davoudi, NewcastleUniversity / Apologies:
Alison Childs, Yorkshire Forward
Christabel Myers, CLG
Gordon Dabinett, The University of Sheffield
Graeme Purves, Scottish Government
Jim Hetherington, Department for Regional Development (NI)
Liz Mills, Liz Mills Associates
Natalie Grohmann, Welsh Assembly Government
Nick Porter, Local Government Association

This meeting was preceded by an ESPON UK workshop entitled ‘UK spatial development evidence base and the ESPON programme’

  1. Matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2009

Marine Spatial Planning

The ECP asked Olivier to follow up contact with Sue Kidd at LiverpoolUniversity about the proposed marine resources theme arising in the next round of calls. The group suggested developing links with Stephen Jay at SheffieldHallamUniversity.

ESPON UK Workshops

The group was in agreement that the Leeds workshop was an improvement on prior events.It benefitted from more targeted objectives and an extended time allocation. Concerns were raised as to access to the feedback of comments, presentations and outputs of the day. The ECP welcomed these comments and responded that the information gathered would be used to feed into a proposal to ESPON about Trans-National Networking which would act as a valuable resource to interested organisations. Further to this, the workshop participants will receive a full follow-up report and access to the information collated on the day.

Action / Who
Circulate presentations/summary report/relevant links + publications from the day / ECP
Awareness raising item to International Committee on the ESPON Advisory Group / Advisory Group (Chair)

Transnational Projects

Acting as lead partner, the UK ECP is compiling an application for a Priority 4 project proposal that will explore the potential use of ESPON data in the creation and monitoring of integrated territorial development strategies.

Flyers

Comments from the group that were received on the content and format of the researcher and practitioner leaflets were taken onboard prior to publishing. They have been printed and widely distributed to relevant events and organisations.

  1. Update on ESPON UK Network

Action / Who
The Network update will be communicated via email / ECP
  1. INTERREG and potential links with ESPON

Paula gave an introduction to the role of INTERREG and potential for improved cooperation between the two programmes. She highlighted that INTERREG often perceives ESPON as a background research body that has limited usability for INTERREG projects.

The complex planning language of the programme was mentioned as an alienating factor for a number of potential partners and as the partner base increasingly widens to include environmental agencies, knowledge transfer and innovation organisations, economic development bodies and other ‘untraditional’ interest parties there needs to be linguistic access for these bodies. Future communications and mutual working would benefit from:

  • Clarification of the spatial dimensions of the Lisbon Treaty to programme/project developers
  • Explanation of operational programme ie. Transnational co-operation method
  • Partner locating; ESPON has a more detailed capability to source particular qualities and characteristics of partners
  • Visibility of ESPON’s programme achievements such as speaking at workshops, sitting in on project proposal meetings and adding value to action plans

Jo called for an improved communication flow between the two organisations suggesting linkages between websites, themes, publications and the possibility of exchanging Planning with Regeneration & Renewal articles. Funding issues were highlighted in terms of gaining content space in publications but bulletins and newsletters were suggested as potential alternatives to foster knowledge dissemination.

Paula drew the group’s attention to the Dutch presidency of INTERREG in 2010 and the potential for ESPON involvement in future INTERREG workshops.

Action / Who
Contact Paula to discuss how two programmes can interact. The goal is to make sure of better use of ESPON data by INTERREG / ECP
  1. Transnational Networking Activities

The ECP commented on the need to develop a set of activities in getting ESPON directly accessible to interested users and that ESPON contributes a valuable spatial analysis approach that EUROSTAT does not. The outcomes of the Leeds workshop can feed directly into a project proposal to explore these access issues. It was agreed to return to this discussion at the next meeting.

Action / Who
Advisory Group to be updated on TNA bid at next meeting. / ECP
  1. Future ESPON UK Workshops
  2. TIA (October)

This will be a small, focussed meeting centred on the CLG’s potential Priority 2 projects as mentioned by Christabel during the workshop.

5.2.Rural workshop (9thDecember)

The ECP highlighted the role of this workshop as a key driver for related ESPON projects and the significance of EDORA in bringing an extra dimension to the day and the Climate Change workshop in 2010.

5.3.Climate Change (early 2010)

Simin highlighted the importance of knowledge dissemination for both this and the Rural Workshop

The ECP called for any suggestions of linked research projects to incorporate with these workshops. Andreas suggested that some of his research would be directly relevant to the Rural workshop.

Action / Who
Inform ECP of relevant research projects that could be incorporated into workshops. / Advisory Group
  1. AOB

None