Agenda item

Philip Clifford, Senior Adviser, introduced the paper. He outlined the Leading Places Project, advising members that it was being jointly managed by the LGA, Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and Universities UK (UUK).

He explained that the project’s aim is to strengthen relationships between councils and universities and to encourage both to play a more collaborative role in the leadership and development of places.The project will run over the summer, concluding in early 2017 and will initially work with six pilot areas across the country.

In the discussion which followed, members raised the following issues:

·         Relating to the project, an initiative had started in Lancaster where Vice-Chancellors on the Local Enterprise Partnership Board had set up a separate Collaboration Board which local councils were keen to engage with.

·         Gloucestershire was the only rural area in the list of six pilots – more rural universities and rural areas should be included.

·         Exeter was mentioned as an area potentially interested in participating in a future phase of the project.

Decisions

1.    Members noted the report

Actions

1.    Officers to reflect on how best to accommodate the concerns raised regarding the lack of rural participation.

2.    Officers to consider how best respond to expressions of interest from areas outside the initial six pilots.

3.    Officers to continue with work as directed by members and report back on progress at the next appropriate board meeting.