Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendation.

The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance explained that most of Flintshire’s main economic centres were within the designated Assisted Area, giving access to state aids for eligible development.  Such designations were reviewed by the EU every seven years and such a review was currently underway.  Retaining Assisted Area status was considered to be an essential part in retaining the long-term economic health of the County.

The report provided information on the position regarding Flintshire’s Assisted Areas designation and identified a strategy to ensure that Flintshire retained designation for the period to 2020.

The current proposals from the Commission were not the final version, which would not be published until April 2013.  Crucially, this gave an opportunity for further lobbying.

The UK Government was intending to make further representations to the Commission on this matter, and similar representations were expected from several other Member States.  The following actions were recommended in order to present the strongest case for retaining Assisted Area designation:-

·        Continue to lobby the British MEPs who were working to change the position

·        Raise the matter with local AMs and MPs

·        Work through the WLGA to secure a meeting in Brussels with Commissioner Almunia

·        Meet with representatives of the CBI, EEF, Chamber and key local employers to develop a shared approach

·        Raise the issue with the North Wales Economic Ambition Board and the Board of the Mersey Dee Alliance asking for support for the Council’s views

·        Work with the lead officials in Business, Innovation and Science (BIS) (and where appropriate the devolved administrations) to co-ordinate tactics and detailed arguments to be put to the Commission

RESOLVED:

That the contents of the report be noted and the approach set out in paragraph 3.07 be approved.