Purpose
The Devon and Torbay Business Advisory Group Board (DTBAG) is the “Voice of Business” and will advise, guide, and inform the Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority (DTCCA), including in shadow form, to make local decisions on strategic economic planning for Devon and Torbay.
Role
The overarching role of the DTBAG is to provide business with a meaningful role in developing, implementing, and monitoring the DTCCA’s economic strategy. The Group will have a role in setting annual priorities, securing investment and designing appropriate programmes to address business needs. In addition, the DTBAG will provide expertise, insight, intelligence, and evidence from business to support the growth and economic ambitions of Devon and Torbay.
Strategic role
- provide a strong, meaningful, independent and diverse business voice for the area, offering insight, expertise and advice to the DTCCA;
- support and work with the DTCCA Board and Executive officers, leveraging business networks, knowledge, expertise and insight to support engagement and negotiation with Government and funding agencies to secure additional devolved powers and investment to Devon and Torbay;
- work with the DTCCA Board and Executive officers to represent the business voice in engagement across Government Departments, promoting key opportunities and raising the profile of Devon and Torbay in line with the economic strategy for Devon and Torbay;
- provide advice and support to the DTCCA Board on business and economy matters, and work with and alongside other established Advisory Groups providing the business voice and perspective in developing and implementing housing, transport, skills and net zero priorities;
- provide advice, evidence and insight to the DTCCA Board to support the setting of economic objectives and investment priorities covering business support, infrastructure, innovation, and sector opportunities;
- work with business representatives across the South West and within other devolved areas to support collaborative approaches to key economic development priorities;
- build and maintain effective strategic relationships and connections with the Plymouth and Somerset Growth Boards on common evidence-based needs and priorities, including for example, joint business facilitated events focusing on common strategic items such as infrastructure and labour market;
- provide market credibility and a strong vehicle for leveraging match funding for public sector programmes, and developing effective partnership projects to support growth; and
- provide strategic positioning into the Great Southwest and other regional partnerships as appropriate, helping to align local and regional activity.
Operational role
- work with DTCCA Executive officers to shape the DTCCA’s business, trade and investment and innovation programmes, projects and investment proposals to reflect local business and economic needs to support the delivery of the DTCCA’s agreed economic priorities;
- work with the DTCCA’s Executive officers to shape and support the DTCCA’s economic evidence base and provide intelligence and insight to underpin the Economic Strategy, in support of current Economic Plans for Devon and Torbay and setting of growth / sector priorities, business cases and funding bids;
- provide regular business intelligence and insights to the DTCCA Board, working with the DTCCA Executive officers;
- guide and inform the DTCCA’s business and economy work programme, monitoring performance and progress and working with the DTCCA Executive officers to oversee the development, and implementation of future schemes and programmes;
- have oversight of Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) legacy projects, programmes and transferred functions making such recommendations to the DTCCA Board as appropriate (such as capital schemes, business support and digital skills activity), supporting accountability and reporting into Government, to include Growth Hub and Careers Hub;
- advise the upper tier local authorities until the DTCCA is established and then the DTCCA Board on the management of any LEP legacy funds, including the use of monies returned from Growing Places Fund loans; and
- provide challenge and insight on business impacts of public sector initiatives, providing delivery expertise.
Compliance, operation and code of conduct
The DTBAG will be established through an open recruitment and selection process and its operation will follow the Nolan Principles. It will operate initially in shadow form, and once the DTCCA is established, will form one of several proposed Advisory Groups. The Chairperson of the DTBAG will sit on the DTCCA Board as an Associate Member.
Conflicts of interest
There will be a clear Conflict of Interest Policy, and a register of both pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests will be maintained. Each member will provide a declaration of their interests for the register.
- Any conflicts of interest must be declared by DTBAG members at the start of each meeting and recorded in the minutes.
- If any member of DTBAG has a conflict of interest on any agenda item or discussion, this must be declared prior to the item being discussed and will be recorded in the minutes.
- If a DTBAG member has a conflict of interest on an agenda item, this will be managed in accordance with the Conflict of Interest Policy and Code of Conduct for the DTBAG.
Meetings and decisions
There will be at least six DTBAG meetings per year and no more than monthly. These may be held virtually. Additional meetings can be requested by the Chair or Vice-Chair to discuss issues of significant importance or for urgent decisions.
Meeting papers will be circulated one week in advance by the DTCCA Secretariat and any considered confidential will be stated as such. Written proceedings may be used where decisions, advice or input is required between meetings.
For urgent matters which require decisions, advice or input outside normal meetings, the Chair may make decisions on behalf of the DTBAG in consultation with the Vice-Chair and the lead Executive officer. Any decisions taken in this manner will require a written update to the next DTBAG meeting, setting out the rationale why an urgent decision was required, and the actions taken.
All DTBAG decisions will be recorded in writing and published online. Any amendments to these decisions can only be made at a future DTBAG meetings, with the amendment also being recorded in writing.
Occasionally, issues of a confidential nature may be discussed that cannot be disclosed outside of the DTBAG meeting; when this occurs, it will be stated by the Chair at the beginning of the relevant item and recorded in the minutes.
Any decisions will be made by a majority vote. If the voting is equal, the Chair will have a second or casting vote. A meeting must be quorate for any decisions to occur.
At least 3 members from Torbay and 5 members from Devon (which must include either the Chair or Vice-Chair) need to be present for a meeting to be quorate.
If a member is considered by 1 or more other members to be behaving in conflict with the Nolan Principles, this will be managed in accordance with the Code of Conduct for the DTBAG. This may result in the member being removed from the Board.
Task and finish groups
The DTBAG will establish ‘task and finish’ groups, to facilitate progress on specific themes and issues as required, and where appropriate these may be joint with other Advisory Groups. DTBAG will keep a register on these subgroups and clearly define their work programme, including key objectives and milestones.
Complaints
Should members of the DTBAG have a complaint or conflict that cannot be resolved, this should be reported in writing, to the following people in alignment with the recommended stages:
- Stage 1: DTCCA Executive Lead officer for the DTBAG
- Stage 2: DTCCA Chief Executive
- Stage 3: Chair of the DTCCA
At each stage, if the dispute cannot be resolved within 14 working days it will be escalated to the next level, with the Chair of the DTCCA having the final decision.
Communication and information sharing
The DTBAG will contribute to the DTCCA’s Communications and Engagement Strategies and will work within any Communication Protocols established.
The following communications fall within scope of the DTBAG:
- Regular “state of the economy” updates.
- Annual economic report update.
- Press releases as and when appropriate.
- Meeting minutes / decisions will be published online.
- Economic Objectives and Priorities.
- Economic Strategy and associated plans.
- Programme updates and briefings on key projects and programmes.
Communication priorities and methods to be agreed by the DTBAG in line with the DTCCA’s protocol.
Secretariat from DTCCA
Whilst in shadow form the Secretariat for the DTBAG will be provided by Devon County Council and Torbay Council. Ongoing secretariat responsibilities to be agreed by the DTCCA Board and it is expected that an Executive Officer will attend and support the work of the Group.
Membership
There will be a broad base for membership, with an open and transparent recruitment and selection process, enabling a wide range of business types, sizes, and locations to be represented and which reflect local economic strengths and priorities across Devon and Torbay, giving a diversity of business voices. Business types include the social enterprise and charitable sectors.
The initial recruitment and selection process will seek representation from:
- Business representative organisations (up to two)
- Social enterprise business
- Charitable or voluntary sector
- High tech business sector
- Tourism sector
- Rural farming, food and drink and land-based sector
- Fishing sector
- Digital sector
- Creative, culture and heritage sector
- Marine and maritime sector
- Environmental technologies and energy sector
- Advanced manufacturing sector
- Construction sector
- Health and life sciences
- Professional services
The recruitment process will ensure that appointees are politically independent and able to provide a constructive check and challenge on local decision-making using their private sector perspective.
As the “Voice of Business”, members will represent the business community and their role, rather than their personal views or that of their business/employer.
Members will be outward facing, which includes participating and sharing intelligence (in both directions) with broader initiatives and other national and regional partnerships, where appropriate.
Local leaders will also have the flexibility to adjust the membership of the DTBAG Board, including by inviting the participation of local economic partners outside of the business community. Any new Board members must be appointed through an open process. Final selection of membership on to the DTBAG Board to be made through a panel of Elected Leaders and Senior Officers.
The DTBAG Board should be representative of those with protected characteristics.
When membership is refreshed, this will be through further recruitment processes, not an assumed “place” for a particular organisation. There will be a maximum length of service, to be agreed, for service on the DTBAG.
The Membership will represent the breadth of Devon and Torbay’s economy and regional links and reflect the spirit of a balanced partnership between public, private, and voluntary/community sectors.
The size of the DTBAG will be sufficient to recognise the diversity of businesses making up the local economy, and different geographies. It will also be small enough to operate efficiently and effectively. The target number is 15 private sector representatives representing Devon and Torbay. In addition, officers from the DTCCA and District Councils, public health and other agencies can attend, along with Government Department representatives and Chairs or other nominated members from the other Advisory Groups as appropriate and as Observers.
By invitation others such as sector experts may be called to join the DTBAG for one off meeting or a short period of time or to be part of a Task and Finish Group. Members of the DTCCA Board may also attend on an ad hoc basis. It is possible for a person to represent more than one organisation.
Businesses or organisations located outside of Devon and Torbay may still be members of the DTBAG where their operations and services support the economic performance of the Devon and Torbay economy.
DTBAG members who do not attend three consecutive meetings (without providing apologies) may, without an acceptable reason determined by the DTBAG Chair, be requested to step down from being a member of the DTBAG.
Duration of term
The term expected of a private sector member of the Group is three years, with the opportunity to have this term extended by a further two year maximum. Any member of the group who wishes to stand down within two years, should provide a 3 month notice to the Chair and by agreement, remain until another member is appointed to the Group. The decision to extend membership of the DTBAG will be the DTCCA Chief Executive’s, in consultation with the DTCCA Chair.
Chair and vice chair
The Chair and a Vice Chair of the DTBAG will be nominated by the private sector membership of the DTBAG and appointment agreed through a simple majority. These individuals will be asked to perform these roles for up to two years.
Where the Chair of the Vice Chair are unable to continue in these roles, each should provide a minimum of a month’s notice to the Chair of the DTCCA Board. The DTBAG private sector Board members will be asked to nominate a new Chair or Vice Chair, either on a temporary or permanent basis. Where this is temporary, a permanent Chair or Vice Chair should be appointed within 3 months of the post becoming vacant.
Amendments, modification and reviewing Terms of Reference
Any changes to these Terms of Reference must be agreed by the Board of DTCCA and subsequently endorsed by all DTBAG group members.
These DTBAG Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually to ensure they remain current and appropriate.
These initial terms of reference will remain under review until the establishment of the DTCCA to ensure consistency with the developing Constitution of the DTCCA and the emerging terms of reference of the other Advisory Groups
Any agreed changes to these Terms of Reference must be notified in writing to the DTCCA’s Monitoring Officer, to enable any associated technical changes to be agreed and made to the DTCCA’s Constitution.
Other
The various DTCCA Advisory Groups should be cognisant of each other’s’ roles and the support officers will seek to ensure cross-thematic awareness and suitable programming, as required. This may also involve coordination of briefings between relevant Advisory Group Chairs as appropriate, to ensure efficient deliberation and effective advice.