Liz Byrne has worked with the South West RDA over a number of years and EMB Consulting in the last two years has supported the Agency's skills team on sector skills developments.

This has included:

• Analysing the feasibility of the regional 'spoke' for the National Skills Academy - Manufacturing and engagement with regional and national partners to ensure that the spoke was 'fit for purpose' in the South West. The regional spoke is now fully operational.
• Representing the Agency in regional fora for sector based National Skills Academies.
• Developing a regional response to Sector Skills Agreements through the Sector Operations Group.
• Supporting the review of the region's Sector Operations Group and making recommendations on its next phase to the South West Regional Skills Partnership.
• Carrying out project appraisals on behalf of the Agency.
• Reviewing the extent to which skills policy and practice takes account of the needs of employers and learners in rural areas.

In 2007/8 EMB Consulting, in partnership with Performance Insight, developed the South West Leadership and Management Development Strategy. Building on the significant achievements of the region to date, this Strategy sets out plans for achieving an enabling environment, developing inspired and knowledgeable organisations and developing tomorrow's leaders. Its development included reviewing current strategies and plans at national and regional level and a consultation event with key stakeholders in the region. The Strategy was approved by the South West Regional Skills Partnership in January 2008.

EMB Consulting has worked with Somerset County Council and its partners on three regeneration projects within West Somerset and in the development and delivery of Somerset's Legacy Strategy for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Dulverton Employment Workspace

EMB Consulting worked with Somerset County Council and its key partner - West Somerset Council - on the development of the Dulverton Employment Workspace project. This £1.64 million project will enable the development of 941 square metres of light industrial workspace at the edge of Dulverton, a deeply rural area in West Somerset. Based on designs by Alder King, EMB Consulting:

• Developed the business plan for the project
• Liaised with the Government Office for the South West on eligibility elements for European Regional Development Fund
• Developed the application for European Regional Development Funding.

The application was approved in November 2006 and the construction of the workspace has recently been completed.

Minehead Mart Road Regeneration

Based on a vision and master plan by AEDAS for the regeneration of a site in Mart Road, Minehead, EMB Consulting worked with Somerset County Council and its partner - the South West RDA - on two specific projects:

• The development of light industrial workspace to improve the economic prospects of the area
  
• The development of a 'turntable' as part of the West Somerset Railway tourism and heritage attraction and associated improvements to the public realm.

This £6.5 million development will contribute significantly to the regeneration of the Minehead area, specifically developing the economic and tourism potential whilst also providing the infrastructure for community provision and longer term private sector investment.

EMB Consulting developed the business plans for these projects and the funding bids to the South West of England Regional Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund. The bids were approved in 2007 and the development of the project is anticipated to be completed in the late summer of 2008.

Cutcombe Market - Mixed Use Development

During 2007/8 EMB Consulting worked with Somerset County Council, Exmoor National Park Authority and the South West RDA on the Rural Renaissance funded mixed use development project at Cutcombe Market. The project had three objectives:

• To develop zones for a master plan to include a revitalised livestock market, housing development, workspace and a new Exmoor National Park Interpretation Centre;
• To develop business plans for the workspace and the Interpretation Centre; and
• To acquire the land for the workspace and Interpretation Centre.

This project required to be delivered within a very tight timescale (July 2007-March 2008) and it is to the credit of the partners and EMB Consulting that this was achieved. EMB Consulting continues to play a part in the project management of the next phase and in assembling the financial package for the workspace project.

Somerset 2012 Legacy Strategy

In recognition of the importance for all areas to achieve a long lasting legacy from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, EMB Consulting, in 2007, developed Somerset's legacy strategy - AIM (Aspiration, Inspiration and Motivation) for Success. This strategy aspires to better join up services and resources in the county to achieve a long lasting legacy in business development, tourism, sport and healthy living, community engagement, learning and skills, culture, events and equality and inclusion. EMB Consulting is now working with partners in Somerset on the delivery of the strategy.

The South West Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) was established in 2004 to unite the business and learning community to achieve a 'step change' in tackling the challenges and priorities for the region's skills base. Three years after its establishment, EMB Consulting was appointed to carry out a review of its progress within the context of the changing landscape for learning and skills.

The final report by EMB outlined:

• The evolving landscape within which the RSP operated.
• Progress of the RSP in relation to its logistics, priorities, added value and objectives.
• Case studies highlighting particular aspects of good practice.
• Issues to be considered for future strategic development.

EMB Consulting works with the Gloucestershire rural team as a 'critical friend'. This involves supporting the team on the management and delivery of rural programmes such as Rural Renaissance, Modernising Rural Delivery and County plans for the Rural Development Programme for England. Key tasks to date have included:

• Advising on roles, responsibilities and structures for the rural decision making body (Rural Economy Advisory Panel)
• Advising on mitigation techniques for potential under-spend
• Developing a template for business planning for use by project applicants
• Offering support on monitoring and evaluation for projects
• Carrying out an interim and final evaluation of Rural Renaissance and Modernising Rural Delivery
• Carrying out the interim evaluation of the Rural Social and Community Programme

Nationally and regionally there is a recognition of the importance of skills as a driver in productivity. Recent policies and strategies advocate a much more demand led approach and more responsive supply side. Training providers - including Colleges - require to be much more attuned to employer needs and, in turn, ensure that their provision meets these needs.

As a pilot, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has commissioned EMB Consulting (in association with EKOS) and SLIM to review 2 Colleges' provision (Exeter by EMB and Wiltshire by SLIM) within the context of expressed demands by a range of sectors. This work will involve:

• A review of the sector in terms of demand and views on current supply.
• A provider relevance check based on desk based analysis and discussion with Sector Skills Councils.
• Production of draft findings for discussion with the LSC and College.
• Developing conclusions and agreed action.

RISE is the voice for South West social enterprise and supports the development of sustainable social enterprises in the region. In April 2006 EMB Consulting worked with the Board of RISE - South West on its strategy development. This involved elements of desk research to establish the national and regional context, a facilitated session with the Board and a summary report identifying key issues and an action plan.

The aim of Women in Business is to encourage more women to become business owners and support women who own their own business, employed women and women at home by offering mutual support with a holistic approach. Liz Byrne from EMB Consulting was asked to chair the first conference in 2006. The focus of the conference was on growing opportunities for women in an increasingly vibrant South West region. The keynote address was by Jane Henderson, Chief Executive of the South West RDA.

Following the establishment of a 'vision' for women in business at the conference Liz was asked by the organisation to develop a comprehensive strategy and action plan which she completed in 2007. The organisation continues to use this strategy and plan to build and grow the organisation and to support women in business throughout the region.

Vision for Wroughton, a community based group based in Swindon, requested EMB Consulting's support in finalising their Community Strategic Action Plan.

When EMB was asked to support the group they had already carried out significant research into the needs of their community and had identified strategic actions for a large number of the themes in their plan. What they needed was advice and support from a consultant to provide cohesion to the plan and help research areas where there were gaps. EMB worked alongside the organisation to:

• Identify the key components of the community strategic action plan.
• Carry out a gap analysis to identify parts of the plan that were strong and those parts that required further work.
• Develop a template for the various sub groups to collate information in a co-ordinated manner.
• Carry out further research particularly in relation to the economic development parts of the plan.
• Develop the draft plan itself.

EMB Consulting in 2007/8 worked with Dorset County Council and partners on two events to plan for the development of the County's rural economy.

The first event entitled 'Prioritising Win Wins' focused on:

• Identifying progress with existing rural programmes and lessons learned.
• Exploring the future strategic direction for the Economy and Environment.
• Identifying opportunities and resources to support action in respect of the Economy and Environment.
• Establishing a 'win win' agenda of priorities for the Economy and Environment based on need and opportunity.

The second event was more focused on developing priority actions for the Dorset Partnership given the imminent ending of the Rural Renaissance and Modernising Rural Delivery programmes. The event entitled 'Towards an action plan for the next phase' focused on:

• Identifying future plans for rural economic development.
• Identifying progress to date on Dorset's Rural Economy programmes, in particular identifying good practice and areas for improvement.
• Developing an action plan for the next phase based on lessons learned to date.