LEADER + Programme: Eastern Regional Operating Group
Terms of Reference
1. The Operating Group will oversee the administration and monitoring of the LEADER + Programme in the region as delegated to it by the SFSG. The SFSG will report to the Programme Monitoring Committee as the latter has overall monitoring responsibility for the Programme in England.
2. The duties of the Operating Group, as delegated by the SFSG, will essentially be to support the Programme Monitoring Committee in activities that are relevant at the regional level. They will include the following:
(a) Monitoring the administration of the LEADER + Programme in the region, including regional Programme expenditure, the collection of baseline data, the use and development of economic, social and environmental indicators and performance measures, and the achievement of Programme objectives, targets and outputs in their region.
(b) Approving local action groups' action plans or business plans to implement their development strategies, and the annual revisions to these plans.
(c) Agreeing delegated limits with each local action group within which they may approve projects and considering local action groups' recommendations on projects which exceed that amount.
(d) Considering proposals for projects with state aid implications and, where appropriate, advise the Programme Monitoring Committee on notification to the Commission.
(e) Proposing any steps required to improve the administration of the Programme in their region, taking account of the ongoing monitoring of the scheme and, where appropriate, of the recommendations of the mid-term review.
(f) Examining the twice-yearly progress reports from local action groups in their region and to oversee their monitoring and evaluation (i.e. that carried out by the groups themselves and by the regional secretariat).
(g) Agreeing with local action groups, within guidelines agreed by the Programme Monitoring Committee, indicators for the purpose of monitoring the group's progress and the impact of LEADER + in the region and to consider any modifications to them in the light of (e) above.
(h) Agreeing project selection criteria to be used by local action groups consistent with criteria approved by the Programme Monitoring Committee.
(i) Approving partners for Action 2 co-operation projects between local action groups and groups organised according to the LEADER approach based on advice from the regional secretariat.
(j) Submitting progress reports on the operation of LEADER+ in their region to the national secretariat at six monthly intervals.
(k) Overseeing the promotion and publicity for the LEADER+ Programme in their region.
(l) Considering and agreeing proposals for a communications strategy including the implementation of a promotion and publicity strategy for the Programme.
(m) Establishing such sub-groups as it sees fit in order to assist it in delivering the objectives of the Programme. These Groups will report ultimately to the Operating Group.
(n) Submitting to the SFSG for approval strategic matters as they relate to the operation of the programme.
Membership
Membership of the LEADER+ Operating Group is drawn from the following partners:
- East of England Regional Assembly
- Environment Agency
- Countryside Agency
- Rural Action East
- COVER
- English Nature
- Forestry Commission
- English Heritage
- East of England Development Agency
- Rural Development Service
- LEADER+ Local Action Groups
- Government Office for the East of England European Secretariat
Working Arrangements
1. The Operating Group will be chaired by a representative of the LEADER+ secretariat for the region. The Operating Group will normally meet twice a year. Their business will be conducted by consensus. In the event of disagreement, it will be for the Chair to seek to resolve differences.
2. All papers will normally be issued one week in advance of Operating Group meetings except that any papers relating to urgent business may be considered at the meeting subject to the Chair's discretion. The Chair may add an item to the agenda less than one week before the meeting on request from a member of the Committee and may convene meetings at short notice in the event of urgent business. The Chair may also deal with appropriate business through written communication with the Committee.
3. Attendance by others not formally invited to Operating Group meetings may be arranged by agreement with the Chair. Sectors unable to send the nominated representative may seek the agreement of the Chair to send a substitute, or alternatively write to the Chair expressing views so that these can be taken into account.
4. The Secretariat will circulate minutes of each meeting within 14 days.
