Company Development Plan

Early work to establish the new company will include practical issues such as establishing a base for operations, and a strategic policy based on the values and principles underlying the Exe Valley Plan Vision. Development of the company is guided by advice in the MCTA Re:Sourcebook, Planning for Your Community (chapter 7, ‘Making your Plan Operational’), the local context, and advice from the MCTA, the
Mid Devon branch of the CVS (Involve), and the advice of the Company Secretary, a local solicitor, and the Treasurer, a local accountant. A full development plan for Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd will be one of the early tasks of the new directors.

The wider context in which Exe Valley Enterprises will operate The Company operates for the benefit of local communities, assisting to realise aspirations through supporting and leading projects.

A major part of the company’s brief will be to facilitate the process of raising funds for, and implementing, projects. Bidding for funds for projects is part of the wider business environment in which the company will work, and over which the directors have little direct control. Here, the work of the Devon Towns Forum and the Market and Coastal Towns Association will assist in providing opportunities through events to meet and develop contacts among Funding Organisations so that directors develop a better understanding of how projects may be matched to different types of funding.

The projects themselves, while focused on local aspirations, are set within a wider context. Where possible, partnership working to maximise resource efficiency and open the benefits of the project to the widest range of
people possible will be an aim of the company.

Among those that are seen as potential partners for Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd are county, district and parish councils, local business organisations (notably Tiverton Chamber of Commerce, Mid Devon Business Association
and the local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses), faith groups, community centres and village hall groups, schools and colleges, libraries, youth organisations, community safety partnerships, health authorities, social service and voluntary sector organisations including those catering for disabled and elderly people, almshouses and Care Homes, arts and performing arts organisations, sport and leisure organisations including Tiverton Leisure Centre, and civic organisations, notably Tiverton Civic Society.

Management

Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd will build from the baseline provided by the Exe Valley Plan. This Plan forms important aspects of the business plan for the organisation, but does not include the organisational development of the company. The board will start with seven directors, four of whom are members of the Formal Steering Group, and three of whom have been connected with the Plan process through the Governance subcommittee and bring essential skills, experience and expertise to the Board. All are active locally as councillors, or in local
businesses, and or in heading local voluntary sector organisations.
Assets of the Company

FINANCIAL
The company will start with a small funding base from the Exe Valley Plan process.

EQUIPMENT
It will inherit the office equipment from the Exe Valley Plan, and electronic and hard copy information base including IT equipment, strategic plans, records and contacts built up by the Community Co-ordinator. It will inherit publicity materials used for the Exe Valley Plan.

BUSINESS PLAN
The Exe Valley Plan contains most elements of the initial business plan for Exe Valley Enterprises, with the exception of the organisational development of the company (see Company Development above).

COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY
The Exe Valley Plan website, www.exevalleyplan.org will pass to Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd, and the company will also have a WebNet domain name, www.exe-valley-enterprises.org The development of the WebNet project is rooted in the Exe Valley Plan process and has a strong community development aspect to it.

It is anticipated that the development of this project and the participation of Exe Valley Enterprises in the WebNet will offer opportunities for some income generation.

ASSETS IN KIND
Many volunteers are connected with the Exe Valley Plan through participation in Focus Groups. Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd. encourages these groups to continue meeting and to develop their projects. There is much local goodwill towards the Exe Valley Plan. This has extended to assistance in kind organisationally, for publicity, co-ordination, IT expertise, graphics expertise, legal advice and back-up, and financial and funding advice.

Short term workplan (one year)
The directors will be opening a bank account with Lloyds TSB Bank plc, and drawing up a development plan. They intend to prioritise one project for implementation, with one or two projects following closely on. This will require an office base, preferably with meeting room potential for the Focus Groups. It is anticipated that this will be staffed by a funded post. The directors will be identifying their roles and responsibilities on the Board, and will undertake a skills audit. This will identify training needs, and it is expected that these can be met by attendance at Devon Towns Forum seminars, enterprise and skills training through the RDA, and the Devon Improvement Programme (DIP).

At the end of the first year, the directors will review the board and its functions, and the development plan, to identify strengths and weaknesses of the organisation, with a view to taking action to strengthen any weaknesses while developing the strengths. It will identify opportunities ahead and assess risk. Medium term overview (three years) The directors anticipate that the income of Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd. over this period will derive from project management fees, IT project income, and fundraising. It is anticipated that as the project implementation work develops, Exe Valley Enterprises Ltd. will become self-sustaining financially.
December 2006