Agenda item

Presentation on the results of the Economic Development Strategy consultation

Members were given a presentation on the findings of the Economic Development Strategy consultation that had taken place between 14th December and 31st January.  A pre consultation exercise had been carried out between August and September 2015 to help to inform the final consultation document which had the following five core themes:

-       Encouraging high value jobs across our four towns and rural areas.

-       Expanding the visitor economy and attracting visitor investment.

-       Addressing the skills and employment challenges to meet current and future needs.

-       Establishing Grantham as a leading sub-regional centre.

-       Ensuring that key components are in position for growth to take place.

The consultation had been carried out with stakeholders including businesses, residents, charity sector representatives and education providers.  Around 400 stakeholders had been contacted by e-mail with press releases, the website, a dedicated Facebook campaign, Linkedin and Twitter had been used to advertise the consultation document.  117 responses had been received (34 from the business community, 58 residents, 7 from the charity sector, 3 education providers and 15 other).

The responses to the first three and the fifth themes had over 90% agreeing with them.  The fourth theme which referred to establishing Grantham as a leading sub-regional centre had less agreement and from analysing the results businesses who had disagreed with the theme were not located in Grantham. 

Results from the business community results showed a strong acceptance of the core themes, the majority of stakeholders thought that we were concentrating on the right areas within the themes and this was also reflected in the results from the business community results.

The top barriers to growth for business were business rates, business premises and car parking.

20 people from the Grantham Canal Society had responded to the consultation which because they were less likely to agree with the themes had affected the overall results, a decision would need to be made as to whether or not they were included within the Economic Development Strategy.

A Member asked about how to increase the responses received and both the Strategic Director for Growth and the Business Manager for Spatial and Economic Growth spoke of the meetings that they had attended in both Grantham and Stamford where businesses had been invited.  Also offers had been made to attend business clubs in both Bourne and the Deepings.  Businesses had been encouraged to respond to the consultation although the challenge came when a more in depth response was required and people felt that they did not have the necessary information to be able to answer the questions asked.    It would be necessary to reflect on the responses that had been received to see how to take the Economic Development Strategy forward.  A more measured response had been received from the Grantham Canal Society and talks would be arranged with them. 

The Leader of the Council spoke about the SIMALTO exercise that had previously been done where stakeholders were asked what they felt the Council should concentrate on given a set of parameters that they needed to abide by.

One Member felt that perhaps people did not understand what establishing Grantham as a leading sub-regional centre meant and therefore didn’t answer the question.  The Business Manager for Spatial and Economic Growth felt that this was a fair comment and they had tried to keep away from using jargon, a business situated in Bourne or the Deepings would not see that as a theme that affected them.

Comments were then made about the response to the consultation exercise with one Member questioning the responses received from the education sector.   Members asked whether any valid information could be gained to support the ED Strategy considering the poor response to the consultation exercise following the number of stakeholders that had been contacted.

The Chief Executive said that the information before Members had to be put into context, it was a snapshot and it was not just this information that informed the ED Strategy.  Follow up work would be done and other dialogue would be undertaken, what issues the business sector had what was required to keep them located in the district, how we could help them to expand etc.  The themes were just a broad brush and other engagement would be undertaken for both current and future businesses, what skill levels were required. Engagement would be done in a variety of ways to help inform the strategy.

Work would be taken on board for the current and future needs of colleges and how to drive up skill levels and for people to gain higher value employment.

Further discussion on schools ensued following which the Chairman thanked officers for giving the presentation.