Issue - meetings

The Assistant Director of Regeneration and Property Services presented a report on the subject of the promotion of business support.

Cabinet was advised that the report had been produced, following agreement of a Motion on Notice on this subject at a Council meeting held in February 2026.  This Motion had requested that Cabinet consider producing a concise business prospectus.

Following that Council meeting, Officers had undertaken research on best practice in respect of provision of business support by local authorities and business growth hubs.  During this work, Officers had found that it would be difficult to produce and keep up to date a paper copy of a business prospectus due to constant change occurring within this space.  Consequently, Officers were not proposing a paper-based prospectus but instead that the information provided on the Council’s website should be enhanced.  It was further suggested that this should be extended in such a way that this could be expanded to neighbouring local authority areas if appropriate.

After the report had been presented, Members discussed a number of points in detail:

·             The inclusion of economic development as one of the Council’s priorities and the extent to which considerations about economic development were embedded in the work of services outside the Business Support team at the Council.  Officers confirmed that there was more that could be done but cited existing work, including:

-        Links being developed with HOW College to offer work experience opportunities at the Council to students.

-        Exploration of social value and recruitment opportunities.

-        The impact of the Service Business Plans in place for each service and opportunities for services to work together to share ideas and deliver projects.  There were Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in place to monitor performance in respect of these plans.

-        The progress that had been made in respect of holding appraisals at the Council, whereby close to 100 per cent of staff were receiving appraisals.  As well as good practice supporting staff, this would enable key objectives and tasks to be filtered down to employees, including in respect of economic development, where appropriate.

·             The links between the Planning and Economic Development departments at the Council and the potential for these links to be enhanced.

·             The need for effective communications to be in place to raise awareness amongst businesses, particularly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) about the support available both online and from the Worcestershire Growth Hub.

·             The potential for Members to help raise awareness within their wards, using their networks, of the support available to businesses.  Members requested that communications should be provided to enable Members to share information about business support using their local networks.

·             The opportunity for a clear marketing and promotions strategy to be developed to support effective communications in respect of this matter.

·             The role of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in providing support to businesses.

·             The extent to which LEPs would continue to receive Government funding moving forward and whether LGR might impact on the position of the LEPs.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30