Agenda item - To receive and consider a report from the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Town Centre and Strategic Partnerships

Agenda item

To receive and consider a report from the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Town Centre and Strategic Partnerships

Up to 30 minutes is allowed for this item; no longer than 10 minutes for  presentation of the report and then up to 3 minutes for each question to be put and answered.

 

Minutes:

As Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Town Centre and Strategic Partnerships, Councillor K. J. May presented her annual report. 

 

During the delivery of her presentation Councillor May highlighted the following points for Members’ consideration:

 

·                The Council had worked in partnership with organisations in the public and private sector on delivering economic growth in Bromsgrove district.

·                Peter Brett Associates had undertaken independent research commissioned by North Worcestershire Economic Development Unit (NWEDR) and had found that Bromsgrove had a good track record with start up businesses but more work needed to be undertaken to help businesses grow.

·                The Centres Manager worked closely with the businesses in the various town centres in the district to help deliver the Bromsgrove Centres Strategy 2017 – 2020.

·                There was a need for a strategic transport assessment to be undertaken for Bromsgrove as this had implications for the local economy.

·                There was also a need to enhance infrastructure within the district in order to increase footfall in the town centres and economic development overall.

·                There were seven priorities for economic development that would be addressed over the following 12 months.

·                Councillor May thanked the Chief Executive, the Interim Head of North Worcestershire Economic Development and the NWEDR team for their hard work and support.

·                The new Head of North Worcestershire Economic Development would start work in January 2019.

 

Once the presentation of the report had been delivered Members raised the following matters with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Town Centre and Strategic Partnerships:

 

·                The economic development activities led by the Council in previous years and the impact that the new priorities would have on economic development in the district.

·                The changes to business rates and the impact that this had had on local businesses.  Councillor May advised that the majority of businesses had had no change to their business rates and 16 per cent of the businesses that had been affected by an increase in business rates had been eligible for business rates relief.

·                The historic position of Bromsgrove as a dormitory town.  Councillor May advised that Bromsgrove needed to adapt as times changed.

·                The focus in the Portfolio Holder’s written report on Bromsgrove, with Members noting that residents in locations such as Wythall could not travel to Bromsgrove on public transport and therefore they focused on their communities.

·                The need to involve outlying areas in all work on economic development within Bromsgrove district.

·                The proposed Strategic Transport Assessment and the timing of this review.  Councillor May advised that the proposals in the Wyre Forest District Plan would impact on Bromsgrove and these had emerged since the Local Transport Plan 4 was approved.

·                The extent to which all of the actions detailed in the Bromsgrove Centres Strategy 2017 – 2020 were being delivered.  Councillor May confirmed that they were all being addressed and the Town Centre Manager could provide further details on request.

·                The value of providing support to social enterprises.  Councillor May advised that support would be provided to social enterprises where they approach the Council for help.

·                The impact of new stores that had opened in Bromsgrove on business within the town centre.  Councillor May advised that stores like Aldi and Lidl had been opened at one end of the town centre, with other businesses located at the other end. 

·                The Town Centre Heritage initiative in Bromsgrove, Members were advised that this had involved expenditure of £250,000 in the town centre.

·                The availability of parking spaces within the town centre for business customers and the Council’s plans for the use of the car park at Stourbridge Road.  Members were advised that this site was the subject of a planning application.

·                Car parking arrangements that would be in place during the festive period to encourage trade.

·                The availability of space within the district on which to expand businesses and the use of some land for housing development.

·                The term “unblocking investment opportunities” and what this referred to.  Councillor May explained that this referred to proposals in the previous plan to develop 28 hectares for employment sites.  There were 5 hectares that remained to be developed.

·                The impact of transportation links across the whole of the district and air quality on the extent to which both staff and businesses would choose to be based in Bromsgrove.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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