Agenda item

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills

The Committee considered a report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills updating them on progress made in the delivery of Staffordshire’s Economic Strategy 2023-2030 (schedule 2 to the signed minutes).

The Primary focus of the Strategy was:- (i) Town centres; (ii) Higher skilled and higher paid workforce; (iii) ‘Start-up’ and ‘step-up’ businesses; (iv) The development of investment ready projects and; (v) Strategic corridors. In addition, various other priorities and themes were identified as being important for the future growth of the economy. These included:- (i) Innovation; (ii) Supporting businesses on their journey to net zero and; (iii) Maximising the use of investment to unlock external funding.

Since scrutiny given at their meeting in October 2022, the final version of the document had been published on the County Council’s website.

The Cabinet Member then updated them on the potential impact of recent national and global economic headlines on the County and the Authority’s ability to deliver the various priorities set out in the Strategy. In addition, he updated them on the activity undertaken since October 2022 towards achieving the Authority’s various ambitions, as follows:-

Priority (i): Town Centre/High Street Regeneration

Ambition: “By 2030, we will tackle the challenges faced by many of our town centres and strive to create places that we can be proud of”.

(i) Delivery of Central Government’s Future High Streets Fund, Town Deals and Levelling-Up Fund in the eight Staffordshire District/Boroughs by assisting with the development of business cases; (ii) Continued investment in high quality premises to support businesses to start, grow and remain in Staffordshire; (iii) Work related to the appointment of a Development Partner for the Stafford Eastgate Regeneration Programme.

Priority (ii): Higher Skilled, Higher Paid Workforce

Ambition: “By 2030, we will address the low levels of skills across some parts of the County and support more of our residents to gain the high-level skills needed to take advantage of many better paid job opportunities”.

(i) Development of a new Employment and Skills Strategy for Staffordshire; (ii) Continued support given to the County’s skills providers to further develop their facilities through the promotion of 20 capital projects; (iii) Commissioning of a study to capture the current landscape of education and skills, programmes and training courses that promoted enterprise with a view to identifying any gaps; (iv) Continuation of Staffordshire’s Ignite initiative, designed to encourage a greater understanding of entrepreneurialism and enterprise amongst young people in their final year of college, which had so far trained over 13,500 students; (v) delivery of education and support by the Community Learning Service specifically aimed at improving skills and helping people into work; (vi)  Continued delivery of Multiply, a £4.2m programme to develop numeracy skills regardless of age or profession together with various other adult learning initiatives.

Priority (iii): Supporting Start-Up and Step-Up Businesses

Ambition: “By 2030, we will create the conditions to allow more people to start and grow their business within Staffordshire, thereby addressing our relatively low levels of business start-ups across large parts of the County”.

(i) Continuation of the Staffordshire Start up Mentoring Programme which had so far supported 548 people, 253 of which had decided to start their own business; (ii) promotion of Staffordshire’s Get Started and Grow initiative which had so far supported in excess of 160 business owners with professional services such as Accountancy and Marketing; (iii)  Launch of a series of peer to peer Networks specifically for new Businesses who wanted to grow and develop and; (iv) promotion of the My Own Boss scheme aimed at entrepreneurs who were struggling to launch new businesses by providing a bespoke coaching service. 

Priority (iv): Developing Investment Ready Projects

Ambition: “By 2030, we will play our part in supporting the substantial planned growth within the County through the development of investment ready projects and securing funding for our infrastructure and services”.

(i) Continued partnership working with District/Borough Councils and other stakeholders to support the planned growth of the County through eg the preparation of refreshed Local Plans; (ii) Stimulation of the necessary conditions for growth through the Authority’s Economic Growth Programme (which had already enabled in excess of 11,000 additional jobs and 4,500 homes to be created since 2014 by eg the promotion of the Chatterley Valley West Development etc.).

Priority (v): Strategic Corridors

Ambition: “By 2030, we will ensure we do not miss substantial opportunities afforded by our location in the centre of the Country by developing our key strategic A50/A500 and A38 corridors, including securing increased investment in innovation activities”.

(i) Appointment of consultants (Deloitte) to liaise with large scale employers along the route to understand their views of what will be required to support continued growth, increased levels of innovation and greater productivity; (ii) Development of an investment proposition that will enable the County Council and various stakeholders fully realise the opportunities which existed across the corridor.  

In the full and wide-ranging discussion which ensued Members gave detailed scrutiny to the progress made in realising the  Strategy to date, asking questions, seeking clarification and raising areas of concern as necessary, including:- (i) the valuable work being done by local universities to innovate new technologies and the potential future benefits for Staffordshire’s economy; (ii) Communication links needed to support the development of the West Midlands Rail Freight Interchange; (iii) work to promote the use of hydrogen powered vehicles pioneered in the County and the potential future benefits to the Staffordshire Economy and; (iv) additional opportunities which existed for the promotion of the above-mentioned initiatives in Staffordshire schools.    

In conclusion, the Committee welcomed the significant progress which had been made in the delivery of the County Council’s Economic Strategy and re-affirmed their support for the various Priorities contained therein. However, they remained mindful of the challenges ahead arising from adverse national and international circumstances beyond the control of the Authority. In addition, they emphasised the importance of mitigating climate change and the achievement of Net Zero by 2030.

In response to requests, the Cabinet Member undertook to:- (i) provide Members with an update on the development of the West Midlands Rail Freight Interchange (including indicative timing for its completion) and; (ii) investigate the opportunities for the promotion of Multiply and other similar initiatives through Staffordshire Schools. 

RESOLVED – (a) That the report be received and noted.

(b) That the good progress made towards delivery of the County Council’s Economic Strategy 2023-2030, be welcomed.

(c) That further updates on the various ambitions set out in the Strategy and targets in the accompanying Delivery Plan be brought to the Committee at six-monthly intervals.

(d) That the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills arrange for Members to receive an update on the development of the West Midlands Rail Freight Interchange.

(e) That the Deputy Leader investigate the potential of promoting some of the initiatives available in support of the Economic Strategy, as set out in the report, through Staffordshire Schools.