Meeting documents

1 THE ISSUE

2 RECOMMENDATION

3.1 There are no immediate, additional financial implications arising from this report, though it must be stressed that this document constitutes a framework for action over the next ten years, which will undoubtedly impact upon the Council budgets, as well as that of it's many other partners listed as lead organisations in the Action Plan. All Council expenditure will be subject to the Council's usual financial planning process.

3.2 Any costs associated with the monitoring and evaluation process can be met from within existing resources in the Sustainability and Economic Development Service allocation. The sum of £10,000 has been allocated in the current budget for the production of this strategy and action plan. It is anticipated that monitoring and evaluation costs can be contained within a budget allocation of £5,000 annually.

4.0 The Report

4.1 The Local Government Act 2000 gives local authorities powers to undertake any activities likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic, or social, or environmental well-being of its area.

4.2 This is the first time in Bath and North East Somerset, that an economic development strategy has been drawn up involving a large cross section of interested parties and over such a long period of time.

4.3 The process has been a fully inclusive one, beginning almost two years ago and this inclusive approach is expected to continue throughout the lifespan of the Strategy in the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review process. This is a deliberate decision in order that the strategy is not a not isolated as a `Council' owned document, but by its very evolution becomes endorsed as a wider partnership strategy also.

4.4 In order to get to this point, much has been undertaken and achieved, beginning with initial discussions, a comprehensive questionnaire survey of the business community and other key stakeholders to determine the main issues, (the Key Issues report can be accessed on the CIS under A-Z Public/Economic Development/Key Issues Report) which in turn provided the Council and it's partners with the four key building blocks for the Strategy,

4.5 Volunteers came forward from the day to sit on working groups for each of the building blocks. Their role was to draft strategic objectives, which reflected the issues and concerns identified and further develop actions to be undertaken and identify which organisation would be responsible for leading on delivery.

4.6 A member from the Council's Executive sat on each of the four working groups and they have been closely involved in the development of the strategy.

4.7 A list of the partner organisations involved in the working groups which developed the draft strategy can be found in the Strategy itself under the section headed `The Partners'.

4.8 These groups met regularly over a three-month period in order to produce the draft consultation document, which was published in November 2002.

4.9 The Strategy was also presented to the Planning, Transport, Economy and Sustainability Overview and Scrutiny Panel in November 2002 and they agreed that,

4.10 The two-month consultation process came to an end on 31^st January 2003. Over 30 formal responses were received, many from organisations representing and reflecting the views of a much wider membership (eg. Bath Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Business, the Norton Radstock Chamber of Commerce, a variety of parish councils, the National Farmers Union, etc)

4.11 Following analysis of the responses and comments received, officers undertook to produce an amended draft, which was presented to the wider economic partnership on 4^th February 2003 and which, subject to further minor amendments included in the draft before members today, was recommended be placed before the Council's Executive for adoption.

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