Decision details

The review will provide an update on the B&NES Economic Strategy produced in 2010, which is aligned to three core areas of people, business and place. The accompanying Skills Plan will provide a basis for delivering the people area of the strategy

(1) To ENDORSE the objectives and priorities set out in the Economic Strategy Review and agree the Action Plan as a framework for partnership action in the period 2014–2020; and

(2) To DELEGATE authority to the Strategic Director for Place, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development, to:

(i) agree a framework for measuring and monitoring progress against the key priorities in the Economic Strategy; and

(ii) agree minor amendments to the Strategy & Action Plan in conjunction with the Economic Partnership Group prior to publication of the documents.

The Council’s Economic Strategy has provided the strategic context for:

• Bath City Riverside being established as one of five Enterprise Areas across the West of England;

• £11m of funding being secured for enabling infrastructure in E.A. and a further £50m of funding being earmarked for a further five priority projects;

• 1,600 existing & potential new start businesses supported through Council SLA’s and joint working with the LEP and Business West.

The Strategy has now been refreshed to take into account the Strategic Economic Plan for the sub-region, the West of England Strategic Investment Framework for EU funds and the development of business support Growth Hubs to ensure that the Council and its partners can continue to realise benefits for the area.

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