Issue - meetings

The Business & Skills Manager addressed the Panel and gave a presentation. A summary is set out below and a copy will be attached as an online appendix to these minutes.

Business and Skills Team Functions

·  Main point of contact for co-ordinating support services to local businesses and residents

·  Share specific information about targeted business support, financial assistance and skill support programmes

·  Inward investment and business retention, offering tailored services to support those businesses wishing to relocate or expand their businesses within our area

·  Deliver sustainable, inclusive growth. Enabling residents and businesses to meet their full economic potential in our district

Inward Investment & Retention

In North East Somerset

·  Appears to be a steady stream of smaller and start up retail – local high streets have been resilient

·  We have a number of enquiries for smaller industrial sites in Midsomer Norton / wider Somer Valley area. 

·  Willmotts moving into the old Dickies building – bringing jobs and training centre

·  A new planning application for 8 industrial units in Clutton, supporting other developers with plans for new workspace

In Bath

·  Vulnerability to US investors in key companies during the pandemic, with 2 great companies closing Wild and Wolf (product design) 90 jobs and Funko Animations (animation and product design) 90 jobs

·  However, office take-up in 2020 was resilient even during the lockdowns.

·  Current office vacancy rate are higher and lease signings are down so far this year, but we have good protection for offices due to the World Heritage Site exemption to Permitted Development Rights

Economic Strategy Approach

·  Address key challenges identified by One Shared Vision, the Local Industrial Strategy and West of England Recovery. Plan in order to align with future funding streams.

·  Draw on the ambitions of the One Shared Vision Plan and Zero carbon approach, committing to strong and sustainable growth across the authority area.

·  Partnership approach to delivery, governance and ownership drawing in community and key anchor institutions. Aim to be aspirational and visionary, rather than purely an action plan.

Key Priorities for Businesses and Skills

·  Digital inclusion and skills

·  Addressing inequalities / disabilities

·  Upskill and Retrain

Skills Projects

·  Employment & Skills Pod

·  3D Academy

Project & Programme Delivery & Successes

·  Targeted Recruitment and Training (TR&T) s106 – Planning & Procurement, 20 WE placements over the year. 80 lined up from Jan.

·  Women's Work Lab – Full cohort each time.

Councillor Alastair Singleton referred to the SWOT Analysis within Appendix 1 and asked if there was evidence of a current unmet demand for A Grade office space.

The Director of Regeneration & Housing replied that there is a disparity between the quality of office space traditionally available across the area compared to the needs now for modern, higher quality, flexible and more sustainable office space. He said that flexible / large floorplates were difficult to provide.

He added that it has been interesting to see what the post pandemic demands will be. He said that within Bath Quays there is 55,000 sq ft of office space that the Council has developed and that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 53