BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH AGENDA ITEM 6

BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH AGENDA ITEM

Development Committee 19 March 2013

Report of the Head of Planning and Local Development

Economic Development Activity Update

1 Purpose of Report

The Economic Development activity within the Planning Policy and Regeneration Section supports and works towards all five corporate priorities as they are all related to strengthening and encouraging development of the local economy.

2 Executive Summary

A great deal of work has been undertaken or is in progress to deliver the objectives of the Borough’s Economic Development Strategy, and therefore it was agreed that a regular update of recent achievements and future planned projects be presented to Members for feedback and input.

3 Appendices

Appendix 1 - Economic Development Activity Quarterly Report – March 2013 Appendix 2 – Proposed Economic and Business Partnership terms of reference. Appendix 3 – Proposed Town Team terms of reference.

4 Proposed Action:

4.1 The committee is invited to RESOLVE to note the Economic Development Activity Quarterly Report – March 2013 attached at Appendix 1 and provide any comment to officers as appropriate.

4.2 The Committee is invited to RESOLVE to approve the proposal to re-

engage its partners in economic development matters as detailed in Appendices 2 and 3.

5 Background 5.1 An Economic Strategy for Wellingborough was adopted at Development

Committee in June 2011. In order to update Members regularly on the progress that is being made, it was agreed quarterly activity report be brought to Development Committee.

5.2 In addition to the quarterly update, it is proposed to formally re-engage our economic development partners in a revitalised economic and business partnership.

6 Discussion

6

6.1 The report attached at Appendix 1 is the fifth quarterly activity update, which lists key achievements and forthcoming projects from December 2012 to March 2013. Members are requested to note the report and provide any appropriate comments to officers.

6.2 An economic partnership already exists as part of the Wellingborough Partnership, which is currently dormant.

6.3 It is proposed that the existing partnership continues to meet and that new partners are added to strengthen it so that it can become Wellingborough’s Economic and Business (WEB) Partnership.

6.4 Proposed Economic and Business Partnership terms of reference are attached at Appendix 2.

6.5 Recent national developments have placed issues regarding the ‘High St’ and town centres high on the political agenda. The ‘Portas’ initiative emphasised the importance of the ‘Town Team’ concept when developing solutions to reinvigorate town centres.

6.6 Members may recall that representatives from BCW, the Wellingborough BID Ltd, Wellingborough Town Centre Partnership Ltd, Wellingborough Traders Group and Wellingborough Chamber of Commerce made two applications to be Portas Pilot Review Towns earlier this year, both of which were unfortunately unsuccessful. From over 400 applications, only 27 towns were chosen to be ‘Portas Pilots’

6.7 However, the overwhelming interest prompted the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), to extend the support available and invited the unsuccessful applicants, through endorsement from their local MP, to become Town Team Partners.

6.8 Thanks to the endorsement of Peter Bone, MP, Wellingborough Town Team has now been signed up to become a Town Team Partner and will benefit from a package of support, which includes help from the Government as well as advice and support from leading retail experts.

6.9 As a Town Team partner, we have already received £10,000 to help towards putting some of our plans into action as well as having access to:

6.10 (a) Help to get started and become established

6.11 (b) An advice line and a network of advisers managed by the Association of Town Centre Management

6.12 (c) Special national events to learn from other Town Teams, and secure support from industry experts and trade bodies

6.13 (d) An online 'Knowledge Bank' with expert advice and support

6.14 (e) Regular meetings with other Town Teams to share tips and ideas, and

6.15 (f) 'Crowdfunding' - a potential way to attract local investors and raise small amounts of finance to support our work.

6.16 The full list of Town Team Partners and more info is available at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/regeneration/economicgrowth/highstreetsportas/townteampartners/

6.17 It is proposed that Wellingborough Town Team is effectively a task and finish group, which will report into the WEB Partnership.

6.18 Proposed Town Team terms of reference are attached as Appendix 3.

7 Legal Powers 7.1 Section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 gives the Council the power to do

anything which they consider is likely to achieve the promotion or improvement of the economic, social or environmental well-being of the Borough.

8 Financial and Value For Money Implications 8.1 Currently there are no requirements for further funding in the revenue budget

proposals for 2012/2013. Any funding requirements not already within existing budgets will be highlighted and if approved relevant reports will be developed to bid for these additional resources.

9 Risk Analysis

Nature of risk Consequences if realised

Likelihood of occurrence

Control measures

High quality employment sites are not allocated and developed

Loss of current employers needing to relocate within the local environs. Loss of potential footloose high quality office based employers

High Develop proposals high quality employment sites.

Virtually every town, county and city of the UK is actively trying to attract inward investment and people looking to relocate

The Borough will fall behind other districts in the County, Region and Country in terms of economic prosperity and long term sustainability

Medium to High

Work with partners to maximise opportunities to promote Wellingborough as a business location

10 Implications for Resources 10.1 The strategy will help focus future resources but importantly influence the

Council’s future plans for the Planning Policy & Regeneration Service. In addition to the Council’s resources, the strategy is also aimed at influencing the budgets of other stakeholder organisations involved in the economic prosperity of the Borough of Wellingborough but there will be a need to invest resources (human and financial) in some of the recommendations coming out of the action plan.

10.2 It is important to note that much of the future funding from Central Government will be aligned to an area’s ability to grow its economy and enterprise. Most

funders now require a degree of ‘payback’ or return on their investment and grant funding, as such, is rapidly becoming less and less common.

11 Implications for Stronger and Safer Communities 11.1 The development of a robust economy will have benefits for Stronger and Safer

communities as economic growth is fundamental to the sustainability and success of our communities.

12 Implications for Equalities 12.1 In line with the Council’s duty to design its services around the needs of local

people, and to evaluate the impact of its services, policies and activities on different groups in society to eliminate discrimination, an initial Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) screening has been completed.

13 Author and Contact Officer

Nicola Mackenzie, Economic Regeneration Officer

14 Consultees Victoria Phillipson, Principal Planning Policy and Regeneration Manager Jennifer Bell, Project Co-ordinator Amanda Johnson, Project Co-ordinator Sue Bateman, Senior Planning Policy Officer John Udall, Project Manager Steven Wood, Head of Planning and Local Development

15 Background Papers None

Swanspool House, Doddington Road, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 1BP Tel: 01933 229777 Fax: 01933 231684 www.wellingborough.gov.uk

Achievements this period Date

General

1 Reviewed terms of reference for the Economic Development Partnership which will help to re-engage all former Prosper Group partners whilst the Wellingborough Partnership is reviewed. (The proposed terms of reference are attached as appendix 2 of this Committee report for approval).

March 2013

Vibrant Town Centre

1 Town Team – Additional consultation has been undertaken with the BID, Town Centre Partnership and Chamber of Commerce and it is proposed that the Town Team is established as a task and finish group reporting into the Economic Partnership as set out in appendix 3 of this report.

March 2013

2 Market Working Group (MWG) has met 4 times and once with traders. Good progress is being made and full details are in the separate report to this Committee. Regular meetings are being held with Norse colleagues to review operational activities.

March 2013 (see separate report)

3 Responding to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills Consultation on Street Trading and Pedlary Laws – Compliance with the requirements of the European Services Directive.

March 2013

Improved Visitor Economy

1 Work by UoN students has been already begun and should be completed by June 2013.

Improved Conditions for Growth

1 A newsletter has been sent to all businesses in the Borough containing details of local events, national initiatives, funding opportunities, and support available (attached herewith).

February 2013

2 The business pages of the BCW website have been reviewed and refreshed.

Economic Development Activity Quarterly Report – March 2013 Nicola Mackenzie – Economic Regeneration Officer

Appendix 1

3 Met with the Wellingborough Innovation Centre’s current tenants to offer support to find alternative premises.

Education and Skills

1 5th March saw the first ROSE job fair of 2013. We recorded attendance of around 130 people – many of whom were visiting ROSE for the first time, courtesy of a text message that the Job Centre sent out to their clients on our behalf. We promoted over 200 vacancies.

ROSE Events are booked for 2013 – with the next event taking place at Wellingborough Library on 21st May.

Dedicated web-pages created at www.wellingborough.gov.uk/ROSE

March 2013

2 Successful bid to the Big Lottery’s Talent Match Fund programme to improve work readiness for 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for at least 12 months.

Two wards in Wellingborough (Hemmingwell and Queensway) as well as 4 in Kettering having been identified as the areas where activity will be targeted. Support and involvement from partners in Wellingborough (e.g. HOPE Project, Wellingborough Homes) is currently being sought to ensure that we capitalise on this opportunity to build on the good work already taking place here and make a real difference to young people in these areas.

February 2013

3 Discussions are ongoing with Tresham regarding a new facility within Wellingborough – including the current additional space requirements.

Ongoing

Scheduled Tasks for Next Period Ending June 2013

1 Investment Strategy for the Borough

2 Continue to develop a tourism audit /plan in conjunction with the University of Northampton to map out local events (Waendel) attractions / hotels / restaurants

3 Continue to work with Wellingborough Innovation Centre to secure its relocation into new premises from Tresham. A number of options are being considered for this, including identifying potential sources of funding to consider the option of refurbishment and use of Croyland Hall /Abbey.

4 Continue to work with the developers to use the redevelopment of the Railway Station as an opportunity to promote the area as a whole to investors/developers/business visitors

5 Continue organising the careers and apprenticeships fairs to take place on 27th March 2013 which will include workshops on ‘employability’ skills, interview techniques and CV advice as well as local employment and apprenticeship opportunities to help raise aspirations.

6 Continue to bring forward proposals to revitalise the Market in conjunction with the Market Working Group, NABMA, existing and new traders.

7 Drafting an updated leaflet / brochure to promote Wellingborough as an investment location.

Wellingborough ROSE, a free recruitment service for your business.

Are you a firm looking for workers, but need an alternative to expensive job ads? Then why not come along to Wellingborough’s quarterly jobs fair, ROSE, with the opportunity to handpick skilled employees to join your workforce – for FREE!!

ROSE – Real Options for Skills and Employment – is organised by The Mallows Company for the National Careers Service and the borough council and offers the chance to exhibit your company as well as promote your current vacancies, apprenticeships and services to those who are seeking work.

For Rachel Mallows of The Mallows Company, the event is a perfect opportunity to meet everybody’s needs: “When we set up the ROSE fairs back in December 2010, we were ultimately trying to help those who were out of work. Of course what we’ve now become are ‘job matchmakers’ because we can also solve a company’s headache of finding and accessing the right people to fill those empty roles. It really is ‘win-win’!” Dates of all forthcoming ROSE events can be found at www.wellingborough.gov.uk/ROSE . If you would like to book a FREE stand to promote your vacancies, send us the details of your vacancies to promote on your behalf, or just find out more about the event, please email [email protected] or call 01933 664437.

Welcome to our business newsletter, which is also available to download at

www.wellingborough.gov.uk/businessnewsletter

In this issue: ���� National Business Support Initiatives ���� Apprenticeships & Careers Fair ���� ROSE Events ���� Contracts Finder

If you have any ideas for features in future newsletters, please email [email protected]

Business Newsletter March 2013

Could you help to raise the aspirations of local young people?

Would you like to promote your industry and highlight the skills required from potential employees?

Wellingborough Council and Connexions Northamptonshire are hosting a careers and apprenticeships fair on 27 March 2013 at the Castle, Wellingborough aimed specifically at Wellingborough’s young people.

The careers fair aims to support and encourage the aspirations of local young people – providing them with the information and guidance to understand their skills, potential and make informed careers decisions, as well as raising awareness of local career opportunities.

The apprenticeship job fair will give local employers the opportunity to promote your company, meet keen, work-seeking young people and, take part in speed matching interviews – where you can assess the suitability of each candidate on a meet and greet basis, in a three minute interview.

The events, which will run between 12pm and 5.30pm, will also feature a series of workshops and advice sessions. We’d love a local employer to facilitate a session about what employers look for in a prospective employee – could this be you? Any employer interested in attending either event or just wanting more information at this stage should contact me at: [email protected]

Looking for new business…?

Contracts Finder is a free service, which allows you to search for information about contracts worth over £10,000 with the government and its agencies.

You can use Contracts Finder to:

• search for current contract opportunities

• find out what’s coming up in the future

• look up details of previous tenders and contracts

For more information, visit www.gov.uk/contracts-finder

For the attention of the Managing Director

Access to finance for local businesses

Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership’s (NEP) remit is to support the creation of better quality private sector jobs for Northamptonshire. As a direct response to the challenging economic conditions facing the county and the UK, NEP now offers FREE and fully comprehensive business support, funding and access to business networks.

Whether you’re considering a new business idea or ready to fulfil more complex ambitions from an already established company, NEP would love to hear from you.

There’s no cost, no catch and the support is available to all Northamptonshire businesses.For more information, visit:www.northamptonshireep.co.uk/business-northamptonshire/supporting-business/funding-opportunities

Central Government is also keen to ensure that businesses are aware of the many sources of support and finance available to them and how they can be accessed.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has produced a guide to all of the various sources of funding and support available, including:

• The Business Finance and Support Finder - www.gov.uk/business-finance-support-finder

• Business Finance for You brings into one place a wide range of finance providers across Britain - including business angels, regional funds, government schemes and banks - www.businessfinanceforyou.co.uk/finance-finder

• The SME Finance Guide - sets out the main financing options and key issues to consider when choosing between options www.icaew.com/cffsmefinance

• Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) - allows banks and building societies to borrow at cheaper rates from the Bank of England for periods of up to four years – www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ukecon_fundingforlending_index.htm

• The National Loan Guarantee Scheme (NLGS) - helps businesses access cheaper finance by reducing the cost of bank loans under the scheme by up to 1 percentage point - www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/nlgs.htm

• Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) - is a loan guarantee scheme designed to facilitate additional lending to viable SMEs lacking the security or proven track record for a commercial loan - www.gov.uk/government/publications/enterprise-finance-guarantee

• The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) - designed to help small, early-stage companies to raise equity finance - www.seiswindow.org.uk/ and www.hmrc.gov.uk/seedeis/index.htm

• The £50 million Business Angel Co-Investment Fund aims to support angel investments into high growth potential early stage SMEs, particularly in areas worst affected by public spending cuts - http://www.angelcofund.co.uk/

• UK Export Finance (UKEF) is a government department dedicated to providing support to UK exporters – http://www.ukexportfinance.gov.uk/

• Growth Accelerator is a new £200 million Government backed programme to help England’s brightest businesses achieve their ambition and potential - www.growthaccelerator.com

• Looking to the future, the Business Bank is in the process of being established. It will aim to help finance providers, including banks, to get finance to businesses. A recent Written Ministerial Statement outlined plans in more detail and can be found here: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-vote-office/December_2012/20-12-12/2-BIS-BusinessBank.pdf

More information is available to download from the council’s website at www.wellingborough.gov.uk/business

And finally… The council is keen to ensure that local business advice and support services meet your needs and would value local employers' experiences and opinions on recruitment, training and business development & support. We are looking to arrange regular meetings with businesses to discuss local issues but if you have any opinions or experiences you’d like to share with us in the meantime, please email [email protected]

Wellingborough Economic and Business (WEB) Partnership - Appendix 2 Terms of Reference Purpose of the Partnership The purpose of the partnership is to bring together a cross section of local businesses and organisations to raise the economic profile of the area. The partnership will achieve this by:

• raising skills levels in line with local employers’ needs • ensuring the right conditions for growth for existing and new employers and

investors • promoting the area as an attractive place to live, work and visit.

Ensuring that Wellingborough has a vibrant and sustainable economy with a diverse employment base will contribute to the quality of life of those living, working and visiting Wellingborough. Work Programme The Partnership works within the framework of Wellingborough's Economic Development Strategy and members will contribute to the delivery of the action plan contained within it. There are four priority themes within the Economic Strategy: To create a vibrant town centre To improve the visitor economy To invest in the conditions of growth – space, sectors and infrastructure To raise education, upskilling and R&D provision. Membership The core partnership will consist of the following core partners: BCW Borough Council of Wellingborough BID Wellingborough Town Centre BID CN Connexions Northamptonshire FSB Federation of Small Businesses JC+ Jobcentre Plus NCC Northamptonshire Chamber of Commerce (Tracey Branson) NEP Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership

TC Tresham College TMC The Mallows Company UoN University of Northampton WCC Wellingborough Chamber of Commerce / Ambassadors WH Wellingborough Homes WIC Wellingborough Innovation Centre

Task and finish groups (such as the Town Team and business reference groups) will be set up as and when required in order to support specific work or issues within the themes. The sub groups will determine their own frequency of meetings, but will provide a monthly progress report to the WEB partnership to enable reports to the Development Committee to be compiled.

Additional partners such as: Local Businesses (e.g. Whitworths, Booker, Nimlok), The Castle, Key landowners / developers (e.g. Bovis), Moulton College, Princes Trust, Stagecoach, Sywell, Tresham College, Local Commercial Agents (e.g. Underwoods & Prop-Search), Wellingborough Museum, Wellingborough Education Partnership will be invited to take part in these task and finish groups as appropriate. Advisory Bodies In addition to the core members of the Partnership, representatives from advisory bodies such as Northamptonshire County Council and the Skills Funding Agency (who are well-placed to support the work of the partnership) may be invited to join meetings / task and finish groups where the subject matter will benefit from their input, or where there is a clear shared interest. Accountability The Council’s Development Committee will review the work of the partnership to ensure that the performance and progress is on track in accordance with commitments set out in the Economic Development Strategy’s Action Plan. The Terms of Reference for the partnership will be reviewed annually to ensure the partnership remains fit-for-purpose. Governance

• Partnership members will select a Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary from among their number each March for a period of a year.

• The Chair and/or Vice Chair may hold office continuously for a maximum of three years, subject to confirmation by the members each March.

• There will be no other titled posts or roles, but temporary duties and responsibilities can be assigned – with the agreement of the member – in order to expedite the delivery of an action agreed by the Partnership.

• Administrative support will be provided by the nominated secretary, including the co-ordination of meetings, preparation of agendas and drafting of brief action minutes.

• A quarterly report will be presented to the Councils Development Committee to provide an update on the work being undertaken by the Council and its partners to deliver the actions within the Wellingborough's Economic Development Strategy Action Plan.

Meetings Minuted meetings shall take place once every quarter as a rule, on the proviso that: a) more meetings may be added if members consider them necessary (e.g. to meet a

deadline, consider an emerging issue, reduce agenda sizes); b) meetings may be cancelled at the discretion of the chair (e.g. if there is not enough

business to consider, not enough members are able to attend) Papers for meetings should be sent out one working week in advance, and minutes no more than two weeks after the meeting. Voting Decisions will be taken on the basis of a consensus or in the absence of a consensus a simple majority vote. Individual members of the partnership will participate in decision making within the context of their individual delegated authority.

Appendix 3 Wellingborough Town Team - Terms of Reference Objectives

The purpose of the Town Team is to provide co-ordination, leadership and delivery for Wellingborough’s activities as a Town Team Partner.

The Town Team will provide a partnership forum for discussing issues important for the area and its stakeholders

Membership The Town Team is composed of local public, private and voluntary/community organisations with a genuine commitment to taking forward to shared action plan and who worked together on compiling the Portas Pilot bids in March and June 2012. The Town Team consists of representatives from: a) Borough Council of Wellingborough (Swanspool Ward Councillors)

b) Wellingborough BID Ltd

c) Wellingborough Chamber of Commerce

d) Wellingborough Town Centre Partnership Ltd

e) Wellingborough Norse

f) Traders

g) Others…

There will be one named representative from each organisation, but others may attend according to the content of specific agendas or for information sharing purposes. There will be two places for independent traders to attend meetings. These places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis and be reviewed annually. Any additional members (e.g. market traders) shall be proposed to a meeting of the Town Team, and must be approved by the majority of existing members for acceptance. In addition to the core members of the Team, representatives from such organisations as Northamptonshire County Council, Northants Police and Tresham College may be invited to join meetings where the subject matter will benefit from their input, or where there is a clear shared interest. Accountability As required by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Borough Council of Wellingborough is the accountable body for this project and as such the Wellingborough Town Team will report to Development Committee via the Wellingborough Economic and Business Partnership for approval to hold consultation, publication of documents etc. Funding/spending will be discussed and agreed by this group then this will be monitored by the Council and reported to this group and the appropriate funding bodies.

Governance

• The Town Team will be chaired by a named representative of the member organisations, chosen by the partners each March for the period of a year.

• The chair may hold office continuously for a maximum of three years, subject to confirmation by the members each March.

• There will be no other titled posts or roles, but temporary duties and responsibilities can be assigned – with the agreement of the member – in order to expedite the delivery of an action agreed by the Team.

• Administrative support will be provided by The Borough Council of Wellingborough, including the co-ordination of meetings, preparation of agendas and drafting of brief action minutes.

• The membership, activities and performance of the Town Team will be reviewed quarterly by the Council’s Development Committee

Meetings Minuted meetings shall take place once every two months as a rule, on the proviso that: a) more meetings may be added if members consider them necessary (e.g. to meet a

deadline, consider an emerging issue, reduce agenda sizes);

b) meetings may be cancelled at the discretion of the chair (e.g. if there is not enough business to consider, not enough members are able to attend)

c) additional ‘task and finish’ groups may be established to work on particular projects in between the main meetings.

Meetings will take place at a venue and time to suit as many of the members as possible. Papers for full meetings should be sent out one working week in advance, and minutes no more than two weeks after the meeting. Work Programme The work programme will be based on, but not restricted to, the action plan submitted to Government in March 2012 as part of the Portas Pilot funding bid. This may be reviewed and updated at meetings, and is not designed to be a static document. This will allow for the Town Team to respond to new opportunities, funding ‘windows’ and other external factors which may have a bearing on the plan. The Town Team recognises the importance of the Town Centre Area Action Plan will participate in its review and seek to integrate relevant actions into its own work programme.

Every member will have one vote when decisions are being taken. If a decision cannot be reached, then a qualified majority (two thirds of votes) will be required to achieve that.

The group may dissolve by an agreement of all its membership, but only after having informed and consulted with the Department of Communities and Local Government as the funding body.