Issue - meetings

The Economic Development Manager presented the Redditch Business Centres Review.  The Committee was advised that the business centres were operating within budget and represented value for money.  The proposals detailed in the report would help to meet the needs of businesses that were already occupying units as well as growing businesses that might be interested in moving onto the premises.

Members welcomed the report and thanked officers for taking action to improve the service so that the centres could be managed more effectively and appropriate investment was made to meet the needs of businesses.  The Council had achieved an 85 per cent occupancy rate in the business centres, which ensured that the authority continued to receive adequate income whilst at the same time having the potential to offer vacant units to new or growing businesses. There was the potential that some businesses currently occupying units in the business centres would move to the Redditch Gateway in due course.  This would help to make further units available to new companies.

RECOMMENDED that

1)        the key findings and recommendations of the strategic review be endorsed, with specific reference to the following:

a.         day to day management of annual expenditure on operational activities and any future capital expenditure budgets for all three of the business centres should be transferred from the general fund to be managed by NWEDR under the Centres Manager;

2)        Redditch Borough Council renews the current lease of Unit 17 Broad Ground Road, Lakeside Industrial Estate, Redditch (the Rubicon Business Centre); and

3)        Subject to approval of Recommendation 2 above, the Head of Customer Access and Financial Support be delegated the authority to instruct Place Partnership Ltd to finalise the terms of the renewal of the lease.