Issue - meetings

The Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Resources presented a performance report that focused on the strategic purpose ‘Help me run a successful business’.  During the presentation of this report a number of points were highlighted for Members’ consideration:

·                The North Worcestershire Economic Development Unit (NWEDR) provided economic development and regeneration services on behalf of the Council.

·                The NWEDR was working on plans to regenerate the four quarters of the town centre.

·                The first of these, the railway and residential quarter, was progressing well.  It was anticipated that there could be up to 600 residential units developed in this area and the Council was working in partnership with other organisations to progress the plans for this area.

·                The second quarter, the enterprise area, was located close to HOW College and on the location of Redditch Police Station.  Partners were exploring the potential for this to become a technology hub.

·                The third quarter, the leisure and retail area, incorporated both the Kingfisher Shopping Centre and retail units located outside the centre.  The proposals to introduce a Business Improvement District (BID) formed an integral part of the plans for this quarter.

·                The final quarter, the community and public sector hub, was focused on the Town Hall.  Redditch Borough Council, Worcestershire County Council, including the Library, and local health services had all expressed an interest in co-locating within a public sector hub.

·                The redevelopment of Matchborough and Winyates District Centres continued to be reviewed.  There were a range of regeneration options available, though the process was likely to be complex, particularly as there were a number of different landowners at both sites.

·                The NWEDR team were promoting a number of business grants to local entrepreneurs and continued to provide business advice to local businesses.

·                Sickness data for staff employed by the Council had also been included in this report. Training had been provided in respect of the Council’s HR21 system, used to record sickness absence, and fourth-tier managers were considering return to work arrangements and how best to support staff who had been on long-term sick leave back into work.

Following the presentation of the report Members briefly discussed the regeneration of the town centre and noted that this project had been planned a few years previously and would take some time to deliver.  Questions were raised about the stage that had been reached with the Redditch BID, which had been supported by the Council some time ago, and whether the ballot of local business had yet taken place.  Officers agreed to provide further information in respect of this matter after the meeting.

RESOLVED that

the report be noted.