To receive a report from Officers to enable Members to develop a common understanding of the roles and responsibilities of local bodies in relation to promoting economic development in Redditch.
(Report to follow)
Minutes:
Officers provided Members with an overview
of the Economic Development agenda at both the regional and local
level. Members were informed that the
West Midlands Regional Economic Strategy (RES) provided leadership
and a strategic vision for economic development in the
region. Officers explained that the
Executive Committee had endorsed an Officer response to the West
Midlands Economic Strategy Delivery Framework which would
facilitate delivery of the West Midlands Economic Strategy.
The framework set out priority actions, based on the themes of
Business, Place and People, around which the Council would be
required to undertake action.
Members were informed that Redditch was not considered to have high unemployment and was not classified as an economically deprived area. However, there was a need to diversify the local economy outside of the manufacturing industry and to identify ways to encourage highly skilled young people to take up employment in the Borough. Furthermore, there were problems of low educational attainment which needed to be addressed, including through the development of links between schools and local businesses.
Members discussed educational attainment levels in Redditch and noted that Members and Officers from Worcestershire County Council had recently attended a meeting to discuss this issue with Redditch Councillors. Members agreed that they would appreciate further information from Worcestershire County Council on the subject of educational attainment in the Borough and asked Officers to invite representatives from the County Council to attend a meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to discuss the subject further.
Officers reported that the Economic Development Manager post was vacant. Members were informed that a suggestion had been made that this should become a joint Redditch and Bromsgrove District Council post, though no decision had been taken in response to this suggestion. Members agreed that it would be useful to review the job specification for the Economic Development Manager post to ensure that the role required the Officer to address the three themes of Business, Place and People identified as priority areas for Redditch.
Members agreed that the subject of Economic Development had already been reviewed as part of the Jobs, Employment and Economy exercise undertaken by the former Leisure, Tourism and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Officers were therefore asked to circulate copies of the final report from this review to all members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to further discussion of Economic Development.
Members agreed that further information was required detailing the responsibilities of Worcestershire County Council and regional bodies in addressing Economic Development. Furthermore, Members agreed that information about the work undertaken by Bromsgrove District Council on the Economic Development would be useful because the Council was considering a Joint Economic Development Manager post. Officers were asked to contact representatives of the relevant regional organisations, Worcestershire County Council and Bromsgrove District Council to obtain this information.
Members discussed timeframes for further discussing the subjects of Economic Development and educational attainment levels. The Chair proposed that these issues should be raised during the Scrutiny Work Programme Planning Day in May when Members would be discussing appropriate subjects for scrutiny in 2008/09. Members agreed that the Committee would determine the dates when Members would consider these topics after the Work Programme Planning Day had taken place.
RESOLVED that
1) Officers be requested to review the job specification for the post of
Economic Development Manager;
a) circulate copies of the Jobs, Employment and Economy scrutiny report among members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee;
b) invite representatives of WorcestershireCounty Council to attend a meeting of the Committee to discuss educational attainment levels in the Borough;
c) provide further details about the responsibilities of regional organisations and WorcestershireCounty Council in relation to Economic Development;
d) provide details about the work undertaken by Bromsgrove District Council in relation to Economic Development;
2) Economic Development and educational attainment levels be
considered as potential items for scrutiny at the Scrutiny Work Programme Planning Day in May 2008; and
3) timescales be agreed for discussing the subjects of Economic
Development and educational attainment levels following the Work Programme Planning Day
all as detailed in the preamble above.