Issue - meetings

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee agreed with the portfolio holder regarding progress of the plan and highlighted four main areas that the Committee had picked up:

1. It was requested that a simplified version of the plan be provided to all Elected Members.
2. That where possible deadlines be made more robust as it felt that they were somewhat vague at present.
3. That good work had been carried out with young people regarding education and enterprise but that enterprise guidance should be made available to everyone.
4. That it was good to see work being done with different age groups and requested that care be taken to include those in the 50 plus bracket who had been made redundant and could be struggling with out of date skills.

It was agreed that feedback regarding these requests be provided to the next meeting and that updated timescales be reported back to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Portfolio Holder thanked the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee for the input.

Resolved: (a) That receipt of comments from the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

(b) That the review of the Economic Development Strategy Year One Action Plan be noted and that the Year Two Action Plan be approved.

(c) That officers continue to seek Members’ approval for the annual Action Plans and to keep Members informed of progress made with the same.

A report was submitted concerning the multi agency Arts Strategy for Newcastle under Lyme that was to be the subject of a public consultation exercise. The views of the Cabinet on the Strategy were welcomed.

The Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Regeneration and Town Centres started that the document which covered the years 2012 to 2017 was an excellent piece of work and that the Council was now at the stage to report on progress for year 1 and consider how to proceed into year 2. The Strategy had been considered by the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee and feedback from this had been take on board.

The portfolio holder stated that there had been many successful projects such as the apprenticeship scheme but that other projects such as the Site Allocations Development Plan now needed to be moved on. The Portfolio Holder also requested that the website be updated and utilised more to help encourage businesses to move into the area by providing them with the information required to do this.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Committee agreed with the portfolio holder regarding progress of the plan and highlighted four main areas that the Committee had picked up:

1. It was requested that a simplified version of the plan be provided to all Elected Members.
2. That where possible deadlines be made more robust as it felt that they were somewhat vague at present.
3. That good work had been carried out with young people regarding education and enterprise but that enterprise guidance should be made available to everyone.
4. That it was good to see work being done with different age groups and requested that care be taken to include those in the 50 plus bracket who had been made redundant and could be struggling with out of date skills.

It was agreed that feedback regarding these requests be provided to the next meeting and that updated timescales be reported back to the Scrutiny Committee.

The Portfolio Holder thanked the Chair of the Scrutiny Committee for the input.

Resolved:      (a) That receipt of comments from the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee be noted.

(b) That the review of the Economic Development Strategy Year One Action Plan be noted and that the Year Two Action Plan be approved.

(c) That officers continue to seek Members’ approval for the annual Action Plans and to keep Members informed of progress made with the same.