Agenda item

The report of the Executive Manager – Transformation is attached.

Catherine Evans – Service Manager for Transformation and Caroline Saxton – Economic Growth Officer delivered a presentation that updated the Group on the work completed by the Economic Growth Team which focused on Business Support within Rushcliffe.

The Service Manger highlighted the Council’s priorities in respect of Growth and Development including driving growth and regeneration, infrastructure, business support, employment and skills and proactively managing growth to ensure the Council creates great places to live and work. The Service Manager – Transformation informed the Group that five Growth Boards have been established to work with key partners to support our main towns and to capitalise on the opportunities presented by growth.

The Economic Growth Officer provided the Group with information on the successful regeneration completed in Cotgrave, the delivery and completion of housing at Hollygate Park and improvements to the town centre to support the housing growth. The regeneration in the town centre provided new shops and offices, a multi-service centre and public realm improvements including additional car parking. The Economic Growth Officer explained that the Council had worked with the developers to deliver employment and skills in the area during the construction phase of the development. An employment partnership has been established which includes, working with local schools and colleges, businesses etc. to support the delivery of this work. 

The Service Manager presented a summary of the Economic data and commercial property within the Borough, which highlighted information contained in the appendices attached to the report.  The Service Manager informed the Group that the majority of businesses within the Borough, (76.4%), are small and we have 15 businesses with 250+ employees. The 5 year survival rate for businesses is 45.75% compared to 44.8% for Nottinghamshire as a whole and the top 3 business sectors in Nottinghamshire are Health, Manufacturing and Retail. In addition, the Service Manager provided information on privately owned commercial property and commercial property owned by the Council. Council owned property is currently made up of:

·         49 industrial units ranging in size from 750 to 5000 sq ft.

·         11 retail units located in Cotgrave and Radcliffe on Trent

·         20 Offices in Cotgrave and West Bridgford

The Service Manager advised that there are also plans to build additional retail units at Cotgrave to complete the regeneration of the shopping centre. In addition, as part of the proposals for a new leisure centre in Bingham, a new 10,000 sq ft office building is included, which will potentially provide 6 individual offices (ground floor) and a serviced office (first floor) subject to planning permission. There are also plans to purchase 11 industrial units in Bingham which will range in size from 1000 to 1500 sq ft.

The Economic Growth Officer provided the Group with information on the range of business support that the Council and its partners provide. This includes:

·         The D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is a partnership between local government and businesses to drive economic growth in the area. It cover Derby, Derbyshire (D2) and Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (N2).

·         The Growth Hub, established by the D2N2 LEP using European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) matched with local funding is aimed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for business support. The Hub provides a range of support including funding, events and workshops.

·         The Rushcliffe Business Partnership is a not for profit partnership funded by the Council through an annual service level agreement and also provides officer support in organising and promoting networking events and activities. The Partnership hosts monthly networking events in West Bridgford, Ruddington and Keyworth and quarterly events, which have included training on upskilling workforce and physical and mental wellbeing, which Rushcliffe has hosted at the Arena.

In addition, the Economic Growth Officer advised that other events organised by the Economic Growth team include a Developer Forum and ‘Big Business’ events. A Recruiting Future Talent event is being planned for April 2020 and another ‘Big Business’ event is being planned for spring 2020 with the theme of clean growth and sustainability.

The Group asked specific questions in respect of businesses ‘churn’ and whether the Council has the commercial property available within the Borough to retain successful businesses wishing to expand. In addition the Group asked if the larger developments of employment land in Rushcliffe were Council owned or under private ownership. The Executive Manager – Communities advised that the larger developments are generally privately owned. In addition, the Service Manager advised the Group that there are no comparisons with other areas in respect of the ‘churn’ rate of businesses and explained that support is provided for businesses wishing to expand or reduce the size of premises. The Council does look to retain businesses within the Borough, although this may mean looking at alternative provision in the private sector.

The Group asked whether the Council could adopt a strategic approach to the supply and demand for business units and is there any market intelligence on the profile of tenancy of businesses to ensure that what the Council build/purchase in future is fully occupied. In addition, Councillors questioned the lack of creative or third sector businesses in the Borough, advising that this is a growing market. The Executive Manager – Transformation explained that local research is commissioned or completed by officers to understand the market in the area before any investment decisions are made. This requirement for a commercial return is balanced against the priority of supporting business.

The Group finally asked if further information and data could be provided from the business support partnerships and how their outcomes and achievements are measured. The Group suggested that D2N2 Growth Hub are invited to a future meeting of the Growth and Development Scrutiny Group to explain their approach for business support. 

It was RESOLVED that:

a)    The report provided by the Economic Growth and Property teams be noted, and the outcome welcomed in delivering a successful business support offer for businesses and employment in Rushcliffe.

b)    The Group provide future items for scrutiny as recorded in the Scrutiny Work Programme