Meeting documents

Any changes will be reported at the meeting.

There were none.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 15 March 2016 copy attached as an Appendix.

RESOLVED –

That the minutes of 15 March 2016 be approved as a correct record.

To consider the report attached.

Contact: Mark Wathen 01296 585064

Members were given an update on the proposed economic development priorities for AVDC, following a progress review and refresh of the AVDC Economic Development Strategy 2011-2014 and an ongoing review of the BTVLEP Strategic Economic Plan priorities from 2016 onwards.

The report circulated to Members summarised the key economic development priorities and focus for action.

In December 2015 an economic development stakeholder meeting had been held and chaired by Councillor Steve Bowles, where it was agreed to progress and align the joint economic development strategies of AVDC, BTVLEP and BBF, helping to create a common action plan. This had been intended to cover all areas of economic Development related activity including:

·         Business investment, survival and growth

·         Skills "fit for purpose" and

·         Underpinning infrastructure

A diagram setting out the proposed focus for the Economic Development team in future subject to any change during the service reviews had been attached as an appendix to the officers report.

The immediate outcomes from that meeting were summarised in the officers report to committee as was the progress made since then.

Updates were also given on the following:-

Aylesbury Vale Enterprise Zone (Silverstone Park, Westcott, Arla Woodlands)

Paul Spooner, Government Advisor on Enterprise Zones had visited the above sites on 15 April. The outline Heads of Terms Agreement between AVDC, BTVLEP and other stakeholders had been agreed on 10 May 2016. It was proposed that the Council’s Economic Development Team work closely with BTVLEP as an integral part of the Buckinghamshire Enterprise Zone operational team focusing on marketing and business development. There would be a specific focus on Motorsports and High Performance Technologies, Space Propulsion/UAVs, Healthcare and the Food and Drink manufacturing sectors and working alongside Buckinghamshire Business First, Government bodies such as DCLG, BIS, Innovate UK, UK Space Agency and Space Catapult, the Automotive Investment Organisation, the MIA, UKTI, and the

Universities and Research Councils.

Other Key Employment Sites

The Economic Development team had been engaged with major employment sites in the Vale in addition to those now granted Enterprise Zone Status. The key activity for the team was in attracting and retaining businesses in the Vale as it came under increasing competition from nearby locations. The team would be working closely with the Development Management team on major commercial applications. The team had recently met with Aylesbury Vale Estates (AVE) and would be working with them and their agents to review the status of lettings and available space, sharing market intelligence and enquiries.

The team were also working with Forward plans to help with key employment site information and the Vale of Aylesbury Local Plan process. In summary the Economic Development team worked with agents, developers, Forward Panning and Development Management  to:-

·         Promote and market schemes

·         Flexible planning approach

·         Series of developer meetings, and

·         Capturing up-to-date key site information

Inward Investment and Sector Information

Since January AVDC had agreed with BTVLEP/BBF that the process for supporting ongoing aftercare of companies relocating to the Vale would be agreed on an individual case basis in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

A summary of developments since the last meeting is attached.

Contact: Mena Caldbeck 01296 585657

Mena Caldbeck provided the Committee with an update on skills and the progress made since the last update in October 2015.

At the previous update she reported that one in three businesses had reported a skills gap, which included specific skills relating to technical or practical skills or IT skills and that businesses across the Vale were reporting difficulties recruiting skilled people.

Members at the committee in October 2015 had received presentations from Ian Harper, Managing Director form University Campus Aylesbury Vale (UCAV), Ruth Farwell and Jackie Campbell from Bucks Thames Valley Local Enterprise Partnership (BTVLEP) Skills Board and had also received testimonial evidence from David Hardley, a director of Thame Workholding.

Following the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, the Chairman had written to Jackie and Ruth at BTVLEP Skills Employability Programme highlighting the Councils support for the Board’s ambitions and the intention to work more closely with them and other local partners to ensure there would be an improvement between businesses, local schools and colleges so that young people would be aware of the opportunities available to them. The Chairman had also written to Ian Harper at UCAV in support of the UCAV’s aims, and David Handley with the offer of support to provide engagement with the Employability Skills Board. The Economic Development Team had since met with Ruth and Jackie at BTVLEP.

The Economic Development Team had drawn up a list of recommendations to take to the BTVLEP Employability Skills Board to ensure the Council supported employers and young people for the future economy and this has been attached as an appendix to the officers report. The Economic Development team were actively engaged in several of the developments already underway as listed in the appendix.

The Council would like to address the issue of Science Technology Engineering Maths (STEM) skills at Higher Apprenticeship level availability and also support those people in their 20s and 30s in the manufacturing sector.

A number of recommendations included in the appendix are being carried forward by BTVLEP Skills Hub and are supported by AVDC including:-

·         Skills Hub – This included the promotion of the Hub and its activities with employers, in particular the OppsinBucks web portal www.oppsinbucks.org. Awareness of the Hub had been raised in number of ways including an article in Aylesbury Vale Times.

·         Enterprise Advisors – Representatives of businesses were being encouraged to become Enterprise Advisors to engage with schools and colleges to work with the senior leadership so that young people had full awareness of all career choices and options locally.

·         The Local Careers and Enterprise Company – This company was independent of Government and would focus on young people aged between 12 and 18. BTVLEP had invested in the company to address the poor "work readiness" skills of young people which it was felt the current careers advice system didn’t effectively achieve.

·         The Bucks Skills Show, July 2016 – hosted by BTVLEP at University Centre Aylesbury Vale would provide an opportunity for employers to promote their  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.