PAPER B
|
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT, PLANNING, TOURISM AND LEISURE SERVICES SELECT COMMITTEE – 23
JUNE 2003 ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT – BEST VALUE IMPROVEMENT PLAN PROGRESS REPORT REPORT OF THE HEAD OF CORPORATE POLICY AND COMMUNICATIONS |
To provide
members with an update on the Economic Development Best Value Improvement Plan.
ACTION REQUIRED BY SELECT COMMITTEE
Members to
note the actions taken to date.
BACKGROUND
The Best Value Review of
the Economic Development service of the Council was carried out at the end of
2001 and the Improvement Plan was finalised in March 2002. At that time the Council’s Economic
Development Unit was seconded to the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership (IWEP),
which was undergoing a major restructuring.
In April 2002 the
Council’s Economic Development Unit returned to the Council and in November
2002 was subsumed into the new Policy Unit as part of the Council’s
restructuring process. As a result of
these changes much of the Best Value Improvement Plan has been overtaken by
events and the consequent changes in roles and responsibilities. However, some of the key achievements are as
follows:
IWEP Recovery Plan and Activities
Service Improvement Issue 1 – Establishing a
sustainable delivery structure;
Service Improvement Issue 2 – maintaining and
improving performance;
Aim
1: Building competitive business;
Aim
2:Creating a culture of innovation;
Aim
5: Regenerating our deprived neighbourhoods;
Aim
6: Regenerating our Rural Communities;
Service Improvement Issue 3 – Establishing an
effective monitoring and evaluation framework
·
Ref 1-IWEP was successfully
restructured and is now operating on a sound financial basis.
·
Ref 2 - An audit of IWEP was
carried out by Ernst and Young, paid for by SEEDA, giving the company a clean
audit report, thus allaying concerns regarding possible financial
irregularities in the past running of the organisation.
·
Ref 31,32,33, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41 - The Council have entered into a new
Service Level Agreement (SLA) with IWEP for the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March
2003, which has now been finalised.
IWEP are the main delivery agency for economic development activity on
the Island. Their main activities are
the delivery of regeneration programmes for the Island (including SRB, Rural
Development Programme and Leader +); marketing and inward investment,
management of the innovation centre and enterprise hub. The SLA provides for regular structured
monitoring of the activities and performance of IWEP to this Committee.
·
Ref 19 - The Cowes development
strategy is now well under way with Project Cowes. IWEP are taking a lead on this but are working closely with the
Council’s Planning department.
Area Investment Framework
Service Improvement Issue 1 – Establishing a
sustainable delivery structure
Ref 5 - he Area Investment Framework (AIF has been
developed for the Island and is now being used as a tool to help prioritise
projects seeking external funding, including those developed by the Council.
External Funding Service:
Service Improvement Issue 1 – Establishing a
sustainable delivery structure
Ref 6, 30, 34 - The Council’s external funding service
has been established:
·
two members of staff
·
development of a funding web page on the Council’s web-site which is available
to everyone.
·
Work in starting on establishing a network of project offices in each
service section to help identify and work up projects and the associated
funding applications. These will be
facilitated and supported by the external funding staff
Central Research Unit
Service Improvement issue 2 – Maintaining and
Improving performance
Ref 11, 12 - A research and information service is now
provided as part of the activities of the restructured Corporate Policy Unit.
Staff Training and Development
Service Improvement issue 2 – Maintaining and
Improving performance
Ref 10, 18 - With the return to the Council, the relevant
staff now come under the Council’s protocol for training and performance
review. The Policy and Communication
Unit are working towards the Investors in People award.
Tourism
Aim 3: Developing the tourist industry
Ref 23 - Tourism strategy, which formed part of the
Economic Development plan is now subject to a separate investigation exploring
the potential for externalising the service.
This is being led by the Council’s Tourism and Community Development
service which is currently responsible for Isle of Wight tourism.
Learning Partnership
Service Improvement issue 2 – Maintaining and
Improving performance
Aim
4: Improving skills and education
Ref 24, 25 - The IoW Learning Partnership is active and
provides a key focus for the learning agenda.
Successful Projects
Service Improvement issue 2 – Maintaining and
Improving performance
Aim
4: Improving skills and education
Ref 28 - The EU Territorial Employment Pact project was
successfully delivered, bringing £170k funds to IWEP.
Ref 30 - Over £1.3m ESF funding has been approved for
the Island between May and Sept 2002.
Outstanding
issues in the Development Plan will be addressed in conjunction with IWEP
through the SLA.
Economic
Development Best Value Improvement Plan, March 2002.
The IWEP
are delivering the following PSA targets over the period 1.4.03 – 31.3.06 on
behalf of the Council as part of their SLA:
·
Increasing employment on the Isle of Wight by the creation
of 100 new jobs and assisting 6 new and expanding companies.
·
Increasing the number of workless people over 50 years old
getting sustained jobs by 120.
CONSULTATION
PROCESS
As part of the Best Value review
process the following activities were undertaken:
·
Internal
stakeholder consultation with IWP staff – 20 interviews
·
External
stakeholder consultation – 80 questionnaires
·
MORI
citizens panel – 1,700 Isle of Wight residents
·
Economic
Development Challenge Day – attended by over 50 stakeholders
·
Series
of meetings including the BV Project Group and Appraisal Group.
·
One-off
meeting and discussions with key stakeholders eg Planning, IW Tourism< Members
of Economic Development Select Committee, Heads of Paid Service.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
Under the SLA the Council gives IWEP £104,000 plus seconded staff costing £75,000 per year to IWEP for delivery of Economic Development services. In addition the Council has the cost of its own staff and associated overheads incurred through economic development activity.
LEGAL
IMPLICATIONS
The Council has a contractual
obligation under the SLA between the Council and IWEP.
The Economic Development Best Value
Improvement Plan is attached at Appendix 1
Economic
Development – Best Value Review (March 2002)
Economic
Development – Best Value Review – Summary Report (March 2002)
Contact
Point : , John Bentley
Head of
Corporate Policy and Communications
Ext 3346
Head of Corporate Policy and Communications
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Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
1 2 3 4 |
Fully implement IWEP Recovery Plan to establish the
agency on a sound and stable financial footing. Central to this is a “federal” delivery model which
establishes the IWEP as the delivery arm of the service and the Council as
the body responsible for advising the Board on strategic and developmental
issues.
As part of the Recovery Plan, an
audit of IWEP is to be undertaken by Ernst and Young Three year funding strategy to
be developed for IWEP to access additional external resources Case to be developed for
additional Council support for the service as part of the 2003/04 budget
process. This will include
investigation of the potential for additional funding and further staff
secondments. |
April 2002 May 2002 September 2000 September 2002 |
IWEP board & Management team Danny Fisher John Bentley Mike King Liz Wood John Bentley |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
5 6 7 |
Area Investment Framework (AIF) to be developed for the
Island. The AIF will be a diagnostic
tool which matches needs to planned resource expenditure across the public,
private and voluntary sectors. The
resulting “gap analysis” will support bids for external funding to deliver
the Island Regeneration Strategy.
The AIF will provide the basis for development of a bidding strategy to secure
the necessary external resources to deliver the Regeneration Strategy. “Funder-finder” service
to be developed to maximise the levels of external funding secured. This will provide a co-ordinated
information and support service for the public, voluntary and private
sectors. To include provision of
information, training programme, consultancy support and bid writing service. Partnership Protocol to be
developed to ensure effective multi-agency working and liaison with the new
Local Strategic Partnership. |
July 2002 September 2002 June 2002 |
John Bentley Liz Wood John Bentley John Bentley |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
8 9 10 |
Whole Service Island Regeneration Strategy to
be reviewed in light of new Community Plan Marketing and Communications
Strategy to be developed to improve public awareness of the service. Particular attention to the use of the
Council and IWEP web sites and links with the Council’s Policy and
Communications Officer Personal Development Plans to be
developed/agreed with all service staff on an annual basis |
December 2002 Sept. 2002 June 2002 |
John Bentley Mike King John Bentley Mike King Liz Wood |
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
11 12 13 |
Review to be undertaken
investigating scope for establishing a Central Research Unit (within the
Council’s Economic Development Unit) to provide a “one stop” information and
research service. This would support
bid development activities and provide a resource to support policy and
service development. 2 IWEP research staff have been
transferred to the Council Economic Development Unit as part of the IWEP
reorganisation. Funding for the posts is to be secured through research
consultancy work to generate external income. EU and Brussels Office strategy
to be developed to clarify aims and means of achievement. |
Dec. 2002 March 2003 July 2002 |
John Bentley John Bentley John Bentley |
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Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
14 15 16 17 18 |
AIM 1: Building competitive businesses Inward Investment and Marketing
Strategy to be developed setting out the target sectors and means by which
the IWEP will seek to market business opportunities on the Island. Sites/Premises Strategy to be
developed to ensure ability to meet anticipated business needs Ambassador Scheme to be
developed aimed at equipping key business and public figures with the
skills/information to promote business opportunities on the Island. Client Management Protocol to be
developed to ensure consistent approach to the handling of potential
investors by Council, IWEP and Business Link staff Training programme to be
developed for staff and councillors – planning training for IWEP staff,
investor handling for planning officers, the development process for members. |
September 2002 December 2002 September 2002 May 2002 June 2002 |
Mike King Mike King Paul Airey Mike King Mike King Paul Airey Mike King Paul Airey |
|
19 |
Cowes Development Strategy to be prepared utilising the international
status of the town brand and realising development potential. |
July 2002 |
Mike King |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ref: |
ACTION
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TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
20 21 22 |
AIM 2: Creating a culture of innovation Marketing Strategy for
the Enterprise Hub will be developed as part of the proposed Inward
Investment Strategy (Ref. 14). Proposals to be developed for a
satellite Enterprise Hub facility to provide further high tech incubator
space. Composites Development Plan to
be drafted as a policy framework for development of this key sector. |
September 2002 May 2002 |
Mike King Mike King Mike King |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
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TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
23 |
AIM 3: Developing the tourist industry Tourism Strategy to be
developed with a focus upon: ·
Action to raise the
Island profile as a distinctive destination. ·
Action to broaden the
market base and lengthen the season ·
Action to enhance the
status of tourism on the Island ·
Action to improve the
range and quality of accommodation ·
Action to improve the
quality of the visitor experience. ·
Action to improve
employment prospects within the industry ·
Action to improve our
key resorts The Strategy will also
examine the staff and resource requirements to deliver it including an
investigation of the need for organisational changes within the Council. |
September 2002 |
Tim Addison |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
24 25 26 27 |
AIM 4: Improving Skills and Education The Council will assume
the “host agency” role for the IOW Learning Partnership, with the Manager
reporting to the Assistant Director for Education. This will support an all-age approach to the learning agenda. The Council and IWEP
will continue to actively support the Learning Partnership. Priorities
include delivery of the Basic Skills Action Plan, Learner Feedback projects
and EoP issues. The Council and IWEP will seek
to agree a compact with the Learning and Skills Council to ensure that
the LSC Strategic Plan meets the needs of the Island and provides the basis
for a joint approach to improving skills and education. The Council and IWEP will
actively support implementation of the IW College Recovery Plan. |
January 2002 On-going September 2002 On-going |
David Pettitt John Bentley Liz Wood John Bentley Janet Stevens John Bentley Mike King Liz Wood |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
28 29 30 |
The Council and IWEP will
complete delivery of the EU Territorial Employment Pact project which seeks
to establish a partnership approach to employment and labour market planning. Proposals for a customised
investor training package will be developed as part of the Inward Investment
Strategy (Ref 14) As part of the proposed Area
Investment Framework (Ref. 5) and Funder-Finder (Ref 6) service, proposals
will be developed to maximise the levels of ESF funding secured to support
training initiatives. |
July 2002 September 2002 September 2002 |
John Bentley Mike King John Bentley |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
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TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
31 32 33 |
AIM 5: Regenerating our deprived
neighbourhoods The IWEP
will continue to deliver the SRB programmes on the Island. Performance in this area is excellent and
fully complies with the management and audit requirements of SEEDA. The IWEP
will continue to develop sustainable mechanisms to support on-going community
regeneration. The setting up of
community development trusts is the preferred model. The
Council and IWEP will actively support delivery of the Island Social
Exclusion Strategy through delivery of SRB, RDP, Healthy Living and Leader+
programmes. |
On-going On-going On-going |
Liz Wood Liz Wood Liz Wood John Bentley |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
34 |
As part of the proposed Area Investment Framework (Ref 5)
and Funder-Finder (Ref 6) service, proposals will be developed to maximise
the levels of funding secured to support area regeneration projects. |
July 2002 |
John Bentley |
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|
|
|
|
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
35 ` 36 37 38 39 |
AIM 6: Regenerating our rural Communities Review to be undertaken of the
executive support arrangements for the IWEP Rural Issues Group. The IWEP will continue to
deliver the Rural Development Programme for the Island. Performance in this area is excellent and
fully complies with the management and audit requirements of SEEDA. Arrangements will be put in
place for the IWEP to deliver the recently secured funding under the EU
Leader+ programme aimed at rural regeneration. The IWEP will support delivery
of the recently secured funding under SEEDA’s Market Towns programme. As part of the proposed Area
Investment Framework (Ref 5) and Funder-Finder (Ref 6) service, proposals
will be developed to maximise the levels of Countryside Agency funded secured
to support rural regeneration. |
Sept. 2002 On-going April 2002 On-going July 2002 |
Liz Wood John Bentley Liz Wood Liz Wood Liz Wood John Bentley |
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Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
40 |
Whole Service Revised Service Level
Agreement (SLA) between Council and IWEP to be drafted. The SLA will set out the nature/extent of
the Council’s contribution to the IWEP (staff and finance) and the
authority’s requirements in terms of service delivery and working
practices. Particular attention will
be placed upon:
|
May 2002 |
John Bentley |
|
Ref: |
ACTION
|
TARGET
DATE |
LEAD |
|
41 42 43 |
Monitoring
and Evaluation Strategy to be drafted to support assessment of both outputs
and outcomes. Key elements of the
Strategy to include: ·
Clear standards/targets to be set for IWEP
activities. ·
Development of Benchmarking Club to facilitate
on-going comparative assessment. ·
Monitoring emerging best practice in use of
Performance Indicators. ·
Identification of rolling programme of service
activity reviews including the carrying out of SRB evaluation Economic
Development service to be fully incorporated into BVPP for 2003/04. Annual
Work Programme to be prepared for the Council and IWEP elements of the
service setting out details of activities and standards/targets to be
achieved. This will assist in
achieving a better balance between stakeholder expectations and resource
availability. |
September 2002 December 2002 April 2002 |
John Bentley John Bentley John Bentley Mike King Liz Wood |