Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Bird and Robinson-Payne.

There were no declarations of interest declared at the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 8 October were confirmed.

Councillor Jeal asked in relation to the update he had asked for at the last meeting in respect of the reduction in the market fees. It was agreed that this item has been added to the Forward Plan for a report to be brought back to the Committee in January 2019.

Councillor P Carpenter asked in relation to item 6 where it had been suggested that officers raised Member concerns with English Heritage, it was advised that the concerns had been raised with English Heritage.

RESOLVED :

(1) The contents of the Forward Plan for the Economic Development Committee be noted.

(2) That items in relation to Abellio Greater Anglia / Wherry Lines improvement and the 2 day Market Place fee reduction update be added to the Forward Plan for January 2019.

The Committee received and considered the Regeneration and Funding Manager's report which provided Members with background to the draft Brexit and Great Yarmouth document which had been compiled by Officers of the Council.

Councillor Jeal stated that in his opinion the document should be sent to all Members of the Council in light of its importance.

Members discussed the article that had recently been published within the local press, the Chairman raised concern in respect of what had been written in that he felt not a single positive word had been published. He then referred to a number of positive points within the report and that in his opinion the document had been well constructed. Councillor Wainwright disagreed with the comments made and stated that he felt the report published by the local newspaper had been fairly written and in his opinion there was a need for people to be aware and understand the potential impact, he advised that he had spoken to a number of local construction companies who had also raised their concerns in relation to the potential impact, Councillor Wainwright further stated that he felt there were no positives for the businesses within Great Yarmouth in the deal being proposed.

Councillor Achenbach made reference to a number of points within the document particularly in relation to skills and further education where it had been noted that the borough had been ranked bottom out of 326 local authority areas and asked how this would be included within the document. She also raised concern in that agriculture had not been mentioned within the document in light of the Borough's large agriculture industry.

The Head of Inward Investment advised of a Shared Prosperity Fund which was being introduced, she reported that this would be a replacement to EU funding. She also advised that the document could be amended to reflect the concerns raised with regard to agriculture not featuring within the document.

RESOLVED :

That adoption of the Great Yarmouth & Brexit focused document be endorsed as a living document to be updated periodically to reflect developments.

The Committee received and considered the Strategic Director and Head of IT Marketing and Communications report which provided members with an update of progress on the development of a new Tourism and Culture Strategy for the Borough and in doing so, asked Members to resolve to a number of additional developmental steps being taken with an amended timeline for the completion of the work to April 2019. The report asked Members to also consider the allocation of £20,000 from the Council's special projects reserve funding.

Members agreed that there was a need for the word ' Heritage ' to be added to the title of Tourism and Culture Strategy to read Tourism, Heritage and Culture Strategy.

The Head of IT Marketing and Communications reported that a stakeholder workshop had been held which had included three facilitated session and provided an opportunity for everyone to participate and have their thoughts recorded. Members were advised that the clear message from the Stakeholder workshops was that there is a wealth of interest and excitement from local partners to articulate what it is Great Yarmouth and what the area wants to be known for.

In discussing the report the following matters were raised :-

• Broads Authority involvement 
• The need for one place, one vision 
• Reference was made to Coastal Communities funding 
• Some concern was raised in relation to the previous Strategy that had been proposed and never developed or published and the likelihood of this happening again. The Head of IT Marketing and Communications reported that the current Tourism Strategy was coming to an end, and the current Culture Strategy remained a living document, however it was hoped that by collating the two current strategies a deliverable strategy could be achieved.
• The need for a focus on heritage as well as culture and tourism 
• The need for linked in projects, reference was made to the Venetian Waterways project 
• Concern was raised in that the Strategy only focused on the Town itself and not the whole of the Borough, Members agreed there was a need to include Greater Yarmouth

RESOLVED :

That approval be given to the number of additional developmental steps as proposed within the Strategic Director and Head of IT, Marketing and Communication's report with an amended timetable for the completion of the work to April 2019.

The Committee received a presentation from the Development Director on the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership latest funding position, highlighting Great Yarmouth's position.

The presentation detailed the following Growth Deal funded schemes :-

• Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing 
• River Yare tidal flood defences
• Rail station public realm improvements 
• Great Yarmouth Transport package 
• Proserv Building, Beacon Park 
• Venetian Waterways
• East Coast College Energy Skills Centre 
• Great Yarmouth & Lowestoft Enterprise Zone
  
  

Members were also advised on the Borough's take-up of New Anglia LEP's / Business Grants, notably Small Grant Scheme statistics and the Growing Business Fund for the period of August 2016 - September 2018.

Councillor Wainwright commented that he was pleased to see that funding was being allocated to Great Yarmouth, and asked whether a breakdown of funds being generated into Great Yarmouth could be provided from 2012. The Development Director advised that he would request this information.

The Committee considered the Head of Planning and Growth and Development Director's report. Members received and discussed the detailed presentation on the proposed Beacon Business Park Extension Masterplan and further feasibility works.

RESOLVED :

(1) That the principle and detail of the Masterplan be endorsed.

(2) That further committed detailed feasibility work for the extension to Beacon Business Park be endorsed.

The Committee considered the Development Director's report which provided Members with an update on current performance of Economic Development Committee measures for the second quarter of 2018/19 (July- Sept) where positive progress is being made against targets which are set at the start of the financial year.

RESOLVED : 

All measures to be monitored during the next quarter.

RESOLVED :

That the minutes of the Great Yarmouth Town Centre Masterplan Members Working Group of the 8 October 2018 be noted.

RESOLVED :

That the minutes of the Great Yarmouth Transport and Infrastructure Steering Group of the 26 September 2018 be noted.