Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Cordiner-Achenbach & Plant.

There were no declarations of interest declared at the meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2019 were confirmed.

In reference to minute number 6, Councillor A Wright asked whether the Head of Inward Investment had checked the eligibility and compliancy criteria in the matter of the Apprenticeship Levy.

The Committee received and considered the Forward Plan.

The Committee requested that representatives from New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (NALEP) be invited to attend a future meeting.

Councillor Wainwright reported that, in the past, a list of Council events used to be reported to the Committee to keep Members informed. The Development Director agreed to ask the Events Team to circulate a list of events taking place to all Members. Councillor B Walker suggested that the calendar of events should be scrutinised/agreed by Members in the first instance.

Helen Johnson gave a presentation on the Making Waves Together project. 

Councillor Wainwright asked when the funding for the Making Waves Together project ended. Helen Johnson reported that it would cease in July 2020.

The Committee thanked Helen Johnson for the delivery of a successful project.

The Development Director informed Members that this progress report updated Members on the adoption of the Great Yarmouth Transport Strategy which was reported to this committee on 15 July 2019.

It was highlighted that this report detailed stakeholder and public consultation which took place in September/October 2019. The proposed changes to the strategy in response to the consultation feedback were detailed on page 28 of the agenda. The Transport & Infrastructure Steering Group (on 30 October 2019) had requested that the word "key" be removed from Section 6 - Short, medium and long term options tables & Option MS1 - A47 Acle Straight dualling so that the Broads Authority would be identified as a stakeholder. The Committee endorsed this request.

The Development Director reported that if the committee endorsed the strategy, it would go to Norfolk County Council Transport & Infrastructure Select Committee on 29 January 2019 and Norfolk County Council Cabinet on 3 February 2019 and be formally adopted by the Highways Authority.

RESOLVED:-

(i) That the Committee endorsed the outcome of the consultation and agreed to the changes to the draft Stage 3: Strategy Report as set out in Appendix A, including the removal of the word "Key" in relation to stakeholders,

(ii) That the Committee endorsed the Transport Strategy, subject to the completion of a Strategic Environmental Assessment. (Should this materially affect the Strategy, changes would need to be returned to, and agreed by, the Great Yarmouth Transport & Infrastructure Member Steering Group); and 

(iii) That the Committee endorsed the Great Yarmouth Transport Strategy for adoption through the Norfolk County Council Transport & Infrastructure Select Committee on 29 January 2020 & Norfolk County Council Cabinet on 3 February 2020.

The Regeneration & Funding Manager gave an overview of current delivery of economic development against the aims and objectives within the Economic Growth Strategy (2017-2021) as well as against the activities detailed in the accompanying Economic Growth Action Plan and directly related activities such as business outreach via EnterpriseGY.

Councillor Myers asked for confirmation regarding the difference between the Future High Street Fund and the Stronger Towns Fund. The Regeneration & Funding Manager explained the difference between the two funding opportunities.

Councillor B Walker reported that, although it was a good report, it would have been easier to understand if it had been written in a more simplistic format. Councillor G Carpenter agreed with this sentiment and asked for clarification of the dashboard report detailed on page 48 of the agenda.

Councillor A Wright asked whether EnterpriseGY had engaged with East Coast College to offer start-up advice/training to its students. The Head of Inward Investment reported that it was intended to work with East Coast College to improve skills for college students across the Borough.

Councillor A Wright reported that the Committee wanted to know the bottom line, i.e. how many FTE jobs had been created and/or retained as a result of a specific amount of funding. He suggested that the Council should go back to NALEP to see if we could get more value for money for the funding allocated to us.

The Development Director suggested that Eunice Edwards & Glen Moore from NALEP be invited to a future meeting to discuss the matters raised by the Committee. The Chairman requested that this be added to the Forward Plan.

Councillor Candon highlighted the low percentage numbers which were attributed to the Tourism Sector in the dashboard report and asked for clarification as tourism was one of the main employment sectors in the Borough. The Head of Inward Investment reported that the Council was working with NALEP on a Tourism Sector deal. 

Councillor Wright asked for clarification as to the number of jobs created and/or relocated to Beacon Park and South Denes. The Development Director reported that these figures are recorded by NALEP and that Eunice Edwards would be asked to provide a detailed breakdown.

RESOLVED:

(i) That the Committee received and reviewed Economic Development progress against delivery of the adopted Economic Growth Action Plan (Annex A); and

(ii) That the Committee noted the progress and achievements made within the Enterprise GY service.

The Development Director reported that the nine Economic Development indicators for Quarter 2, 2019-20 were showing as Green.

The Development Director highlighted ED09 which showed that Beacon Park only had 7.5% of empty floor space. A significant improvement over the quarter.

Councillor B Walker asked why the report was written by the Head of Planning and Growth and not the Economic Development Officer who had not attended a meeting of this committee.

The Development Director reported that these performance measures covered planning application and building control performance measures which were under the remit of the Head of Planning & Growth.

The Head of Inward Investment reported that the Economic Development Officer had started in late July 2019 and was in the process of updating/revising the Economic Growth Action Plan.

RESOLVED:

That the Committee note the Quarter 2, Economic Development Performance report, 2019-20.

The Committee received and noted the confidential minutes of the Great Yarmouth Town Centre Masterplan Working Group.

The Chairman reported that there was no other business of sufficient urgency to warrant consideration at the meeting.