AGENDA ITEM NO. 4(ii)

REPORT TO: / Executive Board
REPORT NO: / CEDO/09/04
DATE: / 20 April 2004
REPORTING OFFICER: / Chief Economic Development Officer
CONTACT OFFICER: / Stephen Bayley
Tel: (01978 292440)
SUBJECT: / Economic Development Department Strategy 2004-2007
WARD: / N/A

1.PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

1.1To seek Members’ approval to undertake selective consultation on the draft Economic Development Department Strategy 2004-2007.

2.INFORMATION

2.1.Policy Framework

The draft Economic Development Department Strategy 2004-2007, provides the framework for the Council’s Economic development service, giving direction and setting clear objectives. The strategy is set within the national and regional context of the Welsh Assembly Government’s economic development strategy - “A Winning Wales”, the emerging North Wales Economic Forum’s - “North Wales Development Strategy and the Wrexham Partnership Strategy 2000-2006 (with the WDA). It also responds to the local policy context - Wrexham Refreshed, the draft Community Strategy and the Council’s Corporate Vision and emerging priorities.

2.2Budget

There are no direct budget implications. The strategy identifies how the economic development service will operate within the department’s cash limited budget, supplemented by external contracts, (e.g. ELWa, WDA, WAG and the European Union).

2.3Consultation

The draft strategy has been prepared over the last twelve months with the direct involvement of the Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee - from inception in March 2003, when the Committee agreed the brief, through to discussions on data/research findings and agreement on the draft strategy. Consultation with external partners is planned to be limited to key partners who will be needed to support the delivery of the strategy. This approach has been discussed by the Scrutiny Committee and the Executive Board is asked to support it.

2.4Scrutiny Committee Comments

The Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee has been involved in the development of the draft strategy from its inception in March 2003 (report numbers CEDO/05/03; CEDO/26S/03 and CEDO/03S/04). The Scrutiny Committee considered the draft strategy on 24 March 2004 and recommend to the Executive Board that:

i)the draft strategy be approved for consultation with key partners;

ii)the list of consultees, identified in Appendix 2 be agreed; and

iii)the Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee be involved in the consultation process.

2.5Further Information

The purpose of the Economic Development Department Strategy 2004-2007 is to clearly identify the contribution that the department makes to sustain and improve the economic well-being of local people and businesses.

The economic fortunes of the County Borough are determined by a multitude of factors, many of which are beyond the control or influence of the Council (e.g. World market forces and national government policy). The mistake of many organisations is to try to claim that they can control the economic performance of an area. They can not. What they can do is to make a significant contribution (along with partner organisations) to the economic well-being of their community. This is recognised by the department and as such, the draft strategy focuses on the “added value” which it makes to local economic performance.

The strategy is based upon detailed research and analysis of the local economy, (from published data and from primary research) and the identification of the “drivers for change” which are likely to impact upon the County Borough over the next three years or more. This provides the “context” or overview of the local economy within which the department is expected to operate.

Following on from the analysis of the statistical data, primary research, forecast trends, national and regional economic policies and the local policy context (the Community Vision, and the Council’s Vision and draft priorities), the draft strategy for the department has now been completed, (See Appendix 1 for a copy of the Executive Summary, a copy of the full document is available in the Members’ Library).

Evidence from the analysis undertaken suggests that the future prosperity of Wrexham will depend on:

i)nurturing growth sectors, which will be predominantly in the service sector;

ii)modernising and increasing productivity amongst adjusting sectors (such as engineering); and

iii)managing the potential decline of traditional manufacturing sectors.

Achieving substantial future employment growth will not be easy. There are several structural issues upon which the department’s resources and energies will need to be focused.

i)Addressing the skills problem:

  • ensuring young people are sufficiently qualified to take up jobs in growth sectors;
  • ensuring employees in traditional industries are upskilled to cope with changing technologies;
  • tackling basic skills – those with poor literacy/numeracy as less likely to participate in learning to improve job related skills;
  • enhancing management skills across public/private sectors; and
  • addressing employer demands for enhanced generic skills (customer care, communications, problem solving, team working).

ii) Addressing Quality of Life Issues

  • Shift to higher value added employment and higher skilled workforce;
  • More mobile workforce;
  • Quality of life/perceptions must be good;
  • Need to improve;

- improve the availability of housing quality, range of sizes);

- improve the availability of good quality learning centres;

- improve the visual appearance of parts of the County Borough;

- improve the transport infrastructure; and

- tackling crime and the fear of crime.

iii) Creating Centres of Knowledge Excellence:

  • The HE/FE institutions have a key role to play;
  • attracting bright people;
  • undertaking leading edge research; and
  • developing new enterprise/spin-out businesses

iv) Addressing Business Property Issues:

  • providing a range of accommodation (access, image, transport, ICT);
  • at competitive prices and on flexible terms; and;
  • making best use of the Council’s land and property to support economic growth.

v)Supporting and Stimulating Business Start-ups, Grants and Diversification:

  • by to addressing low levels of entrepreneurship and supporting a shift in focus from low value-added activities.

In response, the department’s services are grouped and defined by four broad service objectives:

i)Business – To attract and promote investment and to support business in order to create and safeguard jobs.

ii)Learning – To create and support the provision of informal and formal learning opportunities to help local people participate in all aspects of economic life.

iii)Environment – To improve quality of life for local people by improving the quality and diversity of the built and natural environment in which they work, live and play.

iv)Economic Inclusion – To the engage local people in regeneration of their communities through the provision of appropriate support in order to overcome barriers to employment and to take advantage of economic opportunities.

In addition, the department will target three key processes for improvement, which will help to ensure that services remain focused upon customer needs and meet their requirements as efficiently as possible:

i)Communications – To ensure that communications are effective, target specific, use appropriate methods and deliver improved levels of responsiveness.

ii)Intra-departmental Working – To strengthen internal communications, co-operation, joint-working and resource management.

iii)Research – To provide a clear understanding of the local economy in order to focus service delivery, better meet customer requirements and to help shape the future of Wrexham.

The detailed actions required to deliver the strategy are set out in the department’s Service Management Plan 2004-2005, (which will be published as part of the Council’s Performance Plan).

Given that the strategy is designed primarily to guide the department’s own actions, it is not proposed to conduct extensive consultation but instead to target key organisations and partners why will be instrumental in helping to deliver the strategy. The proposed list of consultees shown in Appendix 2.

If Members agree, the draft strategy will go out to consultation until the middle of June 2004. The results of the consultation will be reported back to Scrutiny Committee in July 2004 and to the Executive Board in July 2004 for formal adoption, before being published in September 2004.

3.RECOMMENDATION

Members’ are recommended to approve the draft Economic Development Department Strategy 2004-2007 for consultation.

4.REASON FOR THE RECOMMENDATION

To allow the Chief Economic Development Officer to go out to selective consultation on the draft Economic Development Department Strategy 2004-2007.

5.BACKGROUND PAPERS

Draft Economic Development Strategy 2004-2007.

6.WEBSITE INFORMATION

None

Appendix 2

The Economic Development Department works with key partners to deliver the Strategy. In addition to external partnerships, other departments within the County Borough Council facilitate delivery of the Strategy.

Listed below are suggested consultees:

Welsh Development Agency

CBI

Wrexham Tourism Forum

Wrexham Business Forum

Chamber of Trade

Chirk and Ceiriog Valley Partnership

Businessline

Wrexham Trades Council

Wrexham CCET

NEWI

Yale College Wrexham

Job Centre Plus

Careers Wales

Wales Tourist Board

Rural Community Partnerships

Communities First Partnerships

URBAN II Community Committees

Wrexham Local Health Board

North Wales Police