FENLAND BUSINESS FORUM – KEY CHALLENGES & ACTION PLANS

To:Fenland Strategic Partnership

Date: 8 December 2005

From: Gary Compton (for Steve Johnson, FBF Chairman)

1.0Paper Purpose

To update the Fenland Strategic Partnership with regard to progress relating to the four key headline challenges to the Fenland business community as identified at the Business Forum meeting in June 2004.

2.0Context

The Business Forum was established in 2004 as the vehicle within the Strategic Partnership by which businesses in Fenland can seek to influence decisions at local government level that could bring about improvements to the opportunities for the business community.

At its inaugural meeting, members working in groups agreed that there were four key areas that the Forum should address. These key areas are identified in the appendices herewith which include detailed action plans for addressing each challenge together with an indication, at this stage, of likely costs to achieve the outputs.

Each action plan contains a timetable for achievement and this will form the basis for future representations to the FSP, based upon the seven key objectives of the FSP:

Fenland Strategic Partnership Aim:

1 – To encourage strong and learning communities with higher aspirations

2 – To develop a diverse and sustainable economy

3 – To improve access to services and information

4 – To improve the community’s safety, health and environment

5 – To build vibrant town and village communities which are good to live in

6 – To develop pride in the Fenland countryside

7 – To raise Fenland’s profile

3.0Recommendations

The Business Forum seeks comment and observation to the identified challenges, and input from other contributors to the FSP where a collaborative approach can reduce duplication of effort, help to share costs for the acquisition of cross-over information, and possibly attract funding under a joint application where appropriate.

Enclosures:

Appendix 1:Key Headline Challenges

Appendix 2:Action Plan; Workforce Development & Skills

Appendix 3:Action Plan; Enterprise & Competitiveness

Appendix 4:Action Plan; Planning & Infrastructure

Appendix 5:Action Plan; Innovation & Sustainability

APPENDIX 1

KEY HEADLINE CHALLENGES

Identified on 3rd June 2004

1.Workforce Development and Skills

To establish a strong and learning workforce with higher aspirations by:

  • Improving ‘business engagement’ and awareness of training opportunities that reflect the needs of local business.
  • Capitalising on Learning and Skills Council and funding initiatives.
  • Working to promote local employment and training opportunities.
  • Promoting collaboration between business and educational providers.
  • Improving the desire and capacity of employers to invest in workforce training and development.

2.Enterprise and Competitiveness

To create a competitive business environment that promotes entrepreneurial activity and encourages business investment by:

  • Promoting the provision of workspace for businesses with growth potential.
  • Raising aspirations and capacity of local business to be more competitive.
  • Ensuring that the local business support offer is right for local business development.
  • Encouraging local business use of modern technologies and promoting web-based access to business support information.
  • Developing local supply chain activity and raising awareness of the local business base.

3.Planning and Infrastructure for Business

To provide a local infrastructure that promotes sustainable business development by:

  • Preparing a new Local Development Framework that promotes and attracts sustainable business development.
  • Working to encourage competitive provision of utilities and transport links.
  • Promoting access for business to high speed internet connectivity.

4.Innovation and Sustainability Exemplar

To create an environment that promotes green business development by:

  • Promoting the saving potential of ‘green business’ investment and raising awareness of energy advice sources.
  • Promoting corporate social responsibility through supply chain activity.
  • Establishing Fenland as a leading centre for renewable energy.

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APPENDIX 2

Headline Challenge: Workforce Development & Skills

Objective:To establish a strong and learning workforce with higher aspiration.

Challenge

/ Actions / Lead Person / Funding / Outcome / Review Date
Improve business engagement and awareness of training opportunities that reflect the needs of local business /
  • Identify industry sectors (prioritised by number of employees)
  • Telephone survey of sector sample to ascertain training priorities
  • FBF membership event (why train, what training, what funding)
/ Sue Addison
Linda Rathbone
Linda Rathbone / £500
£1000
£2000 / Identify local training priorities by sector. / Month 2
Month 3
Month 10
Capitalising on Learning Skills Council and funding initiatives /
  • Business Link current initiatives to be highlighted via monthly e-mailshots.
/ Linda Rathbone / N/A / Maximise delivery of employers training budgets. / Ongoing (monthly)
Working to promote local employment and training opportunities /
  • Promotion of Business Development Handbook training supplement
  • Training supplement to have website presence.
  • Training supplement to be used as promotional material by Development Agencies.
/ Sue Addison
Linda Rathbone
Sue Addison / N/A
£100
N/A / Improve accessibility of providers. / Month 6
Month 6
Month 6
Promoting collaboration between business and educational providers /
  • Liase with providers to generate sector tailored marketing material.
/ Sue Addison/Linda Rathbone / 2 admin days/month for 12 months / Targeted training provision. / Ongoing (every 2 months)
Improving the desire and capacity of employers to invest in workforce training and development /
  • Source industry sector champions (utilise Sector Skills Council)
  • Promote ‘Learning Champions’ via e-mailshot.
  • Send champions to sector networking groups to talk on ‘What’s in it for me’.
/ Linda Rathbone
Linda Rathbone
Sue Addison / 3 admin days
N/A
2 admin days / Generate business to business mentoring. / Month 7
Month 1
Month 8

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APPENDIX 3

Headline Challenge: Enterprise & Competitiveness

Objective:To create a competitive business environment that promotes entrepreneurial activity and encourages business investment

Sub Objective / Actions / By When / Lead Person / Desired Outcome / Funding / FSP Strategic Aim
Position Fenland as an attractive place for business
Enable Fenland Businesses to access Additional funding and support
Increase the up take of businesses accessing support in the Fens /
  1. Examine current FDC strategy for promoting Fenland outside as well as within Fenland. Establish success rates, measurables and key areas and establish overall current budget.
  1. Prepare detailed overview of Fenland, to include its history as a busy hub of East Anglia, its development over time and current success stories – this document should form the basis for a detailed brief on all aspects of developing and promoting the Fenland brand
  1. Develop succinct USP’s for Fenland
  1. Establish success stories, including case studies and comments from heads of business across the full range of business sectors
  1. Identify most suitable media for promotion, and develop ties with land and development agencies/consultancies on a nationwide level and European level where appropriate
  1. Introduce ‘Made in Fenland’ concept (or similar)
  1. Ensure business at all stages involvement to promote credibility
  1. Using a detailed brief and the identified budget identify and invite specialist marketing consultancies to pitch for ‘Made in Fenland’ brand development project.
  1. Web-links from Fenland Business Forum Website to identified business support organizations.
  1. Website to have section for Forum members to post web-links to encourage local communication and links between organizations and sectors.
  1. Provide dedicated phone number for Fenland Forum enquiries – incorporate onto all marketing materials, develop Forum as good source of information. The new Rural Gateway provided by Business Links could offer infrastructure to support this.
  1. Pinpoint and promote successful Fenland Business people from the forum as Ambassadors for business in the Fens.
  1. Use of e-marketing – very targeted marketing to sectors of business in Fenland on matters of Business support, Regulatory issues and Funding opportunities.
  1. Aspire to have 80% of Businesses in the Fens aware of the Fens Forum and the Website address.
  1. With establishment of funding undertake some research into why up take of Business support is low for businesses in the Fens – a targeted survey of businesses which have not accessed support in recent past to establish the barriers and the key reasons. Databases will need to be sourced and cross matched. The resulting research can then be used to inform support provision.


APPENDIX 4

Headline Challenge: Planning and Infrastructure for Business

Objective: To provide a local infrastructure that promotes sustainable business development

Sub Objective / Actions / By When / Lead Person / Desired Outcome / Funding / FSP Strategic Aim
Preparing a new Local Development Framework that promotes and attracts sustainable business development /
  1. Await release of the draft Issues & Options Core Strategy Paper due out Jan/Feb from FDC Planning Policy and offer this out to Forum members during the 6-8 week consultation period for comment and discussion. This draft will include a discussion document on the provision of Business Parks in three market towns.
/ Mar 06 / GC / Make recommendations back to Planning Policy based on Member feedback / N/a / 2,4,5.
Work to encourage competitive provision of utilities and transport links /
  1. Await release of the draft Long Term Transport Strategy Paper due out early 2006 from Cambridgeshire County Council and offer this out to Forum members during the consultation period for comment and discussion. In particular addressing the three main thrusts of FDC’s preferred schemes:
  2. A605 King’s Dyke, Whittlesey – flyover at the railway line
  3. Western A1101 Cromwell Road – developer-funded link around Wisbech
  4. A47 Wisbech-Guyhirn dualling – to bring forward from 2021
/ Mar 06 / GC / Make recommendations back to CCC based on Member feedback / N/a / 2,4,5.

APPENDIX 5

Headline Challenge: Innovation and Sustainability Exemplar

Objective: To create an environment that promotes green business development

Sub Objective / Actions / By When / Lead Person / Desired Outcome / Funding / FSP Strategic Aim
Promoting corporate economic, social and environmental ambition through supply chain activity /
  1. Map capabilities of all Fenland companies in meeting good environmental practice, through evidence of accreditation to ISO 14000, Enviromark, BEMS etc. Use Rural Renaissance budget to fund research.
  2. Encourage 20% of larger organisations, including FDC to establish a policy that will take into account economic, social and environmental factors together before making supply decisions.
  3. To build a generic policy for use by members in support of item 2 above.
/ Dec 05
Dec 06
March 06 / GC
BF lead
FDC/
FEN / Provide electronic database
Define and report the 20% target
Generic policy / N/a
n/a
£2,000 / 1, 2, 4.
Promoting green business investment and raising awareness of energy advice sources /
  1. Publicise good companies through the Forum and FDC website and if possible other regional sites e.g. Envirolink and EcoDirectory.
  2. Promote an energy management system to 10%of the Business Forum, such as BEMS, and in general to the business sector.
  3. In partnership with the Fenland Environmental Network (FEN) to support item 3 above in the development of an environmental interest circle/best practice club.
/ Ongoing
June 06
March 07 / GC
FEN/ BF lead
FEN/
BF lead / Updated website
Find 11 businesses to use EMS
Establish club / £500p.a.
n/a
tba / 3,4,5,7.
Establishing Fenland as a centre for environmental goods and services. /
  1. Map capabilities of all Fenland companies that provide environmental goods and/or services. Use Rural Renaissance budget to fund research. Use EcoDirectory to present information
  2. Exhibit at 1 environmental focused exhibition to promote Fenland as a center for environmental goods and services.
/ Jan 06
Dec 06 / GC/BP
GC/ BP / Database of companies
Exhibit at 1 exhibition / £500
£2,500. / 2, 5, 6, 7.
Establish a cluster of organisations that will support each other in the development of the environmental goods and services sector. /
  1. Work with regional bodies to develop a geographic cluster and encourage cluster development through network meetings, events etc
  2. Provide the inaugural Fencluster environmental goods and services sector trade event.
/ Jan 07
April 07 / BF lead
BF lead/ FEN / Fencluster
The event / Tba
£5,000 / 1,2,5,6,7

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