The Committee is to receive an update presentation to the Cabinet Report.
Minutes:
In accordance with the Council’s Continuous Improvement Model, the sub-committee received a presentation update on the Havering Business Growth Programme that was considered by Cabinet in April 2013 from the Head of Economic Development, Culture & Community and the Business Development Manager.
The sub-committee was informed that Cabinet had agreed the three year Business Growth Programme in April 2013 to deliver the following benefits:
· Improvement in the reputation of Havering as a place to do business
· Greater prosperity
· Higher employment levels
· Improved quality of life
The proposals to deliver these four objectives were set out under three themes:
· Promoting investment in Havering
· Encouraging existing businesses to grow
· Transforming customer services for the business community
The following key achievements were detailed to the sub-committee:
That the service had been able to work closely with partners to promote the borough and focus on key sites and opportunities for growth. The development a new inward Investment Website with commercial property database that was launched in 2014 to grow awareness.
The service was currently jointly promoting available sites in London Riverside with GLA, over 124 Business enquiries had been dealt with in the last two years.
• Four Commercial Agents forums held
• Romford Development Framework was also prepared
The LEP Funding and business case were being prepared for diversifying the offer on South Street and Business incubator in Romford to bring empty floor space back into use.
The service had also completed work on the London Riverside BID Development Opportunity Study.
• Work on Salamon’s Way (London Riverside) initiated
• London Riverside BID area Opportunity Study completed, and await appointment of GLA development partner for next steps
A two year business Start-up programme delivered by Kingston Smith had provided opportunities for 186 individuals to be engaged in thirty-five propositions going forward to next stage of business development process.
The sub-committee was informed that future plans and opportunities within theme included for the Romford Development Framework to be taken forward as part of the Local Plan and promoted to private sector investors
The developing of an action plan for the Office Quarter including encouraging the availability of more serviced office accommodation
The service would seeking to identify and leasing or acquire low value and empty units in South Street using GLA LEP funding and High Streets funding
The presentation informed the sub-committee that the second theme was seeking to encourage existing businesses to grow by the following:
· Promoting Local Procurement
· Improving Borough Infrastructure
· Improved management of Business Rate Collection
· Enhanced Business Support Services Programme
· Realising the potential of the planning system for business growth
· Promoting Town centres
· A skilled workforce
· Business Improvement Districts
· Helping businesses to be compliant and self-regulatory with targeted enforcement
The sub-committee was informed that future plans and opportunities within theme included:
· Using LEP funding to develop a new Business Support programme
· To bring forward Local Plan and CIL in line with Local Development statement
· To develop further Section 106 policies to ensure local employment and skills opportunity as part of the ‘Build Havering’ construction industry project
· To develop a three year business plan for Romford to utilise LEP funding including
· new strategy for Romford Market, deliver
· an enhanced programme of events in Romford,
· review the Romford Town Centre Partnership
· Refresh of marketing and branding
· Enable and facilitate businesses to develop sustainable partnerships such as Town Teams in the borough
· Develop a Skills & Employment Strategy and strengthen cross- borough partnerships to develop joint projects
· Deliver the a skills and employment Action Plan for Harold Hill
The presentation informed the sub-committee that the third theme related to transforming customer services for the business community by adopting a corporate approach to business development. Other included:
· Customer services transformation
· Selling Services to the Business Community
The sub-committee noted that future plans and opportunities within theme included:
· Further development of the Business Voice Board
· Review of CMT Key Accounts and introducing key account process for top 100 businesses
· Improved functionality of the business portal e.g. by bringing payments of business rates via the portal
· Developing a database to deliver more targeted business support advice and guidance
· Further development of drawing together the Councils sponsorship and advertising opportunities
· Better use of the Havering Business Awards to communicate Council’s approach to business growth
· Development of a stakeholder management plan