Issue - meetings

[To consider a report on Innovation]. 

The Head of Enterprise introduced a report on Innovation.  The report built on the information which had been provided in a report to the Scrutiny Panel in April 2018.  Since that meeting a paper titled “Business Enterprise Research and Development” had been released in November 2018, which presented the current impact of research and development on the UKs business sectors.  Expenditure on research and development was continuing to grow and was predicated to continue on an upward trend.  The medical sector made the highest contribution to research and development, followed by automotive, computer gaming and aerospace, technical testing and software development.

The Head of Enterprise stated that Officers in the Council’s Enterprise department were engaging with businesses in the City.  The intelligence obtained from engagement was helping to shape and influence the activities the Council undertook.  It was also identifying areas which the Council could support businesses and highlighting the overall benefits that the businesses were bringing to the City.  The work undertaken had been captured in the Council’s, Strategic Economic Plan (SEP).  The SEP outlined how innovation was supporting broader wider economic growth in the City.

The Head of Enterprise commented that there had been some very successful work completed by the Business Engagement Team. In addition to the Council’s work with Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) they also had a targeted approach with the strategic companies in the City.  There had been a particular focus on innovation with the aerospace companies in the City.  Technological innovation and research and development were key to the strategic companies.  Steering those companies was Industry 4.0, an accreditation which captured automation, manufacturing technologies, cloud technologies, the internet of things which led to the creation of ‘smart factories’.

The Head of Enterprise highlighted that the Business Engagement Team was largely funded by European funding.  The funding they had secured ended at the end of 2019.  They had submitted a bid to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for further funding until 2021 and were awaiting to hear if they had been successful.  The MHCLG had already secured the European funding regardless of Brexit.   

The Chair invited, Mr Steve Wright (Plastic Bottles Supplies Ltd) to present to the Panel.  He stated that he had setup the company over twenty years ago.  Its first year’s turnover had been £12,000.  He was now manufacturing 6 to 6.8 million bottles per month.  The company turned over in excess of £15 million last year and was employing 105 people. 

Mr Wright commented that if the Government introduced a rule that migrant workers had to be earning £30,000 or more to be permitted to work in the country, he would struggle to find the staff to work in his company.  Approximately 50% of his workforce were non-UK Nationality.  The Head of Enterprise commented that the Wolves at Work Initiative could help prepare people for work at Mr Wright’s company.  The initiative could also help find suitable staff. 

Mr Wright remarked that the ever-increasing energy costs were also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5