Agenda item

[Report]

The Head of Enterprise set out the aim of the presentation (a copy of which is attached to the signed minutes), to show where they were at and where they planned on going in the future with supporting the City’s businesses. Due to the United Kingdom leaving the European Union, the Council hired Metrodynamics to review the landscape of the City’s businesses and recommend a new framework. The government announced the Levelling Up policy in 2022 followed by the UK Shared Prosperity Funds. This fund was set to replace the European Union funding, but at a significantly lower level of funding. By October 2022, the West Midlands Combined Authority agreed a co-ordinated regional approach for business support. In March 2023, the Government closed all Local Enterprise Partnerships and Growth Hubs nationally, in April 2023 Wolverhampton Employer Support went live. The Head of Enterprise informed the Panel of the current position; they were waiting receipt of the UKSPF and were confirming what data and evidence was still outstanding such as engagement with employers and employer groups, the plan was to link with other strategic key points in the City plan. They were engaging with stakeholders to co-plan and co-produce future business support policies. They aimed to come back to Scrutiny Panel on this later in the year. Businesses which had received EU funding had fed back that the knowledge they received in business oversight was more successful than the grant money received.

A Councillor was disappointed the workplace champions scheme wasn’t mentioned in the presentation. He enquired if information on how the IGNITE scheme was progressing, which had been in operation for 12 months. He wanted feedback on its success.

The Head of Enterprise apologised that it did not come across in the report that the Workplace Champions scheme and other existing partnership policies were being utilised. She stated these networks were also being utilised as part of this plan but she had used the presentation to show what other ways were being planned or utilised to support the City economy and employers.  The Head of Enterprise said they were still in the process of collating the data and feedback from the IGNITE scheme and would be happy to bring it to Scrutiny when it was ready.

The Deputy Leader added that it was important all these schemes were utilised and that communication with employers was maintained. He stated that the new challenge would be the lower levels of money under the new UKSPP compared to former EU funding and stated getting this across to businesses in the City was the next step.

A Panel member asked how well communications with businesses was really going, citing that in his opinion, the Council had performed poorly dealing with businesses in the City centre impacted by the street pedestrianisation program. He wanted to know what lessons had been learnt to avoid the same thing happening in the future. He also raised the matter of reports that are produced by consultants that the Council pays for and stated he would like to see those reports brought to Scrutiny.

The Chair added that she wanted to know how they determined the success of communication/engagement with businesses.

The Head of Enterprise informed the Panel that they worked with partners, which included meeting business federations and other similar groups for discussion and feedback. They had also undertaken surveys with some partners previously. They had more flexibility with who they could work with now the country was out of the European Union, as the European Union had strict criteria as to what sectors they could fund.

The Chair sought further clarification and asked if this meant the Council was still in the early stages in figuring out the best practice to work with businesses.

The Head of Enterprise replied that they were working with everyone and that now the UK had left the EU, this meant they were now able to work with businesses and sectors they hadn’t worked with before.

The Director of Regeneration added that it was important to note that there were other sources of business support alongside the Local Authority and that working with partners, it was important to ensure businesses sought support from the right sources.

Resolved: that the Metrodynamics and RSM reports circulated to members of the Panel. For the RSM Report, legal advice be taken before disclosure and the report be distributed in a content and format as appropriate.