Issue - meetings

To seek Cabinet’s approval for the Economic Growth Strategy. Cabinet’s agreement is also sought to allocate £100,000 from uncommitted resources within the Council’s Regeneration Budgets in order to support the development and delivery of projects that will deliver key interventions against the objectives of the Strategy.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

1.      approves the draft Tendring Economic Strategy 2020 – 2024, as set out in the Appendix to item A.3 of the Report of the Business & Economic Growth Portfolio Holder;

2.      notes that actions to deliver the Economic Strategy will be developed as part of annual Departmental Service Plans;

3.      approves the allocation of £100,000 from the Council’s Business Investment and Growth Budget to support the delivery of the Strategy; and

4.      notes that, as part of the Council’s back to business strategy, following the pandemic, the strategic interventions may need to be reframed or reprioritised in order to deliver the economic stimulus required to deliver economic growth and support businesses.

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Business & Economic Growth Portfolio Holder (A.3) which sought its approval for the Tendring Economic Strategy 2020-2024, as set out in the Appendix to the Portfolio Holder’s report. Cabinet’s agreement was also sought to allocate £100,000 from uncommitted resources within the Council’s Regeneration Budgets in order to support the development and delivery of projects that would deliver key interventions against the objectives of the Strategy.

It was reported that in 2013 the Council had undertaken significant work in order to develop a ten year Economic Strategy for the District. That work had reflected the commitment of the Council and its partners to create the conditions needed to stimulate economic growth in the period to 2023. This Strategy had now been refreshed in order to:

·         Respond to uncertain economic conditions, both locally and nationally;

·         Better understand the current evidence explaining the under-performance of Tendring’s economy;

·         Ensure that the case for future investment in Tendring was informed by the best available evidence and articulated through a clear Strategy; and

·         Inform the technical and employment requirements of the Council’s emerging Local Plan.

Cabinet was informed that evidence from the Office of National Statistics demonstrated that there had been some important changes in Tendring’s economy since 2013, which underpinned the need for a change in the Council’s approach.

The refreshed Strategy therefore sought to promote:

·           A greater focus on Clacton-on-Sea and Jaywick Sands, noting a decline in the economic performance of those locations. This focussed specifically on local participation within communities and securing long term prosperity;

·           Bold action in Clacton Town Centre, recognising that its future was unlikely to be led by retail alone;

·           A balance in the evolution of Harwich as a port with the development of the visitor economy in the town and the surrounding area;

·           A need to focus on two sectors: Care and Assisted Living; and Clean Energy, whilst recognising the need to be alive to opportunities in the rural economy, culture/creativity and tourism; and

·           A focus upon the higher growth companies within the District, enlisting their experience and know-how to support the development of policy and focussed interventions to support new and existing companies in Tendring.

However, whilst the Strategy set out the longer term direction, more immediate refocusing or reprioritisation could be required to support those sectors which would be hardest hit by the Covid pandemic. Members were therefore advised that the Strategy would need to factor in this agility of approach particularly in the short term. 

Cabinet was made aware that the Vision and Objectives of the Strategy would need to be delivered via the implementation of projects that were developed departmentally and through new and existing partnerships with the public, private and voluntary sectors (locally, regionally and nationally). Delivery of the Strategy would take time as many of the objectives identified would require a significant step-change in Tendring’s economic trajectory.

It was suggested that in order to achieve the desired outcomes, the Council would need to work closely  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37