Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) considered a report of the Executive Director of Place that summarised the progress made to deliver the Jobs and Growth Strategy.

The Jobs and Growth Strategy for Coventry, that supported the vision and priorities of the Council Plan, was endorsed by the Council in May 2014. It articulated how the council would use its resources to make Coventry a city that supported growth, providing jobs and prosperity for local people.

The report summarised the progress made to deliver the Strategy, which was now in its second year and was performing at or above target for all measures, for the twelve month period 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016.

The Economy and Jobs service, part of the City Centre and Development Division, had directly contributed to creating 1,694 new job opportunities against a target of 1,000 set for the year. £323m of business investment had also been secured for the benefit of the city, with the Council's services directly supporting 398 businesses to grow and develop.

The number of people engaging with the Council’s Employment Team had far exceeded targets set with over 6,800 workless, unemployed and vulnerable adults and young people accessing employment support in the past 6 months. 1,844 people who had engaged with the services provided had progressed into work. This was a significant achievement. The majority of these individuals were engaging through the Council’s city centre Job Shop located in Bull Yard.

The Board questioned officers and discussed the following issues:

·  European Funding Support – concerns about projects currently funded, future funding proposals, bidding for resources, timescales for changes and the effects on projects

·  Business Rates – consultation and propose changes to the rating system. Scrutiny to have input to Consultation.

·  Performance Targets -  outcomes and future target setting

·  New data base – to capture more detail about clients, providing better intelligence. Future reports to include data from the new data base.

·  NEETS – Employment opportunity take-up by NEETS and difficulties in tracking young people, particularly 16-19 year olds

·  ‘Better-off’ assessments – ensuring clients select best employment options and discourages poorly paid/extremely short term employment options

·  Zero Hour Contracts – Officers confirmed that the City Council does not operate any zero hour contracts, does not encourage businesses to operate zero hour contracts, does not recommend zero hour contracts to clients and always offer to find alternatives and provide ‘Better Off’ calculations to discourage take-up of these contracts

·  Apprenticeships – Links with employers offering/encouraging the offer of apprenticeships, Shared Apprenticeship in place, Council apprenticeships

The Board requested that European Funding issues be considered by Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee and that they be provided with the following:

·  The notes of the Local Government Association Business Rates Seminar be circulated to Members of the Board. Item to go to  Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee over the Summer

·  Information on apprenticeship take-up in the City

·  Information on the letting and use of the 20, 50,000 square foot Industrial units at Lythalls Lane

·  OLEV (Office for Low Emission Vehicles) information

RESOLVED that the Business, Economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) agreed that:

1)  That the progress made by the Jobs and Growth Strategy for Coventry in Year 2 from April 2015 – March 2016 be endorsed

2)  That Scrutiny be involved in the City Council’s Response to the Business Rates consultation and that Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee be requested to consider this matter, with Members of the Finance and Corporate Services Scrutiny Board (1) and Business, economy and Enterprise Scrutiny Board (3) invited to attend for this item.

3)  That the following recommendations be forwarded to Cabinet for consideration:

i) That consideration be given to an increase in resource to the Economy and Jobs Services Service to enable them to maximise their outcomes

ii) That targets for the Economy and Jobs Service be reviewed on a six monthly basis to take account of the changing climate for jobs and growth

iii) Data from new database be included in next report on clients

  progress

4)  That a six month progress report of the Economy and Jobs Service be submitted to the Board in January 2017