Agenda item

Report attached. Kate Hughes, Coventry and Warwickshire LEP and Steve Weir, Head of Economic Development will report at the meeting

The Board received a presentation from Kate Hughes, Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Steve Weir, Head of Economic Development on the CWLEP Reset Strategic Framework and Implementation Plan. A copy of the Strategic Reset Framework had been circulated to members.

The presentation provided an overview of the Coventry and Warwickshire economy pre-covid in March 2020 which highlighted that the local economy had   grown at a rate unsurpassed by any other LEP area in the country, with economic growth increasing by 45%. Manufacturing had grown by over 110% over the decade and the unemployment rate of 3.8%, was lower than the regional (5.1%) and national rates (4.1%).

Arising from the pandemic, a strategic reset framework had been developed, through the work of the Reset Taskforce, which the objective that Coventry and Warwickshire was a safe and highly attractive place to live, study, work, and invest. The approach would be founded on clear reset principles, which were detailed. Reference was made to the following six pillars, which framed the strategy and priorities, building on strengths but also identifying vulnerabilities and barriers:

Good jobs and levelling up opportunities

Leading innovation

Green sustainable future

Bold approaches to enterprise

Re-imaging our communities, forging global connections

Transforming infrastructure.

Information was provided on the different CWLEP Business Groups tasked with driving implementation. Also highlighted were the current issues which included the variable impact on all areas including places, businesses, communities and individuals; the complexity of support which was confusing and excluding some;

the EU Trade Deal impacts; the March Budget; unemployment which was expected to peak at 7.75% in Quarter 2 2021 with a high impact on 16-24 year olds; business confidence and activity that had been growing; and the vaccine roll-out.

The Board were informed of the various employment solutions for employers and recruiters, along with the employment solutions for job seekers and young people that were now being promoted.

Attention was drawn to health and social care, in particular the Midlands Engine Mental Health Productivity Pilot (MHPP) in the workplace; the West Midlands Health & Wellbeing Innovation Centre; and CIPHER – the Coventry Codesign Innovation Platform for Healthy EldeRs. All the work carried out in relation to PPE was highlighted along with Project Sherbourne which would  see the City Council join forces with a host of commercial and public sector partners, including Coventry’s universities, to create an unrivalled digital infrastructure at the cutting edge of the global use of digital connectivity such as full fibre and 5G. Health and Social Care example cases were provided.

The presentation referred to the City Council’s economic recovery priorities as follows:

·  Safeguard Coventry’s businesses – protect jobs and work

·  Support businesses to innovate, grow & scale up in recovery

·  City centre regeneration & investment in cultural assets

·  Transport & digital infrastructure and power supply enhancements

The presentation concluded with the following key actions for linking the economy and health:

·  Employability & skills support – particularly young people

·  Creative Economy Strategy – City of Culture Legacy

·  Integration of business support & employment support schemes

·  Roll out Social Value plan

·  Clean Air Zone.

Members asked about what the LEP could do to encourage the employment of disabled employees. It was agreed that further consideration needed to be given to the future relationship of the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP.

RESOLVED that:

(1) The request that the LEP consider their role in encouraging employers to recruit and support disabled employees (part of the inequalities pillar) to be raised as appropriate.

(2) Further consideration to be given to the role of the Health and Wellbeing Board working with the LEP, particularly in light of the impact of Covid on the health of the nation and the economy, also taking into account the Marmot Sub Group.