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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
Apologies have been received from Committee Members Cllr Peter James, Cllr Gary Mitchell, Cllr Sian Cox, Adrian Jones and Officers Matthew Perry, Gwilym Davies, Mari Thomas, John Forsey, Jane Thomas, Ellen Sullivan, Catherine James, Nina Davies
There were no disclosures of interest by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting
The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.
Cllr Glyn Preston presented the report, noting the following: • The revised strategy reflected extensive consultation feedback and set out a long-term vision for the Powys economy. • The strategy aimed to support a stronger, fairer and greener Powys through improved jobs, skills, business growth and economic resilience. • Retaining young people in the county remained a key priority. • Consultation feedback had strengthened the strategy, with clearer delivery timescales and measures of success. • The 50+ ‘Big Ideas’ remained central to the Grow Powys approach and reflected ideas raised by communities and partners. • There was strong support for the strategy’s focus on skills, innovation, town centres, tourism, agriculture and sustainability. • Work was underway to develop a framework to measure the strategy’s impact. • A youth-friendly version of the strategy was being produced to support engagement with young people. • A placemaking portal was being developed to encourage community-led economic development proposals. • An additional action had been included to support innovation and productivity within the agricultural sector. • The strategy was considered to be in a stronger position following consultation and provided greater clarity on delivery. Issues Raised by the Committee Responses Received Clarification was sought regarding how community energy projects, such as those being developed by local energy groups, would be supported through the Strategy. Members were advised that the Strategy builds upon work already underway through the Growing Mid Wales partnership and innovation projects exploring local energy generation and balancing supply and demand. It was hoped that successful pilot projects could be replicated elsewhere across the county. Members queried how communities would be able to engage with the proposed placemaking portal. It was explained that the portal would allow communities, including town and community councils, to develop evidence bases, submit proposals and identify future investment opportunities. It would help support local ownership of projects and provide a mechanism for communities to develop proposals for future funding opportunities. Concern was raised regarding how the Strategy would support young people pursuing careers in creative and cultural sectors and how young people generally could be encouraged to remain within Powys. Officers advised that retaining young people was a central objective of the Strategy. Work was being undertaken alongside the Post-16 Review and discussions with Welsh Government regarding skills and employment opportunities. The placemaking approach would also allow communities to identify cultural and creative priorities. Members commented on the relatively low number of formal consultation responses received and queried whether lessons could be learned for future consultations. Officers acknowledged the observation but highlighted that responses were also received through stakeholder groups, partner organisations and community engagement sessions. A shorter and more accessible version of the Strategy was being developed to support future engagement. Concern was raised regarding whether a focus on attracting inward investment could disadvantage existing small and medium-sized businesses within Powys. Officers stated that supporting existing businesses remained a key priority. Any potential inward investment opportunities would be assessed carefully to ensure they did not adversely impact existing employers. The Strategy sought to support business growth across the whole economy and strengthen existing local enterprises. Members asked if job satisfaction and workforce wellbeing should form part of the Strategy’s measures of success. It was acknowledged that workforce wellbeing is important. Officers advised that work was underway with an academic partner to develop an appropriate monitoring framework and that the suggestion would be considered as part of that work. Clarification was sought regarding whether particular growth sectors identified through consultation would be prioritised over others. Officers commented that no individual sector would be prioritised above another. The intention was to pursue opportunities across all seven growth sectors simultaneously, ensuring that opportunities for investment and growth were maximised wherever they arose. Members sought clarification regarding the proposed Advanced Manufacturing Centre project, including funding arrangements and contingency planning should the preferred delivery model not proceed. . Officers noted that funding proposals were due to be considered by the Mid Wales Growth Deal Board and expressed confidence in the project’s prospects. Members were assured that alternative delivery options, including phased approaches and contingency arrangements, had been developed should circumstances change. Questions were raised regarding references in the Strategy to improving wages and whether this was within the Council’s influence. Members were advised that whilst wage levels were influenced by wider market factors, the Strategy aimed to encourage investment, productivity and business growth in order to create higher-quality employment opportunities and improve wage levels across the county. Clarification was sought regarding the tourism levy and whether the Strategy should reference a commitment not to introduce such a levy. It was confirmed that the current Cabinet had no intention of introducing a tourism levy. Members were advised that the matter was outside the scope of the Strategy and would remain a decision for future administrations. Members queried whether the Council’s wider services and partners were aligned with the ambitions of the Strategy. Officers confirmed that extensive cross-departmental working was already underway, including with planning, education, transport and regional partners. Economic growth considerations were being embedded throughout the Council’s work and strategic planning processes. Questions were raised regarding barriers to economic growth, including grid capacity, transport infrastructure, telecommunications and utility provision. Members were advised that ongoing discussions were taking place with a range of infrastructure providers and stakeholders. These issues were recognised as key enablers of growth and would continue to form part of strategic discussions as delivery progressed. Members sought assurance that the Strategy would remain relevant following future political changes. Councillor Preston advised that the Strategy was built upon evidence and extensive engagement rather than political priorities. Members were informed that an all-member workshop would be organised to encourage wider ownership and understanding across the Council. Clarification was sought regarding the apparent lack of growth identified within the care sector. Officers advised that the care sector formed an important part of the foundational economy but that economic growth projections reflected broader productivity and wage considerations. It was acknowledged that further work was required to support local care providers and maximise community benefits through procurement and economic development activity.
The Committee Endorsed • The overall direction of the Grow Powys Economic Strategy and supported its ambition to deliver a stronger, fairer and greener economy. • The proposed revisions made following the consultation process and agreed with the recommendation to Cabinet to approve the revised strategy. • The continued development of the 50+ Big Ideas programme as a mechanism for turning the strategic vision into deliverable projects. The Committee Welcomed • The strengthening of the strategy following consultation, including clearer delivery timescales and a stronger focus on measurable outcomes. • The development of the proposed placemaking portal to help communities bring forward ideas and build evidence for future investment opportunities. • The assurances that economic growth is being considered across the Council and aligned with planning, education, transport and infrastructure priorities. • The plans for an all-member workshop to support understanding of economic growth opportunities and barriers. The Committee Requested • That officers investigate suitable ways of measuring job satisfaction and workforce wellbeing for inclusion within the Economic Strategy Monitoring Framework and report back at a future meeting. • Further information on the sectoral breakdown of the 1,100 new businesses created over the previous two years and their ongoing survival rates. • That opportunities to improve consultation engagement and distribution arrangements with town and community councillors be reviewed. • The Committee requested ongoing opportunities for members to contribute to discussions around the delivery and implementation of the strategy. • The commissioning of a shorter and more accessible version of the strategy to improve engagement, particularly with younger people. The Committee Remained Unconvinced That • The formal consultation response numbers adequately reflected the true level of engagement achieved during the consultation process. Members noted that many discussions and engagement events were not captured within the reported consultation figures. • That current consultation methods maximised participation from all town and community councillors and members of the public. • That long-term impact could be properly assessed without further work to develop and agree meaningful measures of success for the strategy before. The Committee Expressed Concern Of • The relatively low number of formal consultation responses received and the challenge of engaging residents in strategic consultation exercises. • That Powys continues to lose young people to opportunities outside the county, highlighting the importance of creating attractive employment, skills and career pathways locally. • Ongoing barriers to economic growth, including transport, broadband, mobile connectivity, utilities infrastructure and grid capacity constraints. • The potential impact of inward investment on existing small businesses and local enterprises. Scrutiny’s Recommendation Accept (plus Action and timescale) Partially Accept (plus Rationale and Action and timescale) Reject (plus Rationale) The Committee requested that officers investigate suitable ways to measure job satisfaction and workforce wellbeing for inclusion within the Economic Strategy monitoring framework and present findings to a future meeting of the Committee The Committee supported that a whole-Council workshop be convened to support Members' understanding of the opportunities, barriers and critical enablers for economic growth in Powys, and to inform delivery of the Economic Strategy The Committee recommended that officers review the distribution arrangements for future consultation exercises and identify opportunities to improve engagement with all town and community councillors, reporting any proposed improvements through the Council's consultation framework.
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