Agenda item

To consider the Economic Development and Inward Investment update for South Holland (report of the Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development enclosed).

Consideration was given to the report of the Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development which considered the Economic Development and Inward Investment update for South Holland.

The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development introduced the report which sought to provide members with a high-level update on relevant activities, including:

• S&ELCP Growth and Prosperity plan;
• Business engagement and intelligence;
• Business support activities;
• Inward Investment;
• Key Economic Projects and Initiatives;
• Skills;
• Strategic Engagement; and
• Future Focus.

Members considered the update and made the following comments:

• Members referred to point 8.1 of the report in respect of strategic engagement and queried SHDC’s engagement with Cadent following concerns raised from experiences at a local level, and whether the engagement with National Grid Energy Distribution (NGED) conflicted with the Motion ‘Preservation of Fenland landscape and Recognition of South Holland as a Critical Food Producing Area’ recently supported at Council.
  • The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development responded that:
    • Cadent were leading on a hydrogen pipeline network to service commercial activity, with a first phase focussing on a number of UK city regions. SHDC’s engagement with the organisation sought to raise the profile of South Lincolnshire as a key agri-food and logistics cluster and to link the activities of Cadent with the ambitions of the South Lincolnshire area; and
    • Engagement activities sought to influence the investment plans of NGED in respect of widening local power distribution within the district and the wider partnership area and therefore support growth. Such engagement did not conflict with the Motion agreed at Council as this related to the activity of the National Grid in respect of the transmission network and association pylons.

• Members queried if there were any indications regarding inward investment for Spalding town centre, and whether engagement work with Boston College covered the Spalding site.
  • The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development confirmed both points.

• Members referred to the Sutton Bridge Power Station and requested whether updates were known regarding its potential recommissioning.
  • The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development confirmed that there were no further updates but that the situation would be closely monitored.

• Members referred to the ‘Spalding Gateway and Clay Lake’ key economic projects and initiatives at point 6.1, and queried whether activity with land owners represented new or ongoing engagement.
  • The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development confirmed that the detail within the report related to a continuation of the same strategy from the same land owner, following the planning permission that was awarded for the site in 2023.

• Members noted the 65% occupancy for ‘Hub’ building and queried whether this was on target. Were the businesses locally based?
  • The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development responded that current occupancy exceeded L.C.C. targeted expectations. A dedicated engagement manager was in place to support and encourage businesses across the area to engage with the FEZ project;
  • A mix of local and national businesses utilised the Hub building as a base for local projects. This approach was welcomed and increased the business presence in the area.

• Members requested evidence of engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and suggested that the signposting of business advice be pro-actively circulated alongside other council correspondence to businesses, such as with rate demand notices. Members acknowledged the success of the Growth team in respect of grant awards however the importance of support for SMEs could not be understated.
  • The Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development responded that the ‘Advice 4 Growth’ and ‘Grants 4 Growth’ projects continued to be a key driver for new engagement with businesses and that over 134 businesses had registered through these programmes. The circulation of advice information would be explored.
  • The Assistant Director – Economic Growth added that the following two areas of work served to evidence the council’s support of small to medium-sized businesses:
    • Partnership work undertaken with Destination Lincolnshire (to be presented to members at agenda item 13) focussed on the visitor economy including smaller businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors; and
    • A new Cultural Strategy for South Holland promoted engagement with small to medium-sized arts and cultural organisations and supported businesses through funded programmes, such as that obtained from Arts Council England.

AGREED:

a)    That the contents of the report be noted; and

b)    That the comments of the panel be noted for action.