The Webinar was organised as part of the LGA’s Economic Growth improvement support offer. It showcased some of the economic growth case studies undertaken by local authorities through the EGA programme.
- Date: Tuesday 28th February 2023
- Chair: Olivia Lancaster | Climate Change & Economic Growth Advisor | LGA
Introduction
The LGA Economic Growth Advisers (EGA) Show and Tell Webinar was organised as part of the LGA’s Economic Growth improvement support offer. It showcased some of the economic growth case studies undertaken by local authorities through the EGA programme. The EGA programme provides bespoke support to councils on areas related to economic growth through an adviser procured by the LGA.
Just under 100 people attended the webinar, with three speakers presenting the challenges and opportunities they have experienced in growing their local economy through case studies and the lessons learned from setting out a roadmap to delivering these projects.
The session was chaired by Olivia Lancaster, Climate Change & Economic Growth Advisor at the LGA. Olivia set out an overview of the national economic growth landscape, with the key challenges and opportunities councils face in growing their economies; a brief background to the LGA economic growth offer; and the running order of the day.
Olivia was joined by Chris Shears, Head of Enterprise & Place, South Hams District Council; Sam Gilmore, Head of Economic Growth and Infrastructure, Middlesborough Council; and Melanie Powell, Regeneration Manager, Rother District Council.
Marine Decarbonisation and Economy Strategy for South Hams
Chris Shears, Head of Enterprise & Place, South Hams District Council
Background
This project covers the regions of both South Hams and West Devon, this area is very large and mostly rural. The region has a large marine economy, with a variety of water-based activities such as leisure and fishing.
Challenge
The challenge South Hams faced was the quantification of how important the marine sector was to the economy, due to the lack of available data. This makes applications for funding, such as the UKSPF, quite difficult, as investment plans can lack solid data. The marine sector is also important for decarbonisation, so baseline data on the emissions is also very important.
EGA Support
The EGA support provided has been used to help address the above challenges, activities undertaken by the supplier have included the development of a marine decarbonisation strategy, quantifying of the carbon footprint of marine vessels and a limited consultation with stakeholders. At the first stage the supplier built a relationship with the harbours team; pulled together emissions data; and collated information from a range of different sources relating to the marine economy, giving a summary of various decarbonisation options; culminating in an initial report in November 2022. During the second stage little capacity was needed from the council and a report was collated and shared in late February, which is still in the process of being unpacked.
Impact
The report produced in November was put to immediate use in supporting the bid for funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund and set baseline information that can be built upon using the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The February report has helped members understand the approach being taken, as it’s easy to understand and doesn’t include a lot of jargon. It also set sets out a range of options available to the council for next steps but stopped short of suggesting the best option, however it may be able to be tweaked to give this answer.
Top Tips
Although the programme has been really useful it’s crucial to get the brief right, as a lot of responses were focused on decarbonisation and not the sector. To get maximise impact the programme should be linked in with other funded programmes.
Urban and town centre living strategy for Middlesbrough
Sam Gilmore, Head of Economic Growth and Infrastructure, Middlesborough Council
Background
Middlesborough is a densely populated urban authority with a traditional town centre environment. The town centre has historically been retail focused, however this has faced significant problems. Recently the council has used funding from the Future High Streets Fund to purchase a shopping centre and transform it into a leisure space. Middlesborough has also secured 35 million from the Towns Fund, to transform its town centre.
Challenge
Accommodation in the town centre is in poor condition, with private development limited to student developments. Urban developments struggle to gain any investment, as for the rents required to make these developments financially potentially occupiers could live in the suburbs with better quality housing.
EGA Support
The support provided has given key recommendations on what a town centre living solution should look like in Middlesborough. These recommendations include developing unique selling points for developments in the Middlehaven area, such as low carbon power, strong visual and physical links with the town centre, developing a more vibrant night time economy and ensuring that Middlesborough is safe at all hours. The supplier also recommended that the council continue redeveloping the town centre, work more closely with commercial landlords and occupiers, and deliver a positive vision to residents.
Impact
The EGA support provided has given Middlesborough council the opportunity to refocus it’s work away from the mechanics and toward developing a compelling and coherent vision for the area. The research will feed into the development of a Mayoral Development Corporation and into any other strategies in development.
Top Tips
When working with external suppliers it’s important for them to actually visit the area and see the situation on the ground, this gives everything context and feeds into any work done.
Emerging Opportunities for the Rural Economy in Protected Areas in Rother
Melanie Powell, Regeneration Manager, Rother District Council
Background
Rother is a mostly rural authority, with Bexhill being the main town and Battle and Rye being smaller towns. Since 2011 the population of the district has only grown 2.8%, compared to the national average of 6%, with this increase largely being made up of older people.
Challenge
Rother wanted to find out what opportunities for rural businesses are emerging nationally and locally and how these can be implemented in the district. They were also interested in discovering more about what activities were currently taking place and how these can be supported.
EGA Support
The EGA support provided has been used to get a better understanding of different sectors within Rother, these sectors being the green sector, creative and digital, tourism and viticulture, transport, and construction. Although the final document is not yet complete there’s a clear direction of travel, with stakeholders having been identified and a town hall meeting presentation. The consultants have also been able to identify policies on a local, regional and national level which may be beneficial.
Impact
The support has been used to join up the dots with emerging markets in each of the sectors and will allow the council to bring together existing partnerships in the future. It has also been used to support Rothers revised bid to the UK Shared Prosperity fund, which will be used to invest in businesses to ensure they’re future proof and sustainable.
Questions and answers
Chris Shears, Head of Enterprise & Place, South Hams District Council
Question: As a joint authority, have you been able to use this work to understand whether there are any supply chain opportunities or economic benefits within West Devon or is the benefit limited to South Hams?
Answer: Not through this particular piece of work but the work that it enables, as next steps will involve looking at supply chains and where they originate.
Question: Any tips from all the speakers on getting the brief right? How much work did you need to do early on?
Answer: Always ensure a wide range of people are able to look over the brief, to make sure it’s easy to understand what is required.
Question: After working with the advisors, is there anything the LAs will do differently beyond this project, particularly around how or when data is used?
Answer: There’s been a realisation that there was already a lot of data that just needed pulling together. It’s a case of going to right people to extract data for collation and ensuring that data is accessible to those who need it.
Question: How did you choose the sector specific approaches through your projects? Did you have a full overview of existing and emerging sectors to inform priorities to begin with, or were the areas of focus more led by opportunity?
Answer: Other sector analysis has been done. Labour statistics can be helpful to evidence the economic impact of the area. Marine sector doesn’t have this so very difficult to say impact, which is why it’s helpful.
Question: Are councils doing anything to developing and attract economic skills within the council?
Answer: Currently a gap in the service but now recruiting an economic development officer and a marine projects officer, who will be able to take this work further.
Sam Gilmore, Head of Economic Growth and Infrastructure, Middlesborough Council
Question: Have you made any progress with the Middlesborough Town Commission? if so, which organisations sit on it?
Answer: Stakeholders include MPs that cover the area, institutional stakeholders ands major businesses. Previous groups have been too narrow in focus, this group can address major strategic interventions.
Question: How do you plan to manage the potential tension between growing the night time economy whilst also increasing private housing within the town centre in Middlesborough?
Answer: Minimum pricing will be introduced for licensing, to lift the clientele; element of passive surveillance, to prevent loitering; and the introduction of more activities, to further prevent loitering.
Question: After working with the advisors, is there anything the LAs will do differently beyond this project, particularly around how or when data is used?
Answer: Important to take some data with a pinch of salt. Crime data suggests crime is falling but the of perception of crime had increased, when this was dug into some businesses don’t report crime and antisocial behaviour anymore. Perceptions are what people make decisions about, not necessarily the data.
Question: Are councils doing anything to developing and attract economic skills within the council?
Answer: There’s currently a programme in public health for a research piece on research practices and disciplines. It can be difficult to develop this skills without funding.
Question: How did you choose the sector specific approaches through your projects? Did you have a full overview of existing and emerging sectors to inform priorities to begin with, or were the areas of focus more led by opportunity?
Answer: This was done with some optimism, Middlesborough has just received funding from the Towns Fund, which didn’t have to be split between multiple town centres. The headline strategies already existed but there was a gap in the evidence base.
Melanie Powell, Regeneration Manager, Rother District Council
Question: Any tips from all the speakers on getting the brief right? How much work did you need to do early on?
Answer: Don’t be over enthusiastic, as there was originally too much information in the Rother brief. Ensure that what’s being asked is clear and achievable within the timeframe. Don’t assume people have a good knowledge of your area, although a site visit can help with this.
Question: What are the council's next steps in terms of supporting the growing creative industries locally? What are the barriers?
Answer: The council has taken first steps by developing studio space in Bexhill and Rye, it’s quite a big step for the council to be running creative organisations. The biggest barrier has been communication with creatives, so it’s useful to have a go between for this purpose. Have developed an emerging artist’s programme for new graduates and have the end objective of establishing creative pathways.
Question: After working with the advisors, is there anything the LAs will do differently beyond this project, particularly around how or when data is used?
Answer: The council is trying to do a lot with few resources, really useful to have advisers that can have conversations with stakeholders. Useful for someone to be able to unpick the data that already exists.
Question: Are councils doing anything to developing and attract economic skills within the council?
Answer: Trying to grapple with skills, skill have been identified in the area but trying to get a better understanding of this.
Question: Is there any data on the financial health/resilience of the creatives that have moved into their new spaces?
Answer: Currently supporting them into new spaces and trying to form a community, in the hope they become long term residents.
Question: How did you choose the sector specific approaches through your projects? Did you have a full overview of existing and emerging sectors to inform priorities to begin with, or were the areas of focus more led by opportunity?
Answer: Has acted as a bit of a pacifier for rural members, as rural areas have mostly been left alone since covid. Now honing in on moving forward and knowing what direction businesses can go down.