What Happened in September?

Transcription

1 What Happened in September? This month the Government announced that it will provide core funding to local enterprise partnerships to help drive economic growth. Gloucestershire LEP, along with the other 38 LEPs, will receive 125,000 this year and up to 250,000 per LEP for the next two years dependent upon match funding. The broadband project, which GFirst has been leading on, has taken a step closer. Last month councils in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire agreed to enter into final negotiations with a single supplier to deliver high-speed broadband to rural areas. The supplier is expected to be announced in October, following final talks. We will also be working with Tewkesbury Borough, Cheltenham Borough and Gloucester City councils to develop a growth strategy to forecast the future development need for the county. The councils are putting together a Joint Core Strategy (JCS) to look at land suitable for future development over the next 20 years. We have been asked by the councils to look at the areas economic potential and forecast its future growth need, which will be used as an evidence base for the JCS document. A monthly column by Diane Savory and David Owen is expected to be launched in the Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo in October. It will appear in the papers on the second Tuesday of each month and be sent out as a newsletter by us later that week. For more information about the latest work and press releases from Gloucestershire LEP visit GLOUCESTERSHIRE & WEST OF ENGLAND REPORT BY TERRY MORGAN TO REGIONAL COMMITTEE MEETING 27 th September BRIEF NOTES ON FSB WORK WITH THE GLOUCESTERSHIRE LEP Key Priorities for FSB continue to be: Public Procurement, Tourism, Education/Skills, Business Support/funding & Exports. These are largely addressed via the Business Membership Group (BMG).

2 Updates: Public Procurement. Terry Lockwood continues to lead on this with Richard Jefferies (CBI) Progress already made in talking with the NHS, Police, University, GCHQ, MoD as well as the LAs and County Council. Terry Lockwood attended a national procurement for SMEs conference in London - speakers were Mike Cherry (FSB National Policy) and Claire Smart (Glos CC Head of Procurement). An event & workshop aimed at helping more SMEs to successfully bid for contracts was postponed from a date in October and is now scheduled for November. We need help with more case studies successes and failures. Public Sector Procurement work is to be extended into trying to understand Private Sector Supply Chains eg local SMEs supplying local Engineering Companies and Manufacturers. This will involve work with the LEP Engineering & Manufacturing Sector Group. Tourism. Cotswold Tourism strategy is heavily focussed on international marketing of the Cotswold brand to China, Russia, Japan, Brazil etc. FSB has been saying for a long time that more focus needs to be made on marketing the Cotswold brand in UK and Europe. This is now accepted but resources are limited. Progress has also been made with the Cotswold Tourism Group in persuading them that many SMEs (especially independent retail, pubs, cafes, restaurants, events & festival organisers etc) are totally disengaged with the tourism strategy or with the marketing process. We have now been asked to put together a small group to look at hooks that will engage more SMEs and get them to join Cotswold Tourism. By being members they can then start to influence the marketing strategy. We are still looking for suitable individuals to join this group which will meet for the first time in mid-november. Education/Skills: There are many initiatives going on across the County. Most are trying to operate within the current education system which, as past FSB experience has shown, then poses many problems. Few initiatives have involved the kids themselves. In Stroud & S Cotswolds, Shirley Hill has been leading on an initiative (supported by the local Youth Council) aimed at improving careers advice and work experience opportunities etc. A Job Description is being drafted for someone to work independently of the schools to address this. Local MPs Geoffrey Clifton-Brown & Neil Carmichael are supporting this. Reports are available. Business Support/Funding: Much of this is being rolled out via Business West (County Chamber). The BMG has identified a problem here in that information is not being communicated widely enough and especially outside Cheltenham & Gloucester. We are trying to address this.

3 Exports: The Gloucestershire Exports Programme (aimed at finding and then supporting new potential exporters, especially amongst SMEs) was launched in June. This had the support of all the major banks and bigger local companies who were keen to be involved. However, two attempts to meet to discuss a way forward (eg to agree a programme of events and meetings and discuss a way to tailor individual support for suitable businesses have so far failed. UKTI have now cancelled two meetings even after HSBC/Lloyds TSB had arranged venues and invites went out. The matter has been raised by FSB/BMG with the C/E of GFirst and the Chair of the LEP. UKTI & Business West (who hold the UKTI SW contract) have been asked to explain. There is long held concern about the way UKTI operates. This has been raised with FSB National Policy in the past and again recently using this latest example. TERRY MORGAN September 2012 What s happening at GFirst in October 2012? October 1 - David Owen presenting at the IEDC conference on utilising key assets for growth Atlas Advertising Economic Development Benchmarking Survey awards GFirst is a top three finalist Marie Claire Brazil media visit Borders Broadband Project Visit to Cornwall Superfast Broadband Project to share best practice Installation of Chancellor and Pro Chancellor at the University of Gloucestershire October 2 Meeting with Forest of Dean District Council regarding retail support October 3 Sporting Connections at Ellenborough Park October 4 Teleconference with Lincolnshire LEP about retail Construction and Infrastructure Sector Group meeting at Bruton Knowles, Gloucester Gloucestershire Ambassador of the Year Award presented at the Gloucestershire Business Awards, Cheltenham Racecourse USA, Canada and Brazil media visit October 5 - Meeting with BIS and Association of Convenient Stores Gloucestershire Infrastructure Investment Fund Local Investment Team meeting October 8 Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing Sector Group meeting, venue TBC October 9 - Retail Newsletter Leadership conference Shire Hall, Gloucestershire

4 October 10 Joint Core Strategy workshop at GFirst, Llanthony Warehouse October 11 - Marie Claire Benelux media visit GEBP practice interviews at Barnwood Park Arts College, Gloucester, for 150 Year 10 students. No volunteers currently needed. Meeting with Julian Wain, chief executive of Gloucester City Council at Herbert Warehouse October 12 - Gloucestershire Olympic Reception at the National Star College Forest Means Business Grow Business Breakfast at Vantage Point Business Park, Mitcheldean Exploration meeting with BDUK, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire on a potential Mobile Infrastructure Project at GFirst, Llanthony Warehouse October 15 - Business Advisory Group at GFirst, Llanthony Warehouse Procurement meeting with the Business Membership Group, GFirst, GCC, UoG, NHS, GCHQ, MOD and PCT at Shire Hall, Gloucester China media visit October 16 - Key Stakeholder Meeting (BIS) - Retail project Gloucestershire Apprenticeship Challenge group meeting at GFirst, Llanthony Warehouse October 17 Business and Professional Services Sector Group meeting at Rickerbys, Cheltenham GEBP Young Dragons event being held at Cheltenham College for 90 Year 9 students. No volunteers currently needed October 18 Logistics Sector Group meeting at GFirst Banking Sector Group meeting at Lloyds TSB, Barnwood GEBP Higher Level Practice Interviews being held at The Crypt School, Gloucester, for 90 Year 13 students. No volunteers currently needed. LEPs and Regulating for Growth meeting at GFirst, Llanthony Warehouse October 22 - Bi-monthly call to local council chief executives GRCC board meeting at Cathedral House October 23 - GFirst Board Meeting October 24 Local Government PAG Presentation on Retail Pathfinder work Creative Industries Sector Group meeting, venue TBC Washington Post media visit October 25 - Six monthly meeting with local MPs at the Houses of Parliament October 31 - Nature Business Awards (Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust) at Houses of Parliament

5 For more information about What s happening at GFirst in October 2012 or to provide information for What s happening at GFirst in November Sarah Webb, sarah.webb@glosfirst.co.uk. Copy for the October edition must be sent to Sarah by October 25 please.