Agenda for Enterprise, Employment & Major Projects Cabinet Member Meeting on Tuesday, 8th December, 2009, 5.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 207 KBVenue: Committee Room 3, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Caroline De Marco, Democratic Services Officer
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Procedural Business
(b) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the exempt categories is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls.
Minutes: 23a Declarations of Interests
23.1 There were none
23b Exclusion of Press and Public
23.2 In accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (“the Act), the Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Employment and Major Projects considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during an item of business on the grounds that it was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present during that item, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information (as defined in section 100A (3) of the Act) or exempt information (as defined in section 100I(I) of the Act).
23.3 RESOLVED – that the press and public be not excluded from the meeting.
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes of the Meeting held on 15 September 2009 (copy attached). Minutes: 24.1 Councillor Turton referred to paragraph 13.3 and asked why October 2009 had been set as a cut off date for the programme of support workshops for local businesses. The Economic Development Manager explained that the support had not been cut off but had been winding down. There would be a re-launch of the project. The Head of Culture and Economy reported that a detailed report on this subject had already been submitted to the Economy Task Force and would be made available to Councillor Turton.
24.2 RESOLVED – That the minutes held on 15 September 2009 be agreed and signed by the Cabinet Member.
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Cabinet Member's Communications Minutes: Lloyds TSB
25.1 The Cabinet Member reported that the council was very sorry to hear, last week, that Lloyds Banking Group announced plans to cut 580 local jobs, closing its contact centre at Sussex House in Grand Parade, Brighton by May 2010. As Lloyds was currently the fourth largest private sector employer in the city this had serious implications, and was clearly the largest loss of jobs for Brighton & Hove in this recession to date.
25.2 The city council was working closely with colleagues from the Regional Development Agency (SEEDA) and officers were in the process of setting up a Task Force to help all the affected employees to formulate a rapid response service in order to give staff at risk as much support as possible through this time, including offering tailored skills training and job matching services. A meeting to discuss this further with Lloyds was expected in early December.
Update on Response to the Ad Hoc Scrutiny Panel on Environmental Industries
25.3 The final Ad Hoc Scrutiny Panel review on Environmental Industries was received in October and in the Cabinet Member’s view it was an excellent and thorough piece of work that he welcomed from an economic development perspective. The department was currently formulating an Executive Response and would be arranging an additional Cabinet Member Meeting in January to consider this matter.
Digital Media Development
25.4 The Cabinet Member attended a very good inward investment workshop on digital media development in the city which was organised by Wired Sussex. The Regional Development Agency were there, along with UK Trade and Industry and it was a useful and productive session that he hoped would give the council a blueprint for how to chase and retain digital businesses for the city for the future.
Future Jobs Fund
25.5 The Cabinet Member reported that the Futures Jobs Fund scheme was progressing well. He carried out a special visit to Hove YMCA, one of the council’s partners in the scheme. Hove YMCA also had a ministerial visit on the same day.
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Items reserved for discussion (a) Items reserved by the Cabinet Member
(b) Items reserved by the Opposition Spokespersons
(c) Items reserved by Members, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member.
NOTE: Public Questions, Written Questions from Councillors, Petitions, Deputations, Letters from Councillors and Notices of Motion will be reserved automatically. Minutes: 26.1 All items were reserved for discussion. |
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Petitions No petitions have been received by the date of publication.
Minutes: 27.1 There were none.
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Public Questions (The closing date for receipt of public questions is 12 noon on 1 December 2009)
No public questions have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 28.1 There were none.
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Deputations (The closing date for receipt of deputations is 12 noon on 1 December 2009)
No deputations have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 29.1 There were none.
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Letters from Councillors No letters have been received.
Minutes: 30.1 There were none.
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Written Questions from Councillors Request for Update on i360 Project – Question from Councillor Davis (copy attached). Minutes: 31.1 Councillor Davis had submitted the following written question:
“Please can the Cabinet Member update us with developments on the i360 project?”
31.2 The Cabinet Member replied as follows:
“The i360 gained planning permission in 2006. All pre-start planning conditions have been discharged and sufficient works have been carried out to for the planning authority to confirm that the development has commenced.
The i360 gained planning permission in 2006. All pre-start planning conditions have been discharged and sufficient works have been carried out to for the planning authority to confirm that the development has commenced.
Agreements with the council as landowner are complete save for a few minor items.
Brighton i360 Limited is currently in discussion with potential funders to secure the remaining funding to enable the project to start. The council is working closely with Brighton i360 both to support the project itself and in bringing forward plans for the seafront arches and landscaping works adjacent to the development.
It remains Brighton i360’s aim to complete the i360 for opening in 2012. Agreements with the council as landowner are complete save for a few minor items.
Brighton i360 Limited is currently in discussion with potential funders to secure the remaining funding to enable the project to start. The council is working closely with Brighton i360 both to support the project itself and in bringing forward plans for the seafront arches and landscaping works adjacent to the development.
It remains Brighton i360’s aim to complete the i360 for opening in 2012.”
31.3 The Head of Culture and Economy explained that it was felt that the area around the i360 should not replicate the livelier noisier areas of the city. The arches at the back should be capitalised and used. The big spaces either side of the i360 could be used by artists and for events such as craft markets. Licensing arrangements would allow for light music outside and inside cafes.
31.4 RESOLVED – That the written question and response be noted.
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Notices of Motions No Notices of Motion have been received by the date of publication.
Minutes: 32.1 There were none.
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Business Retention and Inward Investment Strategy Report of Director of Culture & Enterprise (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: (1) The Cabinet Member is recommended to note the content of the report.
(2) Request further updates from the Director of Cultural Services on the actions contained within the Implementation Plan.
Minutes: 33.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Culture and Enterprise which gave an update on activities carried out in the first 6 months against the approved Business Retention and Inward Investment (BRII) Strategy and Implementation Plan. The Strategy and Implementation Plan was approved on 23 March 2009 and set out the framework for the city council to work with internal and external partners to safeguard and develop the economic base of the city; setting out actions to support and retain existing businesses and attract new ones to the city (for copy see minute book). It was reported that a welcome pack which would provide information to local businesses would be available by the end of the week.
33.2 Councillor Turton considered that the welcome pack was the right approach but noted that there were limited resources. He expressed concern that only one officer would be consigned to implement the strategy. He asked the Cabinet Member to request more resources for the strategy at full Cabinet.
33.3 The Cabinet Member replied that he would be happy to take up Councillor Turton’s comments about additional resources with the Leader of the Council.
33.4 Councillor Turton referred to paragraph 3.11 relating to business retention. He asked what would happen to this work after the General Election and asked officers to clarify what would happen if SEEDA was abolished.
33.5 The Cabinet Member said he would write to the Chair of SEEDA and the Shadow Minister to ask them for their views on this matter, and would inform Councillor Turton of the outcome.
33.6 RESOLVED – Having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations.
(1) That the content of the report be noted.
(2) That further updates be requested from the Director of Cultural Services on the actions contained within the Implementation Plan.
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