Issue - meetings

To receive a report into the workings of the Economic Development Team (EDT) so that the Committee has a better understanding of the activities the team is engaged with to help promote the economic vitality of the Borough.

To introduce this item a short video, which had been produced by the Team to attract businesses to the borough in support of its inward investment role, was shown to the Committee. 

The Economic Development Manager and the Senior Economic Development Officer gave an overview of the work the team was involved in to help promote the economic vitality of the Borough.

This included: the distribution of the Welcome Back Fund (an extension of the re-opening High Streets Safely Fund), Recovery Plan, Spelthorne Business Awards, Economic Assessment, Economic Strategy 2022-2027, Additional Restrictions Grant, Youth Hub and Youth App, Apprentice Levy, Spelthorne Business Hub and Inward Investment.

Members asked the officers questions about specific areas of their work and their objectives and targets. The Group Head for Regeneration and Growth responded to a question from a member on how the Team measured its success and agreed it would be a helpful exercise to seek the views of local businesses on how well they thought the Team was doing.

The Economic Development Manager indicated that the involvement of the Committee was key to the development of the new Economic Strategy and a report on an updated Local Economic Assessment which will underpin the new strategy would come to the Committee at its next meeting.

It was agreed that a copy of the Local Economic Assessment and the current Economic Development Strategy would be provided to members for their information.

Resolved to note the report on the work of the Economic Development Team.