Agenda and minutes

Members will disclose any pecuniary and any other significant interests they may have in relation to the matters to be considered at this meeting.

None.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the previous meeting were confirmed as a correct record.

·         Economic Impact Model

·         Transforming Cities Fund

The Growth and Prosperity Programme Director, Blackpool Council (GPPD) provided an update on the Economic Impact Model and Transforming Cities Fund items.  The GPPD confirmed that discussions had taken place with regard to the Economic Impact Model and Wyre were now satisfied with the proposal and that consideration had been given to the possible roll out to other Lancashire authorities.  If it were rolled out in this manner, the cost would increase proportionately and it was going out to tender with a facility for other authorities to be included at their own expense and the Lancashire Economic Development Officers Group would also be looking at it  He stated that the Transforming Cities Fund had been agreed and approval given to the Preston bid (which includes proposals for Preston, South Ribble and Fylde) to move onto the next phase of development.  This would include work on South Fylde Line Loop. The overall work will be led by Lancashire County Council and an inception meeting is to be held on 6 March 2019 with the Department for Transport and an officer group established to take it forward including Fylde and Blackpool officers. The Chief Executive, Wyre Council asked the GPPD about the Land Release Fund for the building of residential homes on land at Blackpool Road, Poulton and whether it was time-restricted. The GPPD confirmed that it was and that, as Wyre hoped to gain approval of the Local Plan at an extraordinary meeting scheduled for 28 February 2019, he would double check and confirm the timeline in order to ensure that the funding would not be lost.

Presentation by Nick Smillie of Clarity Inward Investment Marketing Strategies.

Nick Smillie of Clarity Inward Investment Marketing Strategies provided a presentation to the Board on how Clarity and Diva were developing Blackpool’s investment promotion propositions and brand. The Board heard about the advancement of sector value propositions as a solid basis for brand development and the following sector strengths of Blackpool and its hinterland: 

·         aerospace and advanced engineering – the aerospace cluster and related sectors

·         advanced materials – the intersection of chemicals and advanced engineering

·         energy – nuclear, unconventional gas, offshore renewables food manufacturing - value-added products, clustering and cost advantages

·         business, professional and financial services.

He said that Blackpool and the surrounding area had a value combination of quality and reduced costs to encourage profitable business growth, including:

·         innovation in food manufacturing and advanced materials

·         technology-focused market opportunities integral to world-class industry clusters in aerospace, energy and advanced engineering

·         significant costs advantages and investor incentives like the Enterprise Zones

·         access to a large, highly skilled workforce at both technical and professional skills levels and access to leading universities and skills providers

·         large-scale town centre investment and reinvention with Grade A office proposition, conference centre and infrastructure

·         good connectivity.

The presentation focussed on how the brand would help raise the profile of Blackpool and the surrounding areas as a value-added location for businesses looking to relocate or expand and deliver a powerful business proposition by shifting current perceptions of Blackpool as a tourist destination.

He explained that the rationale behind using Blackpool as the unembellished brand name was because of its instant recognition and geographical context and said that the brand would be bold, confident, business-like, serious and forward looking to challenge and contrast with existing perceptions and assumptions. Important aspects were:

·         clear and coherent positioning to send powerful value proposition messages

·         versatility and flexibility - supporting multiple industry sectors and messages

·         compatibility with identified high-technology and high-growth sector strengths.

Next steps included an Inbound Internet Marketing Campaign to attract inward investment with key elements of

·         pro-actively building online business and intermediary networks

·         publishing and distributing content via website and business social media

·         projecting Blackpool’s ‘Value Proposition’ and ‘Influencer’ messages to provide support for the content

·         utilising multiple content formats - text, video and infographics

·         attracting audiences to the campaign’s ‘publishing website’ to consume content and then identifying those site visitors in order to build relationships

·         researching and identifying target business decision makers, influencers and intermediaries

·         including sponsored content.

There would be an initial focus on awareness raising via the messages “Blackpool Seriously Means Business” and “Blackpool, the place for business” and a strategic launch event to stimulate interest from Fylde Coast businesses and challenge perceptions which was to be held after May 2019.

Members discussed the information presented and agreed to the choice of Blackpool as the marketing brand name as brand recognition would be of the greatest practical value and potential investors would be unconcerned with municipal boundary lines.

As the proposals included the making of a Blackpool promotional video, the Chief Executive, Wyre said that a planned  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Report of the Growth and Prosperity Programme Director, Blackpool Council.

The Growth and Prosperity Programme Director, Blackpool Council submitted a report setting out a possible approach for the commitment of unallocated ESIF funds prior to a detailed paper being presented to the Lancashire ESIF Committee in January 2019 with a view to agreeing a plan for allocating remaining ESIF funds by the end of 2019.

Decision

The Board noted the report.

If the discussion during items 6 and 7 of this agenda involves the disclosure of “exempt information”, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the board wishes to move to confidential session, it may at any point pass the following resolution:

“That the public and press be excluded from the meeting whilst the agenda item(s) is/ are considered, on the grounds that their presence would involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in category 3 (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person, including the authority holding that information) of Part 1 of Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act, 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Variation Order 2006 and, that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information”.

The Board decided that the public and press should be excluded for the remaining items on the agenda and passed the following resolution: “That the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the remainder of the meeting, on the grounds that their presence would involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in category 3 (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) of Part 1 of Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act, 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Variation Order 2006 and, that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information”.

Report of the Head of Enterprise Zones, Blackpool Council.

The Head of Enterprise Zones, Blackpool Council submitted a progress report on the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone and provided additional information, which elaborated on more recent and unfolding developments.

Decision

The Board noted the report.

Report of the Senior Economic Development Officer, Wyre Council.

The Senior Economic Development Officer, Wyre Council submitted a progress report on the Hillhouse Enterprise Zone. The report was presented at the meeting by Marianne Hesketh, who confirmed that Wyre was still awaiting comments from the NPL Group regarding phasing and costings in order to progress the Implementation Plan.

Decision

The Board noted the report.

Provisional date and venue for the first meeting of 2019/20 suggested by Fylde Council: Tuesday 4 June 2019 to be held in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall St Annes at 2pm.

The Board agreed the time, date and venue for the first meeting of 2019/ 2020 as 2pm on Tuesday 4 June 2019 in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall in St Annes.

The meeting started at 2.00 pm and finished at 3.14 pm.

The reported submitted under item 11 of this agenda is “Not for Publication because it contains “exempt information”, as defined in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

If the Board agreed that the public and press should be excluded for this item and has not already done so, it will pass the following resolution:

“That the public and press be excluded from the meeting whilst agenda item 11 is considered, on the grounds that their presence would involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in category 3 (Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)) of Part 1 of Schedule 12(a) of the Local Government Act, 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Variation Order 2016 and, that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the interest”.

Report of the Growth and Prosperity Programme Director, Blackpool Council.

The Growth and Prosperity Programme Director, Blackpool Council submitted a report informing the Board of the process to complete LEDOG Local Authority Project Templates.

Decision

The Board noted the report.