WORCESTERSHIRE LOCAL ENTERPRISE PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING Thursday 22nd January 2015 3.00 pm- 5.00 pm Coomber Electronics, Brindley Road, Worcester WR4 9FB AGENDA 1. Welcome and Apologies 2. Minutes of WLEP Board Meeting on 25 September 2014 (5 mins) 3. Matters Arising (5 mins) - Action List - Correspondence 4. WLEP Business Plan 2015-2018 – Gary Woodman (20 mins) 5. Growth Deal Update – Ian Edwards (10 mins) 6. EU Structural Investment Fund Strategy Update - Gary Woodman (5 mins) 7. World Class Worcestershire – Gary Woodman (10 mins) 8. Business Report – Roy Irish (5 mins) 9. Sub Reports – Gary Woodman (10 mins) 10. UK Agri-Food/Agri-Tech Sector Regulation Exemplar Project (5 mins) 11. Finance, Audit & Risk Committee – Chris Walklett (10 mins) 12. Budget - Gary Woodman (To Follow) (5 mins) 13. Chair’s Report (including WM LEP Chairs and LEP Network) - Peter Pawsey (5 mins) 14. Combined Authorities Consultation – Gary Woodman (10 mins) 15. Any Business 16. Dates of Meetings in 2015: - 2nd April 2015 - 21st May 2015 - 23rd July 2015 - 24th September 2015
Delivery Framework For Employment And Skills Overall objective: To build an internationally recognised, highly competitive, innovative business location with better productivity and sustainable economic growth Overall goals: 25k extra jobs, 2.9bn increase in GVA, 21.5k extra homes, by 2025, from 2013 baseline Objectives Goals Strategic Priorities Measures 1 Improve skill levels with focus on STEM, Cyber and Agri-tech skills Increase average salary levels from x to y # residents with NVQ6+ increased from x to y Monitor employment and skills programmes to identify and address gaps Initial plan in place by May 2015 Increase the levels of competence in STEM skills Feasibility study for UTC by May 2015 HWGTA open Sept’ 2015 Prospectus for what STEM training is available for schools by Sept’ 2015 Have 800 Engineering Apprenticeships filled from training providers by 2014/15 Increase the levels of competence in skills Develop a skills strategy for the Agritech Sector by June 2015 Develop a cyber skills strategy for county Initial strategy to be developed by April 2015 2. Provide businesses with the skills they need through better connections with education 1000 work placements by 2016 Provide young people with careers guidance for getting a job within Worcs. Careers progression – IT & engineering and horticulture rolled out by Spring 2015 Portal roll-out – 150 businesses on portal by Autumn 2016 Skills competency tool – registration levels 2500 by September 2015 Next steps for Careers Advice Trailblazer project Spring 2015. Increasing direct business involvement in schools 20% school governors from business by 2016, increased from y Ensure teachers have right levels of training & understanding of local employers needs CPD careers training – Annual CPD opportunities to be launched September 2015 Work with education (FE & HE) to strengthen learning to further meet local employer needs First steps on supply / demand analysis by May 2015 3. Increase the number of job opportunities with focus on youth 10,000 new apprenticeships by x Increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities and the uptake from young people Apprenticeship clearing house in place by Sept’ 2015 Increase the number of graduate opportunities Support for graduate recruitment in by March 2016 Provide a centre for integrated careers, employment and business support Employment hubs in Worcester, Kidderminster and Redditch by 2016 Note:
initial Social Economic Inclusion model developed by July 2015 which will impact all three objectives Query whether objective 3 should be focused on youth cf other groups e.g. over 50s Delivery Framework For Business Growth Overall objective: To an internationally recognised, highly competitive, innovative business location with better productivity and sustainable economic growth Overall 25k extra jobs, 2.9bn increase in GVA, 21.5k extra homes, by 2025, from 2013 baseline Objectives Strategic Priorities Measures 1.Help businesses to grow through providing the right support, access to finance and reducing regulatory burden Proportion of surviving that reach £1m Proportion of “high growth” businesses Levels of exports increased from 17%, to 25% by 2025 Providing businesses access to finance to help them grow 1605 businesses supported by 2022 Reducing regulatory burdens for businesses, focusing on priority growth sectors Agri-tech framework commences in April 2015 and completed by March 2017 Create a 1-stop shop for public and private sector advice and support 5k businesses engaged on growth hub by March 2016 Full contact details of 23k businesses by March 2016 Engage and support businesses that are in the priority growth sectors and / or experiencing significant growth 550 business engaged by 2022 2.Develop an environment where innovation can flourish with a focus on agri-tech, cyber and STEM % employees in industries # patents Linking up businesses to share ideas and encourage innovation Innovation network established by end 2015 Helping businesses to get a new ideas off the ground Innovation incubator completed by April 2015 Proof of concept fund – 80 businesses supported and 52 jobs created by 2018 (from 2015 base) Connecting universities & businesses to access the innovation happening within academia # businesses supported Notes: Access to finance – includes monitor progress of West midland fund of funds and overseeing Worcestershire Expansion Programme grant scheme, acting as a broker and creator of funds Reducing regulatory burden – pioneering a UK pilot for simplified regulatory compliance to help SMEs expand (unique across all LEPs). Starting with agri-tech and then developing similar frameworks for other priority growth sectors 1 stop shop – includes input and lobby for an enhanced Growth Hub (building on Business Central model), agree what it should compromise and how it’s managed going forwards Supporting growth businesses – additional tailored support for growing companies and those in growth sectors, assumes the use of brokers; includes supporting development of “Advised in Worcestershire” and golden envelope concept (from away day) and localised advice clinics
WLEP (1) Murphy Agreed Local Authority (3) Mike Webb (North Worcestershire & Economy Cabinet Portfolio, Bromsgrove) Simon Geraghty, Deputy Leader WCC South Worcestershire - awaited Invitation to Authorities' Leaders Panel; Nomination (Leader/Cabinet Member for Economy) Business Partners (including businesses and social enterprise) (5) Chris Hallam, Santander (Corporate/Large SME) 1 SME? Adrian Leonard, Business Solicitor (SME) Richard Nicol, Together Group (Social Enterprise) Helena Baxter, HB Consulting (Micro) Business nominations sought from recent WLEP Business Recruitment Process Voluntary & Community Sector (1) Richard Quallington Independent NCVO Recruitment Panel Process Equalities & Non Discrimination i.e. young people, women, ethnicity, elderly (1) Julianna Crowe Independent NCVO Recruitment Process Environment (with sustainable development expertise) (1) Throup (WLNP Chair) Agreed. Nominated by WLNP Trade Union and employer representation (1) Stephen Brown, Musicians Union Agreed. Nominated by MU and TUC Higher Education (1) O’Malley, Pro-Business Vice Chancellor, University of Worcester University nomination Education, Skills and Employment (1) Andy Dobson, Kidderminster College Agreed by College Principals Rural (1) Caroline Bedell, CLA Nominated Managing Authorities for ESI and BIS Local (5) Nicola Kelly (DCLG) Roger Allonby (Defra) Crook (BIS WM) Michelle Dunn (SFA) Greg Westwood(BLF) Ann Williams (DWP) All confirmed Others as needed by the Worcestershire LEP ESIF Committee 7.0 WORLD CLASS WORCESTERSHIRE