Agenda and minutes

Councillor John Clarke  - other Council business

Resolvedfor Broxtowe Borough Council to hold the Vice-Chair role for the municipal year 2020/21 with Councillor MilanRadulovic appointed for this meeting.

None.

Of the meeting held on 6 March 2020 (for confirmation)

Subject to the following amendments, the minutes of the meeting held on 6 March 2020, were confirmed as a true record and will be signed by the Chair:

a)  Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams is to be referred to as such, and not Councillor;

b)  Councillor Simon Greaves is removed from the membership and Councillor Jo White is referred to as Vice-Chair as the member representing Bassetlaw District Council.

Report of the Corporate Director, Development & Growth, Nottingham City Council

Anthony May, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire County Council, delivered a presentation which is circulated with the initial publication of the minutes and included the following points:

a)  The County Council has already published its Economic Recovery Action Plan with 11 actions, but a few months ago a new committee was commissioned ‘Resilience, Recovery and Renewal Committee’ at which all matters related to COVID-19 are discussed. An Economic Recovery Pan has been approved, based on 2017 Council Plan aims, with the addition of a response to COVID-19, and  with consideration and inclusion of the national economic headwind;

b)  COVID-19 has slowed our town and shopping centre activity and whilst Central Government has responded with support schemes, this funding is soon to be reduced, and local action will also be necessary;

c)  The Economic Recovery Plan is proposed to be effective between now and March 2021. The three key focuses have been established as:

i.  Supporting people with job support schemes, job creation programmes, and advancing workforce skill development. This includes employability programs and a focus, via the joint City and County company ‘Futures’, for young people under the age of 25;

ii.  Develop and support inward business investment, including building resilience into town centres, focusing on Small, Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and working with universities, whilst also managing carbon reduction opportunities;

iii.  Promote Nottinghamshire as a place, both as a visitor destination and as an attractive place to live and work with good infrastructure, logistics and digital accessibility. The market strategy is being reviewed but existing brands and heritage sites will be further promoted. (Nottinghamshire citizens now have 98.22% access to 5G broadband with gigabyte coverage up to 14%);

d)  Data provided by the Midlands Engine Economic Observatory is proving invaluable in understanding, tracking and monitoring up-to-date information on the impact and influence on the local economy. This is helping to direct and support the local recovery plan and provide statistical evidence which may be utilised in grant funding applications;

e)  With the decommissioning of the power stations, work continues with partners to provide viable future options and is progressing well with the aims of the recovery plan influencing other residential developments;

f)  Travel solutions are being considered within the County including the ‘20 minute neighbourhood’, particularly for new and evolving residential developments, whereby the main local facilities are within 20 minute’s sustainable travel from citizens’ homes;

Questions from the Committee were responded to as follows by Anthony May and Councillor Kay Cutts:

g)  Nationally, business grant fraud is becoming apparent, where grants have been submitted in the name of businesses without their knowledge. The County Council’s Trading Standards Team have been doing a lot of work during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on related fraud and scams, but for more specific details, a response can be provided to members following the meeting;

h)  The ‘20 minute town /city’ concept is gaining support across the world and the County Council is working with District Councils to promote it for new developments such  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Katherine Marriott, Chief Executive of Rushcliffe Borough Council, provided a brief verbal update on the N2 Environmental Projects, highlighting the following points:

a)  A workshop is held every six weeks, which is attended by all local authorities throughout the County and including the City and some voluntary sector and non-profit organisations. Work has continued but is being reshaped due to COVID-19;

b)  Areas of focus:

i.  Solar PV panels on leisure centres. Feasibility studies have been completed but there is now some uncertainty of the future shape of leisure facilities which are struggling with the impact of COVID-19;

ii.  Low carbon retro fitting of social housing continues with further funding identified;

iii.  A low carbon check list for Planners has been developed with support to help Planners and Developers, including training events for sustainable new build properties. Also a County wide low carbon Supplementary Planning Framework draft document has been developed. However, further refinement is needed now that Central Government is due to respond to future homes standards consultations;

iv.  A bid has been submitted for LGA ‘Design In The Public Sector’ grant funding to develop a communications platform to ensure consistent messages are issued across the county;

v.  3 sites potential sites have initially been identification for low energy and low carbon vehicle depot sites within the wider EM region;

vi.  Reviews are being undertaken for the decarbonisation of fleet vehicles and the options for electrification of LA Depots, including changing fuel sources;

vii.  Work continues to connect with larger business to lead on carbon neutral mentoring with smaller business and encouraging ‘shop local, shop safe’ to support the local economy and lower fuel usage;

viii.  Re-evaluation is taking place on the approach to home working which will lower organisational carbon footprints and travel costs. This will also provide opportunities to use Council buildings more creatively in future.

Anthony May, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire County Council, updated the Committee with regard to Brexit, as follows:

a)  The country is in a transition period until the end on 31 Dec 2020. Central Government is currently trying to negotiate departure terms so there is a limit to how much we can prepare with so much still unknown, but it is anticipated that a meeting on EU Summit on 15 October 2020 will be a decisive point. In the transition period so far, work has been less intense as activity has been focused on COVID-19 related matters, but the pace is quickening and effectively there are two potential directions; to leave with new terms or no terms. Locally business is preparing for these;

b)  Up to and beyond 15 October 2020, Local Authorities can expect an acceleration of Government requests for local business data.

Anthony May, Chief Executive of Nottinghamshire County Council, updated the Committee with regard to the Development Corporation, as follows:

a)  Central Government asked the East Midlands Engine to investigate the potential for a single integrated vision and delivery vehicle to identify key sites along the HS2 line, mainly around the airport, the Ratcliffe on Soar power station and Toton hub area;

b)  The Corporation has been working with Government for 18 months and is well advanced in producing a business case, which has proved that working with an integrated approach is more beneficial than marketing sites individually;

c)  The final business case is to be submitted to Government in the spring. The 5 most effected Councils will come together and collaborate on an interim integrated vehicle and move forward while Government determines the shape and form of the final Development Corporation;

d)  There has been a lot of momentum and support across all partners, with the next key meeting in October. Progress has been positive and Central Government is encouraging and endorses the implementation of the interim stage.