Minutes of the Greater Peterborough Economic Development Partnership
07 March 2005
Attending: Mike Holland Smye Holland Associates
Mick Leggett Cross Keys Homes
Richard Hall Axiom Housing Association
Richard Astle GPP (item 3 only)
Councillor Thorpe PCC
Roger Tallowin O&H Hampton Ltd
Mike Holland Fenland DC
John Bridge Cambs CCI
Richard Dade DWD Property
Robert Dalgliesh City Centre Forum
Carolyn Hume Job Centre Plus
David Nicholls Business Link
Nick Plumb Greenwoods Professional Services
Advisors Neil Darwin PCC – Economic and Community Regeneration Will Spinner PCC – Economic and Community Regeneration Adam Speed PCC – Corporate Services
David Moir Open 4 Business Project
Katie Hart High Growth Start Up Project
1.
Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence were received from Allan Arnott (Perkins Engines), Gloria Milne (GPIA), Karen Bartlett (EEDA), Peter Smith (APV Barker), Liz Wade (PCC) and Ed Zerafa (PCC).
It was agreed that Neil Darwin would chair the meeting in the absence of Allan Arnott.
2.
Minutes of Meeting Held 05 January 2005
The minutes were accepted as an accurate record of the meeting.
3.
Matters Arising
A report was circulated outlining a possible funding formula for the GPP to help deliver the Community Strategy and to allow the partnerships to work in a more strategic and cohesive way than they have done so far.
Richard Astle explained that the GPP board had agreed that the way forward would be to spread the funding across the partnerships.
Following discussion the group agreed in principal that it should contribute to the funding, however, it was difficult to see where the money would come from.
Neil Darwin to investigate the possibility of funding opportunities through business rates.
Richard Astle to report back to the group with further options.
4.
Update on Pathways to Prosperity research by Shared
Intelligence
A paper was circulated on the “Net additional employment change in current and faster growth scenarios, 2001-2021.”
Following discussion the group felt that the figures for construction seemed too low.
Action
Neil Darwin to challenge these figures with Lee Shostak and to circulate the latest version of the full document.
The group agreed that Peterborough should be aiming high and decided that the growth scenario 2 should be the minimum target.
The group also felt that slow responses from Council departments was hindering this growth and it would be useful to have representatives of these departments present at a GPEDP meeting to hear these debates.
Action
Gillian Beasley, Greame Law and the new Head of Legal and Democratic Services will be invited to a future GPEDP meeting when this issue will be discussed further.
Following discussion it was agreed that the group should prepare a paper for the meeting with Council Officers highlighting their concerns and also what is working well. A lot of this information will be contained in the minutes of the Property Forum.
Action
Minutes of the property forum to be circulated and discussed further at the next meeting.
5.
Draft Strategy
A copy of Greater Manchester’s Economic Development Plan was circulated.
The group agreed that Peterborough’s strategy should follow a similar format.
6.
Business Plan 2005/6
Will Spinner updated the group on the progress of the business plan. It was due to be resubmitted to EEDA on the 11/03/05 and it was hoped that EEDA would approve the plan by the end of March 2005.
Action
Will Spinner to provide the group with a summary of the Business Plan.
7.
Encluster Initiative Presentation
As Simon Chiva was unable to attend the meeting this item was postponed.
8.
Open 4 Business Project
David Moir updated the group on the Open 4 Business project, a programme of business awareness skills workshops for people who have gained a vocational qualification from college and may look to start up a business at some point in their careers.
Over a two-year period it is forecast that the project will meet most of its targets in terms of numbers.
The project has been a success in encouraging people to set up businesses but also in encouraging people not to set up businesses that aren’t viable.
9.
High Growth Start Up Project
Katie Hart updated the group on the High Growth Start up Project.
To date the take up has been very disappointing, the target was set at 90 beneficiaries per year for two years. So far the project has only received 19 applications from the Peterborough area, of which, only 8 qualified as beneficiaries of the scheme.
Katie asked the group for ideas on how to go about stimulating an entrepreneurial culture in Peterborough and how best to engage with these businesses.
The group felt that a lot of the success in the Cambridge area was down to links with the University. It may be possible to engage with students at University whose family homes are in Greater Peterborough.
It was agreed that the group was still supportive of the project and needed to re-affirm this with EEDA. Even though the targets haven’t been met the project fits in with the partnership’s high aims for Peterborough.
Action
If the group has any further suggestions for engaging with businesses and potential applicants they can pass them on to Neil Darwin and his team who will be happy to forward them to Katie.
10.
AOB
New Structures
Action
Neil Darwin and the core group will draft the new terms of reference.