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Partners
- Cannock Chase District Council
- East Staffordshire Borough Council
- Lichfield District Council
- South Staffordshire Council
- Stafford Borough Council
- Tamworth Borough Council
- Southern Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- West Midlands Learning and Skills Council
- Staffordshire University
- Advantage West Midlands
- Burton College
- Cannock College
- Tamworth & Lichfield College
- Business Enterprise Support Ltd
- Stafford Chamber of Commerce
- Business Link West Midlands
Advocacy
Advocacy
Working for Southern Staffordshire
The Partnership takes a leading role in advocating the needs of Southern Staffordshire to the key strategic bodies such as Advantage West Midlands and Government Office for the West Midlands.
We are currently seeking to influence the following:
- Regional Spatial Strategy
- West Midlands Economic Strategy
- Birmingham, Coventry and Black Country City Region
- Staffordshire Local Area Agreement
- Sub National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration
Regional Spatial Strategy
The Partnership is engaging with the West Midlands Regional Assembly and Government Office to ensure that the partial review of the Regional Spatial Strategy addresses the housing and employment needs of Southern Staffordshire. The Partnership's response to the Phase 2 review of the RSS can be accessed below.
West Midlands Economic Strategy
Towards the end of 2007 AWM published the new Regional Economic Strategy and Delivery Framework. Throughout 2007 there was significant consultation to inform this process including improving the regional evidence base on productivity, economic geography and sectors; the identification of policy choices; and most recently a draft Economic Strategy
Our response to the draft Strategy welcomes the new focus on Business, Place and People; calls for more emphasis on enterprise support particularly amongst young people; identifies a need to significantly raise aspirations and focus on exploiting the existing drivers of growth across the region; and questions the lack of reference to the 'economic geography' part of the AWM evidence base that identifies the potential of the so called E3l belt.
In the early part of 2008, we submitted our response to the draft Delivery Framework which can be accessed below.
Pictured: Mahmood Azam, Head of Regeneration at East Staffordshire Borough Council, meets representatives from Advantage West Midlands to look at development sites in Burton
Birmingham, Coventry & Black Country City Region
The Partnership view is that the City Region Plan must convey a greater understanding of the interdependencies administrative boundaries and recognise the various inter relationships between towns in southern Staffordshire and the consultation as a whole. The Partnership has given in principle support to the City Region Plans and is represented on the Shadow Programme Board by its Director.
The Partnership Director met with the City Region Director, Simon Murphy, and the Regional Shire's Advisor, Peter Davenport, in May to discuss how the City Region Plan can benefit and be supported by Southern Staffordshire.
The City Region Director has recently reviewed the effectiveness of the Shadow Programme Board and attached below is our response to this review. Most of our comments were taken on board and a new more effective Stakeholders Forum has been set up.
Staffordshire Local Area Agreement
The Partnership has taken a lead role, with the County Council, in developing the 'Economic Development and Enterprise Block' of the LAA. The vision is for a high value economy underpinned by 5 high level outcomes and 24 priority initiatives. This has now been reviewed as part of a 'refresh' and a new LAA for 2008-11 has been submitted to GOWM early in 2008.
The Partnership has also taken the lead role for developing the 'Blocks' Flagship project to improve 'business engagement' across the County. The latest Economic Development Block newsletter detailing recent activity can be accessed below.
To help underpin the achievement of the high level outcomes in the economic development Block of the LAA, we will seek to significantly improve the level of engagement between the public sector and the business community. Local business consultants Artistic Creations were commisioned to carry out a scoping report (below) into current business engagement arrangements and make recommendations for improvements.
This Partnership is also working closely with officers at the County Council to develop an appropriate structure for carrying out an 'economic assessment' of the area which has been trialed as a new duty within the SNR consultation.
Sub National Review of Economic Development & Regeneration
The Sub National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration was published at the end of March and a consultation period ran until mid June.
The consultation paper 'Prosperous Places' puts forward proposals to give RDA's a more strategic role whilst offering the delegation of funding and project delivery to a sub regional and district level.
The key criteria driving the sub national review are:
• Regions and places being able to respond more flexibly and quickly to changing economic circumstances
• Interventions being prioritised effectively and focused on tackling market failures
• Resources being deployed more efficiently with effective coordination between policies
• Measures being based on evidence, properly appraised and evaluated
One of the main conclusions is that there would be benefits from greater working at the sub regional level. The review sets out the Government view of the local authority role as to take responsibility for the well being of an area and the people who live there, and to promote their interests and their future. To achieve this the review argues for partnership working by Local Authorities through LSP’s/LAAs to undertake the following measures
• Provide clear transparent leadership for raising prosperity
• Develop a vision for the future of the local economy
• Support for the development of the regional strategies
• Use of available resources and powers to develop the economy
• Leverage investment from the private sector
• Ensure that business support is coordinated
The review recognises a need to strenghthen the regional tier and argues for a single integrated regional strategy which sets out the economic, social and environmental objectives for the region. In strengthening the accountability of RDAs, the Government proposes to end Regional Assemblies in their current format and give local authorities a direct scrutiny role. Importantly in terms of the economic strategy there is a clear desire to have delivery at a more local level (6.48 … expect the RDAs to delegate responsibility for spending to local authorities or sub regions wherever possible, unless there is a clear case for retaining the spending at the regional level. RDAs will need to be satisfied that the body receiving funding has the necessary capacity)
This review has clear implications and opportunities for economic development in Southern Staffordshire and has been discussed at the Executive Board. Much of the review has been welcomed by the Partnership and we will formally responding before 22 June deadline.
Working for Southern Staffordshire
We are currently seeking to influence the following:
- Regional Spatial Strategy
- West Midlands Economic Strategy
- Birmingham, Coventry and Black Country City Region
- Staffordshire Local Area Agreement
- Sub National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration
Regional Spatial Strategy
The Partnership is engaging with the West Midlands Regional Assembly and Government Office to ensure that the partial review of the Regional Spatial Strategy addresses the housing and employment needs of Southern Staffordshire. The Partnership's response to the Phase 2 review of the RSS can be accessed below.
West Midlands Economic Strategy
Towards the end of 2007 AWM published the new Regional Economic Strategy and Delivery Framework. Throughout 2007 there was significant consultation to inform this process including improving the regional evidence base on productivity, economic geography and sectors; the identification of policy choices; and most recently a draft Economic Strategy
Our response to the draft Strategy welcomes the new focus on Business, Place and People; calls for more emphasis on enterprise support particularly amongst young people; identifies a need to significantly raise aspirations and focus on exploiting the existing drivers of growth across the region; and questions the lack of reference to the 'economic geography' part of the AWM evidence base that identifies the potential of the so called E3l belt.
In the early part of 2008, we submitted our response to the draft Delivery Framework which can be accessed below.
Birmingham, Coventry & Black Country City Region
The Partnership view is that the City Region Plan must convey a greater understanding of the interdependencies administrative boundaries and recognise the various inter relationships between towns in southern Staffordshire and the consultation as a whole. The Partnership has given in principle support to the City Region Plans and is represented on the Shadow Programme Board by its Director.
The Partnership Director met with the City Region Director, Simon Murphy, and the Regional Shire's Advisor, Peter Davenport, in May to discuss how the City Region Plan can benefit and be supported by Southern Staffordshire.
The City Region Director has recently reviewed the effectiveness of the Shadow Programme Board and attached below is our response to this review. Most of our comments were taken on board and a new more effective Stakeholders Forum has been set up.
Staffordshire Local Area Agreement
The Partnership has taken a lead role, with the County Council, in developing the 'Economic Development and Enterprise Block' of the LAA. The vision is for a high value economy underpinned by 5 high level outcomes and 24 priority initiatives. This has now been reviewed as part of a 'refresh' and a new LAA for 2008-11 has been submitted to GOWM early in 2008.
The Partnership has also taken the lead role for developing the 'Blocks' Flagship project to improve 'business engagement' across the County. The latest Economic Development Block newsletter detailing recent activity can be accessed below.
To help underpin the achievement of the high level outcomes in the economic development Block of the LAA, we will seek to significantly improve the level of engagement between the public sector and the business community. Local business consultants Artistic Creations were commisioned to carry out a scoping report (below) into current business engagement arrangements and make recommendations for improvements.
This Partnership is also working closely with officers at the County Council to develop an appropriate structure for carrying out an 'economic assessment' of the area which has been trialed as a new duty within the SNR consultation.
Sub National Review of Economic Development & Regeneration
The Sub National Review of Economic Development and Regeneration was published at the end of March and a consultation period ran until mid June.
The consultation paper 'Prosperous Places' puts forward proposals to give RDA's a more strategic role whilst offering the delegation of funding and project delivery to a sub regional and district level.
The key criteria driving the sub national review are:
• Regions and places being able to respond more flexibly and quickly to changing economic circumstances
• Interventions being prioritised effectively and focused on tackling market failures
• Resources being deployed more efficiently with effective coordination between policies
• Measures being based on evidence, properly appraised and evaluated
One of the main conclusions is that there would be benefits from greater working at the sub regional level. The review sets out the Government view of the local authority role as to take responsibility for the well being of an area and the people who live there, and to promote their interests and their future. To achieve this the review argues for partnership working by Local Authorities through LSP’s/LAAs to undertake the following measures
• Provide clear transparent leadership for raising prosperity
• Develop a vision for the future of the local economy
• Support for the development of the regional strategies
• Use of available resources and powers to develop the economy
• Leverage investment from the private sector
• Ensure that business support is coordinated
The review recognises a need to strenghthen the regional tier and argues for a single integrated regional strategy which sets out the economic, social and environmental objectives for the region. In strengthening the accountability of RDAs, the Government proposes to end Regional Assemblies in their current format and give local authorities a direct scrutiny role. Importantly in terms of the economic strategy there is a clear desire to have delivery at a more local level (6.48 … expect the RDAs to delegate responsibility for spending to local authorities or sub regions wherever possible, unless there is a clear case for retaining the spending at the regional level. RDAs will need to be satisfied that the body receiving funding has the necessary capacity)
This review has clear implications and opportunities for economic development in Southern Staffordshire and has been discussed at the Executive Board. Much of the review has been welcomed by the Partnership and we will formally responding before 22 June deadline.
Southern Staffordshire Partnership, District Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield, Staffs, WS13 6YZ
Tel: 01543 308250 Fax: 01543 308200 E-mail: ssp@lichfielddc.gov.uk