Minute
North Lanarkshire Council · 12 May 2023
Back to Enterprise and Fair Work Committee — 12 May 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK - 12 MAY 2023 48 12 May 2023 at 10 am. A Meeting of the ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK COMMITTEE PRESENT Councillor Khan, Convener; Councillor Patton, Vice-Convener; Councillors Bustard, Docherty, Duffy, Dunbar, Hume, Jarvie, Leckie, Logue, Magowan, Masterton, McNally, McPake, Nolan, Robb, Robinson, Smith, Sullivan, Toner and Williams. ALSO PRESENT In accordance with Standing Order 64(A) Councillor Kelly attended as a substitute for Councillor Stevenson. CHAIR Councillor Khan (Convener) presided. IN ATTENDANCE Chief Officer (Place); City Deal Manager; Enterprise Manager; Business Manager – Employability Support and Skills Development; Finance Manager; Project Development Manager, and Democratic Services Manager. APOLOGIES Councillors Stevenson and Watson. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST IN TERMS OF THE ETHICAL STANDARDS IN PUBLIC LIFE ETC. (SCOTLAND) ACT 2000 1. Councillor Logue, by virtue of being a member of the City Deal Cabinet, declared a connection amounting to a declarable interest in respect of paragraph 2 and further declared that he believed the interest was so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude his participation in the consideration of the item. Councillor Khan, by virtue of being Chair of North Lanarkshire Enterprise Network, declared a connection amounting to a declarable interest in respect of paragraph 8 and subsequently left the meeting during consideration of that item. Councillors McPake and Smith, by virtue of being members of SPT, each declared a connection amounting to a declarable interest in respect of paragraph 9 and further declared that they believed their interest was so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude their participation in the consideration of the item. Councillors Duffy and Patton, by virtue of being members of Routes to Work Limited, each declared a connection amounting to a declarable interest in respect of paragraph 12 and subsequently left the meeting during consideration of the item. Councillor Sullivan, by virtue of being a member of Fusion Assets Limited, declared a connection amounting to a declarable interest in respect of paragraph 13 and further declared that he believed the interest was so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude his participation in the consideration of the item. Councillor Logue, prior to consideration of the following item of business, having declared a connection by virtue of being a member of the City Deal Cabinet, further declared that he believed that
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ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK - 12 MAY 2023 49 the connection was so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude his participation in consideration of the matter. CITY DEAL UPDATE REPORT 2. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) outlining the North Lanarkshire City Deal Programme Update, and (2) advising of the current status and recent progress of each of the North Lanarkshire City Deal Infrastructure sub-projects being undertaken by the Council. The Committee viewed a video presentation in relation to the installation of a new bridge over the West Coast main railway line. Decided: that the contents of the report, including the progress made in the North Lanarkshire City Deal Infrastructure sub-projects, be noted. COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING UPDATE 3. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) outlining the background to Community Wealth Building as an approach to economic development, and improving outcomes for and empowering communities; (2) detailing opportunities and the proposed approach to Community Wealth Building that may be applied in North Lanarkshire through the establishment of a Community Wealth Building Commitment Statement, and (3) setting out the associated development, implementation actions and timelines. Decided: (1) that the proposed approach to Community Wealth Building in North Lanarkshire, the establishment of a Commitment Statement and associated development and implementation actions be noted, and (2) that the contents of the report be otherwise noted. BUSINESS GRANTS UPDATE 4. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) seeking approval to establish a Business Start-Up Fund, a Small Business and Self Employment Support Fund, and a Business Growth Fund, part funded by the Council's allocation for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), remaining Local Authority Covid Economic Recovery Fund (LACER) and North Lanarkshire's Recovery Fund, and (2) detailing proposals to use UKSPF funding to establish bespoke business start-up and growth support for under -represented groups in North Lanarkshire, including women and Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic (BAME) people and communities. Decided: (1) that the proposals to establish a Business Start-Up Fund, a Small Business and Self Employment Support Fund, and a Business Growth Fund be approved; (2) that the proposals to deliver targeted entrepreneurial support for women and BAME people and communities be approved, and (3) that the contents of the report be otherwise noted.
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ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK - 12 MAY 2023 50 PARENTAL EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT 5. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education – South) (1) advising that the Scottish Government had indicated a significant increase in funding for parental employment support to be made available in 2023/24 as part of its measures to address child poverty; (2) intimating that the Council, in its role as Lead Accountable Body and Chair of the Local Employability Partnership, would have a key part to play in the delivery and design of employability programmes that would utilise the funding; (3) informing that the expected increase in funding would compliment and enhance existing strategies and programmes of work, and (4) detailing that work is underway to develop a Parental Employment Investment Plan for 2023/24 to be submitted to the Scottish Government in return for the increase in funding. Decided: (1) that the increase in funding for parental employment support be noted, and (2) that the development of a Parental Employment Investment Plan for 2023/24 be approved. UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND - EMPLOYABILITY 6. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education – South) (1) seeking approval for the delivery of employability programmes within the People and Skills theme of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF); (2) reminding Committee that the UKSPF replaces the European Union Structural Fund, which ends in June 2023; (3) informing that the Council had been allocated £13.871m from the UK SPF to deliver projects across four key themes for spend between 2022/23 and 2024/25, subject to approval of a UK SPF investment plan, and (4) outlining proposed employability projects within the People and Skills theme. Decided: that the delivery of the employability programmes within the People and Skills theme of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund be approved. TOURISM STRATEGY UPDATE REPORT 7. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) informing of activity and progress relating to the actions identified in the North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2022/26; (2) providing an update on the tourism marketing activity led by the Council's Corporate Communications Team supported by Enterprise Teams from North and South Lanarkshire Councils; (3) proposing projects be taken forward through interventions identified within the UK Shared Prosperity Fund that align to the action plan, tourism marketing and the growth and development of the Sector, and (4) informing that the updated Action Plan details activity that had taken place during the first year of the strategy. Decided: (1) that the progress with delivery of the North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy and Action Plan 2022/26 be noted, and (2) that the proposed use of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to help support tourism marketing and deliver a Tourism Challenge Fund be approved. Councillor Khan, prior to consideration of the following item of business, having declared a connection by virtue of being Chair of North Lanarkshire Enterprise Network, left the meeting during consideration of the meeting.
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ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK - 12 MAY 2023 51 Councillor Khan vacated the Chair. Councillor Patton assumed the Chair. SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FRAMEWORK ACTION PLAN UPDATE 8. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) informing of activity and progress relating to the actions in the North Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Framework and Action Plan 2021/26; (2) highlighting key achievements arising following an update of the Action Plan for the period 2022/23; (3) advising that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Investment Plan identified funding through intervention, and (4) seeking approval for the UKSPF activity to deliver social enterprise development support in North Lanarkshire. Decided: (1) that the UKSPF activity to deliver Social Enterprise Development support in North Lanarkshire be approved, and (2) that the status of recent progress of the North Lanarkshire Social Enterprise Framework and Action Plan 2021/26 be noted. Councillor Khan resumed the Chair. Councillors McPake and Smith, prior to consideration of the following item of business having declared a connection by virtue of being members of SPT, further declared that they believed that they considered the connection so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude their participation in consideration of the matter. EXTERNAL FUNDING UPDATE 9. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) providing an update on progress made in developing and securing external funding for physical regeneration and economic development projects across North Lanarkshire; (2) intimating that the Council had been successful in the UK Government Levelling Up Fund Grant to acquire The Centre, Cumbernauld, demolish Fleming House, and was working to secure funding for associated traffic management which would be submitted later in 2023; (3) informing of an increase in, and the reallocation of, European Regional Development Fund monies to provide increased grant funding for businesses; (4) outlining updated arrangements for distributing the Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation; (5) detailing the submission of a final Green Growth Accelerator Business Case for the low carbon re-development of Strathclyde Park for Scottish Government approval; (6) confirming that a final decision is awaited on the Council’s funding bid for the heritage-led regeneration of Airdrie; (7) summarising the submission of a bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the development of Summerlee Museum of Scottish Industrial Life; (8) reporting the progress in developing funding bids for the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme, and (9) advising of the allocation of funds set out in the Council’s Vacant and Derelict Land Fund Local Delivery Plan. Decided: that the update on the progress made in developing and securing external funding for physical regeneration and economic development projects across North Lanarkshire be noted.
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ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK - 12 MAY 2023 52 STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK – LATEST PERFORMANCE RESULTS FOR PLACE 10. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) providing an update on the latest results of the Strategic Performance Indicators used by Place, and (2) attaching, as an Appendix to the report, a high level performance overview as at 31 March 2023. Decided: that the high level performance overview, as presented within Appendix 1 to the report and supporting data contained within the linked documents, be noted. STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK – LATEST PERFORMANCE RESULTS FOR EMPLOYABILITY 11. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education – South) (1) providing an update on the latest results of the Strategic Performance Indicators used by Employability, and (2) attaching, as an Appendix to the report, a high level performance overview as at 31 March 2023. Decided: that the high level performance overview, as presented within Appendix 1 to the report and supporting data contained within the linked documents, be noted. Councillors Duffy and Patton, prior to consideration of the following item of business, each having declared a connection by virtue of being a member of Routes to Work Limited, left the meeting during consideration of the item. ROUTES TO WORK LIMITED – PERFORMANCE AND FINANCE REPORT 12. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Education – South) (1) detailing the performance of Routes to Work Limited against its charitable objectives and the Council priorities from Quarter 2 2021/2022 to Quarter 3 2022/2023; (2) outlining the financial performance of Routes to Work Limited for Quarter 2 2021/2022 to Quarter 3 2022/2023, and (3) highlighting wider achievements during that period. Decided: that the Routes to Work Limited operational and financial performance for Quarter 2 2021/2022 to Quarter 3 2022/2023, along with wider achievements during that period, be noted. Councillor Sullivan, prior to consideration of the following item of business, having declared a connection by virtue of being a member of Fusion Assets Limited, further declared that he believed that he considered the connection so sufficiently remote that it did not preclude his participation in consideration of the matter. FUSION ASSETS LIMITED – PERFORMANCE MONITORING REPORT TO 31 MARCH 2023 AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 2022/23 13. There was submitted a report by the Chief Officer (Place) (1) summarising the performance of Fusion Assets Limited during 2022/23 (up to 31 March 2023), as detailed within Appendix 1 to the report; (2) outlining the financial performance of Fusion Assets Limited from 1 April to 31 December 2022 and the overall current financial standing; (3) informing of key highlights achieved during 2022/23, and (4) advising of work being undertaken to review the existing company Articles of Association.
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ENTERPRISE AND FAIR WORK - 12 MAY 2023 53 Decided: (1) that the operational targets set for Fusion Assets during 2022/23, and performance against these to 31 March 2023, as outlined within Appendix 1, be noted; (2) that the financial performance of Fusion Assets from 1 April to 31 December 2022 and its overall current financial standing and future financial projections, as detailed within the report, be noted; (3) that the key highlights achieved during 2022/23 be noted; (4) that the work being undertaken to review the existing company Articles of Association be noted, and (5) that it be noted, that a further report, detailing the proposed changes to the Articles of Association, be submitted to a future meeting of the Committee.