Item 7a - Flourishing DIG Update
West Dunbartonshire Council · 17 August 2023
Back to Community Planning West Dunbartonshire Management Board — 17 August 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Management Board Meeting Development and Improvement Groups (DIGs): Highlights and Issues Report FOR INFORMATION ONLY X FOR DECISION Name of DIG Flourishing Delivery and Improvement Group (DIG). Date of report 20/07/2023 Name and email of lead contact Peter Barry peter.barry@west-dunbarton.gov.uk 1 Highlights of activity and progress since last meeting Regeneration Dumbarton Levelling Up Programme • Planning application for Glencairn House approved and proceeding to tender for construction • Connecting Dumbarton contract underway since May with a 5 month programme • Design Team commissioned to develop designs, obtain planning permission and support delivery of the Artizan redevelopment works • Consultation programme during August to October being planned for the Artizan Centre that will help determine final uses. To be reported to Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development Committee in November. • Demolition of units to rear expected to commence in August. Some delays were experienced due to site conditions Alexandria • Restoration of Smollett Fountain underway; discussion were held with Traders Association on how to minimise impact during the contract. Traffic management less intrusive than at first stage works • Discussions on a potential Business Improvement District ongoing • Shared Prosperity Funded shopfront improvement grants applications being received ITEM 7a
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Clydebank Queens Quay District Heating Network • West College Scotland Board approved the connection to the network in February, programmed for August - September 2023 • Following the preparation of a new business plan for the network, Golden Jubilee Hospital has secured funding to make the adaptations necessary in the hospital and hotel estate; Council has applied for funding towards network infrastructure costs Town Centre • Planning application submitted for the Clydebank Canal-side Activities Centre Exxon • Planning application submitted • Council approved the Final Business Case on 21 June. The revised project costs is just over £43M from the 2018 estimate of £34M, but Council is seeking additional funding from City Region to contribute towards the additional costs. Increased costs are related to post-covid recovery and the war on Ukraine continuing to impact supply and cost of materials. The Business Case will be reported to the City Region Chief Executives Group at end of July, and Cabinet in August Scottish Marine Technology Park • Council continuing to work with the Malin Group to support the relocation of their business to Carless and to help with the identification of additional funding for land remediation • Malin Group expected to submit the planning application for the masterplan for the site by September. • Work complete on the flood mitigation project, and Malin Group about to appoint a designer for the Quayside, both of which are being funded by Clyde Mission and the Council, the latter being subject to a further development agreement. Business Support • The Working4Business Business Awards event was held on 26th May 2023. The event was hosted by Jennifer Reoch and had over 170 attendees. The feedback received so far from attendees has been very positive. • The action plan for the Economic Development Strategy 2022-2027 is currently being finalised. • Application forms and Eligibility & Guidelines have been prepared for the Shared Prosperity Fund business grants which went live April/May 2023. Grant interventions include a Recovery & Growth grant, Early Stage Growth grant, Working Towards Net Zero grant & Enhancing West Dunbartonshire’s Tourism Events & Attractions grant • Working in partnership with Glasgow City Region and Strathclyde University to provide businesses with green business advice through the development
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of carbon baseline assessments. This support will be funded through UK Shared Prosperity Fund and should be available from August 2023. City Region/Scottish Government/UK Levelling Up • Glasgow City Region will be one of two Investment Zones in Scotland and as a result will benefit from a package of funding and tax relief measures estimated to be worth £80M over 5 years. The details of the offer will be co- produced by City Region and Member Authorities, Scottish Government and UK Govt (DHLUC) Employability • No One Left Behind Grant Offer Letter has been received setting out the No One Left Behind and Child Poverty Service Delivery funding allocations for 2023-24 £1,265,000. Funding for Child Poverty Co-ordinators and staffing costs will be allocated separately through the General Revenue Grant routeway. • The Working4U Employability grants programme funded through UKSPF and NOLB has been launched, with fifteen applications for provision across stages one to five of the employability pathway. £500,000 will be allocated to providers with a focus on improving employability outcomes for the economically inactive; vulnerable young people; and organisations providing support to tackle poverty. • The Working4U Apprenticeship team aim is to engage and support businesses within West Dunbartonshire, including the Council with their recruitment and training needs. In Q1 a total of 194 Apprentices were being supported 127 Modern Apprentices and 67 Foundation apprentices across a variety of frameworks including; Civil Engineering; Childcare; Health and Social care; Automotive; Digital Marketing; Construction. We continue to engage with employers to support their current and future recruitment. • ESF Employability programmes ceased delivery on 30th June 2023, all targeted outcomes achieved. The programme focused on poverty and social inclusion and supporting the employability pathway for residents with multiple barriers to employment. The team will now deliver against UKSPF and NOLB employability outcomes. 2 Outline of any issues/risks and how these are being managed Regeneration Inflation and rising costs are a challenge in project delivery. We are looking at adjusting scope to make projects affordable, or seeking additional funding where possible. Business Support Scottish Government have confirmed that there will be no funding available for the Business Gateway Digital Boost programme for 2023/24. The BG National Unit are aiming to cover some of the Digital Boost webinars through the BG national webinar programme and there will be some local expert help available to businesses through the UK Shared prosperity Fund that could support digital activity.
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Employability The risks for the employability service centres on the ability to secure reliable external training providers capable of delivering services in the local area. Compliance processes around commissioning will include data on past performance. Transitioning to new NOLB and UKSPF programmes and realignment of team after savings options. Advice Pro is undergoing customisation to support new funding requirements; ongoing staff communication to support the realignment of teams. 3 Outline of the main outputs expected before next meeting Regeneration • Clydebank, Activity Centre – planning permission anticipated • Dumbarton, Artizan – demolition contract underway • Dumbarton, Artizan – engagement programme completed before report to IRED in November • Exxon Full Business Case approved by City Region in readiness for contract signed by November, following planning permission • SMTP – application anticipated to be submitted by Malin Group . Business Support • Finalise and promote the carbon baseline assessments which should be available through Strathclyde University from August 2023 as part of a wider Glasgow City Region project funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. • Promotion of the new business support programmes within the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. • Finalise the Economic Development Strategy 2022-2027 Action Plan Employability • Allocation of Employability grants to training providers. • Commencement of UKSPF and NOLB provision both internal and external. • Foundation Apprentice contract uptake for 23/25 provision (one and two year model available) 4 What are your requirements of partners in the Community Planning Management Board to achieve the outcomes of the DIG? Placemaking Good placemaking will continue to underpin the regeneration, development and improvement work in the town centres as we aim to align funding and resources, with Council, DIG partners and external funding, to achieve our ambitions.
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Business Support The on-going commitment and support from the community partners will help to maximise the impacts of the business support activity being developed and implemented through the Flourishing DIG. This will assist with reinforcing our efforts to develop a strong local economy that will provide access to opportunity for all in West Dunbartonshire. Employability We will continue to deliver the NOLB and Parental Employability support programmes. To this we will add UK Shared prosperity activity. We will continue to work in partnership through the local employability partnership and ask the partners to continue with their contribution to the strategic group; the creative design group and the frontline community of interest. These groups are making a positive contribution to identifying and addressing challenges in West Dunbartonshire. 5 Please outline any good news story you wish to share Business Support Winners of the W4B Business Awards celebrating their success on the night! Long Term Unemployed wage subsidy – success stories