Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership - Regional Economic Strategy
Argyll and Bute Council · 21 November 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 21 November 2024 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT & ECONOMIC GROWTH 21st NOVEMBER 2024 HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS REGIONAL ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP REGIONAL ECONOMIC STRATEGY 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The purpose of this paper is to provide elected members with the background and context on the development of the Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Strategy through the Highlands and Islands Regional Economic Partnership (HIREP). 1.2 The HIREP Regional Economic Strategy document is currently in draft. To take this document forward with a supporting Delivery Plan (still being drafted) it requires consideration and formal approval by all individual HIREP members, including Argyll and Bute Council, through their own governance processes. It is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of the calendar year. 2.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 2.1 Members are asked to: • Review and comment on the HIREP Regional Economic Strategy outlined in Appendix A. • Subject to any comments being addressed, endorse the HIREP Regional Economic Strategy to be taken forward by HIREP, which includes attendance by the Council Leader and Chief Executive with appropriate officer support. 3.0 DETAIL HIREP 3.1 The HIREP was established in 2022, to bring together public, private, academic and third sector interests in pursuit of economic opportunities across the region. The focus is to enable inclusive and sustainable economic growth and build resilience throughout the region, by identifying and focusing on areas of joint strategic purpose to provide co-ordinated action in pursuit of regional growth opportunities and to address shared challenges. 3.2 HIREP fulfils its purpose through:
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• Identifying opportunities for collaborative and co-ordinated action in pursuit of agreed regional priorities, ensuring, where appropriate, that stakeholders plans are aligned, and resources are deployed efficiently and effectively. • Advocating on agreed regional economic opportunities and challenges, and where appropriate leading in discussions with Scottish Government, UK Government and other organisations. • Being future focused in looking ahead to identify emerging regional opportunities and challenges where collaborative action can maximise outcomes and impact. • Working to understand evolving approaches to external funding and reacting to maximise impact across all parts of the region. • Understanding sub-regional economic dynamics and, where appropriate, formulating solidarity actions to ensure that no part of the Highlands and Islands is left behind. 3.3 HIREP’s work complements that of individual partners at regional and sub regional scale by focusing on those areas where regional collaborative action is required to realise opportunities and where such collaboration will deliver the best outcomes. Since its inception, the HIREP has worked across policy areas including Housing, Population Attraction and Retention, Skills, Childcare, Local Visitor Levy, Community Wealth Building and Community Benefit. Regional Economic Strategy 3.4 The draft Regional Economic Strategy articulates a shared 10-year vision for the Highlands and Islands, responding to the once in a generation opportunity presented by a just transition to net zero, and the resulting wider opportunities for our businesses and communities. Vision Statement: “The Highlands and Islands is a dynamic, connected, resilient and prosperous region with a balanced and growing population and a vibrant economy, embedding community wealth building, leading Scotland’s transition to net zero, and enhancing our natural environment.” 3.5 It also recognises the enabling infrastructure, assets and services which will be critical to realising our collective ambitions. While recognising that the work of individual HIREP partners will continue, at regional or sub regional level (such as Argyll and Bute Council’s Economic Strategy, 2024-2034 and associate SMART Action Plan, 2024-2027) the regional economic strategy focuses where collaborative action is necessary or where it offers the prospect of delivering the best outcomes.
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3.6 The strategy sets out clear strategic goals, associated actions and cross cutting themes as outlined in Table 1 below. Table 1: HIREP Regional Economic Strategy Strategic Goals and Cross Cutting Themes Strategic Goals Actions Increase the profile and understanding of the Highlands and Islands to support effective policy and unlock regional investment. • Enhance the regional evidence base to support advocacy and business case development. • Bolster advocacy efforts with national government to better highlight the region’s unique needs. • Identify new ways to deliver public services across the region, including through use of technology and innovative partnership delivery models. Become a region which delivers high quality and affordable housing for residents. • Improve the functioning and responsiveness of the housing “system” to emerging needs in the Highlands and Islands. • Support the revitalisation of rural areas by increasing access to high-quality housing across the entire region. Enhance the region’s transport and digital infrastructure to become an exemplar of efficient rural connectivity. • Improve transport connectivity for local residents, businesses and visitors by increasing the availability, reliability and affordability of public transport. • Pursue innovation in technology and service provision to deliver enhanced and more resilient and sustainable transport connectivity across the region. • Increase the level of access to high-speed connectivity across the region. Build resilience and competitiveness through place-based opportunities and stimulating an active culture of entrepreneurship and innovation. • Stimulate an entrepreneurial and innovation-active culture within the region. • Support new opportunities to enable growth and resilience in our priority sectors. Maximise the economic and community benefits from renewable energy investments and drive the region’s move to net zero and climate resilience/adaptation. • Maximising the economic and community benefits from renewable energy development. • Actively work towards safeguarding and enhancing the region’s natural capital. Develop a coordinated response to skills and labour requirements across the region. • Develop a shared understanding of labour and skills needs. • Protect and build on the best of provision. • Workforce Attraction and Retention. Cross Cutting Themes Community Wealth Building / Benefit Innovation and Entrepreneurship Population Just Transition
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Process 3.7 The strategy has been evidence based, drawing on the collective intelligence of HIREP members. It sits in within a strategic context that includes National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) and a number of other national, regional and sectoral plans and strategies. It has been informed by input from all HIREP members (including the current and former Argyll and Bute Council Leader and officers). 3.8 Consultation with key stakeholders, including business, third sector academic and community interests took place in November / December 2023 to seek validation of the regional opportunities and challenges identified by HIREP. An open, online consultation, seeking views on the draft strategy document, took place in July / August. Argyll and Bute Council officers provided detailed responses through the HIREP Officers’ Working Group. Delivery 3.9 Delivery of the strategy will be guided by a Delivery Plan, currently under development and to be refreshed every two years. This will include detail on the role and responsibilities of HIREP officer group and subgroups. It will articulate the role, and need for, improved regional data and intelligence – the provision of research, analysis and evaluation to make the case for action and measure progress. It will also highlight the potential role for external investment and the role that advocacy will play – the role of HIREP as a powerful voice for the region. 4.0 CONCLUSION 4.1 The creation of a HIREP Regional Economic Strategy, and associated Delivery Plan in due course, should support partnership working and increased, effective collaboration across all member organisations of HIREP. Furthermore, this strategy document should boost cohesion and ensure that the council’s own priorities and activities reflect and contribute to regional and national growth. It also offers opportunities to strengthen Argyll and Bute’s voice and position in that regional arena as well as in the overall national context. 5.0 IMPLICATIONS 5.1 Policy: the HIREP Regional Economic Strategy provides a shared 10-year vision for the Highlands and Islands, responding to the once in a generation opportunity presented by a just transition to net zero, and the resulting wider opportunities for our businesses and communities. The HIREP Regional Economic Strategy offers an important opportunity for Argyll and Bute to help shape and influence regional and national policy and to ensure that Argyll and Bute Council’s own priorities, policies and plans are appropriately aligned. 5.2 Financial: none at present.
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5.3 Legal: none. 5.4 HR: the Council Leader and Chief Executive are the formal members of the HIREP, as agreed in the Argyll and Bute Council paper on 26th September 2024. Argyll and Bute Council officers attend and contribute to the the HIREP Officers’ Group and work of the various HIREP sub-groups. 5.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: the Fairer Scotland Duty, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010, came into force in April 2018. The duty places a legal responsibility on particular public bodies in Scotland, such as Argyll and Bute Council, to pay due regard to (actively consider) how they can reduce inequalities of outcome, caused by socio-economic disadvantage, when making strategic decisions and how this has been implemented. 5.5.1 Equalities: none. 5.5.2 Socio-economic Duty: none. 5.5.3 Islands: none. 5.6 Climate Change: actions to mitigate climate change and embrace the journey to net zero is a key strategy priority within the HIREP Regional Economic Strategy. 5.7 Risk: none. 5.8 Customer Service: none. 5.9 The Rights of the Child (UNCRC): none. Kirsty Flanagan, Executive Director responsible for Economic Growth Councillor Jim Lynch, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council 28th October 2024 For further information contact: Fergus Murray, Head of Development and Economic Growth fergus.murray@argyll-bute.gov.uk Ishabel Bremner, Economic Growth Manager ishabel.bremner@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix A: HIREP Regional Economic Strategy