Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies from Members of the Panel.

No apologies for absence were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors 

The Chair to announce any items of urgent business circulated separately from the main agenda.

There were no items of urgent business.

Members to declare any personal and financial interests in items on the agenda. Attention is drawn to the Council’s Constitution; the Council’s Code of Conduct and associated advice.

Resolved-

That the list of Councillors’ memberships as Council appointed representatives on outside bodies, joint committees and school governing bodies is noted.

To receive a verbal from the Cabinet Member Inclusive Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports.

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports provided an overview of her key priorities for the year, reflecting on the broad scope of their responsibilities, which encompass economic development, business, town centres, and employment programmes, alongside adult and community learning. She highlighted the challenges of doing more with less financial resources but expressed optimism for growth, which she believed would support quality services for residents.

The priorities were aligned with the borough's missions, including securing good jobs for all, vibrant town centres, attracting high-value businesses, and strengthening the voluntary and community sector. A significant focus was on community wealth-building.

An ongoing review of the Anchor Greenwich Partnership was mentioned, aiming to assess its impact over the past two years and measure its financial contribution. Additionally, the Council continues to drive inclusive labour market practices through a partnership with the Living Wage Foundation and local businesses, aiming to increase the number of accredited living wage employers.

In terms of town centres, the Council is reviewing its approach to managing and maintaining its three town centres, particularly in light of reduced budgets. The Council has secured UK Shared Prosperity funding for public realm and accessibility improvements in areas like Greenwich Town Centre and Lesley Smith Square.

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports also discussed efforts to revitalise the nighttime economy, particularly in Woolwich, through an updated strategy expected to be finalised in 2025. This includes attracting businesses to stay open later to accommodate a changing demographic, particularly younger, single residents.

Business support remains a priority, with various programs running through 2025 aimed at supporting businesses at all stages of development. These include quarterly business breakfasts and events like the Meet the Buyer event, designed to foster business development in Greenwich. The Cabinet Member also noted the upcoming seventh Business Awards, which will be held in February.

The Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Business, Skills and Greenwich Supports highlighted the importance of securing external funding for employment and skills, noting that over the next 12 months, they will continue delivering both national and local employment programmes to assist people in finding sustainable work. There will also be a focus on improving pay and working conditions, banning exploitative zero-hour contracts, and supporting households in need through outreach programs related to energy efficiency.

Regarding adult skills, the Cabinet Member announced that the Greenwich Learns initiative, which provides part-time courses to over 3,000 learners annually, had received a positive inspection from Ofsted, achieving a 'Good' rating across all areas. The Council has also secured funding to establish a Green Learning Lab in Greenwich Park, focusing on retrofitting skills in construction, particularly for younger people and care leavers.

In response to a question about generating local jobs, the Assistant Director of Employment and Skills advised that the duty of GLLaB was to ensure that local jobs are created, and that residents benefit from jobs created from regeneration projects.  She revealed that there are conditions stipulated in section 106  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To note the summary of the Council’s approach for attracting and supporting high-value businesses

The Assistant Director of Employment and Skills provided an update on the approach to attracting high-value businesses in the borough. She stated that the goal was to attract high-value businesses while strengthening the foundation of the economy and acknowledging the importance of everyday economy jobs in sectors such as health, retail, and construction. These sectors currently represent 26% of employment locally, compared to 16% nationally, and there is an increasing demand for replacements due to an aging workforce.

The Assistant Director of Employment and Skills also noted the significant public sector presence, which, despite its size, was viewed as a strength if harnessed effectively. There was an emphasis on fostering growth in high-value businesses, particularly through creating the right conditions for business development, such as supportive planning policies, regeneration frameworks, and positioning the borough as an attractive location for relocation, particularly in comparison with London.

A question was raised about whether only two high-value businesses, Alcatel and AEG, were operating in the borough. It was clarified that these were simply two examples, and the appendix of the report listed the top 20 high-value businesses by turnover and staff. There was a general recognition that more could be done to attract additional high-value businesses.

Responding to a question about the borough's relatively low ranking (31st out of 32) in terms of business density, the Assistant Director of Employment and Skills explained that the borough’s geographical features, such as green space and predominantly residential areas, impacted the density of businesses.

It was noted that there was often a conflict between the demand for housing and employment space in planning developments, with housing needs often taking precedence. It was noted that ensuring employment space was also prioritised in developments was crucial to the borough’s economic future. This issue was also being addressed through the Local Plan, which aimed to strike a better balance between residential and employment space.

The Panel raised concerns about the borough becoming a hub for distribution and logistics businesses, particularly last-mile delivery services, which might not align with the borough's values or long-term objectives. It was agreed that while the planning system could help shape business development, there were limits to how much could be controlled, particularly when it came to certain types of businesses falling within permitted use classes.

Resolved –

That the High Value Businesses update be noted.

To note the update on the Inclusive Economy Strategy

The report was summarised by the Assistant Director of Employment and Skills. The strategy was agreed upon in March 2023 and is centred around six out of the 20 missions detailed in the overarching Our Greenwich Plan. The missions are framed within three main pillars: people, place, and prosperity, alongside cross-cutting themes, notably tackling inequality and driving sustainable growth

In response to a query regarding the potential barriers related to staffing, the Assistant Director explained that external funding is currently a key driver of the department's capacity, though this funding is often time-limited, which presents an ongoing challenge. The department’s strong track record in securing external funding was acknowledged, but there is a desire for more certainty, particularly through multi-year funding settlements. It was noted that additional devolution of powers could also assist in easing the burden of competing for discrete funding pots.

The Panel discussed the performance of the local economy, with a particular focus on job and business density, productivity, and Gross Value Added (GVA). It was noted that Greenwich has the second-highest population growth in London, which has been accompanied by significant housing development. However, the local business base has not kept pace with this growth, which has resulted in lower business survival rates and fewer new startups compared to London averages.

The Panel discussed how this issue might be mitigated, with the Assistant Director explaining that strategic efforts were underway to retain existing businesses while encouraging new growth in sectors with high productivity potential. These efforts are guided by both the London Plan and local regeneration strategies, aimed at achieving balanced growth.

The Panel raised the importance of sector specialisation was raised. The Assistant Director of Employment and Skills agreed that, while inclusivity is crucial, identifying and prioritising high-value sectors such as maritime, cultural industries, and construction would be key to future economic growth. This includes recognising Greenwich’s unique advantages in sectors such as maritime, creative industries, and construction, with the potential to attract further investment and talent.

Responding to a question about new transport infrastructure and changing work patterns on the local economy, the Assistant Director noted that 54% of residents in the borough now work from home, which has had a significant effect on local businesses, particularly in terms of footfall. However, with the opening of the Elizabeth Line stations at Abbey Wood and Woolwich, there was optimism about improving local economic activity and connectivity.

Despite the increase in remote working, the Assistant Director of Employment and Skills pointed out that transport figures show a return to pre-pandemic levels of passenger travel, suggesting that while many residents work from home for part of the week, they continue to use transport links for leisure and other activities. This shift in work patterns also aligns with the council's efforts to boost the borough's nighttime economy, offering residents and visitors affordable and enjoyable activities locally, without the need to travel into central London.

Responding to a question, about the strategies in place to ensure that businesses, especially  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To note the 2024/25 work programme items and agree the scope.

The Chair introduced the work programme schedule to the Panel and asked members to send an email if they had more inputs for the scope on items to be presented.

Resolved –

That the Work Programme Schedule 2024-2025 and suggestions be noted.

To note the work items that are scheduled to be presented to the meeting of the Inclusive Economy and Culture Scrutiny Panel taking place on 2^nd October 2024

The Chair informed the Panel of the items that were scheduled to be presented to the meeting of the Inclusive Economy and Culture Scrutiny Panel taking place on 2nd October 2024.

Resolved –

That the Commissioning of Future Reports be noted.