To inform the Committee of action plans arising from the Cultural Services Inspection, Review of Hereford City Partnership, and the 18-35 Review.

The Committee was informed of action plans arising from the Audit Commission’s Cultural Services Inspection and the scrutiny reviews of the Hereford City Partnership and how Herefordshire could retain 18-35 year olds in the County and attract them to it (the 18-35 review).

The Head of Economic and Community Services presented the report. 

Further to the report to the Committee in July 2007 she reported that work to complete the actions in the Cultural Services action plan, a copy of which was appended to the report, was on track.

Following consideration by the Committee in March 2007 the Scrutiny Review of the Hereford City Partnership and the 18-35 Review had been considered by Cabinet on 6th September 2007.  Action plans reflecting those recommendations accepted by Cabinet were also appended to the report.

It was proposed to present a progress report on each of the three action plans to the next meeting.

In the ensuing discussion the following principal points were made:

Cultural Services Inspection

It was asked what progress was being made against recommendation 1b:  the development of performance measures concerned with value for money.  It was reported that value for money measures were contributing to the review of the Halo Contract Scrutiny Review.  Measures for cost per user and cost per resident had been developed for libraries and tourist information centres.

A question was asked about action R1c:  measure the effectiveness of tourism.  The Head of Economic and Community Services said that an assessment had been made using the Cambridge model.  This showed tourism benefited the County to the sum of £291 million.  It was requested that a copy of the report be sent to Members undertaking the Scrutiny Review.

18-35 Review

A Member expressed disappointment that the review contained no cutting edge, innovative approaches.  As a rural County there was surely an opportunity to be at the forefront of developing green, sustainable initiatives.

It was suggested that promotion of existing businesses was overlooked. 

Reference was made to the “Young Chamber” run by the Chamber of Commerce and Business Start Up schemes.

That the mixed development of the former Ledbury Cottage Hospital to include business units should be monitored to see if that model could be successfully applied and supported elsewhere.

The Cabinet Member (Economic Development and Community Services) said that the need to engage young people was recognised.  There was a challenge both to attract businesses and to ensure that talent was available to employers within the County.  

The Director of Adult and Community Services commented that whilst there were low levels of unemployment in the County wage levels were also low.  The key was to improve the skills of the workforce.  The development of the Edgar Street Grid, Rotherwas and the learning village did present opportunities.  The Council was supporting partners such as the College of Technology and encouraging training and vocational activities with the business community.

It was suggested that the statistics on wage levels may not be entirely reliable because of the number of small businesses where a Director might be the main employee and would technically pay themselves a low salary.

The importance of Broadband access to attracting businesses was highlighted.

Hereford City Partnership

The issue of support for the City Centre Manager was discussed.  The Director of Adult and Community Services said that support for the Partnership as a whole would need to be considered as part of the budget process. 

RESOLVED:  that a report on progress against the three action plans be reported to the next meeting.