Agenda item

To consider the report of the Chief Executive (copy enclosed).

The Committee received the report of the Chief Executive, the purpose of which was to update Members on key issues and provide an opportunity for feedback and input.

The Director of Planning and Regulatory Services presented the report to the Committee drawing attention to The Maldon District Enterprise Centre feasibility study (para 2 of the Appendix to the report) and the successful bid for £60k funding which was matching funded by £10k from Essex County Council (ECC).

The National Transport Strategy (para 8 of the Appendix to the report) was also highlighted and Members were advised that Officers had informed ECC that the Council did not intend to take action on possible re-opening of closed railway lines.

Councillor S J Savage spoke on this and was of the opinion that Officers should not have made this decision and should consulted Members within whose remit it was to make such a decision.

The Leader of the Council advised that although the idea was a good one in principle, in practical terms it would be almost impossible to implement.

In response to a question about the Burnham-on-Crouch Chamber of Commerce (para 4.2 of the Appendix to the report), the Chairman advised that it had been the bus tour’s final event and not the last event for the Burnham-on-Crouch Chamber of Commerce.  Furthermore, there was to be an event at the end of January regarding Apprenticeships.

The Director of Planning and Regulatory Services confirmed that this was the case.

Questions were raised about the speed of superfast broadband in the Purleigh and Heybridge areas and the difficulties of going paperless at meetings if downloads were slow.

A request was made that as Economic Development was a discretionary service it would be useful for the Committee to see projected outcomes for projects, so that it would be possible to track what this service area was providing both to the Council and the District.

The Chairman highlighted that economic prosperity, including tourism, was very important to the District and that a report on this would be welcomed.  It was agreed that corporate goals should have outcomes.  However, all Committees that reflected on corporate goals should have reports presented to them in the same way.  If changes to reports were to be made, then this should go across all Committees and the Council.  It should perhaps be the Council that looked at this and made any decision.

The Leader of the Council advised that the Economic Development Manager had been visiting various places throughout the District and had received very good feedback.  However, it was necessary to get some idea of a positive outcome in terms of a return to the Council.  In future a more targeted report to include outcomes would be welcomed.

The Director of Planning and Regulatory Services confirmed that he would review the structure of these reports.

The Committee was advised that the Causeway Business Forum Meetings were very successful and that an Apprenticeship Event was planned for 7 March 2018.

RESOLVED:

(i)                 That the structure of Economic Development reports be reviewed;

(ii)               That future Economic Development reports would include projected outcomes.