Agenda and minutes

There were no substitutions at the meeting.

There were no declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests, or personal or  personal and prejudicial interests.

No whip was declared.

There were no public speaking requests received.

The Chairman and Members welcomed Lesley Potts, the council's Assistant Director - Place (Deputy Director) and Kate Robinson, the council's Head of Economy to the meeting, to discuss with the Panel the Economic Growth Plan 2023-2028.

Members heard that the Economic Growth Plan was a key plan in the Council Plan 2022–2025 supporting the priority ‘enabling economic growth and renewal’.

The Council was currently working to an Economic Growth Plan covering the period 2018-2023.  It was supplemented in 2021 with the North Lincolnshire Economic Renew Plan, a two-year plan focused to address the challenges of Covid 19.  However, to ensure that activities remained focused that would enable economic growth and renewal, a new Economic Growth Plan spanning the period 2023-2028 was proposed.

The draft Economic Growth Plan presented the vision for North Lincolnshire.  It identified future priorities and desired outcomes which were based on evidence collated from business engagement and surveys, data research and analysis and assessment of national, regional and local policy context.  Oversight and development of the plan had taken place through internal working groups and had been driven by the Economic Executive Group who would continue to have oversight of the delivery of the Economic Growth Plan.

The Assistant Director delivered a presentation that informed members of the key outcomes the Plan hoped to achieve, as well as the priorities and areas of focus identified within the document.

The Economic Growth Plan 2023-2028 was attached to the agenda.

Following the conclusion of the presentation, the Chairman facilitated a discussion between the Panel and the Assistant Director and Head of Economy.

Resolved - (a) That the council's Assistant Director - Place (Deputy Director) and the council’s Head of Economy be thanked for their attendance, presentation and for answering members’ questions, and (b) that the Economic Growth Plan 2023-2028 be approved and considered by the council’s Executive as soon as was practicable.

Resolved - That the minutes of the proceedings of the meeting held on 6 February 2023, having been printed and circulated amongst the members, be taken as read and correctly recorded and be signed by the Chairman.

The Chairman and Members again welcomed Lesley Potts, the council's Assistant Director - Place (Deputy Director) and Kate Robinson, the council's Head of Economy to the meeting, to discuss with the Panel the Skills and Employability Plan 2023-2028.

Members heard that the Skills and Employability Plan was a key document in the Council Plan 2022 – 25 supporting the priority ‘enabling economic growth and renewal – to ensure there were highly skills jobs and opportunities for a highly skilled workforce and the local economy supported effort to reduce carbon emissions’.

The existing Skills and Employability Plan was coming to an end and as such a new plan had been developed to support the council’s ambitions for economic growth, a highly skilled workforce and high value jobs.  The new Skills and Employability Plan covered the five period from 2023 to 2028 and was closely aligned to the new Economic Growth Plan covering the same time period.

The Head of Economy delivered a presentation that informed members of the vision, priorities and outcomes the Plan hoped to deliver.

The Skills and Employability Plan 2023-2028 was attached to the agenda.

Following the conclusion of the presentation, the Chairman facilitated a discussion between the Panel and the Assistant Director and Head of Economy.

Resolved - (a) That the council's Assistant Director - Place (Deputy Director) and the council’s Head of Economy be thanked for their attendance, presentation and for answering members’ questions, and (b) that the Skills and Employability Plan 2023-2028 be approved and considered by the council’s Executive as soon as was practicable.

The Chairman informed the meeting that, in accordance with the council’s Constitution, an added item had been submitted by Councillor Yeadon titled ‘effectiveness of partner agencies to reduce the ever-increasing number of  unlicensed Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs), ensuring that children in such HMOs were safe’.

The Charman added that due to the cross-cutting nature of the added item, it was likely that a joint meeting of the Places and Children and Young People Scrutiny Panels would be convened to discuss the request, on a date and time yet to be agreed.

There was no urgent business for consideration at the meeting.