Agenda item

Strategic Themes and Sectors

Minutes:

The Deputy Chief Executive, North Lincolnshire Council presented a report seeking confirmation of the Joint Committee’s strategic statement of ambition and approval of the strategic leadership of key themes and their sector development.

 

The Deputy Chief Executive referred to the three themes of the GLSOC (minute 4 above refers) and explained that for historic reasons the Greater Lincolnshire area had experienced several differing initiatives and strategic plans which whilst well-meaning and relevant often overlapped and / or failed to encompass fully a true greater Lincolnshire approach to strategic planning. It was also recognised that certain sectors of activity did not carry the same strategic relevance for all upper tier members of the committee.

 

A number of plans had evolved over recent years with the Strategic Infrastructure Development Plan, ‘Lincs Growth’ and more recently the ‘Greater Lincolnshire LEP Local Industrial Strategy’ being good examples of an increasingly unifying approach. To build upon this direction and momentum it was proposed that the GLSOC identified and took on board the strategic leadership of key themes and sectors which demonstrated issues of joint interest for the Committee’s members and where a unified greater Lincolnshire approach could add value.

 

The report therefore proposed a ‘Strategic Statement of Ambition’, ‘Strategic Themes’ and a ‘Proposed Structure’ for the Joint Committee as set out below -

 

Strategic Statement of Ambition

 

By working together across Lincolnshire we will achieve greater economic growth, wealth and influence for the county.  

 

Our residents will see better job prospects, greater investment and genuine devolution as we work in closer collaboration and speak with one voice on statutory responsibilities for the benefit of all.

 

Proposed Strategic Themes

 

The Greater Lincolnshire Strategic Oversight Committee takes on board the strategic leadership of the following themes and sector development:

 

-Tourism

- Food

- Infrastructure

- Skills

Also a joint oversight of the industrial de-Carbonisation agenda with the Humber Leadership Board and a nuanced and targeted approach to marketing for industrial and commercial sectors through the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP).

 

Proposed Structure

 

To enable the effective and efficient operation of the Joint Committee’s approach a programme management approach be adopted. This would allow the Joint Committee to have strategic capacity and oversight whilst also be aware of the performance of each of the strands of activity. In addition it would also utilise existing structures and assets thus also reducing costs and duplication. It was proposed that this role be undertaken through the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership. Each new work strand would establish and / or utilise existing structures where possible to feed progress into the Joint Committee whose role was to take action on exception reporting and to agree strategic direction. It was also proposed that to ensure ownership and performance reporting each strand would have a commensurate Local Authority /LEP lead.

 

The Deputy Chief Executive in his report explained that for the sector work strands of activity it was proposed that each of the Local Authorities /GLLEP each take a lead to ensure single lead and point of contact along with avoiding duplication of resources and the ability to utilise assets appropriately behind each work strand. It was proposed that this was met through existing resources.

 

To undertake the programme management role and enhanced marketing complementing the key sectors it was also envisaged that additional resources were needed to successfully manage this along with the ability to either commission work or have the relevant research capacity available in-house. Again to ensure efficiency it was proposed that the relevant lead Authority hosts this function the details of which would be brought back to the Joint Committee in a separate report.

 

Resolved – (a) That the proposed statement of ambition, strategic themes and sectors identified in the Deputy Chief Executive’s report be approved; (b) that the programme management approach outlined within this paper and the lead role on overseeing this being with the Greater Lincolnshire LEP be approved; (c) that the setting policy for place, reinforcing the need for collaborative working and an outcome based approach and the need to speak to Government with one voice be approved; (d) that the Joint Committee note the anticipated need for enhanced resources but that any subsequent decision regarding resource allocation be subject to a further report containing details and implications to be submitted to a future meeting, and (e) that the Joint Strategic Intelligence Unit be requested to report to the three member council’s Chief Executive Group on the activity, targets, timescales and delivery of the above prior to a subsequent report being submitted to a future meeting of the Joint Committee.

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