Agenda item

To consider an update on the CPCA Growth Service and the impact on Economic Development in Fenland.

Members received a presentation from Steve Clarke, Domenico Crillo, Alexis McLeod and Preshalin Govender from the CPCA, together with Anna Goodall and Simon Jackson from Fenland District Council.

Members made comments, asked questions, and received responses as follows:

·         Councillor Sennitt Clough stated she would like to understand from the slide where it said there was 57% of the Fenland postcode learners employed, what percentage was this taken from overall and what about the homeschooled pupils, the excluded pupils and the privately educated pupils in real terms? Alexis McLeod responded the 57% of postcode learners that were employed shows that a percentage of the 44 were recruited into wave four giving an indication of the upturn in employers using boot camps to upskill existing members of staff in a balanced way and to recruit talent for the future, with the percentages coming from states schools who score themselves using the Gatsby Framework, this is the way Careers Enterprise Company and the DFE have designed the funding. Councillor Sennitt Clough requested some dialogue to be sent out after the meeting.

·         Councillor Gerstner asked if there was any benchmarking exercises carried out between them and other combined authorities? Steve Clarke responded there is on certain programmes, there is a growth hub nationally which shows rankings around levels of engagement and levels of success. Domenico Crillo added that although there is no ranking on performance in terms of combined authorities the team is part of the Mayoral Network and the Mayoral Ten which includes all ten combined authorities coming together with the mayors and senior management on a regular basis.

·         Councillor Imafidon asked how much the total grants were and for which towns in the Fenland area? Steve Clarke responded he did not have the information for the towns, but the biggest grant award was £150,000 of which there were two awarded and the smallest grant given was £20,000 with a range in between the 12 SME CapEX grants awarded

·         Councillor Imafidon asked which areas of the CPCA received grants? Steve Clarke answered the Capital Grant programme was awarded across the whole Combined Authority of which Fenland did very well.

·         Councillor Booth stated in the presentation 40 apprenticeships were created and asked would these apprenticeships have been created anyway by companies as part of organic growth and are these apprenticeships being promoted within the Combined Authority? Alexis McLeod responded that the apprenticeships that were recorded in previous deliveries are all supported by diagnostics and action plans that were taken directly from the employers, with levy transfers being championed to SMEs that are struggling to access additional funding to pay for the cost of apprenticeships. She added that there are webinars and workshops in partnership with various business leaders, plus marketing campaigns that have specific targets through social media like Linkin and other various routes. Councillor Booth stated that he observed that 40 does not seem that many apprenticeships across the whole of the Fenland area but he was pleased to hear the additional work that was being put in place. He asked for clarification on the education percentage of 57% who were employed and does that mean that the others were unemployed and did those others go on to gain employment as a result of undertaking those courses? Alexis McLeod responded the 57% specifically relates to the boot camp delivery which is targeted over a 6-8 week programme which was designed to directly move people either into workplaces or progress within workplaces specifically linked with the training, the training programme has proven to have the highest progression rate and success in the country and the pathway that is being built is from education into employment and beyond, starting with engagement with schools building on aspiration and inspiration then working with young people to ensure those opportunities exist. Councillor Booth showed his appreciation for the progression being made.

·         Councillor Nawaz stated he would like to have some extra information on general job distribution and apprenticeships in the Whittlesey area. Steve Clarke responded that the mapping of where the activity outcomes are happening is something that is being developed under the Growth Works contract and in house using GPS mapping and collating data. Domenico Crillo added that there is work happening with Social Enterprises to help develop the demand locally to help provide a service with local businesses.

·         Councillor Roy stated percentages are an indication of the region as a whole but as a local councillor it would be helpful to have the information for individual wards and where that help and support is going as he is aware that a lot of home grown talent goes off to higher education at universities and cities and then never return back to the area, asking what sort of encouragement is put in place to entice these higher educated young people back into the area. Alexis McLeod responded that the controls are limited in terms of how to encourage young people to return to the area they grew up in but there are plans in place to engage schools and local business to showcase to young people what exists on the doorstep for local careers opportunities and to start building relationships with local businesses around education and what could be on offer in the area, the surrounding area and across the wider region to encourage young people to stay in the region after their education has finished, which is a work in progress and something the CPCA feels very strongly about. Domenico Crillo added that the CPCA has invested in a new university in Peterborough which has had a positive impact on residents offering young people another choice and opportunity. Councillor Roy added it would be helpful to have the mapping data for the local wards as local councillors would have a better idea of what schools and businesses are engaged and who are not.

·         Councillor Booth stated he would like to know more about the future funds available and the rural levelling up fund and asked if this was for social enterprises or just for businesses and will it be a streamlined application process? Steve Clarke responded the programme business case is being worked up presently, the plan is that the other fund, the strategic growth, will work together rather than launching separately but will have slightly different criteria and it will work around delivering growth to villages, for example employment space creation or a community asset that could be repurposed for social enterprise. Councillor Booth asked when the funding will be available? Steve Clarke responded he would like to think Christmas time but could not make a commitment, as soon as the funding is available the local CPCA in the rural districts will be informed and be able to engage interest from the local parish councillors.

·         Councillor Nawaz asked if Peterborough University will be providing courses in agriculture considering where it is located within the Fens? Steve Clarke stated Peterborough University has been the CPCA biggest project to date and Anglian Ruskin who run the university have included Agri Tech and are building on introducing other skills, with phase three having a new science laboratory opening which will create other opportunities for learning. Alexis McLeod added that colleges are in active dialogue with careers staff at the University of Peterborough exploring ways to connect the business community and the graduate community to proactively increase those connections.

·         Councillor Nawaz asked if there will be the possibility of an agricultural campus with the view to apprenticeships or research? Steve Clarke responded he could not comment on the viability of such a project, however, the College of East Anglia does offer a variety of courses along a similar vein which the CPCA has supported in the past. Councillor Nawaz questioned the accessibility of getting to Wisbech. Steve Clarke confirmed that was a different department within the CPCA and was unable to comment.

Members noted the update on CPCA Growth Service and the impact on Economic Development in Fenland for information.

(Councillors Booth and Imafidon left the meeting following this item)