Themes:
- Economic Wellbeing Strategy 2012-20
- Employment and regeneration projects
- Business rates - small business rate relief
- Box Park, Walworth
Minutes:
6.1 Councillor Victoria Mills, Cabinet Member, Communities & Economic Wellbeing, reminded the committee of the four ambitions of the Economic Wellbeing Strategy to make Southwark a place where:
-- residents are equipped with the skills to make the most of employment opportunities that result from regeneration and our central London location
- businesses grow and prosper
- town centres and high streets thrive
- residents are financially independent
6.2 Councillor Mills gave a summary of achievements within each of these ambitions, including an ongoing review of employment support, the Community Restoration Fund and the council’s response to welfare reform. On the communities side of her portfolio, Councillor Mills highlighted the approach to community engagement agreed by Cabinet. One of the key aspects of this was improving the co-ordination and consistency of engagement across the council and setting a common standard. Councillor Mills also highlighted the protection of funding for advice services and for the Community Capacity Grants Programme.
6.3 The chair of the committee asked Councillor Mills whether she had any views on economic wellbeing issues for older home owners. Councillor Mills referred to the report due to be considered by Cabinet. She hoped that it would result in a really good offer.
6.4 A member asked for any details in respect of the town centre growth fund. Councillor Mills reported that around thirty applications had been received. The member also asked about business rate incentives and the Mayor of London’s reference to Canada Water as an opportunity area. While commenting that business rates fell within the portfolio of the Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources & Community Safety, Councillor Mills stressed that the council was committed to reviewing this area. The council was now able to retain 30% of business rates but this was only a small amount of income. In relation to Canada Water, Councillor Mills offered to look into the Mayor’s statement and report back to the member.
6.5 A member noted that a study was being commissioned to test the vitality, viability and vulnerability of Walworth Road in order to identify opportunities and challenges brought by the regeneration of the Aylesbury and Elephant & Castle and to make recommendations for supporting the high street economy. He hoped that this would take into account the committee’s review of the Walworth Road. Another member asked whether the Walworth Society and Youth Council would be involved in the study. Graeme Gordon, Director of Corporate Strategy, clarified that the study had been commissioned and would begin with an academic phase to be followed by consultation.
6.6 In respect of the High Street Challenge, a member asked whether any commitment could be given that this would not be directed only towards business support type organisations but also towards community organisations and innovative thinking. Councillor Mills emphasised that business organisations could not be ruled out but commented that the prospectus tried to encourage non-traditional schemes. The council would support promising applicants who were not initially successful to submit more robust bids in the future. In response to further questions about the High Street Challenge, Councillor Mills stated that there was no commitment to spreading this investment throughout the borough. Some of Southwark’s high streets, such as Rye Lane, had already received huge investment so there was not necessarily a case for additional funding via the High Street Challenge. Each application would be looked at on its own merits. Councillor Mills also confirmed that the council had tried to make the application process as accessible as possible and would be learning from the current round.
6.7 The chair of the committee wondered how much support the council could offer to small businesses trading out of the Elephant & Castle shopping centre. Councillor Mills understood that the council had commissioned independent business advice for businesses and shop owners impacted by the Peckham Rye Station development. She felt that there could be a case for something similar at the Elephant & Castle. The Director of Corporate Strategy added that it was still early days at the Elephant & Castle and that the council hoped that dialogue around the Business Plan would be a good way into addressing this question.
6.8 A member asked how apprentices were monitored in terms of whether or not they were Southwark residents. Councillor Mills explained that if the apprentices were funded via a Section 106 agreement or Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) then reporting requirements would confirm residency. The requirement was for existing residency rather than prior residency over a specific time period. In response to further questions about securing jobs, training and employment support through section 106 and CIL agreements with developers, Councillor Mills clarified that the requirement was for individuals to be Southwark residents, often unemployed and that generally these were the furthest from the labour market. In respect of Section 106 agreements there was a tendency to take construction jobs during the development of a scheme but sometimes money was accepted in place of end-use jobs as it could be a long time for these to be realised. The money was reinvested into employment support.
6.9 A member stated that some shopkeepers were of the view that the council was relaxing its policy about allowing shops to open up near to similar businesses. The Director of Corporate Strategy indicated that there was no change of council policy. Each individual case should be raised with property officers. The chair asked whether there was any update available on the Walworth Road box park. Councillor Mills explained that this was outside her portfolio but that she understood that the initial site chosen had not been appropriate. A new site had now been agreed.