SOUTH LAKELAND DISTRICT COUNCIL Council Date of Meeting: 29 March 2012 Part I Report From: Councillor Ian Stewart Economy and Enterprise Portfolio Holder Report Title: Executive Report Client Issues The following matters have arisen with my Portfolio:- Economic Development • Highgate – funding is in place from South Lakeland District Council and Cumbria County Council. Work to commence in April and finish circa July 2012. Work will stop for the Olympic Torch event on 21 June 2012. • Invest in South Lakeland website on track. There will be a ‘soft launch’ followed by a formal launch in March. The explore South Lakeland site, which is for local people will be launched in April. • The Invest in South Lakeland Website will include an e newsletter which will be sent to businesses on a monthly basis. • Work has begun on planning for the Invest in South Lakeland Conference to be held in March 2013. • The first business liaison meeting will be held at the Carus Green Golf club on 22 March 2012. The main topics are: BT and superfast broadband and Invest in South Lakeland website and conference. • The first Business Forum of 2012 was held in February (for businesses over 50 employees) The main theme of the event was transport and speakers were invited from Virgin Trains, Lakes Line. The meeting was well received. The next event will be in May. • An application has been submitted for the Rural Growth Network for three potential sites in South Lakeland: Marl, Ulverston; Clawthorpe Hall, Burton in Kendal and Sedbergh. The Cumbria proposal has been shortlisted from 30 down to a final 10, and it is anticipated that we will know in the next few weeks if the Cumbrian bid has been successful. • The shop front grant scheme is now operating in Kendal, Ulverston, Grange over Sands, Milnthorpe, and Sedbergh and continues to be successful. • Grange – Berners. A working group has had an initial meeting to discuss a way forward for land at Berners. Work on the GP surgery is about to commence although a date on site has not been agreed. • Meetings have been held with the Heritage Lottery Fund concerning a potential project for the Glebe (Parks for People) and further meetings will be held. • Kendal Canal Head. Meetings are ongoing with all parties concerning the Canal Head. Meetings have included; GenR8 (Developers); Gilkes; Northern Reaches Canal Partnership. • Business Improvement District (BIDS) - Initial meetings have been held with Kendal Futures to discuss a potential BIDS for Kendal. • A boards. Several meetings have been held with Kendal Traders to discuss A boards. A report will be presented to the Planning Committee in the summer. Kendal businesses are currently working on their own draft proposal for the control and management of A boards which will be the subject of the discussion. Regional/National/Other Issues Economic Development • Glaxo Smith Kline – Ulverston. A decision is anticipated on the outcome of Glaxo Smith Kline Corporates decision for Biopharm investment. The decision will now be received in the summer. Looking Forward In the coming weeks, work will include:- Economic Development • We have requested CREA (Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency) to submit an application for a basic business support service for the next 12 months in south Lakeland. An application for 50% of the funding will also be submitted to Cumbria County Council Local Committee. This funding has been approved by Cumbria County Council Local Committee and officers are now developing the proposal further. • Meetings are being held with other authorities to discuss the possibility of SLDC Economic Development Team working in partnership to deliver Economic Development projects. • Economic Development Officers are supporting planning and planning strategy in a number of areas surrounding development management, including the Robinsons Supermarket proposal in Ulverston, together with support with queries from parish and town councils regarding the Local Development Framework and land allocation Development Plan Document (DPD). Date: 22/03/2012 Version No: Amended by: 2 .