Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director Strategy and Policy setting out service performance in 2014/15 and seeking approval of refreshed Business Plan to 30 September 2016.

3.1     With reference to paragraph 8 of the Economic Development Group Minute of 15 May 2014,  there had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Strategy and Policy setting out service performance of Business Gateway in 2014/15 and seeking approval of a refreshed Business Plan for the delivery of Business Gateway services in the Scottish Borders to 30 September 2016. The report highlighted that overall performance of the service had improved in 2014/15.  This was reflected in the achievement of targets and also feedback which noted overall satisfaction with the service at 86%.  Most targets had been achieved or exceeded, and those below target had improved significantly since 2013/14.  The figures for the survival of start-up businesses that had been supported by Business Gateway, at 12 months and 36 months from date of commencing trading, for Scottish Borders were 96% at 12 months and 65% at 36 months.  These compared favourably with the national figures of 78% at 12 months and 60% at 36 months.  The refreshed Business Plan, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, set out how the Business Gateway service would develop during 2015/16. In terms of advice and information, it would offer greater breadth and depth to growing businesses in the Scottish Borders and would seek to work with more businesses across the Borders.  In addition, focus would be given to the opportunities presented by the arrival of the Borders Railway and the roll out of Superfast Broadband.  Advisers would work with businesses to ensure that the benefits of these opportunities were maximised. In the period up to March 2016 the Business Gateway service would continue to deliver against the national service specification.  The refreshed Business Plan would, through utilising EU Funds, enhance the service delivery at the local level by aligning to the priorities in the Scottish Borders Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) and Scottish Borders Economic Strategy 2023.  The report went on to summarise the Performance Improvement Plan which outlined a series of activities to be implemented during 2015/16 and further enhance the impact of the Business Gateway Service.

3.2     Members welcomed the positive report and applauded the innovative improvements outlined within the Business Plan.  Members in particular commented favourably on the proposal to identify Council offices in satellite towns across the Scottish Borders where a Business Gateway adviser could hold regular sessions advertised to the local community.  It was also noted that such was the popularity of the Scottish Borders business week of workshops held in 2014, this was to be extended to a business month in the autumn of 2015.  Members also made comment on the links with higher education.  Following questions about broadband connectivity it was acknowledged that there would be some areas of the Borders that would not be covered even after the roll-out of Superfast Broadband.  When the situation became clear, discussions would be held to look at any assistance that could be given specifically to those areas.  Discussion continued on the targets that had been set within the 2015/16 Business Plan and officers were asked whether these could be considered modest in view of the fact that several had been exceeded in 2014/15.  The Principal Officer (Business) advised that the targets for 2015/16 had been agreed with the Business Gateway national team and COSLA.   The demand for workshops in 2014/15 had been higher than anticipated so additional workshops had been provided.  The same approach would be taken in the forthcoming year although delivery of the workshops was also dependent on staff resource.  Members then made suggestions for consideration for the format of the proposed annual meeting of the Executive Committee with a range of Business Gateway customers.

          DECISION

          AGREED:-

(a)  to acknowledge the 2014-2015 service performance improvement and impact;

(b)             to approve the 2015-2016 Business Plan for Business Gateway in line with the national service specification; and

(c)             that an annual meeting be held with the Executive Committee and a range of Business Gateway customers to receive feedback on service delivery and areas for further improvement.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned for ten minutes.