Agenda item

Briefing on the impact of the Community Planning Partnership. (Report attached)

3.1       An update report by the SBC Executive Director, Corporate Improvement & Economy, on the Establishment of the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership (REP) had been circulated.  Both Russel Griggs and Rob Dickson spoke in support of the recommendations.  The report provided the background and context to the phased establishment of the REP, and included an overview of the work of the Covid19 Team South of Scotland Leadership Group, the forerunner of the REP.  The REP had replaced the Scottish Borders Economy and Low Carbon Team, and it was proposed that the REP would deliver the economic development strand of the work of the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership.  This proposal was agreed by Scottish Borders Council at its meeting on 31 October 2019 and needed to also be agreed by the Community Planning Partnership.  The REP would support the establishment of South of Scotland Enterprise by developing and driving forward a South of Scotland Regional Economic Strategy.  The remit and composition of the REP was set out in Appendix 1 to the report. 

3.2       With the Covid19 outbreak, to ensure an aligned and rapid response to addressing economic impacts, Dumfries & Galloway and Scottish Borders Councils, along with South of Scotland Enterprise, acted quickly to establish the Covid19 Team South of Scotland Leadership Group.  This Group provided strategic direction and oversight to the initial economic response to Covid19 in the South of Scotland.  Key activities for the Group included understanding the impact of Covid19; supporting business; supporting communities; advocating for the South of Scotland; communication; tackling labour market challenges; aligning response, restart and recovery activity; and setting the groundwork for the REP.  

3.3       A key task for the fully formed REP, the first meeting of which was due to take place on 18 September 2020, would be to set the strategic direction for the regional economy in the South of Scotland by developing the South of Scotland Regional Economic Strategy and Action Plan.  That Strategy would be long term and build on previous analysis of the opportunities and challenges that had taken place before Covid19.  The Action Plan would likely have a shorter (potentially 5-year) timespan and be reviewed annually.  However, it was likely that the REP would wish to reflect on the impact of Covid19 on the regional economy, which was being experienced differently across different areas of the economy.  Details were provided in the report on the relationship between the various key elements of activity and core elements of the regional activity. 

3.4       The South of Scotland Regional Skills Investment Plan was launched on 20 June 2019, and since then, Skills Development Scotland had been working closely with partners to support the implementation of the Plan.  To oversee this work, it was intended that a South of Scotland Regional Skills Group be established which would report in to the REP.  The inter-agency Borders Learning and Skills Partnership (BLSP) would also link in to this Regional Skills Group.  The role of the BLSP was very important as it served to link the work on employability and training in the Scottish Borders into the strategic planning work being carried out at South of Scotland level, together with the employment, skills and training work being carried out as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. The BLSP’s activities included improving the understanding of the issue and the needs for training and other support; looking at how the Scottish Borders could maximise the support and make the best use of monies from the employability and training initiatives being announced by the Scottish and UK governments; and ensuring agencies were working together to support the PACE redundancy support initiative, digital training,  and the promotion of apprenticeship training, etc.  It was anticipated that a Programme Board would be established for Employability.

            AGREED:

(a)     that the South of Scotland Regional Economic Partnership would deliver the economic development strand of the work of the Scottish Borders Community Planning Partnership;

(b)     to recognise the work carried out by the Covid19 Team South of Scotland Leadership Group;

(c)     to welcome the progress being made in establishing the South of Scotland Economic Partnership and its work programme; and

(d)     to note the work of the Borders Learning and Skills Partnership set out in section 6 of the report and its links to the strategic employment, training and skills work at a South of Scotland level.