Agenda item

This report presents the draft Kirklees Inclusive Economy Strategy (KIES) to the Health and Wellbeing Board for comment and input.

 

Contact: Edward Highfield Service Director Skills & Regeneration and Chris Duffill Head of Business & Skills.

 

Edward Highfield, Service Director, Skills and Regeneration, Chris Duffill Head of Business and Skills and Jonathan Nunn, Policy and Partnership Officer attended the meeting to present and receive comment on the Draft Kirklees Inclusive Economy Strategy.

 

In summary, the Board was informed that the Economic Strategy is one of the four top tier strategies in Kirklees and the current strategy expires in 2025, and therefore work is being undertaken to review and refresh the strategy.  A draft of the strategy is almost complete and is yet to go through the political process for endorsement. 

 

The Board was informed that this time around in developing the strategy, it has been deliberately called an inclusive economy strategy rather than a growth plan or growth strategy, reflecting the data and the inequality seen in Kirklees.  While economic growth is important it is not the only objective, and it is not growth at any cost because it has to be an inclusive type of growth that addresses inequality and closes gaps.

 

There are many global factors that significantly affects the economy in Kirklees, however, it is important to create an environment where businesses can succeed, in essence businesses create growth and employment.  The aim is to make Kirklees a good place to start and grow a business and to create conditions for inclusive growth and a growing economy is vital for achieving the Kirklees shared outcomes including, best start, achieving and aspiring and a sustainable economy.

 

The main structure of the strategy is people, business/partners and place, underpinned by cross-cutting themes and objectives around productivity, inclusion and sustainability.

 

Productivity is a challenge in Kirklees, because fundamentally productivity drives wages.  For example, if Kirklees was to match the UK average in terms of productivity, every adult in full-time employment in Kirklees would have £70 extra each week in their pocket.  Attracting more productive businesses and greater share of employment in higher value sectors is important because it drives wages.

 

Sustainability is around climate emergency, use of resources and future resilience to climate change and climate shock.

 

Inclusion, it has to be more inclusive, and analysis has been conducted over the bottom decile of the population and there are widening disparities and therefore there is a need to do something different.  While the economy is controlled by many factors outside of local control, there are resources and investment choices to be made, and making choices to tackle at least two or three of those things at the same time.  Going forward where there are limited resources, there is an action plan that will sit behind the strategy.

 

Referring to the presentation, the Board was shown information highlighting a ‘plan on a page’ which outlined the different sections that will be in the document as follows:

 

People – linked to the employment and skills strategy

-       Empowering Young People

-       Digital inclusion

-       Supporting communities to learn and progress

-       Skills for the future

 

Business / partners – growth and survival of indigenous businesses

-       Start/grow

-       Inward investment

-       Community engagement

-       Buying local and social value

-       Social enterprise and shared ownership

 

Place – physical aspects that influence the economy those wider determinants

-       Town centres/rural

-       Culture and the outdoors

-       Transport

-       Place marketing

-       Housing growth

 

The Board was informed that in terms of the timescale for the strategy, there is currently a working draft, with follow-up conversations with partners being undertaken.  There will be further refinement of text, case studies and numerical targets, linked to the Local Plan update, and dates to Cabinet and Full Council are yet to be determined.  It is the actions that flow from the strategy that is important.

 

It is well known that there are links between health and the economy, and this document articulates this in a stronger way than previous versions.  Many of the social determinants of health are moving in the wrong direction, poor quality housing, low income, insecure employment (Darzi Review).  Waiting times increasing which impacts on people’s ability to work and more than half of the current people on the waiting list are working age.

 

Better health can be an enabler and better employment opportunities can be an enabler of health.  There are many initiatives to come as this is a major focus of the new government.  Get Britain Working White Paper will bring initiatives seeking to remove health barriers and help people find work.

 

The Board was asked to consider the following:

 

•       What does delivering health services closer to the community actually look like in practice?

•       What opportunities does it present for our towns and places?

•       What is your organisation’s role and challenges?

 

In response to the information presented, the Board made comments and asked questions including some of the following:-

 

-       During the presentation, health was mentioned quite a bit, however, social care was not mentioned, and it is important that social care does not get missed particularly from the point of view of business as there is a great deal of businesses within the sector, independent, private and voluntary sectors.  In Kirklees, social care businesses employ more people than the NHS and local authority combined.

 

-       Has there been any communication with third sector leaders or the VCS as they would welcome the opportunity for engagement as there is a big role for this sector to play.  Kirklees is fortunate to have some big companies who do a great job with corporate social responsibility and that includes the public sector also linking into the corporate social responsibility role. 

 

-       There are approximately 25,000 whole time equivalent people employed across health and social care in Kirklees, and if volunteers were added in, that is approximately another 25,000 which is a significant workforce.  The joint workforce programme with Calderdale, is an example of larger and smaller organisations working together to try and get people into employment and supporting them whilst in employment.  One of the challenges will be continuing with that in the long term and some of the short-term funding that support these schemes are a challenge.  There is the infrastructure in place that could support some of this.

 

-       Following a recent meeting with a representative from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the rep was supportive of this, and is keen to do something innovative around jobs, employment and health and wellbeing.  It might be beneficial to have a conversation to get DWP involved and engage as they are a significant stakeholder.

 

-       It is positive to see the section in the document on children and young people as a priority.  Given the fact that there is the learning and skills agenda and wanting children to grow up and stay in Kirklees, it is unclear where the link is to the Kirklees Futures which clearly outlines outcomes and would like to see a link to that included in the strategy. 

 

-       It is encouraging to see information regarding extending the care leavers offer and would be interested to hear further detail on that and what that looks like and would be happy to be involved in joint working. 

 

-       In terms of the impact of child poverty and impact on families, how are we going to focus on the most disadvantaged children and young people to ensure they have better life chances.  Additionally, families with children with additional needs often struggle financially for a number of reasons which could be from caring responsibilities.

 

-       There are a growing number of people in the population who are economically inactive due to social, emotional and mental health problems. It is important to consider how to harness the real skills of children going into adulthood, with things like autism and other conditions.  How do we focus on the most disadvantaged communities and children and young people because that could potentially lead to crime and youth violence?

 

-       It is a good strategy and feels holistic and realistic. It is good to have it recognised the contribution good quality affordable housing that gives people a stable home can make, and also the contribution that housing providers make to people, place and neighbourhoods.

 

-       Board members have been complimentary about the strategy, which is good.  The challenge is, has any thought been given to where to start, what are the first priorities and who will set them given that it is such a big agenda.

 

-       In addition to the how, going forward it will be important to ensure through regular reporting and updates that it is making a difference, and tactics can be changed if it is not working. How is it going to be measured and how are the desired outcomes going to be set?

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

That Edward Highfield, Chris Duffill and Jonathan Nunn be thanked for presenting the Draft Kirklees Inclusive Economy Strategy for information and comment.