Agenda item

Councillor C J Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy and Place reported that since the last meeting of the Committee the Chancellor had announced a new series of grants totalling £4.6 billion for UK businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors to support and protect jobs during the third national lockdown. Businesses in the three sectors would be able to claim a one-off grant worth up to £9,000. There would also be a £594 million discretionary fund made available to support other impacted businesses, in addition to a further £1.1 billion for local authorities and Local Restriction Support Grants worth up to £3,000 a month. The Growth Hub would continue to be a bed rock of support for the business community providing support through grants and advice.

Across the County, small business tenants, which totalled around 200, in our business centres and industrial units were being supported.  The offer of a three-month suspension of rent collection from April to June 2020 was designed to support their cash flow as the effect of the initial, national lockdown and other restrictions came into force from March.  All but a handful of tenants had taken up the offer, and many had said what a huge benefit and peace of mind it provided in those days and weeks of uncertainty.  Phased repayment plans had been put in place over the remainder of the year to continue to reduce the pressure on their cash flow.

He reported that the Tourism Commission had now had four out of its scheduled six meetings and had covered investment, product development and marketing so far. Its final report with recommendations would be produced in late February. Plans were underway to commission new research to understand how we might best support the digital business skills across the visitor economy.  Similar proactive examples included the work with the Local Enterprise Partnerships to identify key pipeline infrastructure projects that would also form part of the county's Strategic Infrastructure Delivery Plan and plans being made for the Levelling Up Fund.

He reported that work continued to make strong progress on the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone north west of Holbeach.  Following the award in August of £6.4m from the Government's Getting Building Fund, which was focused on Covid-19 recovery, the Council was moving at an unprecedented pace with the delivery of a Cluster Hub building on phase 1 of the scheme.  This would provide a high quality business and collaboration space for small and start-up businesses working in the agri-tech sector and related businesses in the food supply chain, and would be the flagship of the development. Further access roads to open up additional plots on Phase 1, and the preparations for Phase 2, in partnership with South Holland District Council, were also underway, and due for completion by the end of the year.  The University of Lincoln's national Food Centre of Excellence was on track for completion in February.  Agents had been appointed to promote the development, and the launch of the new branding – South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone, at the heart of the UK Food Valley – would take place in early February.

He expressed his support for the committee who would be leading the way with the agricultural to look at the future of farming through a scrutiny panel which was being set up.