Report of the Strategic Director (Development) attached

This report provides an update on the development of the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy, including the final Her Majesty’s Government agreed Strategy and the Greater Manchester Independent Prosperity Review’s Reviewers’ Report. The Strategy sets out a number of priorities which will deliver a more inclusive city region.

The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Development), which provided an update on the development of the Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy and the outcome of the Independent Prosperity Review (IPR).

The Assistant Director – Research and Strategy, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) referred to the main points and themes in the report, which included:-

·                The Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy was formally launched with Her Majesty’s Government on Thursday 13 June 2019;

·                It considered Greater Manchester’s strengths (Health Innovation, Advanced Materials, Digital, Creative and Media and Clean Growth) and also suggested how the city region should strengthen its position on the five foundations of productivity (Ideas, People, Infrastructure, Business Environment and Places);

·                It also set out Greater Manchester’s long-term aspirations and the specific outcomes local partners were aiming to achieve;

·                The IPR provided a clear set or priorities where evidence suggested there was potential for policy to have the greatest impact on the productivity of the city region and the lives of the people who lived in it;

·                The Greater Manchester Local Industrial Strategy considered the IPR’s findings and aimed to address them in its shared priorities between local leaders, Government and local stakeholders; and

·                Where relevant to Manchester, this evidence base would also be considered during the development of the Manchester Local Industrial Strategy.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committees discussions were:-

·                The development and implementation of the Manchester Industrial Strategy will require a number of Manchester resources.  How would the strategies work together and what role would Manchester have in scrutinising the delivery of the strategies;

·                Where would the necessary investment to deliver the ambitions within the strategy come form;

·                Why did the strategy not make any reference to the work opportunities that will arise from the construction industry;

·                How was it envisaged that the strategy would change things in practice;

·                What consideration would the GM Industrial strategy and the Manchester Industrial Strategy give towards the development of residents skills, the introduction of T-Levels, the work being done around STEM learning and the inclusion of the over 50 population;

·                What would be the output of the proposed joint project with the City of London in reviewing the city region’s venture capital funding landscape;

·                It was questioned how successful ‘horizontal’ economic policies that cut across sector boundaries, creating an environment for businesses to thrive would actually be;

·                What consideration was being given to supporting start-up businesses; and

·                It was questioned as to how much the government had ‘bought into’ the findings of the IPR.

The Assistant Director advised that the development of the implementation plan for the GM Industrial Strategy and the Manchester Industrial Strategy would be undertaken at the same time, with the implementation plan focusing on the areas where government had committed to investing.  The Leader added that it was likely that there would not be a vast amount of difference to how the Council was currently operating once both strategies were in their implementation phases.  He commented that the Council would continue in the direction of inclusive growth and developing its education and skills offer for Manchester residents.  It was also reported that the Strategy did not attempt to cover every employment sector, but rather concentrated on the foundational economy of the region.

The Committee was advised that Greater Manchester had informed government that with the launch of the strategy, a nine month review of the skills system would commence, which would incorporate future requirements, including the provision of T-levels and STEM learning.  In terms of the joint project with the City of London, it was reported that this was being scoped at present to identify and agree appropriate terms of reference and key lines of enquiry.

In relation to support for start-up businesses, it was reported that Greater Manchester had established a programme of support which was delivered and managed through the Manchester Growth Company.  Furthermore the Assistant Director advised that the buy in to the findings of the IPR varied across government departments, however, he did highlight that HM Treasury was very much on board with the findings and proposals.

Decision

The Committee:-

(1)       Welcomes the Greater Manchester Industrial Strategy; and

(2)       Agrees to receive a draft of Manchester’s Local Industrial Strategy at its next meeting in July 2019.