Issue - meetings

Report of Councillor C Renwick, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth.

RESOLVED

(1)          That Cabinet approved the North East Derbyshire Visitor Economy Strategy 2021-2024.

(2)          That the Director of Growth and Economic Development be authorised to make non-substantive amendments to the Strategy documents, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth.

(3)          That Cabinet agreed that the Director of Corporate Resources allocate £20,000 from the ‘Invest to Save’ fund as an operating budget for the financial year 2021/22.

REASONS FOR DECISION - The Visitor Economy is a key priority for the Council. Adopting the Strategy will enable the Council to guide future resource allocation and its work in this important area.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - The option of not adopting a Visitor Economy Strategy for the District was considered but rejected. It would have meant that those businesses engaged in the Visitor Economy would not get the support required to help them to cope with the difficulties caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, protect existing jobs and to then grow and create future employment opportunities.

Please note that this was not a Key Decision and so can be implemented with immediate effect by officers

Cabinet considered the proposed Visitor Economy Strategy for 2021-2024. The Strategy set out an overall vision for this sector of the economy, how it could be helped to overcome the problems caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak and developed still further across the District. The Strategy also identified the priority areas where progress was required and the specific actions that would be taken to achieve this. 

Cabinet was asked to agree an allocation from the ‘Invest to Save’ Budget, initially set at £20,000. It was explained that the allocation would be used to promote the District as a visitor destination and to help secure external funding from partner organisations to support specific initiatives.

Members reflected on the proposed Visitor Economy Strategy. There was a consensus that the Strategy and its proposed Action Plan would be of assistance to the Visitor Economy sector and should be endorsed.

RESOLVED

(1)          That Cabinet approved the North East Derbyshire Visitor Economy Strategy 2021-2024.

(2)          That the Director of Growth and Economic Development be authorised to make non-substantive amendments to the Strategy documents, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth.

(3)          That Cabinet agreed that the Director of Corporate Resources allocate £20,000 from the ‘Invest to Save’ fund as an operating budget for the financial year 2021/22.

REASONS FOR DECISION - The Visitor Economy is a key priority for the Council. Adopting the Strategy will enable the Council to guide future resource allocation and its work in this important area.

OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED - The option of not adopting a Visitor Economy Strategy for the District was considered but rejected. It would have meant that those businesses engaged in the Visitor Economy would not get the support required to help them to cope with the difficulties caused by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, protect existing jobs and to then grow and create future employment opportunities.