Agenda item

To consider the following Corporate related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 15 January:

·         Smart Places Programme

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Vikki Slade, Leader of the Council.

The Cabinet report will be published on Tuesday 7 January 2020 and available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=285&MId=3725&Ver=4

Smart Place Programme - The Chairman asked the Leader to introduce the report a copy of which had been circulated and which appears as Appendix 'A' to the Cabinet minutes of 15 January in the Minute Book. The Portfolio Holder outlined the aims of the report and recommendations. A number of points were raised by the Board in the ensuing questioning including:

·     The impact of the smart place programme throughout the conurbation. The Leader advised that BCP were in talks with the companies providing super-fast fibre and they were keen to expand to the whole of the conurbation. Issues concerning transport would only work when looking at the full corridor across the area.

·     Opportunities for businesses. It was noted that these were critical to the operating model. If, in order to fulfil the digital operating model, it needed to be developed in house there may be opportunities which were missed. The Leader advised that this paper is about the need for aninvestment plan to explore the different opportunities.  Some part of the plan would be best delivered in house whilst others would be best delivered by partners within the sector in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.

·     A Councillor questioned the need for accuracy to £400k in the figures when the total investment over 15 years was over £1bn. It was noted that the commitment to the investment plan did not commit to output and there was a significant benefit which would outweigh the cost; whilst noting the point on the point on the necessity of accuracy. The commitment from the plan was just over £250k. The figures had already been submitted to the Local Enterprise Partnership and gone through the first stage and due to go before the full board on 28 January. The issues raised with the figures would be looked into and the leader would provide a response by email.

·     A Councillor asked about income streams, it was noted that there would be a full exploration of this within the investment planbut there was commercial sensitivity around what could be included within the paper.

·     Concerning whether the project was likely to be approved the Leader advised that the LEP were looking to fund 7 or 8 projects and were required to spend remaining funds by March 2021. Other projects were becoming undeliverable and therefore the chances of the project getting funding were considered to be fairly good.  Alternative options would be considered if funding from the LEP was not secured.

A Councillor commented that the only investment required to progress the project at this stage was £20k and the O&S Board should absolutely be supporting it and whether there was anything more the Board could do to support it. It was agreed that the Chairman should write to the LEP on behalf of the Board supporting the project. It was suggested that BCP was both the physical and digital gateway to the area. This aspect of the Local Industrial Strategy should be included in the letter.