Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosures of interest.

None

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2024 be approved as a correct record.

The Chair advised that the next meeting of the Select Committee Programming Group is on 22 August.  Revitalising Buxton will be a regular item on the work programme for the Committee.

RESOLVED:

That the Select Committee Work Programme be noted.

The Committee received a presentation which provided an update around the Tourism Strategy including tourism headlines and data, as well as updates around the UKSPF and LVEP.

In response to a query around data for overnight stays and whether there is a strategy to expand local hotel accommodation, members were advised that the STEAM data (a tourism economic impact modelling process) for 2023 will be available in August and will provide data around serviced and non-serviced accommodation, and numbers of bed spaces and preferences can be monitored. 

In response to a query around wages within the tourism industry and whether they are sufficient to enable people to live and access housing in the local area, work is being undertaken via the Tourism Partnership Forum to establish what data is required and what analysis can be done. Work is also on-going with LVEP partners to identify how High Peak corresponds and correlates to similar areas in terms of the impact of tourism.

Given the emphasis around being car free and using public transport, it was suggested that QR codes linking to bus timetables could be incorporated into future promotional literature.

Further information was provided about the Visit Peak District and Derbyshire Bronze memberships available to local businesses via the UKSPF, it was noted that it is anticipated that all 20 funded memberships will be awarded by the end of July.  It was suggested that the Chapel en le Frith local walks leaflet could be added to the VPD&D website.

It was suggested that further information could be provided on how the Tourism Strategy links into other strategies within the Council, such as the Move More Strategy for example.  In was also confirmed that the next stage of the Cultural Strategy will be to build on elements of work within the Derbyshire Cultural Framework.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted.

The Committee received a presentation which outlined the next steps in Refreshing the Growth Strategy.  The Aims and Objectives of the Borough Plan were set out, together with the Growth Strategy themes of Business, People and Skills, Tourism, Town Centres and High Streets and Planning /  Local Plan.

Regarding take up of the UKSPF programme by local businesses, the programme has been communicated well and committed spend is good, case studies to demonstrate the impact of what has been achieved will be provided in future presentations.  It was suggested that smaller grants geared toward micro and rural businesses would make the funding more accessible to local businesses.

It was commented that the area has a lack of employment land, leading to it being more difficult to retain younger people within the area.  Similar to many other areas, the need to get the right balance to meet the needs from business and employers, as well as the right housing to retain residents is required.  Data is available around where residents commute to for work, with at least a third accessing work within Tameside and Greater Manchester.

Ways in which empty buildings could be brought back into use was discussed, contact could be made with the owners of properties to provide them with information about funding opportunities and councillors were requested to share the details of any properties within their wards.

RESOLVED:

That the presentation be noted.

None

To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items of business as there may be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as there maybe disclousre of exempt information as defined in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:

That the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2024 be approved as a correct record.

The Committee received an update on the Revitalising Buxton Project.