The purpose of the Economic Growth Strategic Board is to agree, develop and monitor a coordinated South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership approach to developing and growing the local economy ensuring the application of partner powers and resources in a co-ordinated manner to achieve long term inclusive growth and improved quality of life for South Lanarkshire residents.
Its vision is that:
‘South Lanarkshire has one of the strongest and most dynamic economies in Scotland, where business, communities and residents achieve their full potential and prosper’.
The Board meets on a quarterly basis and membership includes representation from the following agencies/organisations together with South Lanarkshire Council elected members and senior officers.
- Department of Work and Pensions;
- Scottish Enterprise;
- Skills Development Scotland;
- NHS Lanarkshire;
- University of the West of Scotland;
- Further Education Sector (New College Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire College);
- Federation of Small Businesses;
- Third Sector through Voluntary Action South Lanarkshire (VASLan); and
- Chamber of Commerce.
The Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth Plan will contribute significantly to tackling poverty, deprivation and inequality in South Lanarkshire across the 3 strategic outcomes:
- A Supportive Business Environment exists in South Lanarkshire;
- Employment and further education opportunities are maximised for South Lanarkshire’s young people; and
- Residents at greatest risk of living in poverty, whether in or out of work receive the support they need to progress into work that pays and provides opportunities for progression.
Mechanisms will be built in to ensure when supporting and growing our local economy we are doing so in a manner that sees inclusive growth as key, creating and sustaining employment that pays and offers progression. In terms of the Partnership's work to support residents young and older into work and to tackle local inequalities, it will require further targeting of resources to ensure we are engaging those communities and groups of individuals who do not currently benefit from inclusive growth.
The 'Economic Strategy for South Lanarkshire 2013-2023 - Promote' is organised around 3 key development themes:
- Business Development and Growth;
- Physical infrastructure and place; and
- Skills, learning and employability.
Key issues emerging and reflected in our Plan include:
- Significant inequalities in relation to employment and income deprivation between our most and least deprived communities;
- Poorer educational and employment outcomes for vulnerable young people. Including young people in or leaving care;
- Rising levels of in-work poverty;
- Business survival rate increasing but still below the Scottish Level; and
- Falling shares of Business Research and Development spend.
While the Strategic Board will continue to monitor all of the relevant themes and priorities within the Economic Strategy, there is a clear agreement that future action should focus on the three strategic outcomes and have a strong transformational emphasis.
Information on the key priorities of the Economic Growth Partnership are also detailed within the Sustainable and Economic Growth Partnership Improvement Plan.
Key document(s)
