Agenda item

Henry Kippin introduced the report and explained that this was the first step in exploring ‘Inclusive Growth’ and on work with partners to establish the meaning of the term and how well it was distributed in the region. He added that it was a case of being open with the public on how investment and delivery of housing could be influenced. He advised on the collation of a set of tools in order to establish what the term meant to others.

Claire Spencer presented a report which detailed the first iteration of the Inclusive Growth Framework which sought to capture the positive social and environmental outcomes that the West Midlands would like to realise as a consequence of economic activity. It would move the region on from focusing on Gross Value Added (GVA) as the primary indicator of economic success: GVA becoming less and less useful at lower spatial levels and not informing the region anything regarding the consequences of or participation in economic activity.

The report provided a resource for Member Authorities and other interested organisations’ to understand how inclusive the economy of the West Midlands was and was the first of several tools to inform delivery, rather than a performance management framework. It also provided a solid basis for citizen and other stakeholder involvement in developing a definition, vision and a set of useful tools relating to ‘Inclusive Growth’.

The current definition of inclusive growth that the framework would build on was ‘a more deliberate and socially purposeful model of economic growth – measured not only by how fast or how aggressive it was; but also by how well it was created and shared across the whole population and place and by the social and environmental outcome it realised for local people.

Henry Kippin advised that a further report on this matter would be considered by the WMCA Board on 14 September 2018 and that the framework itself would be subject to rigorous testing, development and revision by the WMCA and its partners.

Councillor Majid Mahmood reported that Birmingham City Council supported the initiative but questioned whether resources were allocated appropriately. He commented that work on this initiative had already been commenced by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and sought an assurance that there would not be a duplication of effort. He also commented that, in his opinion, education was a key factor but was not referred to in the report. He reminded the Board of the number of higher and further education colleges including the HS2 College in the region.

The Chair advised that the intention was to bring people and organisations together and that this would be supported by the WMCA which would facilitate the model being taken forward. The intention was not that the WMCA would undertake the work on behalf of partners but how it was constructed into mainstream business and what interventions the WMCA could bring about. He emphasised that this was not to be treated as a regeneration programme but how things could be done differently, improved and incorporated as a part of integral business. The aim was to deliver 500,000 new jobs in secure employment and proper wages rather than zero hours contracts on minimum wages. The WMCA would not deliver this target but would act as a delivery vehicle on behalf of its partners.

Councillor Izzi Seccombe referred to the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ perspective and the need to ensure that certain groups were not ignored and/or left behind. She commented on the need to consider ‘upskilling’ those individuals with learning disabilities and to ensure that vulnerable groups were included in the exercise.

Resolved:

1.    That the first iteration of the Inclusive Growth Framework be endorsed;

2.    That the composition of the Inclusive Growth Framework and its underlying metrics be noted and adapted as the WMCA draws from Member, partner and citizen insight;

3.    That the direction of travel be commended to the WMCA Board.