Issue - meetings

This report informs the Executive Member of the work to date to become a business friendly council and informs of the results of a survey of Local Businesses which concluded on 20^th November 2015.

Resolved:       That the Executive Member noted the work being undertaken to become a Business Friendly Council as outlined in the report as follows:

·        We undertake work within the council to understand the issues identified by the survey and what we should do to address these. We will look at this in comparison to other surveys conducted for the relevant service areas. For example, planning colleagues have indicated that satisfaction of their service and response times perform well compared to regional comparators

·        Work with businesses at all levels to understand how we can improve on our performance. We already plan to meet the Chambers of Commerce Executive Committee to discuss these issues. We will look to arrange sessions with other members of the business community on this topic.

·        Work with the business community to develop performance metrics to ensure that we have a target to aim for and measure progress against. For example, we could have a target that the experience of businesses is good or better in all areas. 

·        Develop guidance for all consultations that involve businesses: Given it was clear that this area was identified as weak for the council and there is currently no one approach for consulting businesses, we will look to work with businesses to develop a process for consultations that better meets their needs.

Reason:              To ensure the administration meets its commitment to become a Business Friendly Council

The Executive Member considered a report which outlined the work to date towards the Council’s ambition to become a Business Friendly Council and set out recommendations to take this forward.

Officers outlined the report and advised that they had worked closely with local businesses and had undertaken a survey which had highlighted a number of issues as set out at paragraph 5 of the report.

In response to questions from the Executive Member on the survey results, Officers confirmed that the Council is already working to improve the procurement process and in terms of the more detailed comments highlighted in paragraph 26 of the report about specific service areas, work can be undertaken with these areas to resolve the issues identified.

The Executive Member noted the report and agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.

Resolved:       That the Executive Member noted the work being undertaken to become a Business Friendly Council as outlined in the report as follows:

·        We undertake work within the council to understand the issues identified by the survey and what we should do to address these. We will look at this in comparison to other surveys conducted for the relevant service areas. For example, planning colleagues have indicated that satisfaction of their service and response times perform well compared to regional comparators

·        Work with businesses at all levels to understand how we can improve on our performance. We already plan to meet the Chambers of Commerce Executive Committee to discuss these issues. We will look to arrange sessions with other members of the business community on this topic.

·        Work with the business community to develop performance metrics to ensure that we have a target to aim for and measure progress against. For example, we could have a target that the experience of businesses is good or better in all areas. 

·        Develop guidance for all consultations that involve businesses: Given it was clear that this area was identified as weak for the council and there is currently no one approach for consulting businesses, we will look to work with businesses to develop a process for consultations that better meets their needs.

Reason:              To ensure the administration meets its commitment to become a Business Friendly Council