Agenda item

To receive a report by the Economic Development Manager seeking approval of a Marketing Strategy for Huntingdonshire.

 i.  Endorse the implementation of the Marketing Strategy and Branding profile for the promotion of Huntingdonshire subject to removal of  ‘Low Aspirations’ and the relating text from the ‘Weaknesses’ section of the SWOT analysis, and ‘Deprivation’ be amended to:

‘Concentrated pockets of deprivation in some key areas with some skill shortages’.

ii.  That progress on the implementation of the Marketing Strategy be reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being Panel) at six monthly intervals.

iii.  That an Annual Report on the impact of the marketing work programme be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being).

The Cabinet received a report (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) regarding the Marketing Strategy and Branding profile for the promotion of Huntingdonshire.

The Cabinet had previously approved the Huntingdonshire Economic Growth Plan 2013 - 2023 in July 2013 and one of the key short-term actions was the development of a Marketing Strategy for the promotion of the District as a location of choice to live, work and invest. 

Prior to the meeting of the Cabinet comments from the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being) had been circulated to the Cabinet.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being), having been invited to address the Cabinet, explained that the Panel had endorsed the Marketing Strategy with the suggested following additional recommendations, which were accepted by the Cabinet -

·  progress on the implementation of the Marketing Strategy to be reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being Panel) at six monthly intervals; and

·  an annual report on the impact of the Marketing Strategy work programme to be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being).

The Cabinet accepted that external expertise had been procured to assist with the development of the Strategy, branding, a website and marketing materials but questioned the choice of depictions contained within the Strategy. 

Referring to the SWOT analysis, the Cabinet expressed concern at the inclusion of ‘Low Aspirations’ and felt the issue was a shortage of skills rather than low aspirations.  The Cabinet therefore agreed to remove ‘Low Aspirations’ as contained within the ‘Weaknesses’ section of the SWOT analysis and amend ‘Deprivation’ to ‘Concentrated pockets of deprivation in some key areas with some skill shortages’.

It was explained that once the Strategy was approved by the Cabinet, preparation of the external facing marketing materials and branding profile would commence with the assistance of the Executive Councillor for Strategic Economic Development and Legal.  However, the Cabinet stated that development of the website with input from current and potential businesses in the District was crucial.

It was emphasised to the Cabinet that the Strategy was an internal document for use by Officers in promoting the District and was not for circulation externally.  In light of the level of production costs the Cabinet suggested that the document could be easily amended and produced as an external document.

A Cabinet Member explained that for the Strategy to be successful an effective events calendar detailing target dates for the introduction of promotional material was essential.  The Strategy was light on case studies and the Cabinet requested that current businesses be represented in the document as well as other businesses that had benefitted from being located in the District. 

In conclusion the Cabinet,

RESOLVED

 i.  to endorse the implementation of the Marketing Strategy and Branding profile for the promotion of Huntingdonshire subject to removal of  ‘Low Aspirations’ and the relating text from the ‘Weaknesses’ section of the SWOT analysis, and ‘Deprivation’ be amended to:

‘Concentrated pockets of deprivation in some key areas with some skill shortages’;

ii.  that progress on the implementation of the Marketing Strategy be reported to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being Panel) at six monthly intervals;

iii.  that an Annual Report on the impact of the Marketing Strategy work programme be presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Economic Well-Being).