New economic strategy to be put before Bath & North East Somerset Council's cabinet

Higher wages, boosted productivity, greener businesses and more affordable housing are at the heart of an ambitious strategy document being put before Bath and North East Somerset’s cabinet on 1 February. 

The document ‘Building a Fair, Green, Creative and Connected Bath with North East Somerset Economy’ sets out a new approach to economic development which prioritises meeting the needs of residents and businesses whilst reducing impacts on our natural resources and environment.

If adopted, it would span the decade from 2024 to 2034, and see a 10-point Delivery Plan, which includes increasing local adoption of the Real Living Wage and delivering the Fashion Museum and wider Milsom Quarter Masterplan as a flagship for sustainable development.

The strategy has been produced in close partnership with the local Future Ambition Board (FAB), which brings together key partner organisations in the area, as well as the Western Gateway pan-regional partnership and the West of England Combined Authority. 

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “In many ways, Bath and North East Somerset’s economy is a success story. We have two universities, the Royal United Hospital, thriving market towns, significant businesses, and outstanding heritage and nature sites. Our residents are highly qualified, and unemployment is low.

“However, economic growth in our area over the last ten years has been sluggish. Because our wages are lower-than-average, many residents struggle with rising housing costs. Growing inequalities in health, employment, and education are creating a two-tier economy."

“To break this cycle, we need to pursue a sustainable, inclusive model of growth, particularly in the face of the climate and ecological emergencies. Our new economic strategy will deliver this, enabling us to prepare for the future, tackle inequalities and ensure all our area prospers and thrives. So, I would like to thank everyone, particularly our Future Ambition Board partners, who have worked so hard to develop this ground-breaking strategy. It clearly and succinctly sets out the direction we need to take to shape a local economy that is resilient, and which delivers for all our residents within the environmental capacity of our area and the planet."

“Crucially, it has been developed in conjunction with the key institutions and businesses, such as our universities, who contribute so much to our local economy. There are also clear plans for making the changes needed, and these will help us in attracting investment into our area, both public and private. I will be commending this strategy to the cabinet.”

Future Ambition Board member University of Bath said: “The University of Bath welcomes the new collaborative approach to local economic development. As a major anchor institution, the University of Bath plays a key role in the economic, cultural and environmental well-being of B&NES contributing £380m pa to the economy and supporting 5,950 jobs locally. The activities of our students, research and innovation activities contribute to B&NES’ wider ambitions for health, decarbonisation of transport and the built environment.”

Bath Spa University, another Future Ambition Board member, said: “As the Sunday Times University of the Year for Social Inclusion 2023/24, with a commitment to unlocking opportunities for all our 13,000 students, we embody the local, regional and national strategic leadership through partnership working that underpins this Economic Strategy. As one of only five Universities with ‘gold mark’ status as a social enterprise, Bath Spa University is fully engaged with the strategy’s aims, including business growth, innovation and opportunity. This is reflected in our collaborations such as FWD, The Studio, EMERGE, our Further and Higher education partnership with Bath College, as well as our work with Bath & North East Somerset Council on, and considerable investment in, the National Centre for Fashion and Sustainability and Locksbrook Creative Quarter. We are committed to helping secure a fair, green, creative, connected future for our area, as is reflected in our Vice Chancellor's authoring of the Combined Authority's Cultural Plan. We are delighted to be working so closely with a council also committed to regenerative economics.”    

Curo, which also sits on the Future Ambition Board, said: ”At Curo we are proud to be a partner supporting B&NES to deliver this new ten-year Economic Strategy, and we’re particularly pleased to see a renewed focus on housing affordability."

“As the largest Housing Association in Bath & North East Somerset, with more than 10,000 homes and an annual turnover of £150 million, we understand the major challenges around housing supply and rent levels. The very high ratio of house prices compared to incomes impacts residents and employers; we believe that truly affordable housing needs to be a key part of the solution."

“Homes also need be of a high standard, a drive reflected in our own ten-year strategy which prioritises the quality of homes. Our focus on energy efficiency and sustainability will help address fuel poverty and support residents’ wellbeing.  We will continue to invest in existing homes and build as many new homes as possible each year to 2034, and we support the commitment to a policy framework that enables the delivery of housing provision at scale."

“We also welcome the strategy’s focus on Good Work; with 700 colleagues we are a major local employer, and we continue to deliver a range of initiatives to help local residents into education, training and employment.”

The strategy also reflects work already under way on setting a new direction for the local economy, including promoting opportunities for green and innovative businesses at Bath Quays and the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone (SVEZ).

Alongside the report to cabinet on the Economic Strategy, cabinet is also receiving reports on the SVEZ, which will create an exemplar sustainable business park for new business and employment in the Somer Valley. One of the reports highlights that the ambition of the SVEZ is to support a greener economy. Commitments include creating good quality jobs for residents that will reduce out commuting, tackling the Climate and Nature Emergency by exceeding current Biodiversity Net Gain requirements, improving active travel and ensuring public transport is available. The scheme protects Midsomer Norton High Street, minimises the flow of HGVs on our highways, protects air quality and does not allow any drive-through food outlets that will add litter to our roads..

Councillor Roper added: “Three decades ago, the Somer Valley was almost self-sufficient in terms of quality local employment, but most of those jobs have been lost. The work we have done on the Somer Valley Enterprise Zone is a statement of our intent in ensuring that the Council uses its powers and influence to create and safeguard high quality local employment. We will ensure we have the land that we need to deliver the scheme and attract new employers, creating employment in a sustainable way whilst protecting and meeting our environmental commitments. It is expected that we will deliver in the region of 1,300 jobs which will be transformational for the local community.”

You can watch the Cabinet meeting on 1 February on the council’s YouTube channel. All the Cabinet papers can be viewed here.

‘Building a Fair, Green, Creative and Connected Bath with North East Somerset Economy’ is one of the key outcomes of the work of the Future Ambition Board to deliver its One Shared Vision of a Bath with North East Somerset area that is Fair, Green, Creative and Connected. It also forms part of a suite of key strategy documents designed to shape our area - including the newly adopted Bath & North East Somerset Corporate Strategy, the Climate Emergency Strategy & Ecological Emergency Action Plan and the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Also being considered at the cabinet meeting is a report on the Local Plan, which will set out options for location of key elements in delivering the One Shared Vision of a Green, Fair, Connected Bath and North East Somerset, such as housing and employment.