Live, work and learn
Our plan for a successful local economy
Welcome
A strong and inclusive economy helps people achieve their ambitions; it provides the opportunities for local businesses to thrive and for residents from all walks of life, including young people just starting out, to gain skills and jobs that will help them progress and realise their potential. Following the Grenfell tragedy, we have listened to residents, engaged with communities and looked at how the world has changed around us so that we can understand what we need to do differently and how we can support an economy that works for everyone.
We cannot do this alone.
Ensuring the economy works for everyone requires support from partners, businesses, employers, communities and residents.
Kensington and Chelsea has many strengths: a thriving business sector, world-class institutions and visitor offer, popular high streets, a world-famous market, a diverse and entrepreneurial population and a high-quality environment. Businesses, educational and cultural institutions, communities and employers all bring investment, prosperity and creativity to the borough. We are determined to be a place that supports businesses to thrive and prosper.
The borough’s economy is not immune to international, national and London-wide changes. Digital innovation has brought about entrepreneurship as well as a growing gig economy, but it has also brought challenges for high streets and the retail sector. The rise in automation is contributing to a precarious work environment. This brings questions about the future of workspace, protections for employees and what good work looks like. We need to help individuals, communities and businesses to tackle these challenges locally.
Like the rest of London, the borough has areas where people and businesses are not fully benefitting from the economy. We know that some people are struggling to find well-paid and secure work and to find support to develop the skills they need to progress. We are determined to do what we can to help tackle the barriers that prevent residents from fulfilling their potential. We are committed to narrowing the gap by developing the links necessary to ensure all residents can access the opportunities they want to.
Cllr Catherine Faulks
Investment in housing, transport and the public realm alongside employment, education and skills support, all contribute to creating a thriving working environment. Entrepreneurs who wish to start or grow a business need more affordable space or training to develop the skills to get their idea off the ground. We need more truly affordable housing and developments that bring jobs, sustain local economic strengths and extend opportunities to all who live in the borough. This is essential for good growth and a vibrant local economy.
We cannot do this alone. The borough is a place of incredible talent and diversity. Ensuring the economy works for everyone requires support from partners, businesses, employers, communities and residents. We are committed to working together so that Kensington and Chelsea is a place:
. where all residents can access opportunities
. where businesses thrive and prosper
. that supports good growth to sustain a vibrant local economy
I would like to give special thanks to all the residents, businesses, employers, schools, voluntary and community organisations that gave up their time to help. I am grateful for their insights and ideas.
Contents
Summary and aims
The borough’s economy
What we have heard
Employment and Skills
What will we do
Business and Enterprise
Planning and Investment
Measuring success
Getting involved
Cllr Catherine Faulks Lead Member for Skills and Enterprise
Summary and aims
Kensington and Chelsea is a unique central London borough with many economic strengths: a strong visitor economy with world class institutions, cultural attractions and museums, a retail and hospitality offer, as well as strong creative and cultural industries and a cluster of real estate and head office businesses. To maximise longer-term economic impact, the borough’s strengths must be sustained and translated into opportunities for all residents. We are committed to working with the 15,000 businesses in our borough to support them to respond to economic opportunities and challenges.
Each day 87,000 people come into the borough to work. In addition, 55,000 visitors travel here every day to enjoy the culture, the internationally renowned museums, the galleries, to go to any of the 2,600 shops, eat at one of the 430 restaurants or stay in one of the borough’s 155 hotels. Over 11.7 million people visited South Kensington’s museums last year and 10,000 people are employed by the institutions around Exhibition Road. Up to one million people each year visit Notting Hill Carnival, the largest celebration of Caribbean and Carnival culture in Europe. The borough contributes to a central London economy that produces more than £1 in every £7 that the UK generates and the borough benefits from an open business environment, a diverse and highly skilled workforce, and high-quality transport connections.
This success cannot be taken for granted given the uncertainty of future trading conditions in the context of Brexit, and challenges posed by high land values, changes to consumer behaviour and infrastructure operating at capacity. Digital advances have created many opportunities as well as a growing gig economy, but they have also brought challenges relating to future skills needs, employee rights and the shape of our high streets.
The borough is an area of huge social and cultural diversity, including significant differences in income and employment. While seven areas in the borough are among the most affluent nationally, 11 areas in Kensington and Chelsea rank in the 10 per cent most deprived areas in England. Most of these 11 areas are in north Kensington, although some are in parts of the south and west of the borough. These are areas with high levels of social housing relative to other parts of the borough. Many residents in these areas are not fully benefiting from London’s strong economy and face challenges of low income, poor housing and difficulties finding stable wellpaid work. We have heard from residents how important targeted and personalised support is to ensure everyone can access the opportunities in our borough and beyond.
We are determined to do what we can to help tackle the barriers that prevent residents from fulfilling their potential. We are committed to narrowing the gap and to make sure that our communities are empowered with the skills, support, opportunities and education they need to compete in the local economy and beyond.
To make a strong and inclusive economy a reality in our borough, we will make connections between people, companies, institutions and communities. This strategy includes actions to sustain our economic strengths:
1. widen access to employment and enterprise
2. work with local businesses to deliver social investment
3. ensure our young people achieve their aspirations and
4. create more apprenticeships and training.
The borough’s economy
Businesses
Up to 15,000 Businesses
The key sectors making up the local economy in terms of number of businesses and employee jobs are as follows:
The borough has a strong representation in retail, accommodation & food services, information and communication, property & real estate, health related services and arts, entertainment & recreation compared to London as a whole.
BAME proprietors of businesses:
. There is a smaller percentage of BAME proprietors in RBKC (11.2%) than elsewhere in London (14.4%)
. Sectors with the highest percentages of BAME proprietors are:
□ Transport and Logistics (31.7%)
□ Hospitality (18.0%)
□ Wholesale and Retail (15.9%)
London’s creative industries are a growing sector for employment: more than a quarter more jobs in 2016 compared to 2012. The borough has a strong and developing creative sector and contributes towards this significant growth.
Office market: Borough rents are £40-70/ft2compared to Hammersmith & Fulham at £40-55/ft2 and Paddington at £60-70/ft2.
Education
In 2018 68% of disadvantaged pupils (316) in state funded schools in RBKC achieved C or above in Maths and English. This compares to 59% for Inner London and 45% nationally*
*This
In RBKC, the number and percentage of students continuing to A-levels is the highest in Inner London. Of the cohort of 16 olds at school in RBKC-maintained schools in 2018, by November:
• 778 (96%) were in continuing education
• 9 (1%) were in apprenticeships
• 5 (0.5%) were in full time training (not employment)
• 1 was in employment not training
• 16 (2%) were reported as NEET (Young people not in education, employment or training - NEETs)
• 4 (0.5%) no response
These young people were studying in different institutions:
• 66.7% (519) continued with school sixth form
• 10.7% (83) studying at a sixth form college
• 22.6% (176) studying within FE colleges
**(including 16&17 year olds resident in the borough from all education provision).
Adult Skills Levels (16-64 year olds):
Adult Learning:
2,500 learners are enrolled, on 490 courses
Apprenticeships
Over 70 staff completing apprenticeships
250 residents of Kensington and Chelsea started apprenticeships in 2017/18
Housing and the cost of living
Kensington and Chelsea is one of the two areas nationally with the highest median house prices
There are 24,000 households living in social housing (Local Authority and Housing Association) and 20,000 households in privately rented homes in the borough. 30,000 own their home
We have used a variety of data from different sources: if you would like to see our sources you can find more detailed information at www.rbck.gov.uk/economy-strategy
The Grenfell Recovery Strategy sets out the Council’s commitment to work with the community and wider partners, to support the long-term recovery for those affected, including survivors, the bereaved and members of the wider community. During engagement to inform the Grenfell Recovery Strategy there were many comments and suggestions relating to work, skills, enterprise and opportunities for young people.
This Economy Strategy contains actions to assist with the ongoing recovery, including:
∙ The dedicated service for survivors and bereaved includes employment and skills support
∙ Co-commissioning employment, skills and enterprise support for those affected in the wider community
∙ Ongoing business support for the businesses affected
∙ Support for businesses to explore and develop a business forum in North Kensington
∙ Advice and support for residents to explore starting their own business.
To develop our action plan we looked at the consultation we previously conducted for the Grenfell Recovery Strategy and the Council Plan. We also met with voluntary and community organisations, residents’ associations, businesses, business support networks, higher, further and community education providers to hear their views.
The Action Plan (pages 15 to 39) show our plans in more detail.
We spoke to:
Employment Partnership Working Group
Clarion (Love London Working)
The Curve Assistance Centre
Department of Work and Pensions
Ingeus APM
Kensington & Chelsea Social Council
Kensington & Chelsea Chamber of Commerce
West London CCG
The Westway Trust
Businesses, High Street Forums and Landowners
Business Enterprise Exchange
Federation of Small Businesses
Kensington and Chelsea Chamber of Commerce
Museum of Brands
Portobello Business Centre
The Westway Trust
The Workary
Business consultation events
Portobello Business Centre business start up course attendees
Businesses in North Kensington (session hosted by Portobello Business Centre and Kensington and Chelsea Social Council)
Meet the Buyer event
Westbourne Studios
High Street Forums and Landowners
Cadogan Estates
Capital and Counties
Ilchester Estates
Kensington High Street Forum and event for local businesses
Kings Road Forum
Lodha Group
Market Streets Action Group
Local Community
Local residents attended drop-in session
Campden Charities
Dalgarno Neighbourhood Trust
Lancaster West Residents Association
Musawa BME Consortium
North Kensington JobCentre Plus clients
Volunteer Centre
Housing Providers
Octavia
Peabody Housing
Women’s Pioneer
Education
Kensington and Chelsea College
Morley College
Primary Head Teachers Network
Secondary Head Teachers Network
Westway Supplementary School Network
Partnership Board
Central London Estate Agents
Chelsea Academy
Chelsea and Westminster NHS Trust
Department of Work & Pensions (Jobcentre Plus)
Founders Forum
Harrow Club
Imperial College
High Street Kensington Business Forum
Kensington & Chelsea Chamber of Commerce
Kensington and Chelsea College
Kensington and Chelsea Foundation
Kensington and Chelsea Social Council
Museum of Brands
Westway Trust
Workspace PLC
Employment and skills
Helping residents progress in employment
Supporting residents currently unemployed, on a low income or with low skills to move into and progress through work
No. . Actions
1
2
Develop and launch an online portal to make it easier for advisers supporting residents to navigate through the range of services and opportunities available to develop skills and employability and to address barriers.
To achieve this, we will work with partners to map and review all existing services, outlets and referral routes, rationalising referral and progression pathways and addressing gaps in support for the journey into work/ better paid work.
Lead Council with support from employability support, information advice and guidance and careers partners
Identify and promote opportunities for employment with local businesses and employers:
• Identify or recruit a Business Relationship Manager
• Develop a range of engagement activity appropriate to size and business sectors
• Build relationships and identify opportunities for employment and skills development
• Link ongoing activities and opportunities to employment support providers and local residents.
Lead Council with local business networks and organisations and enterprise support agencies
When
May 2020
3
Provide targeted support to assist parental employment through one-toone advisers, linked with adult learning provision for skills development and other confidence building support, enabling progression routes into further learning, further employability support and employment.
(Targets: over 3 years, 350 residents supported by the service, of which 50% to move into employment, 25% into sustained employment).
September 2019 to September 2022
September 2019 to March 2023
Lead Council
Apprenticeships
The Council promotes apprenticeships as a route into employment, over 70 staff are completing an apprenticeship and we are recruiting more.
We are also committed to encouraging businesses to take on apprentices, and promoting progression routes to prepare for apprenticeships, such as traineeships. With other London Boroughs we are lobbying for more flexible apprenticeship programmes which are attractive to local businesses. A new coordinator will work with partners, schools, and employers to identify and promote opportunities, and to increase awareness in young people and adults of the benefits of an apprenticeship.
7
8
Develop pathways into other relevant growth sectors (hospitality and retail, health and care, creative/ digital), learning lessons from construction employment programmes and focusing on quality work and employment with progression:
• Develop sector plans with key businesses, enterprise and business agencies for relevant sectors
• Ensure further procurement rounds of adult learning support adults to prepare for employment and careers.
Lead Council with Enterprise support agencies, businesses and employers
Provide employability, skills and enterprise support for those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire:
• Support embedded within dedicated service for survivors and bereaved
• Community-led commissioning of support for those affected in the wider community (including agreement of targets with the community)
• Continue to provide Adult and Community Learning to support skills development and employability via community organisations and venues, refreshing programmes each academic year.
Lead Council with local residents, community and voluntary organisations and partners
9
Maximise the impact of gaining skills whilst volunteering to lead to employment:
• Identify Volunteering for Employability Champion
• Commission support, consult and develop a Volunteering and employability skills framework and tool kit for employers
• Work with local employers including the NHS, the cultural sector and museums to better link volunteering programmes with local residents
• Deliver volunteering programmes through adult learning delivery partners.
Lead Council with Volunteer Centre, Kensington and Chelsea Social Council, Voluntary and Community sector organisations, Helpforce, businesses and employers
Helping the long term unemployed back into work
Providing targeted support to help long-term unemployed residents address barriers to gaining employment and progressing 1b
No. Actions
wqDeliver a range of support to residents who are furthest from the jobs market, including:
• Ensure the Work and Health programme delivers personalised support to assist residents towards, or into a job, joined up with health and other support services.
(Targets: 300 RBKC residents start with programme, over half of whom progress to London Living Wage)
• Develop adult learning provision, increasing help for learners to gain basic, digital and English language skills alongside improved confidence and resilience, accessible through local community venues.
Lead Council with Central London Forward, Ingeus
Promote access to affordable childcare:
• Promote the range of childcare funding for working parents via the Early Years outreach team and Adult and Community Learning
• Explore reasons why parents who might benefit are not taking up funding for childcare
• Work with partners to feed any intelligence on barriers to taking up training/ employment due to lack of affordable childcare to inform commissioning and support
e• Review availability of childcare within Adult Learning provision. June 2019
Lead Council with DfE, local childcare providers and parents seeking work
Support the employment of people with disabilities and mental health issues through:
• Identifying actions within the Council’s emerging procurement strategy to promote contracting with and understanding of social enterprises, particularly those which enable employment of people with disabilities and mental health issues
October 2019 and ongoing September 2019
• Work with DWP to promote the Disability Confident scheme with employers. April 2020 Ongoing
Lead Council with DWP
Case study
Employment and Training support at The ClementJames Centre
The ClementJames Centre helps people gain meaningful and suitable employment through personalised advice and support, mentoring and work skills activities. Their programmes which include adult learning courses are part-commissioned by the Council.
Florence (not her real name) first came to The ClementJames Centre in August 2018. She had stopped working as a Beauty Therapist in a department store when she had her child in 2013. She had tried to provide freelance beauty therapy but had found this very difficult to maintain whilst caring for her child. At The ClementJames Centre she focused on developing confidence in writing job applications as she had previously got work through word of mouth. She also wanted to improve her IT skills and completed the Level 3 Functional Skills IT Course. Florence was successful in gaining two jobs. For two days a week she works as a wax therapist and for the other three days she provides lunch time supervision in a school.
Florence says she has grown in confidence, both of her jobs are working really well and she has seen her son ‘rocket’ in school, now she is no longer worrying about finding work and is able to spend more quality time with him.
No. Actions
y Support more vulnerable and at risk young people:
• Establish a dedicated team to support more vulnerable and at risk young people to choose the right academic qualifications, training and employment
• Work with youth support organisations, supplementary schools, registered social landlords and other partners to identify and support excluded young people, including NEETs, those at risk of violence and joining gangs and those working in the ‘grey economy’
• Provide supported employment, training and placement opportunities in the Council including Supported Internships for young people with Education Health Care Plans (12-16 places annually)
• Develop work experience opportunities suitable for young people with additional support needs.
Lead Council with youth support organisations, supplementary schools
u Support primary and secondary schools to develop and deliver effective careers guidance that will prepare young people to make informed decisions about career pathways:
• Promote use of existing resources within local schools, including Enterprise Advisers, and the support from Government to increase awareness about apprenticeships
• Provide access to information advice and guidance online portal for teachers/ careers advisors
• Create an apprenticeship co-ordinator to raise awareness of apprenticeship and technical pathways with young people, parents and schools
• Working with businesses, increase support to schools including aspirational support, mentoring, start-up business support for young people
• Work with London Enterprise Adviser Network (LEAN) to encourage local business people to become Enterprise Advisers
• Facilitate the Schools Best Practice Careers Network as a mechanism for school to school support driving improvement in school career strategies
• Link relevant local activity such as the annual South Kensington Creative Quarter event developing links and insight into creative careers.
Lead Council with schools and businesses
iFurther develop the Adult and Community Learning programme to support young people with particular needs aged 19-25:
• Develop a targeted programme for this purpose
• Work with education and skills providers to develop the offer, a range of entry points and progression routes, including routes to more advanced skills and advice services outside the borough.
Lead Council with higher education, further education and training providers
How we do business
1d
September 2019
Lead by example as an employer, commissioner and procurer of services
No. Actions
oPay the London Living Wage (LLW) to all staff directly employed by the Council, with an agreed plan in place for all third party contracted staff.
• LLW introduced for all Council staff
• Implement a phased implementation of the LWW for staff working for the Council’s contractors
• Gain Living Wage Employer Accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
Lead Council
pPromote better paid work and conditions for local people, with the opportunity of progression, through:
• Engagement with businesses to promote the benefits of employing local people on the LLW, promoting LLW accreditation through forums and networks
• Engagement with London-wide initiatives to influence and better paid work and conditions.
Lead Council with London Boroughs, Business networks and organisations
aDeliver a range of opportunities for local people to gain work experience and employment at the Council including:
• Continuing and developing the Supported Internship Programme for young residents with SEND
• A volunteering programme providing 4 week placements in a variety of services
• Including work experience requirements alongside recruitment and employment asks within supplier contracts
• Offering work experience in a variety of Council services for school pupils (1 to 2 weeks).
Lead Council
When
2018
July 2019
November 2019
October 2019 and ongoing
July 2019 and ongoing
Business and enterprise
Helping our businesses to start, stay, develop and grow here
Ensuring that Kensington and Chelsea remains a competitive location for business, finding new ways of supporting businesses to start, stay, develop and grow in the borough
No. Actions
gfDevelop a virtual one-stop-shop approach for easy access to information for businesses – revising the Council’s website to provide all information/ access that business and enterprise require in one location.
Lead Council
Develop a range of partnerships, networking events and information exchanges for local businesses, working with business and enterprise agencies to:
• build effective mutual relationships
• enable the voice of business to inform the Council’s strategic planning
• identify and respond to opportunities to lobby jointly for change from regional and national Government
• plan and deliver initiatives to support local employment and skills development and ‘buying local’
• identify what support and help businesses require A full schedule of business and employer engagement will be developed, in consultation, including taster events.
Lead Council with local business networks/ organisations and enterprise support agencies
hWork in partnership to support businesses impacted by the Grenfell Tower Fire including:
• Work with commercial landlords to assist recovery and enterprise
• Business support and advice for businesses impacted to assist recovery
• Continuing and developing support for Baseline Studios workspace (Lancaster West).
Lead Council with North Kensington businesses, commercial landlords, GLA, business support agencies
When
February 2020
September 2019 onwards
September 2019
Schools
We will support schools and their pupils to benefit from social responsibility initiatives delivered by local businesses and employers so that pupils gain inspiration and aspiration for their future employment and entrepreneurship. We will support schools to enrich their range of work-related and careers initiatives.
We will work with schools and partners to ensure that alternative pathways for pupils at 16 provide real progression opportunities. Working with schools, colleges, the voluntary and community sector and other employment and skills partners we will improve access to high quality, consistent careers information and guidance.
Case study
Business Support –Portobello at Business Centre
The Portobello Business Centre (PBC) provides support to existing businesses and helps residents develop and start-up new businesses. The Centre is part-commissioned by the Council and also operates co-working and training spaces in Ladbroke Grove.
PBC also provide a programme of courses, ranging from building successful e-commerce sites to masterclasses in fashion.
Someone who knows what the PBC can do for entrepreneurs is Talibah, the founder of HofS Collections, who recently registered her business. Talibah has received business advice and taken up the opportunity of renting desk space with PBC. Before starting her specialist clothing business she thoroughly researched her market and even visited factories in Ghana. The PBC have supported her to develop her passion for social entrepreneurship, textiles, design and photography.
No. Actions When
x Support the RBKC business awards to encourage enterprise, diversity and connections between businesses and the local community and align with the Economy Strategy objectives.
Lead Council with local business networks and organisations
c
Establish a Kensington and Chelsea Employers’ Forum with the aim of:
• providing and promoting apprenticeship opportunities
• promoting and supporting the employment of local people
• providing supported opportunities for looked after children, children with special educational needs and disability and young offenders
• promoting good practice including the Healthy Workplace Charter.
Lead Council with local business networks and organisations
v Promote the borough’s cultural, leisure and retail businesses to visitors and residents via the Explore Kensington and Chelsea microsite.
Council
2b
Helping local entrepreneurs
bSeptember 2019 and annually thereafter
April 2020
July 2019
Ensuring that residents have access to support in starting, establishing, developing and adapting their business
Ensure access to training and advice is available and enhanced locally, building on the local enterprise network and existing commissioned activities:
• Provide access to affordable workspace, linking with workspace in libraries (the Workary) and flexible space such as Freston Road hub, Canalside House and other sites that can offer access to similar space
• Deliver pop up activities including events for Enterprise Week.
Lead Council
n Encourage the development and formation of community and social enterprise through the provision of specialist advice and training for local residents, working in partnership with local agencies.
Council
October 2019
Lead
Lead
with Portobello Business Centre, K&C Social Council, Volunteer Centre
Supporting
our
high streets and markets
Co-ordinated actions to support the borough’s retail areas, and the unique street markets in the face of changing consumer behaviour and technology
No. Actions
m Support the development of street markets through partnership with traders’ associations, seek to maintain a diverse and vibrant offer to attract visitors and continue the success of these unique parts of the borough.
Lead Council with local traders’ associations, Westway Trust
,
.
Ensure that the Kensington High Street place-shaping programme and action plan supports the delivery of economy strategy objectives, balancing different uses with the needs of residents, jobseekers, businesses and visitors, including:
• Investigating the feasibility of establishing a Business Improvement District
• Installing banners to promote the High Street as a cultural quarter highlighting the area’s cultural institutions and supporting promotion of the cultural institutions, and possibly High Street businesses, through the installation of a series of ‘creative crossings’
• Attracting more footfall by enhancing the library and Town Hall spaces.
Lead Council with local business networks and organisations
Local business networks and organisations
Support landowner initiatives in King’s Road and Brompton Road including:
• Launch branding/ identity and destination marketing via a website, conduct market research
• Investigate feasibility of a Business Improvement District for Brompton Road.
Lead Council
Helping local business benefit from our supply chain
Developing our supply chain strategies and procurement processes to create job opportunities and support growth in local businesses
No. Actions
/ Assist SMEs to access and compete for contracts to supply goods and services on local developments through the Local Supply Chain project Identify local businesses in suitable sectors
• Provide information and support to businesses to become “tender ready”
• Engage with buyers and link businesses up with opportunities
• Arrange meet the buyer events.
WQDevelop a consistent approach to responsible procurement across the Council, directly supporting economic and social value in line with Council priorities.
Investing in local priorities
Developing our approach to social philanthropy
Develop the Council’s strategic approach to social philanthropy through:
• Identification of areas where support is needed in relation to Economy strategy and Council objectives which is not already met elsewhere
• Consultation and liaison with other local organisations already engaged in social philanthropy (including the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation and the Volunteer Centre) to identify where additional activity can add value
• Consultation with local business forums to consider how to build on local businesses’ corporate social responsibility policies
• Development of action plan, informed by best practice.
Lead Council
Planning and investment
Supporting good growth
Building strong and inclusive communities, delivering the homes Londoners need and creating a healthy city through our developing Local Plan and through relevant Neighbourhood Plans
No. Actions
REAs part of the next review of the Local Plan the Council will develop policies to ensure the provision of a diverse range business premises which meet the needs of those working and seeking to invest in the borough. This has a number of elements, but will include policies which:
• seek to prevent the loss of existing and promote the creation of new office premises and other business uses across the borough,
• provide a diverse mix of business premises, in terms of size and nature.
• allow new homes in the borough’s Employment Zones where these will help deliver new commercial floorspace
These policies will only have value if the Council is able to use them when determining relevant planning applications. As such the Council will adopt, and continue to keep under review, an Article 4 direction to ensure that planning permission continues to be required for changes of use of offices to residential use.
Lead Council
The Council will consider the role that non-retail commercial uses may have within town centres when the Local Plan is next reviewed. The Plan will seek to achieve a mix of town centre uses which reflect the changing nature of the retail sector, the function of our town centres and the need to maintain their vitality and viability.
T Work with Neighbourhood Forums to help produce Neighbourhood Plans which help deliver a range of business premises and which maintain the vitality of the centres which lie within the Neighbourhood Areas.
Lead Council with Neighbourhood Forums
Y Ensure the One Public Estate programme to release land for local housing is aligned with the Economy Strategy.
Council with other public sector landowners
When
Upon adoption of the Local Plan
Upon adoption of the Local Plan
October 2019
December 2020
Lead Council
Lead
Ensuring
developers deliver the best for local people
Using the planning process, through developer contributions, commitments and s106 planning agreements to support investment locally
No. Actions When
UAdopt, implement and monitor delivery against the Council’s section 106 Supplementary Planning Document to secure employment, training and supply chain opportunities arising from development sites across the borough. Upon adoption of the Local Plan
Lead Council
Transforming spaces
Harnessing the opportunities from development on major sites such as Kensal and Earl’s Court
No. Actions
I Update the Earl’s Court Action Plan to include:
• access to direct opportunities
• skills training
• the support for a Business Forum
• a range of commercial uses
• support for borough wide activity including a variety of employment in different sectors, schools engagement and enterprise support . July 2019
Lead Council
OEnsure, through the preparation of Planning policies including a Supplementary Planning Document for Kensal Canalside, that the Kensal Opportunity Area delivers a high quality mixed use site as part of a wider ambition for the area, including market-rate, social and intermediate housing, new shops and premises and opportunities for employment, skills and enterprise which meet local needs. February 2020
Lead Council
Getting connected
Investing in infrastructure to support a strong local economy
No. Actions
PSupport access to full fibre broadband and free Wi-Fi:
• Facilitate and streamline the universal deployment of full fibre broadband across all streets in the borough by cooperating and collaborating with all relevant stakeholders (Deploy 15KM FTTP)
• Investigate opportunities to encourage businesses and residents to take advantage of the Government’s Gigabit fibre internet access vouchers
• Facilitate and streamline the universal deployment of mobile 5G network broadband on street furniture across all streets in the borough by cooperating and collaborating with all relevant stakeholders (Deploy 300 small cells)
• Investigate, with business agencies, the potential and opportunities for smaller business to take full advantage of greater broadband speed schemes to digitalise and bring their business online (Connect 150 businesses)
• Supplement the full fibre roll out by using grant funding to deliver 1 gigabit fibre optic connections to public buildings and public housing from the TfL underground fibre optic network (Connect 3 Council hub buildings)
• Seek to have fibre suppliers provide apprenticeship and local employment opportunities for people in the areas they are working and promoting digital inclusion by provision of training
• Support the roll out of free Wi-Fi to all the borough’s town centres and promote existing free Wi-Fi particularly in other public facilities e.g. libraries more clearly.
Lead Council with fibre suppliers, land owners, developers, residents, businesses and business support networks
When
By March 2021
How will we measure the impact of the strategy?
Publication of the Strategy is just the start of ongoing conversations with residents, communities and our partner in the public, private and voluntary sectors about delivering the plan. All councils are facing economic and financial uncertainty and the Council will be more financially challenged over the next three years. This means we will need to look at how we use all our resources and work in partnership, to best effect.
We commit to making sure that the activities in the Action Plan are delivered by monitoring those interventions and will update residents, businesses and partners on progress.
The Council is developing a management framework which will include within it measures to demonstrate progress in delivering this strategy.
We will check and report the outputs and outcomes arising from individual projects in the action plan. We will also monitor the numbers and trends reported locally and nationally in relation to:
. unemployment
. qualification levels
. young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
. apprenticeships
. business start-ups
. business floorspace
Getting involved
In addition to the actions that the Council and our partners will take as set out in the action plan, we are committed to continuing to work with our partners, communities and residents. Only by continuing to work together will we achieve our aims.
We will continue and develop a number of forums in which this will happen, for example the Employment Partnership Working Group (the Council and partners providing employment and employability support), the Business Enterprise Exchange (local organisations with an interest in or supporting local businesses), and business forums. These complement a wider set of partnerships with community and voluntary sector organisations. We will promote opportunities to get involved widely as these are established.
In the meantime, if you are looking for support, you can find contacts in our Jobs Advice and Training Guide at www.rbkc.gov.uk/find-a-job
For Business and Enterprise Support contact Portobello Business Centre on (0)20 7460 5050, or info@pbc.co.uk
If you would like to be involved in the work of this strategy, then please contact us at business@rbkc.gov.uk
Further and adult education
Access to high quality education and skills training is a priority for the Council. There are approximately 5,000 learners each year at Kensington and Chelsea College, and we commission a range of voluntary and community sector providers to deliver adult and community learning to 2,500 learners each year.
We want to see a successful FE College with a sustainable future that meets local needs, including an offer for 16-18 year olds, training and apprenticeship opportunities, access to information advice and guidance and lifelong and community learning opportunities.
Contact number: 020 7361 3531
For more details visit: www.rbkc.gov.uk/economy-strategy Or contact us via email: business@rbkc.gov.uk
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