Driving economic prosperity delivery plan

What we will do to achieve the outcome:

1. By 2024, the council in partnership with BCP council and the Dorset LEP will have established a dialogue with government for a county deal for the whole of Dorset to enhance and drive economic development and the skills agenda, attracting additional government funding into Dorset
2. By 2026, the Dorset County Deal will have been agreed with central government and a proposal implemented

Lead role / service:

• Executive Director for Place
• Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment
• Portfolio Holder for Planning

3. By 2023, dedicated support for growth in high value sectors, including advanced engineering/manufacturing, defence, security, agritech, marine, aquaculture, and tourism is available
4. By 2023, the Dorset Shared Prosperity Fund Investment Plan will deliver a new approach to investment in local business support, that features a range of commissioned and directly delivered services including business grants, specialist advice and mentoring, and workforce skills support
5. By summer 2022, the Levelling Up Fund round 2 bid will have been submitted
6. By 2023, the Future Farm Resilience Fund programme will be available (subject to funding approval)

Lead role / service:

• Head of Service for Growth and Economic Regeneration
• Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property

7. By 2026, employment land for development in appropriate locations across Dorset will be safeguarded in the Local Plan
8. By 2024, development will have started on regenerating key sites in Weymouth, including North Quay and the Bowling Alley site

Lead role / service:

• Corporate Director for Assets and Property
• Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property

9. By 2026, a campaign to create vibrant towns through improvements to town planning will have been launched
10. We will deliver a total Dorset plan on public transport and transport delivery models will be reviewed
11. The local plan will support economic regeneration plans, aligned to the local transport plan for Dorset

 Lead role / service:

• Corporate Director for Economic Growth and Infrastructure
• Portfolio Holder for Highways, Travel and Environment

What we will do to achieve the outcome:

1. By 2033, 9,600 additional local, full time employment jobs will have been created
2. By 2024, Dorset will have formed a local visitor economy partnership with a range of local partners to address strategic challenges to the sector and access government support and funding
3. By 2023, the ‘Visit Dorset’ suite of websites will be receiving over 2 million visits a year, raising the global profile of Dorset
4. By 2023, Dorset’s largest employers receive regular communication and interaction to form relationships where mutual opportunities and challenges can be shared with relevant partners
5. By 2024, Quadrant 2 commercial development at Dorset Innovation Park will be delivered
6. By 2023, phase 1 of the Defence Innovation Centre will be delivered, maximising the catalytic opportunity to attract further investment in Dorset Innovation Park
7. By 2024, resources will be in place to help to exploit opportunities presented by the Department for International Trade’s High Investment opportunities (that is Sustainable Aquaculture in Dorset; Marine Autonomy in the South West; Smart and Sustainable Aviation in South West England), including attracting the proposed National Aquaculture Centre of excellence to Dorset

Lead role / service:

• Head of Service for Growth and Economic Regeneration
• Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property

8.  There will have been an % increase in the number of Dorset based firms accessing training on public procurement requirements and accessing public sector frameworks and contracts
9. New contracts with Dorset Council will include skills development, training and apprenticeship opportunities for Dorset’s residents

Lead role / service:

• Service Manager for Commercial and Procurement
• Portfolio Holder for Finance, Commercial and Capital Strategy

What we will do to achieve the outcome:

1. By 2024, the Dorset Education Board will be embedded
2. By 2024, the Education and Skills Leadership Board will be established

Lead role / service:

• Corporate Director, Education and Learning
• Portfolio Holder for Children, Education, Skills and Early help

3. By 2026, an apprenticeship strategy with a focus on increasing starts in higher and degree level apprenticeships will be developed

Lead role / service:

• Head of Organisation Development
• Portfolio Holder for Corporate Development and Transformation

4.  By 2023, the Skills Commission will make recommendations to address Dorset’s skills-gap
5. By 2023, the ‘multiply’ investment plan will be developed, approved and in delivery phase to provide additional support to adults with numeracy skills
6. Work will continue to increase the take-up of the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee programme

Lead role / service:

• Head of Service for Growth and Economic Regeneration
• Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Assets and Property

What we will do to achieve the outcome:

1. The rural connected community’s programme will be being delivered
2. Ubiquitous full fibre will be available by 2028/2033
3. Gigabit capable (full fibre) networks will have risen from 24% to 85% by 2025
4. 2G coverage of A and B roads will have increased from 42.6%

Lead role / service:

• Corporate Director, Transformation, Innovation and Digital
• Portfolio Holder for Corporate Development and Transformation

What we will do to achieve the outcome:

1. Work with the Dorset Arts Development Company and other local partners to promote a year of culture for 2023
2. To bring inward funding to Dorset to develop and celebrate culture and arts

Lead role / service:

• Corporate Director for Place Services
• Portfolio Holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services