Minehead Economic Plan Coastal Community Team January 2016 Keith Thomas PER Consulting
CONTENTS Foreword 1 1. Coastal Community Team Contacts 2 2. Coastal Community Team Members 2 3. Other Partners and Stakeholders 2 4. CCT Accountable Body 2 5. Local Area Background 3 6. Community Context 3 7. The Local Economy 3 8. Related Activity 4 9. CCT Vision & Ambition 5 10. SWOT Analysis 5 11. Local Needs & Opportunities 6 12. Delivering the Plan 10 13. Consultation & Communication 11 14. CCT Management & Logistics 12 Appendix 1 Background Analysis Appendix 2 Action Plans
Foreword We are truly excited about the future potential for Minehead. We are all very proud of the superb physical environment in which we are lucky to live but recognise we need to evolve to maintain contact with changing market demands and the expectations and desires of our visitors. Minehead is a fabulous seaside resort and we don t envisage changing that but we can no longer rest on our laurels and past glory and have to work hard to maintain and grow our market share, develop our local businesses and nurture the talent and skills of our people. There is a strong community spirit in Minehead and we benefit greatly from an established process of partnership working through the Minehead Vision Group, who s previous success has laid the foundations for this next chapter of development. The Coastal Community Team brings together the commitment of local businesses, the Chamber of Commerce, the Voluntary & Community Sector together with the strengths of the Town Council, District Council and County Council. Whilst we are clear about our short-term priorities we are also focused on reaping the benefits of wider opportunities in the longer term including the billions being invested in the new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point and the future potential for tidal energy in the Bay and prospects for collaboration across West Somerset/North Devon and South Wales. This document presents our new Economic Plan and forms a blue-print to guide our future activity. We have worked hard to develop this plan over the past few weeks and consulted widely through workshops and local debates. This isn t the end of our hard work, however, and the plan will continue to evolve as we respond to funding opportunities and market changes in the future. Cllr Roger Thomas Chair of the Minehead Coastal Community Team 1
1. Minehead Coastal Community Team Single Point of Contact Katrina Midgley Chief Officer Engage Voluntary Sector Development Ground Floor, Alcombe Village Hall Marshfield Road Alcombe, Minehead TA24 6AQ Tel: 01643 707123 Mob: 07827 337 687 Email: Katrina@engagews.org.uk 2. Minehead Coastal Community Team Members Katrina Midgley, Chief Officer Engage VSD Cllr Karen Mills West Somerset Council Cllr Roger Thomas Cllr David Archer Cllr Andrew Parbrook Minehead Town Council Cllr Andrew Kingston-James Cllr Gail Everitt Cllr Terry Venner Somerset County Council Graham Sizer, Director/Resident Minehead Development Trust Alex de Mendoza, Chairman/Hotelier Minehead Chamber of Commerce Ray Tew, Vice Chair/Resident Regal Theatre Naomi Griffith, Director Minehead Eye (Youth Provision) Elke Winzer, Marketing Officer West Somerset Community College Colin Howard, Head of Commercial West Somerset Railway Services Kelly Quenault Butlins Bourne Leisure Mel Hammond, Hotel Manager Foxes Academy Maureen Smith, Resident Transition Minehead & Alcombe 3. Other Partners and/or Stakeholders Involved Dave Jackson, Beach Hotel Manager Somerset Coach YMCA Avon & Somerset Police (Community Safety) Minehead Hoteliers Association Exmoor Tourism Association Somerset Tourism Association Friends of the Steam Coast Trail Minehead Events Group 4. Minehead Coastal Community Team Accountable Body Corinne Matthews Economic Regeneration Manager West Somerset Council West Somerset House, Killick Way, Williton, 2
5. LOCAL AREA BACKGROUND Somerset TA44QA T: 01984 635287 M: 07825 154 735 E: cmatthews@westsomerset.gov.uk Minehead is a seaside resort within the District of West Somerset. Situated on the south bank of the Bristol Channel and on the border of Exmoor National Park, the town benefits from a magnificent sandy beach, a mile-long promenade, historic harbour quarter and is also the start of the 630-mile South West Coastal Path. Road access is via the A39 from the M5 at Bridgwater 27 miles to the east or the A358 from the County town of Taunton 25 miles to the south. The A39 continues further west linking Minehead with other resorts along the North Devon Coast. Minehead is also connected locally by the longest heritage railway in England. The West Somerset Railway links the coastal communities together and in future is hoped to connect with the main line services from Bishops Lydeard. Minehead has been home to the Butlins holiday resort since the 1960s and has recently benefited from 30 million of investment to upgrade the facilities and create high quality chalet accommodation. Butlins alone contributes some 60 million of economic value to the town, supporting over 1,000 jobs and attracting 400-500 thousand staying visits per annum. This is in addition to the estimated 53 million of tourism benefits from some 118,000 staying visitors and over 900,000 day visits to Minehead generally. 6. COMMUNITY CONTEXT Minehead is home to around 12,000 people (Census 2011) and is the largest town in the rural district of West Somerset. The population is considerably older than the rest of Somerset with some 30% over 65 years compared with 21% across the County and 16% nationally. Those aged over 80 years are even more pronounced, 11% of the town s population compared with 6% in the County and less than 5% nationally. This puts considerable pressure on the town to provide services for the elderly with considerable growth in care homes and care services being a feature of the local area. Retaining young people in the town is also a critical challenge especially with no University presence anywhere in the County. Whilst the overall working age population is lower, however, there is a relatively healthy labour market in Minehead with above national average levels of economic activity and a high level of local self-employment in the town. Unemployment is generally low although there are considerable seasonal variations reflecting the demands in the local tourism economy. Nevertheless, there is considerable concern over in-work poverty in Minehead as wage levels are generally low. The population of Minehead presents a strong level of technical qualifications compared to the national average but is generally below national and regional trends at the higher skill levels. There are more people in Minehead with no qualifications than elsewhere in the region. Further details on the local community context are provided in the accompanying topic paper in Appendix 1. 7. THE LOCAL ECONOMY Minehead is the primary economic centre in West Somerset with around 5,400 employee jobs in the town (48% of the District total) in 2014. Tourism dominates the town s economy with an estimated 55% of all employment either directly or indirectly linked to tourism services. Total employment has fallen slightly since 2009 with particular changes experienced in retail, local manufacturing and financial/business services. Wider tourism employment appears to have remained fairly stable over the years since the global economic recession. A key priority for Minehead is to provide additional opportunities for young people to live and work in Minehead. Evidence suggests that there is a strong appetite, particularly generally amongst young people, to start and grow their own business. In West Somerset, the relative 3
lack of job opportunities means that this driver is a more permanent feature of the environment if skilled young people from the area want to stay, to pursue careers in their chosen area, the only local option often is to start their own enterprise. Further details on the local economy, health of the town centre and the tourism market context are set out in the accompanying topic papers in Appendix 1. 8. RELATED ACTIVITY West Somerset is situated in the Heart of the South West LEP area covering Somerset, Devon, Plymouth and Torbay. The local authority partners are currently preparing a Devolution proposal to government, which focuses on: Skills Health Care & Wellbeing Infrastructure Resilience Globalising our economy The LEP Strategic Economic Plan recognizes the great diversity of communities and economic activity across a wide rural area and the importance of Tourism to local markets. The ambitions for the LEP, however, are to raise skill levels and prospects targeting key economic sectors including: New Nuclear Aerospace Marine Industries Environmental Futures Of particular local significance is the planned development of Hinkley Point C, which will be the UK s first new nuclear power station in 25 years; situated just 20 miles from Minehead. Led by EDF Energy, the 16bn project will be Europe s largest construction scheme, and the UK s largest inward investment project, employing 5,600 individuals at peak and providing in the region of 100m/year additional GVA into the local economy during the construction process. In operation, the station will provide electricity to around 6m homes over a 60-year life cycle, contributing roughly 7% of the UK s overall national requirements. Key activities engaging with the local economy include: Local Supply Chain Development Site Services Contracts including the Somerset Larder Initiative / HOST connecting Food & Drink Suppliers / hotel and hospitality functions. Hinkley Tourism Strategy & Action Plan Employment & Skills It is expected that the development will provide positive opportunities for Minehead businesses, who may be able to access some of the site services type supply chain. Local residents may also benefit from additional job and career opportunities. Tourism could benefit from an influx of construction workers and their families who will be keen to explore the recreational opportunities within the area. The requirement will be to maximise these opportunities while mitigating some of the challenges that this project could also bring. Displacement within the current workforce, additional traffic congestion, the wider perception of the area as a building site could all become real and live economic issues, if we adopt a do nothing approach to supporting the local community to maximise the positives and minimise the negatives. The West Somerset Local Plan is well advanced and is expected to go through Pubic Inquiry in March 2016. This provides the important spatial context for future development in Minehead. Meanwhile, this Economic Plan sets out the local community priorities for driving the local economy and provides a framework for potential funding support through local planning obligations. 4
On a more micro level, Minehead has successfully won funding for a Coastal Revival Fund project that will provide some funding to support the future development potential of the Esplanade and restore an Edwardian feature known as the Zig Zags. CCT will be taking overall responsibility for this project, and it will provide a positive quick win for the Team. Minehead already has a wealth of project champions who are taking responsibility for a series of socio-economic activities. These include Minehead Town Council and their desire to bring back community swimming facilities to the Town, Minehead Development Trust who are taking the lead on creating a community hub within the former hospital building. Minehead Eye, who lead on a large and diverse range of youth provision. Minehead Chamber of Trade who serve as the voice for business and are scoping out a number of initiatives to help support the resilience of Traders. This is not an exhaustive list, but a snapshot of current activity. 9. CCT VISION & AMBITION The priorities of the Coastal team are to build on the strengths of Minehead, enhance the town s key assets and future proof it to be a vital and vibrant community where the local population have access to the appropriate skills and training they need to realise potential, gain employment and grow business. Additionally the ambition is for there to be exciting cultural and leisure provision and, most importantly, that our residents and visitors can access a wide range of services and facilities. Sustainable tourism will remain at the heart of our economy but the ambition is to raise the quality of service and widen the range of activity available in Minehead. We want to reposition Minehead as a strong, multi-faceted destination in its own right taking advantage of its location, facilities and local distinctiveness and extending our reach across different target markets from families to active older (higher spending) visitors. Crucially the ambition for Minehead is to deliver a: This will be evidenced by: 10. SWOT ANALYSIS Better Place Better Experience Better Prospects More people, visiting more often and doing more things locally. Whilst Minehead may lack the economic drivers more typical of higher value, growth-focused economies, there remains a fundamentally sound local economy with significant potential to diversify and continue to add value to the quality of the place and support the local community. Building on the data analysis summarised above and presented in Appendix 1 and from detailed local conversations with the community and stakeholders the following Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats have been identified which underpin this Economic Plan and inform future activity. Strengths Stable employment base strengths in Tourism & Care Sector High economic activity High level of self employment High quality built environment Good quality coastal environment Tourism Gems Coast Path, WSR, Edwardian Parks, Butlins etc. Strong community engagement/activity Weaknesses Relatively poor physical connectivity Limited access to water No wet weather attraction Low skills base Low Wage economy 5
Ageing Population Seasonality of market capacity Limited high-end offer Confusion over market brand Opportunities Supply chain to Hinkley Investment Supply chain improvement to Butlins Digital Connectivity advantage Severn Tidal Energy Broaden market appeal Positive Planning for Business Economic linkages across coastal area South West & Wales Threats Labour market capacity Hinkley could affect perceptions Lack of co-ordination of events Lacking active destination management/promotion Funding constraints low regional impact Silo management fail to see wider impacts Too many different projects vying for limited funding 11. LOCAL NEEDS & OPPORTUNITIES There isn t the physical space, infrastructure capacity or local desire to see Minehead grow substantially to broaden its economic base. The focus, therefore, is to nurture and enhance the quality assets that are already here, diversify our tourism offer to enhance the quality experience for visitors and residents and strengthen our local enterprise potential. The proposed interventions for Minehead s Economic Plan have been structured under the following key themes: People Place Business The rationale for intervention, the broad aims and opportunities under each theme are described further below. 11.1 MINEHEAD PEOPLE Rationale There is a critical need to enhance local skill levels to improve local employment prospects, increase earnings and stimulate local ambition and entrepreneurial spirit. Careful consideration is also needed to maintain local community cohesion and improve access to local services in a rural context. Opportunities for change Youth Enterprise & Innovation build on past programmes and activity to stimulate innovative ideas and prospects for new businesses and local mentoring. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: West Somerset College/Minehead Eye Reduced youth unemployment Increased new business starts 3-5 years on-going programme 6
Community Employment Hub The Bridge part of a network of community Hubs in West Somerset with support from DWP supporting people back/into work through community volunteer advice and employer links. Project Champions: Minehead Baptist Church Outcomes: Stronger Community Engagement Improve individual self-esteem and confidence Improved pathways into work Timescales: Operational from January 2016 Minehead Community Radio there is real prospect of establishing a local community radio station in Minehead with support from local businesses. This would provide a strong community based communication channel for people and business in the local area. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: Local Business in partnership with Bridgwater ACCES FM Stronger community cohesion/local identity Improved communication and dialogues Better information/local Promotion/Business engagement 12-18 months Minehead Community Swimming Pool a common theme in local consultation has been concern over the loss of local facilities. Work is progressing to explore the potential for a community/volunteer run swimming pool on land in the ownership of the Town Council Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: Minehead Town Council Community cohesion Health & Well-being benefits Volunteering opportunities & local employment Visitor attraction and footfall to town centre 2-3 year delivery Tourism Service Training Academy the ambition is to raise quality standards and service excellence in tourism. Minehead is already home to two strong tourism training organisations Foxes Academy and YMCA Somerset Coast Group - working with young people. This can provide a platform for further growth and encourage enhanced service excellence among existing tourism operations in the area. The CCT will work with existing partners and in the context of the regional skills and learning review across Somerset. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: 11.2 MINEHEAD PLACE CCT to explore feasibility Centre of training excellence Local skill development Raise local ambition and aspiration Increase quality 3-5 year delivery Rationale Minehead s strength is the wonderful physical environment and a host of individually strong attractions and features. However, the place lacks cohesion of the underlying tourism offer and potential. There is a need to join-things up more coherently both through physical connections and in terms of marketing/promotion. A total place approach to management and delivery is needed ensuring stronger unity among partners on opportunities, priorities and future prospects. It is also vital that Minehead s infrastructure is maintained and improved over time as resources allow. Strategic road connectivity remains a major challenge. Opportunities to improve critical pinch-points need to be promoted in the wider regional context. Improved rail connectivity is also a long-term ambition for many partners. Whilst a mainline service may not be financially feasible given resource constraints, improvements to the current heritage services are to be encouraged and supported to ensure we don t lose other opportunities in the future. Opportunities for change 7
Branding & Destination Management Minehead has the potential for broad based tourism appeal benefitting from its proximity as a base for exploring Exmoor, the Quantock Hills and the Somerset Coast as well as a seaside resort destination in its own right. Whilst local businesses have good links with both Exmoor Tourism Association and Somerset Tourism Association there can be some dilution of the real Minehead potential. There is considerable potential to broaden Minehead s appeal and attract wider range of tourist market, extending the holiday season and attracting high spending markets. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: CCT working group Increased visitor numbers Increased visitor spending Increased frequency/length of stay Increased business prosperity 3-5 years on-going programme Tourism Led Business Improvement District (BID) there is a growing trend for local businesses to invest in town centre and area marketing and events and to support pro-active management of places. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: Minehead Chamber of Commerce Improved business confidence and leadership Business plan led approach to marketing and event management Increased footfall and visitor numbers Feasibility work 6 months Business Planning & Promotion 12-18 months BID operations 2-3 years Enterprising Esplanade Minehead benefits from a mile-long esplanade stretching from Butlins to the historic Quay Town. Essential flood protection work along the sea front has unfortunately resulted in a bland concrete expanse which generally lacks any focal points and has lost the original visual impact and enjoyment expected by visitors. Project Champions: Outcomes: CCT / MTC / West Somerset Council Stimulate activity on the sea-front Create new business opportunities Improve local connectivity between the sea, key attractions and the town centre to enhance local business trade and footfall Timescales: Business Plan March 2016 Implementation 2-3 years Minehead Old Hospital situated at the heart of the town centre is a significant Grade II listed building which has been vacant since the new hospital opened in 2011. Although in private ownership, Minehead Development Trust is working with the owners to explore opportunities for enhanced community use to preserve the building for the future and enhance its contribution to the vibrancy of the town centre. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: Minehead Development Trust Preserve and protect important historic building Create Central Hub of shared public services Reinvigorate activity in the town centre 1-3 years Clanville Gardens - Minehead s Secret Garden former Victorian Nursery, with the aspiration to restore and refurbish as part of Minehead s wider transition town values, and also to create the horticultural heritage link with Blenheim Gardens and The Parks. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: Transition Minehead & Alcombe Stronger Community Engagement 2-3 years 8
Minehead Marina/Jetty Minehead has very limited (and tidal) opportunities for local berthing and is potentially missing an enormous tourism opportunity to take advantage of the water attraction. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: CCT Working Group Create access to water Improve opportunities for boating Create future potential for ferry links/marina Long term ambition 5 years+ Improved Rail Connections Minehead benefits from the successful heritage rail operations managed and run by West Somerset Rail. The opportunity exists to connect Minehead directly to the main line rail services when these are extended to Bishop Lydeard. Longer term potential to upgrade the local infrastructure in the future should also be explored. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: CCT/WSR/Chamber of Commerce Working Group Improved rail connectivity/enhanced marketing profile Long term ambition 5 years+ Strategic Highway Improvements Journey times from the M5 are variable and unpredictable and there are several major pinch points along the A39 strategic highway where HGV s are unable to pass safely. A long-term plan for highway improvements has been established by SCC but cannot be delivered under current financial constraints. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: 11.3 MINEHEAD BUSINESS SCC Road safety improvements Journey time reductions/reliability Enhanced road connectivity/marketing profile Long term ambition 5 years+ Rationale Whilst recognizing Minehead s continued focus on the tourism market there is need to strengthen the wider economy and encourage greater diversity where possible. Opportunities for change Local Supply Chain Development with Hinkley investment on the horizon there are significant opportunities to strengthen local supply chain linkages at all stages of operation. Opportunities also exist to improve relationships with other major businesses such as Butlins and public sector purchasing organisations. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: West Somerset Council Increased business awareness of market opportunities Increased business networking and linkages Opportunities for small business collaboration/joint ventures Strengthen local business capacity and integration Current activity on-going Support business expansion there is a recognized constraint on land availability for local business expansion with limited opportunities to designate specific sites for employment use through the Local Plan. The WSC Local Planning Authority, however, is keen to support business expansion and will explore specific opportunities and proposals with business on a project-by-project basis helping to find solutions to site constraints rather than placing barriers on future growth potential. This positive approach to land use planning needs to be communicated more to local business community to avoid constraining the market through negative perceptions. Project Champions: Outcomes: West Somerset Council Greater dialogue with local business Innovative solutions to local planning issues Creative approach to site finding through local contacts Support for business expansion and growth 9
Timescales: Current activity on-going Flexible Workspace through the Rural Growth Network, Somerset County Council has encouraged the development of a pilot programme of flexible local workspace hubs, which can support micro-business and start-ups in rural areas with access to flexible workspace and facilities. Minehead has a high level of self-employment and home working and could benefit greatly from the stimulus of small business collaboration and support for business growth and start-up. A Minehead Hub would also benefit from linkages with the Somerset Energy Innovation and Collaboration Centre in Bridgwater and potential management support through the existing Minehead Enterprise Centre, which is one of the family of Somerset Enterprise Centre s managed on behalf of SCC by a private operator. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: SCC/West Somerset Council Increased business start-ups Greater networking among small/micro-business Greater visibility for home-based business Business support and leadership 3-5 years Tidal Energy Network there is considerable long-term potential to exploit sustainable energy potential of Minehead s coast and foster stronger links throughout the Severn Estuary. Several private operators are considering future opportunities, including possible construction of tidal lagoons, although all remain subject to thorough environmental analysis and viability testing and are dependent on government policy support. The Heart of South West LEP is keen to explore and support the regional economic benefits of the environmental technology sector and the future potential for Minehead to benefit from these opportunities needs to be promoted with the LEP and the Somerset Growth Board. Project Champions: Outcomes: Timescales: 12. DELIVERING THE PLAN West Somerset Council/Private Sector New Energy generation High value construction and technical job opportunities High value tourism potential Strong regional connectivity 5 years plus Further details on the deliverables and activities required to realise the Economic Plan for Minehead are set out in Appendix 2. These include identification of project leads, in-kind resources that will contribute to delivery and initial estimates of other costs. Full delivery of the Economic Plan will depend on successful bidding for funding which will in turn depend on the strength and viability of individual project plans and business cases. An overview of short, medium and long-term actions is set out below. 12.1 SHORT-TERM ACTIONS The priority actions over the next 6 months include: Community Employment Hub The Bridge operational Restoration of the Zig-Zag connection to the Coastal Path Enterprising Esplanade Feasibility Study Tourism BID Scope & Feasibility Business Supply Chain Programme on-going Hinkley Tourism Action Plan on-going Community Swimming Pool Business Plan Minehead Old Hospital Business Plan 12.2 MEDIUM-TERM ACTIONS The priority actions over the next 1-3 years include Minehead Community Radio established 10
Implementation Enterprising Esplanade proposals Somerset Skills & Training Review Tourism Training Academy Feasibility Study Minehead Community Swimming Pool operational Minehead Old Hospital Operational Tourism BID Business Plan established & referendum Minehead Branding & Destination Management market research Flexible Workspace Hub feasibility & market research 12.3 LONG-TERM ACTIONS The priority actions over the next 3-5 years include Establish Destination Management Partnership Establish Tourism Training Academy Flexible Workspace Hub developed 12.4 ULTRA-LONG TERM ACTIONS Supporting activity to promote the potential of other initiatives will also be required although delivery I expected to extend beyond the 5 year programme. Tidal Energy Strategic Road & Rail Connectivity Improvements 13. CONSULTATION & COMMUNICATION The Economic Plan has been devised through extensive local consultation and engagement with stakeholders and partners. A series of focus groups were held in December 2015 to gather views and opinions from key stakeholders. There were organized under the following topics: business, tourism, people and skills, community and environment. All attendees, and those who were unable to attend, were invited back to a summit meeting in January 2016, where initial findings were presented and there was an opportunity for the whole group (40 people) to look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats around the economy of Minehead and its environs. Members of this group were very keen to be involved in progressing the plan, once it has been adopted and we see them as the nucleus of a forum for wider consultation with the sections of the local community that they represent. The additional information and ideas from this summit meeting have been incorporated in the plan. This plan will be a living document and, as new trends develop and potential new projects are identified, Minehead CCT will involve the initial summit group and utilise existing networks, social media and member websites to consult with segments of the community as appropriate to each development. CCT members meet regularly and will use these meetings to update the whole team on activities carried out by discrete task and finish groups made up of team members and other relevant stakeholders. Minehead Town Council has an important leadership role in contributing to the work of the CCT and engaging with the local community and through regular reporting back to the Town Council on CCT activity. The accountable body is also a member of the CCT and, as such, will be involved and up-todate with all developments. Other interested bodies and stakeholders will be encouraged to sign-up for an email newsletter, which will be distributed periodically, with relevant information and updates on progress. Regular monitoring reports and updates will also be provided to government, the HoSW LEP and Coastal Community Association as required. 11
Individual Minehead CCT members have between them a variety of networks and members that will be informed of progress through existing reporting and feedback mechanisms. In addition, we will create a dedicated page on the Minehead Town council website, where the economic plan will be available to download. The page will be updated with details of specific projects and funding streams as they come online. There will also be links to CCT member websites, DCLG and CCA. We will inform local media via press releases. West Somerset has a schedule of Local Area Panel meetings, attended by representatives of statutory authorities, where members of the public are updated on community issues and can join in the dialogue, as they have an opportunity to bring their own issues to the table. We will use the Minehead panel as an opportunity to update the local community on developments and progress within the Minehead Economic Plan. 14. CCT MANAGEMENT & LOGISTICS Minehead CCT meets no less than quarterly, and more frequently if required. The make-up of the team is such that, between them, its members represent the wider community within their own networks. The core CCT will be responsible for overseeing and monitoring general progress with projects delivered under the plan. Task and finish groups will also be drawn together to cover specific aspects of the plan and project delivery. These groups will be able to draw on the wider expertise of members of the community and key stakeholders, who are not necessarily core CCT members. 14.1 SUPPORT STRUCTURES As previously mentioned the Minehead CCT is made up of key representatives from all three tiers of Local Authority, the local business community and voluntary sector. Other key stakeholders have been identified and engaged with as part of the consultation process. These existing relationships will be maintained and others developed with additional stakeholders as they are identified. The team also benefits from local authority officer support, which it is able to call upon when specific expertise is required. 14.2 OPERATING COSTS & FUTURE SUSTAINABILITY Minehead CCT is currently resourced from in-kind support from Local Authorities and other member groups. Any additional resource identified as required to deliver particular projects will be included in the relevant funding bids. The Minehead Economic Plan is a living document with wide community support and will be reviewed and refreshed at least annually. The team is already identifying potential project champions who will lead on specific projects that are of particular relevance to them and their members/communities of interest. Other project champions will come forward as new projects evolve. In this way the CCT will ensure that interest in the plan and its projects is constantly refreshed, and the activities delivered within it are owned by the community. 14.3 AREAS OF SPECIFIC INTEREST Minehead CCT would be interested in participating with other Coastal Teams through working groups or virtual networks in the following key areas to share good practice, experience and learn from each other: Tourism Trends Town Management/BID Destination Management/Branding Marina Development Heritage Rail Sea Transport Coastal Energy Generation 12
APPENDIX 1 BACKGROUND ANALYSIS TOPIC PAPERS: 1. People & Skills 2. Local Economy 3. Minehead Town Centre 4. Tourism Market 13
Introduction To help understand the potential of Minehead, a series of informal Topic Papers have been prepared which distil the economic research and analysis and build on local consultation and engagement with a range of stakeholders. This paper sets out the key issues relating to People & Skills. Population Overview Minehead is home to around 12,000 people according to the 2011 Population Census; around 35% of all those living in West Somerset. This figure has changed very little over the past decade with around 11,700 people recorded as living in Minehead in 2001. Age Group Minehead West Somerset South England Somerset West 0-15 13.7% 13.9% 17.8% 17.6% 18.9% 16-24 10.9% 9.2% 10.2% 11.3% 11.9% 25-39 14.5% 12.1% 15.5% 17.5% 20.2% 40-64 30.8% 35.7% 35.4% 34.0% 32.7% 65-79 19.3% 20.3% 14.8% 13.8% 11.7% 80+ 10.8% 8.7% 6.3% 5.8% 4.6% All Ages 12,000 34,700 530,000 5,289,000 53 million The population of Minehead is considerably older than the rest of Somerset with around 30% aged over 65 years compared with 21% for the County as a whole and just 16% nationally. Again there has been very little change in the town s age structure since 2001 when some 29% of the population were aged 65+ and some 10.2% were aged over 80 compared with 10.8% in 2011. Population Age Structure - 2011 Source: NOMIS/ONS Population Census 2011 Labour Market Although the overall working age population is lower than elsewhere, there is a relatively healthy labour market in Minehead with some 78% of the working age population being economically active in 2011, slightly higher than the national Minehead Wards Central North South Alcombe Total Total % England % Economically Active 2,577 746 918 1,023 5,264 78.2% 76.7% Employees 2,122 555 691 813 4,181 62.1% 61.6% Self Employed 352 150 175 162 839 12.5% 9.1% Unemployed 103 41 52 48 244 4.6% 7.7% Economically Inactive 547 303 366 251 1,467 21.8% 23.3% Total 16-64 3,124 1,049 1,284 1,274 6,731 average. Furthermore, whilst the local employment rate is broadly similar to the 14
national average, the level of self-employment at 12.5% is considerably higher as shown in the table below. Minehead Labour Supply 2011 Source: NOMIS/ONS Population Census 2011 & ONS Annual Labour Force Survey % based on 16-64 except unemployed based on economically active Employment & Occupations The table below highlights the different occupations of people in employment in Minehead compared with West Somerset overall and the national average from the 2011 Population Census. There is a strong bias towards Elementary Occupations comprising some 19% of the Minehead workforce compared with 14% across West Somerset and just 11% nationally. This reflects the dominance of tourism businesses with activities in this category including general cleaning, catering, security and unskilled construction work. Nevertheless, there is a good representation of Managers & Senior Officials and Skilled Trades in the Minehead workforce although the typically higher paid Minehead Wards Central North South Alcombe Minehead Total Minehead % West Somerset % England % 1. Managers & Senior 258 129 104 117 608 11.5% 12.6% 10.9% Officials 2. Professional 199 102 102 97 500 9.4% 11.7% 17.5% 3. Technical 210 58 89 75 432 8.2% 8.8% 12.8% Professional, Technical and Administrative occupations are less well developed locally. As expected, Caring and Leisure Service Occupations are strong in Minehead, nearly 10% and 4% of all employees respectively. Minehead Occupations 2011 15
4. Admin & 173 52 102 80 407 7.7% 8.5% 11.5% Secretarial Median Resident Earnings 5. Skilled Trades 384 98 129 180 791 14.9% 18.3% 11.4% 2011 2012 2013 2014 6.1 Caring Services 227 79 95 124 525 9.9% 9.3% 7.0% West Somerset 386.4 338.6 429.5 n/a 6.2 Leisure Services 124 35 28 33 220 4.2% 3.0% 2.3% Somerset County 461.5 464.2 481.0 488.9 7. Sales & Customer 226 65 87 117 495 9.3% 7.2% 8.4% Services South West Region 471.5 477.4 485.1 495.8 8. Process Plant England & 117 47 504.7 59 513.2 68 520.6 291 523.6 5.5% 6.1% 7.2% Machine Ops 9. Elementary 651 104 136 139 1,030 19.4% 14.4% 11.1% Occupations Totals 2,569 769 931 1,030 5,299 Source: NOMIS/ONS Population Census 2011 Average Earnings Figures for average earnings are not available at the Minehead Ward level but are Mean Resident Earnings Workplace Earnings shown for West 2011 2012 2013 2014 2011 2012 2013 2014 West 399.1 337.9 382.9 366.7 461.1 449.0 482.2 460.6 Somerset overall in the table below compared to the national, regional and County figures. The first table shows the median full-time weekly earnings of local residents. This is the most appropriate data for statistical comparison as the median is the mid-point salary of the all residents. However, due to low statistical counts, the median earnings at the workplace are not reliable and the second table, therefore, presents the mean or average weekly earnings for both the resident and workplace data. Resident Weekly Earnings (Median) Source: NOMIS/ONS Annual Survey of Hours & Earnings West Somerset resident earnings are consistently lower than those across the County, Region (90% lower) and Nationally (c80% lower) a pattern that can be expected to be repeated at the local Minehead level reflecting the nature of local employment. Resident & Workplace Weekly Earnings (Mean/Average) Source: NOMIS/ONS Annual Survey of Hours & Earnings 16
Somerset Somerset 430.9 444.1 446.9 452.6 406.4 412.6 409.8 427.7 County South 443.8 450.0 456.1 458.3 428.2 431.9 443.7 442.9 West Region Minehead Wards Central North South Alcombe Minehead Minehead West England 496.3 500.4 509.3 509.6 495.8 499.7 509.0 509.2 Total % Somerset % England % Level 4 + 602 271 284 258 1,415 21.0% 25.5% 29.8% Level 3 399 161 174 174 908 13.5% 13.7% 14.5% Level 2 647 190 267 283 1,387 20.6% 19.8% 17.1% Level 1 568 173 235 240 1,216 18.1% 16.9% 15.2% Apprentice/Other 429 101 86 120 736 10.9% 8.5% 8.7% Unusually, the West Somerset workplace earnings are some 25% higher than the mean/average resident based earnings as shown in the table above. The picture is reversed at the wider County and South West Region level with residents earning more than local workplace wages reflecting opportunities for commuting out of area. Great care has to be taken with these figures, however, as this could simply be a statistical distortion and more reflective of the wide range of wages paid locally rather than the typical earning capacity of most workers. Qualifications The population of Minehead presents a strong level of technical qualifications compared to the national average. Nearly 50% of the working age population hold Apprenticeship or Vocational Qualifications/GCSE s to NVQ Levels 1 or 2 compared with around 40% nationally. Whilst Level 3 qualifications (A levels etc) are close to the national average, Minehead performs less well with degree level qualifications (Level 4+) with only 21% of the working age population qualified to this higher level compared with nearly 30% nationally. The number of people without any formal qualifications is also of concern locally. Some 16% of Minehead s working age population were without qualifications in 2011 compared with 15% nationally and 13% for the South West region more generally. Although more recent local data is not available the suspicion is this will have changed very little in recent years given the general stability in the local population, whereas the national and regional picture is improving considerably so that only 9% of the working age population are without qualifications in 2014 and just 6% across the South West Region. Minehead Qualifications - 2011 17
No Qualifications 479 153 238 199 1,069 15.9% 15.6% 14.8% Totals 16-64 3,124 1,049 1,284 1,274 6,731 Source: NOMIS/ONS Population Census 2011 Registered Unemployed The latest claimant count record of unemployment in Minehead indicates only 49 people are currently (November 2015) registered as unemployed in the town, giving a rate of just 0.7% of the working age population. This is less than half the national average unemployment rate. Whilst there are small seasonal variations, the Minehead rate doesn t vary much from around 1.0% through the main winter season (Jan-Mar). Furthermore, as shown in the table below, the majority of claimants in Minehead are registered unemployed for 6 months or less (71% of the total) compared with only 57% nationally. Together with the labour force survey reported above, where only 244 people are regarded as seeking work this indicates a very tight local labour market with close to full employment locally. Whilst this is a positive trait in some respects it can also be a constraint in attracting new investment as businesses may struggle to fill new vacancies without poaching staff from existing employers. Job Seekers Allowance Claimants November 2015 Minehead Central North South Alcombe Minehead Minehead West England Wards Total % Somerset % % All Ages 22 9 5 13 49 0.7% 0.6% 1.5% 18-24 5 5 0 0 10 25-49 10 0 5 5 20 50+ 5 5 0 5 15 6 months 15 5 5 10 35 71.4% 70.9% 56.9% 6-12 months 3 4 0 0 7 14.3% 15.4% 12 months + 3 0 0 4 7 14.3% 27.7% Totals 16-64 3,124 1,049 1,284 1,274 6,731 Source: NOMIS/Job Centre Plus Records Key Issues Arising Reflecting on the People & Skill issues highlights the following Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths Stable population High level economic activity High level of self-employment Weaknesses Ageing Population Lacking high-level skills Unskilled/Low Wage Occupations 18
Low/Zero Unemployment Opportunities Stimulate entrepreneurship Could encourage population growth Threats Stable population Labour market constrained/lack growth Introduction To help understand the potential of Minehead, a series of informal Topic Papers have been prepared which distil the economic research and analysis and build on local consultation and engagement with a range of stakeholders. This paper sets out the key issues relating to the Minehead local economy. Economy Overview Minehead is the primary economic centre in West Somerset. The town is home to around 13,000 people (38% of the District total) and accommodates some 48% of all jobs (5,400 in 2014). 19
As highlighted in the table below, the tourism sector dominates the town s economy, with over 31% directly employed in Accommodation & Food Services. A further 19% of jobs are in Wholesale, Retail & Motor Trades with many of these likely to be dependent on the influx of tourists and supply chain to other tourism activities. A further challenge for Minehead is the continued dependency on public sector employment, 37% of all jobs; which continues to be under pressure from government expenditure constraint. Minehead Employees in Employment 2014 Minehead Wards Central North South Alcombe Total Total % Manufacturing 200 - - - 200 3.7% Construction 100 - - - 100 1.9% Wholesale, Retail & Motor 700 200-100 1,000 18.5% Transport & Storage 100 - - - 100 1.9% Accommodation & Food 1,400 200-100 1,700 31.5% Finance, ICT & Business 100 200 - - 300 5.6% Public Admin, Health & Ed 800 400 200 600 2,000 37.0% Total 3,400 1,000 200 800 5,400 Source: NOMIS/ONS business register and employment survey figures rounded to 100. The urban area of Minehead is taken to comprise the four wards of Central, North and South Minehead together with the Alcombe ward where the main District Hospital is located. Most employment is concentrated in Central Minehead with 3,400 jobs (63% of the total). Employment Trends Employment in the town has declined recently from a peak of 5,800 in 2012 to just under 5,400 in 2014 and is now below the 2009 post-recession level of around 5,600. Although still dominant in the wider West Somerset economy, the proportion has fallen below 50% in the last couple of years. Employees in Employment 2009-2014 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 20
Minehead 5,600 5,700 5,500 5,800 5,800 5,400 West Somerset 11,300 11,500 10,900 11,200 11,900 11,300 Minehead % 49.5% 49.7% 50.6% 51.7% 48.5% 47.6% Source: NOMIS/ONS business register and employment survey Overall employment in the town declined around 7% between 2012 and 2014, compared with a slight increase in employment across the rest of West Somerset (although the wider district has since declined by around 5% between 2013 and 2014). The main sectors that have seen a decline in local employment are shown in the table below including Manufacturing, Wholesale/Retail and Finance & Business Services. Although the changes appear large these are against relative small bases locally. Minehead Employment by Sector 2012-2014 Minehead 2012 2014 Diff % Change Manufacturing 300 200-100 -33% Construction 100 100 - - Source: NOMIS/ONS business Wholesale, Retail & Motor 1,200 1,000-200 -17% register and employment survey figures Transport & Storage 100 100 - - rounded to 100 Accommodation & Food 1,700 1,700 - - It is too early to determine Finance, ICT & Business 400 300-100 -25% of course whether Public Admin, Health & Ed 2,000 2,000 - - this is a trend that will Total 5,800 5,400-400 -7% continue to affect the local economy. Although ward level data for Minehead is not available prior to 2009, the wider West Somerset economy remained fairly stable over the recent recession at around 11,300 jobs between 2007 and 2009, suggesting there were also no major shocks in the Minehead economy. Whilst the Minehead economy appears to have peaked in 2012, underlying employment levels appear to be around the 5,300-5,500 generally. This will need to be monitored closely in the future as new data emerges for 2015 towards the end of next year. Sector Specialisation 21
The importance of the tourism sector to the Minehead economy is highlighted further in the table below comparing the sector specialisation in the town compared with West Somerset generally, Somerset County overall, the wider South West and overall GB economy. Empl oym Employment Sector Minehead West Somerset South GB Somerset West Agriculture & Mining - 0.5% 0.3% 0.4% 0.8% Energy & Water - 8.1% 1.4% 1.0% 1.3% Manufacturing 4.5% 5.9% 13.3% 8.5% 8.4% Construction 1.5% 5.3% 5.1% 4.5% 4.5% Wholesale, Retail & Motor 16.7% 13.7% 17.9% 15.9% 15.8% Transport & Storage 3.2% 2.3% 3.5% 4.5% 4.5% Accommodation & Food 31.1% 24.2% 8.4% 7.1% 7.1% Finance, ICT & Business 5.9% 9.8% 16.6% 26.3% 26.2% Public Admin, Health & Ed 37.1% 30.2% 33.5% 31.8% 31.6% Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% ent by Sector 2014 Source: NOMIS/ONS business register and employment survey Accommodation & Food comprises 31% of employment in Minehead, compared with 24% across West Somerset and only 8% and 7% generally across the wider County, South West region and nationally. Furthermore, for a relatively small area, employment in Wholesale & Retail is also high at nearly 17% of the total jobs in Minehead, compared with 14% across West Somerset and 16% in the South West and GB. The marginally higher proportion at County level at 18% probably reflects the strong regional distribution centres located along the M5. Public sector services feature strongly across the South West economies, although is more prominent locally in Minehead. In contrast, the private sector service economy is less well developed at less than 6% of all Minehead jobs, compared with nearly 10% across West Somerset generally, 17% across the County and over 26% for the wider South West region and nationally. These are the activities that typically generate the higher value employment opportunities and are generally seen as having strong growth potential in the future, underpinning strong city economies generally. Containment The economy of Minehead is relatively self-contained with over 50% of local residents in employment working in the town. The town is, however, an important centre for employment with 60% of local jobs attracting people from outside the town to work, although the vast majority of these come from elsewhere in West Somerset as shown in the table below. 22