Fife Council Economy, Planning & Employability Services

Business & Employability Portfolio Economic Activity Report

2015/16 Contact: Pawel Tkaczyk Assistant Economic Adviser Pawel.Tkaczyk@fife.gov.uk

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This report summarises the business and employability activities undertaken by Fife Council’s Economy,

Planning and Employability Services (EP&ES) during 2015/16.

EP&ES leads the economic regeneration agenda for Fife Council. The Service’s Business & Employability

Portfolio has responsibility for delivering the Council’s economic development and employability

activities. Activities undertaken by other portfolios in the Service relevant to ‘Making Fife the Best Place

to do Business’ are also included in this overview.

The number of staff and the budget allocated to these activities in 2015/16 is shown below. Both the

amount spent and number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees was higher by 26.5% and 3.7%

respectively when compared with the previous year.

Economic Development and Employability - Staff and Budget

2014/15 2015/16 Annual Change

Budget £10.2 m £12.9 m 26.5%

Staff (FTEs) 79.8 82.75 3.7% Source: Fife Council, SLAED returns

Activity carried out by the Service during 2015/16 is reported in line with the five sections of the Fife

Economic Strategy 2013 - 2023:

The report then concludes by outlining the key challenges for 2016/17.

1. Increasing People’s Employability and Skills

2. A Competitive Business Location

3. Growing Fife’s Businesses

4. Investing in Key Sectors

5. Making Fife the Best Place to Do Business

1. Introduction

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Partnership Working

Some of the Service’s activities are delivered through the following three strategic partnerships.

EP&ES represents the Council on and supports these partnerships.

Fife Economy Partnership

A business-led group identifies and takes forward policies and activities to help achieve sustainable

economic growth in Fife. The Partnership leads on the delivery of the economic outcomes for the

Fife Community Plan 2011-2020.

Opportunities Fife Partnership

The Opportunities Fife Partnership helps unemployed people into work by providing employability

support and training activities. It also coordinates the alignment of the current and future demand

for skills by employees with the supply from Education – primary, secondary, further and higher

sectors.

Three delivery groups oversee these activities, specialising in supporting the needs of unemployed

adults, young people and clients with health and disability issues. A fourth delivery group is being

established to co-ordinate to activity for the Developing the Young Workforce programme. This

group will co-ordinate business engagement activities to increase training and job opportunities for

all of the priority client groups.

Fife Tourism Partnership

This business-led partnership supports all areas of tourism in Fife and the implementation of the Fife

Tourism Strategy 2014-2024. It aims to position Fife as a first class tourism destination by 2024, and

increase visitor spend by 33% to £653.4m and jobs increase from 11,600 to 12,500.

The Partnership’s six Local Tourist Associations (LTAs) work collaboratively with the businesses in

their areas to deliver the actions within the Fife Tourism strategy and to develop local marketing

initiatives to promote as part of the Fife-wide activities. A number of themed groups also take

forward specific initiatives. These include the Fife Golf Partnership, Fife Food Network, Accessible

Fife, Forth Bridge, Cruise Forth, Outdoor Fife, Fife Pilgrim Way, Business Tourism and Film Tourism

Groups. All these groups are led by the private sector and work closely with the LTAs.

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Key Challenges

Fulfilling the increase in demand for work placement and job opportunities due to the introduction

of the Developing Young Workforce programme and additional welfare reforms.

Reducing the number of 18 – 24 year olds in receipt of JobSeekers Allowance.

Addressing the need for more science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills to support

technical job roles.

Context

Fife’s unemployment and youth unemployment rates have been consistently higher than the Scottish

averages for the last 10 years. Since 2013 the gap has started to decrease, but there is still further work to

do especially around youth unemployment which is still 0.9% above the Scottish average.

The Employability and Employer Engagement Team delivers vocational training programmes and a range of

initiatives designed to help Fife residents improve their skills and overcome barriers to work.

In March 2016, there were 470 fewer people claiming JobSeekers Allowance (JSA) than in March 2015. The

overall Fife claimant rate (2.5% of the working age population) is still higher than the Scottish (2.3%) and UK

(1.9%) averages. There are still considerable disparities within Fife Council’s area committees. A breakdown

is shown in the chart below.

Jobseekers Allowance Claimant Count Rates by Area Committee 2007-2015

Source: Claimant Count, NOMIS

Increasing youth employment remains a key target for the Opportunities Fife Partnership and Fife Council.

The number of JSA claimants aged between 16 and 24 fell during 2015/16 by 235 young people, reducing

the rate of youth unemployment to 3.3% or 1,375 young people.

2. Increasing people’s employability and skills

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Activity Update

Helping People into Employment

During 2015/16 2,018 new clients were supported by the Fife Employability Pathway which

provides support for people most disadvantaged in the labour market. Of these 603 or 30% were

helped into employment.

302 people aged between 16 and 29 were helped into work by the Fife Jobs Contract between

November 2014 and April 2016.

Increasing Youth Employment

Fife Council achieved a Silver Award from Invest in Young People (IiYP) in 2015. This national award

that showcases Fife Council’s commitment to employing and developing young people. As one of

the first organisations in Fife to achieve this award, Fife Council is setting the standard for

organisations who are interested in supporting activity around Developing Young Workforce: Fife.

Fife Council will be working towards achieving a Gold Investors in Young People (IiYP) Award by

2018.

The Council recruited 71 Modern Apprentices, in 14 different occupational areas.

Fife Council, along with other Opportunities Fife partners secured £0.5m to establish a Developing

Young Workforce: Fife Board. This Private Sector led board has been established as part of Scottish

Government’s response to the recommendations made by the Wood Commission. DYW activity

will develop more structured and sustainable relationships between businesses, schools and Fife

College; to ensure that the curriculum is better aligned to the current and future needs of Fife’s

businesses and to create new vocational pathways into employment for young people leaving

school.

Culture of Enterprise activities engaged 2,888 students across primary and secondary schools to

increase their enterprise skills. These activities, which were supported by 180 businesses, included:

o Fife Schools Enterprise Game

A digital version of the game was launched which all primary and secondary

schools can now access through the Culture of Enterprise GLOW site.

o Pilot Talent Academy at Balwearie High School

A pilot ‘Talent Academy’ was run in conjunction with the Fife Cultural Trust with

young people at Balwearie High School.

The project highlighted enterprise and employability opportunities available for

young people in the arts industry through supporting them to create and run

their own production company.

o The Enterprise & Employability Route Map was made available to all schools in Fife through

the GLOW system.

Enterprise Apprenticeships

17 apprentices graduated in November 2015 having completed their apprenticeship and a NVQ in

Enterprise Skills in a Business Environment. So far 13 young people have been offered full time

roles. The SQA has agreed to include the qualification in their Modern Apprenticeship framework.

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3. A Competitive Business Location

Context

The Service delivers property and regeneration activities focusing on modernising Fife’s economic assets,

increasing the supply of employment land and narrowing the gap between Fife’s most and least deprived

areas.

Maintaining an effective supply of land and property to capture larger investment projects and sustain

levels of investment and jobs in the region remains a major challenge for Fife. This process is being

supported by Vacant and Derelict Land funding that came on-stream in 2015/16.

In Fife, as elsewhere, towns are under increasing pressure from a complex range of socio-economic and

cultural factors, with consumers changing their patterns of consumption. The importance of retail in town

centres has diminished, leading to declining footfall, limited private sector investment, dilapidation and

high and persistent levels of vacant premises. The work of Fife Council’s Town Centre Development Unit

within the Economy Tourism and Town Centres team is focused on Fife’s main towns and district centres.

Over the last 3 years, the Unit has levered in over £12m of external funding.

Key Challenges

Regenerating and revitalising Fife’s key town centres.

Increasing the supply of immediately available employment land and commercial property.

Achieving at least 85% coverage of Next Generation Broadband.

Activity Update

Invest in Fife Team

During 2015/16, the team handled 96 investment enquiries and secured 6 investment projects.

This £7.1m investment is forecast to create 365 new jobs and safeguard 318 existing jobs.

New Generation Broadband

The 4 year programme to deliver superfast broadband to at least 85% of premises in Fife has now

completed its 8th Quarter of delivery. As at March 2016, 89.7% of premises in Fife had access to

superfast connectivity.

Transforming Vacant and Derelict Land

£850k was successfully drawn down from the Scottish Government/COSLA Vacant and Derelict

Land Fund and used to clear, remediate and develop vacant and derelict sites in Cowdenbeath,

Thornton, Glenrothes, Tayport and Methil.

Business Property

153 enquiries were received in relation to the Service’s property portfolio, with 48 leases

concluded, safeguarding or creating 338 jobs.

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Business Property (cont.)

The occupancy rate for the Council’s commercial properties was 89%. Occupancy rates varied

across Fife and a breakdown is shown in the chart below:

Fife Council’s Commercial Property Occupancy in 2015/16 by Committee Area

Source: EP&ES, Fife Council

Town Centres

A draft town centre strategy for Fife, with recommendations consistent with the Scottish

Government’s Town Centre Action Plan was approved by the Council’s Economy Board in March.

A series of charrette workshops to inform the creation of a Community Town Centre Action Plan

took place in Cupar in March 2016. Cupar Could was co-ordinated by the Cupar Development Trust

with support from Fife Council, Planning Aid Scotland/Scottish Government and the Big Lottery.

Charrettes are intensive planning sessions which allow people to collaborate on visions for

development.

Fife Council’s Town Centre Development Unit has produced Urban Design Frameworks for Fife’s

key towns to guide and encourage investment. This includes a Town Centre Design and

Development Framework for Kirkcaldy which was endorsed by the Scottish Government as best

practice. Other frameworks are being developed for Cowdenbeath, Burntisland, and Inverkeithing.

A new town centre Business Improvement District (BID) - BID St Andrews - was formed in St

Andrews supporting over 200 businesses. This is the third Town Centre BID in Fife alongside

Dunfermline (which supports nearly 400 businesses) and Kirkcaldy (which supports over 350

businesses). The BIDs, which are funded by local businesses, by project funding from Fife Council

and by income generated by the BID companies themselves, organise events and activities

designed to help rejuvenate the town centre.

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Town Centre Regeneration Projects

Leven A £45,000 upgrade to the public realm in Durie Street Square, a key

interchange at the North end of Leven High Street, was carried out in June

2015. Five new visitor heritage information boards were also installed

across the Town Centre in November.

Lochgelly Surplus and derelict land in the town centre has been redeveloped to create

the Town House development - 16 new one and two bedroomed affordable

housing units. The contract for restoring St Andrews Church and converting

it into new use is being procured.

Kirkcaldy Phases 1 and 2 of redeveloping Adam Smith House and Close is completed.

This is a £1.2m programme to create a visitor centre as part of a wider plan

to develop a Merchants Quarter. The Adam Smith Global Foundation

exhibition centre is due to open in September 2016.

Cowdenbeath High Street Wi-Fi and Rail Bridge Art Lighting has been introduced with

£80,000 funding from the Town Centre Community Capital Fund.

Conservation Area

Regeneration

Schemes (CARS) and

Townscape Heritage

Initiatives (THI)

These five year programmes are delivered by Fife Council in partnership with

Fife Historic Buildings Trust and other local partners. Programmes are

currently operational in Anstruther (2012-17) and Cupar (2014-19) :

Cupar: the conversion of County Buildings to 18 homes was completed

in February 2016; key town centre assets, drawn from a £6.5m funding

package. The plans for converting Burgh Chambers into holiday

accommodation have been approved and a funding package assembled.

Cupar Development Trust has secured funding to redevelop the

Bonnygate gap site as part of the proposed Inner Court mixed use

housing and business project.

Anstruther: the Murray Library Hostel opened, completing the building’s

£1m regeneration.

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4. Growing Fife’s Businesses

Context New business start-ups and the expansion of existing businesses are essential to grow a vibrant economy.

Fife’s Business Base

There are now 9,540 registered private sector businesses operating in Fife, more than at any other time

since 2000.

Although the number of enterprises in Fife has increased by 15% over the last 10 years, in 2015 the total

turnover for Fife’s enterprises only accounted for 4.7% of the total Scottish turnover, despite Fife holding

almost 6% share of the total Scottish enterprise stock.

Fife has lower rates of business start-ups and survival rates compared to other parts of Scotland.

Company Closures

2015 saw a number of company and office closures in Fife, particularly in Central Fife. In April 2015, Tullis

Russell closed with the loss of 475 jobs and in March 2016, Longannet Power Station closed with the loss of

245 jobs.

Increase in the amount of public sector spend retained by Fife companies

2,154 Fife companies received contracts from Fife Council in 2014/15, more than double the previous year

(1,061 companies) and higher than all previous years. The proportion of Fife Council contracts going to Fife

companies increased from 31% to 41%, again a higher proportion than in the previous four years.

Key Challenges

More than 9,000 jobs are needed to exceed the employment levels that existed before the global

economic crisis.

Too many of Fife’s businesses rely on local markets and do not export.

Low levels of business start-up and self-employment.

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Activity Update

Support to new businesses

During 2015/16 Business Gateway Fife helped 608 new businesses to start up through the delivery

of workshops, training, advisory and specialist support services. This is 24% fewer than the

previous year due to a strengthening economy, loss of referrals from the Department of Work and

Pensions and a national re-focus on growing existing businesses.

Grant Funding

The Economic Development Team is the lead in the East of Scotland Investment Fund (ESIF) which

provided £100,000 in loan finance to Fife businesses in 2015/16.

The Fife Investment Fund provided £272,014 in grants and loans to Fife businesses, estimated to

create 290 new jobs in 2015/16.

Supporting businesses in town centres

Available within 34 defined town and local centres across Fife, the Town Centre Business Support

Fund provides discretionary grants of up to £5,000 at a maximum intervention rate of 75%, to help

businesses move into vacant units, undertake shop improvements or other forms of business

development.

Since November 2013, 125 awards have been made to town centre business. This comprises

£263,518 of grant support contributing to investment projects totalling £650,456. This equates to

£1.46 of private sector funding per £1 of public sector investment is estimated to safeguard 718

jobs. The value of the average grant awarded was £2,108.

Other Business Support in 2015/16

182 companies took part in learning journeys, trade visits and exhibitions through Fife Council‘s

Market Development Programme.

226 companies received support from the Supplier Development Programme, helping them

become more capable in accessing and competing for public sector procurement contracts.

446 delegates attended events and workshops organised as part of the 2015 Fife Business Week.

Fife Entrepreneurial Forum

Since its establishment in March 2015, the forum has met on a quarterly basis to share knowledge

and best practice. The events, hosted by the Economic Development Team, are organised in

partnership with Entrepreneurial Scotland to stimulate entrepreneurial leadership.

Encouraging Knowledge Transfer

The Economic Development Team has been working with the University of St Andrews to

encourage more Fife companies to work with academic staff to support innovation, research and

product development. A programme of events is being developed to more widely promote the

services the university can offer to businesses.

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Fife Taskforces

In April 2015, a Fife Taskforce was set up by the Scottish Government and Fife Council to mitigate the

impact of the closure of Tullis Russel by supporting economic growth across the local area, with

particular focus in Glenrothes and Mid Fife. The Scottish Government allocated an initial £6m budget

to fund this response. Positive job or training outcomes were secured for 418 clients from 601 total

clients.

Fife Council is also a member of the Longannet Task Force set up to mitigate the impact of the closure

of the Longannet Power Station in March 2016.

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5. Investing in Key Sectors and Moving to a Low Carbon Economy

Context Fife is predominantly a services-based economy. However, manufacturing remains an important sector

accounting for 14% of jobs and 33% of business turnover. Forecasts from Experian also indicate that

tourism and energy will continue to be key sectors where Fife’s business economy can grow.

Tourism

Between 2008 and 2013, tourism Gross Value Added (GVA) in Fife has grown significantly above the

national average growth rate (£100.4m in 2008 compared with £205.1m in 2013). Fife is ranked 5th in

terms of local authority areas, comprising 6% of Scotland’s tourism GVA.

A study carried out during the Open Championship in July 2015 reaffirmed Fife’s leading status as the best

performing Open Championship location. The study concluded that the event brought in £88m to the Fife

economy and £147m to the Scottish economy as a whole.

Manufacturing and Energy

The current low oil and gas prices and changes to renewable energy subsidies’ are impacting heavily on

Fife’s engineering and manufacturing sector with a number of companies closing or downsizing. Fife

Council’s Economic Development Team has reviewed the issues and constraints facing Fife’s manufacturing

sector to develop a Manufacturing operational plan to support affected businesses.

Key Challenges

The number of businesses in sectors dependent on public sector investment such as defence.

Tackling tourism’s seasonality and improving the visitor experience.

Delays and uncertainty in the fiscal support required from the UK Government for offshore wind

investment.

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Activity Update - Energy and Low Carbon Levenmouth Community Energy Project

Work began on-site in January 2016 to develop the Hydrogen Office in Methil into the world’s

leading demonstrator of innovative uses of hydrogen derived from renewable sources.

The project will involve Levenmouth becoming home to Europe’s largest fleet of hydrogen dual-fuel

vehicles. It will enable Fife Council to further de-carbonise its vehicle fleet and take its initial step in

becoming self-sufficient in low carbon fuel production.

The project, whose principle partners are Fife Council, Bright Green Hydrogen and Toshiba, will also

include an education programme, skills and supply chain activities.

Energy Park Fife

A new £1.8m 12ha Development Platform has been completed on the southern section of the site.

Queensway Business Park, Glenrothes – RWE Biomass CHP Plant

Fife Council has secured funding from the Scottish Government’s Low Carbon Infrastructure

Transition Programme and is working with RWE to develop a District Heating Scheme.

The scheme will create a district heating network which will supply low carbon heat to a wide range

of local customers, from industrial users and the local shopping centre, to the Council’s housing

tenants and local school.

Fife Council, Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International are working together as

part of the Fife Taskforce to promote this low carbon heat source to attract new users to the former

Tullis Russell site.

Activity Update - Manufacturing Manufacturing Operational Plan

Fife Council’s Economic Development Team engaged the Centre for Engineering Education and

Development (CeeD) to assist in the delivery of a Manufacturing Operational Plan during 2015. CeeD

is a not-for-profit organisation made up of businesses and academics which provides support for its

members and aims to improve operational efficiency, effectiveness and profit within Scotland’s

engineering industry.

Support to the Defence and Aerospace Sector

Following a Defence and Aerospace Supply chain event held in January 2016, a process has been set

up alerting businesses of online defence contract opportunities. To date 88 contract notifications

totalling over £15m in potential business have been distributed to relevant businesses.

Scottish Institute of Remanufacturing

During 2015/16 the Scottish Institute of Remanufacturing was launched to Fife companies. This

helps companies re-design products to make it easier to take them apart and remanufacture them

into new products, and harness their true value. This will continue to be aligned to existing

partnership work with Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS) and (CeeD).

Primary Engineer

Primary pupils from the Bell Baxter and Inverkeithing High School clusters took part in a successful

pilot to introduce students to engineering from an early age. Schools in a further 8 clusters have

now started the programme delivered in conjunction with the SMAS.

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Activity Update - Tourism Accessible Tourism Fife

An Accessible Tourism Fife business group was launched by Fergus Ewing MSP in January 2016.

The group has been set up to enable those with disabilities to understand how Fife’s tourism

businesses can accommodate them.

Digital Information Kiosks

There are now 14 digital information kiosks (isigns) in Fife located in areas of high footfall or dwell

time.

New Welcome to Fife website

The new website, launched in September 2015, showcases Fife to visitors and includes interactive

elements so that individuals can create and share their own itineraries.

Forth Bridge

The Forth Bridge was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2015. A Forth Bridge

Tourism Business group has been set up to drive marketing activity in the area. A social media plan

was developed by Fife Council to raise the profile of the bridge and encourage other industrial

heritage sites to collaborate to promote Scotland’s industrial heritage as a reason to visit.

Fife Tourism Conference

The Fife Tourism Partnership Tourism Conference was held on the 19 November 2015 at Keavil

House Hotel, Crossford, near Dunfermline. Over 120 individuals attended, the maximum capacity of

the hotel. Entitled “Digital Fife” the conference focussed on the digital requirements within the

tourism sector and how businesses can capitalise on new and existing technology. Three practical

workshops included a talk from Nick Kwek from the BBC’s Click programme on augmented reality,

Tayscreen on film tourism and Alistair Bruce, Chair of the Fife Tourism Partnership, spoke about the

successes of collaborative working within the tourism sector.

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6. Making Fife the Best Place to Do Business

Context

EP&ES leads on the delivery of this outcome in the Council Plan 2013-17 and on the implementation of

some of the cross-service projects contained in the Outcome Delivery Plan for Making Fife the Best Place to

Do Business adopted in September 2013.

Activity Update In 2015/16 major planning applications were decided within an average of 23.18 weeks, over 21

weeks faster than the previous year.

Food safety/food standards advice was requested by 195 businesses of which 171 received advice

visit/coaching and 9 received more in-depth advice visits or awareness sessions. 88 Fife businesses

and voluntary organisations received health and safety advice and training. Royal Environmental

Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) Elementary Health and Safety Courses were run in conjunction

with Healthy Working Lives (HWL) to 26 Fife businesses / or voluntary organizations. Safer Lone

Working (joint with HWL and Scottish Police) were delivered to 174 attendees. Manual handling

and risk awareness were presented to 10 organizations.

79 businesses are now registered on the Fife Trusted Trader Scheme.

The Service supported a more joined-up, cross-council approach to communicating with businesses.

Over the past year, there has been consistent, co-ordinated media coverage, an increased use of

social media. An annual campaign approach was developed.

A business portal has been set up on FifeDirect to make it easier for businesses to access the

services offered by Fife Council 24/7.

The Fife Economy Partnership’s website has been revised and relaunched as a FifeDirect mini-site.

Key Challenges

Moving to more proactive approach that joins up all services delivered by the Council to businesses

to encourage future business investment in Fife.

Simplifying the way in which the Council interacts with businesses, providing more information and

services online accessible 24/7, standardising the technology used to capture business data and

adopting common customer services standards.

Implementing the changes at a time of budget cutbacks.

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7. Future Challenges

Economic Context

Scotland’s economic growth in 2016 is predicted to be the slowest since 2012. Ernst & Young Scottish ITEM

Club has downgraded its GDP growth forecast for 2016 for 1.2% - 0.6 percentage points lower than they

forecast six months ago – and the Fraser of Allander Institute revised its growth forecasts for 2016, 2017

and 2018 . Scotland now faces a third consecutive year of slowing GDP growth, partly as a consequence of

the oil price slump, but also due to underperformance in the service sector. Ongoing trading conditions will

remain challenging for Scottish businesses and there will be a period of uncertainty following the results of

the EU referendum and consequent constitutional uncertainty.

The past year has seen the labour market continue to strengthen with a fall in the claimant count levels as

shown below. Universal Credit was introduced in Fife in April 2016 for all new claimants for out of work

benefits.

People Claiming Jobseekers Allowance

March 2015

March 2016

Fife

Scotland

UK

Fife

Scotland

UK

Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) claimant rate (% of population aged 16 - 64)

2.7% 2.4% 2.0%

2.5% 1.8% 1.6%

Number of JSA claimants (monthly average)

6,327 84,453 826,849 5,846 62,887 647,006

Source: Claimant Count, NOMIS © Crown Copyright

General Economic Challenges and Opportunities

Adapting to the reduction in investment by the Oil and Gas sector.

Responding to business needs following the EU Referendum result and securing alternative funding for Employability and Business Support projects post 2018.

Sustaining the response to recent and potential job losses due to company and office closures,

particularly in Central and West Fife.

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Increasing People’s Employability and Skills - Challenges and Opportunities

To increase the number of Fife businesses recruiting Modern Apprentices.

To increase the proportion of businesses who are engaged with schools and offering work

placements as part of Developing Young Workforce activity.

To extend the Talent Academy and Raytheon Quadcopter pilots to other businesses in the

manufacturing sector.

Piloting ‘Taste the Industry’ workshops in Fife schools in partnership with Tennent’s Training

Academy and Tree of Knowledge; if successful, to roll out to majority of Fife schools.

Launching 4 to Fortune in Fife. A challenge where teams of young people from Fife convert £4 seed

money into as much as they can in a four week period.

A competitive business location - Challenges and Opportunities

Fife can invest up to £1.4m from the Scottish Government/COSLA Vacant and Derelict Land Fund during 2016-17. This funding will help to remediate sites in Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth.

City Deals

Edinburgh and South East Scotland - detailed negotiations continue with both the UK and Scottish Governments to establish an infrastructure fund, regional skills, digital and low carbon programmes.

Tay Cities - Dundee, Angus, Fife and Perth & Kinross Councils are developing an outline proposition for submission to the Scottish and UK Government. The focus of the deal is likely to be on innovation and investment.

Review of Scottish Business Rates System

Pressure from Fife Council helped to trigger the Scottish Government’s review of non-domestic rates announced in March 2016. Fife Council launched an online consultation to feed into the Scottish Government’s planned review.

Delivery of an effective Town Centre Strategy

Agree on a practical action plan with partners to implement a revised Town Centre Strategy by September 2016.

Pursue and facilitate mixed tenure town centre living opportunities; by increasing the number of good quality, affordable living units.

Undertake an analysis of sustainable, footfall-generating development opportunities within Fife’s key centres. The ambition is to deliver strong town centres by tackling vacant and derelict buildings and sites to create long term resilience.

Funding Support

Launch a new Town Centre Investment Fund, the form of repayable grant, to replace the Town Centre Business Support fund.

Between 2016 and 2018 deliver key projects supported by the Town and Neighbourhood Centres Capital Fund in Leven, Lochgelly, Cowdenbeath, and Inverkeithing. 6 project submissions with a total value of £3.2m were submitted in March 2016.

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Growing Fife’s Businesses - Challenges and Opportunities

Assisting with the creation of a new Scotland-wide loan fund for businesses – Business Loans

Scotland – and ensuring a seamless transition for customers to the new fund from the East of

Scotland Investment Fund.

Securing funding through the currently approved European Structural and Investment Funds to

deliver enhanced financial assistance to businesses through to December 2018.

The Business support programmes funded by the European Regional Development Fund over the

next 3 years will focus on the growth of existing businesses rather than start-ups.

Investing in Key Sectors and Moving to a Low Carbon Economy - Challenges and

Opportunities

Tourism

Fife’s Local Tourist Associations (LTAs) will continue to play a critical role in ensuring businesses

engage in tourism activities. However, some areas are less engaged than others so there is a

continuous challenge to keep all LTA member businesses informed and actively engaged.

Fife is working towards World Host destination status by March 2017. To achieve this, half the

employees of around 130 businesses will require World Host training.

Energy, Low Carbon and Manufacturing

Further changes to renewable energy subsidies may have a detrimental impact on future

developments within this sector. This along with current low oil and gas prices are impacting

heavily on Fife’s engineering and manufacturing sectors with a number of companies closing or

downsizing.

Fife Council’s Economic Development Team has developed a recovery support (package) for

affected businesses through Business Gateway Fife and SMAS.

Energy Park Fife

Fife Council and Scottish Enterprise will complete improvements to the quayside and the capacity of the quayside to handle multiple vessels; they will continue to market the Fife Energy Park, in particular to companies involved in oil and gas decommissioning.

Making Fife the Best Place to Do Business - Challenges and Opportunities

Embed the one-Council approach to communicating with businesses and maximise the opportunities offered by all relevant communications channels.

Increase the use of FifeDirect business information pages with an ongoing programme of content improvement.

Extend the joint working between the Corporate Procurement Team and the Supplier Development Programme to support more SME’s to access public sector contracts.

To support businesses in Fife to understand and effectively respond to the implications of the 2017 rating revaluation for non-domestic properties.