State of the Cities Conference | 5th November, Aberdeen

State of the Cities Conference

Tuesday 5 November 2019

Registration – 9:30 | Conference 10:00 – 13:30

Conference Suite 3, P&J Live

Aberdeen Economic Policy Panel Review

Aberdeen City Council is hosting the State of the Cities Conference, for a second year, on Tuesday, 5 November 2019, 9:30-13:30.

Following the success of the inaugural State of the Cities Conference in November 2018, Aberdeen City Council will host the event to coincide with the launch of the second independent report by the Economic Policy Panel on the city and regional economy.

The independent panel is comprised of Professor Graeme Roy, Director, Fraser of Allander Institute, Dougie Peddle, Chief Economic Adviser to the States of Jersey, and Hanan Morsy, Lead Economist, Southern and Eastern Mediterranean for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).  Their work supports the Council’s annual credit rating by Moody’s, following our £370m bond issue to contribute towards the financing of the Council’s capital programme.

Aberdeen City Council is the first authority in Scotland to issue a bond and to commission an annual report on how the city economy is performing while and highlighting potential growth in the years ahead.

Full programme can be viewed here.

Book you place to attend here.

Please click here  to view the Aberdeen Economic Policy Panel Review Summary 2018.

The Employee Ownership Podcast

As the growth of employee ownership continues to accelerate, Co-operative Development Scotland has launched the first ever podcast series dedicated to the model.  Featuring the experiences of business owners who have already sold their companies to their staff, as well as expert insight from specialist employee ownership advisers and members of the legal and accounting profession, the series aims to raise awareness of the wide-ranging benefits that employee ownership can offer among those considering a move to the model.

The series has kicked off with an introductory episode featuring Dennis Overton, founder of employee-owned Aquascot and Chair of Scotland for Employee Ownership, with a further seven episodes set to be released on a weekly basis each Tuesday.

You can see the full schedule, listen to the first episode, and subscribe to the series so that you don’t miss any future episodes here http://bit.ly/32pB5dZ.

You can also look out for updates on our social media channels or follow Co-operative Development Scotland on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Episode schedule:

Release Date	Episode
10 September	Introduction to Employee Ownership and Scotland for Employee Ownership - Dennis Overton, Aquascot
17 September	Jerba Campervans: an Employee Ownership Case Study - Simon Poole, Jerba Campervans
24 September	The Role of the Employee Ownership Adviser - Andrew Harrison, Co-ownership Solutions
1 October	Page/Park Architects: an Employee Ownership Case Study - Karen Pickering, Page/Park
8 October	The Priory Hotel: an Employee Ownership Case Study - Stuart and Kenny Hutton, The Priory Hotel
15 October	The Role of the Solicitor in an Employee Ownership Transaction - Campbell Clark, Blackadders LLP
22 October	Aquascot: an Employee Ownership Case Study - Niall MacDonald, Aquascot
29 October	STAR-Dundee: an Employee Ownership Case Study - Stuart Mills, STAR-Dundee

Regional approaches to inclusive economic growth

The experiences of Scotland’s local authorities in relation to regional economic working have been set out in a new report.

The report, Regional Approaches to Maximising Inclusive Economic Growth: Local Authorities’ Perspective, highlights councils’ long history of engaging in cross-boundary working and emphasises the key role that local authorities play in supporting Scotland’s economy. The feedback from councils confirmed that, whilst there was no appetite for structural change, there was a desire to explore how the positive impact of regional working could be maximised, including in relation to securing sustainable inclusive growth benefits.

The report concludes that councils now have an opportunity to lead and influence the next stages of regional economy working.

All 32 councils actively engaged in the work, which included one-to-one interviews with senior officers and politicians, a series of workshops held around the country, sessions with SOLACE members and COSLA’s Environment and Economy Board, and interviews with external stakeholders.

The work was undertaken by Ekos consultants and overseen by a Steering Group comprising the Improvement Service, COSLA, SOLACE and SLAED. The Steering Group will now consider further work to take forward the various actions set out in the report.

Download the final report: Regional Approaches to Maximising Inclusive Economic Growth: Local Authorities’ Perspective

Download the brief for the work.

Business-Led Inclusive Growth in Scotland - SMEs, Good Jobs and Places

Mark Hepworth, Director of Research and Policy, The Good Economy introduces a new study – Business-led Inclusive Growth in the South of Scotland – which provides evidence and direction for the Scottish Government and the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency (SOSA). The study was carried out by The Good Economy in partnership with the Ethical Finance Hub.

The Scottish Government wants businesses to play a central role in delivering its inclusive growth policies at the national, regional and local levels. It recognises that engaging constructively with businesses is contingent on a deep understanding of the links between business practice and inclusive growth policy. The OECD has highlighted the need for building this understanding so that inclusive growth becomes a common agenda which unites businesses, governments and communities (OECD, B4IG platform).

This blog reflects on a new study – Business-led Inclusive Growth in the South of Scotland – which provides evidence and direction for the Scottish Government and the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency (SOSA). The study was carried out by The Good Economy in partnership with the Ethical Finance Hub. Its core empirical research is an interview survey of 68 SMEs in October/November 2019.

The study’s contribution to Scotland’s and SOSA’s inclusive growth strategy extends to four areas that are relevant to business:

• Inclusive job growth: good job creation across Scotland is a necessary but not sufficient condition for inclusive growth, which also requires redistributive social, regulatory and fiscal policies. Inclusive job growth can be business-led, but inclusive growth can’t. (Good jobs provide for a decent standard of living, security and personal fulfilment.)
• SMEs: generate 55% of Scotland’s private sector jobs, this figure rising to over 70% in the South of Scotland. SMEs are the dominant employers in every Scottish local economy, making them ‘natural partners’ in place-based inclusive growth as a nationwide policy.
• Impact Investing: a global financial market trend that should be grounded and harnessed to support local inclusive growth, and linked to the Scottish Government’s roll out of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We interviewed leading players in Scotland’s financial community to explore the prospect of place-based impact investment in the South of Scotland.
• Business Metrics: extending the Local and Regional Inclusive Growth Diagnostic tool that underpins Scotland’s strategy. We propose a layered set of metrics: The Good Economy’s place/sector metrics for national policy; this study’s SME Questionnaire Survey metrics for business practice; and, Service Provider metrics for delivery. This ‘metric system’ for business-led inclusive growth should be aligned by policy, practice and delivery.

Inclusive growth is a slippery concept. A majority of SME directors and senior managers could generally relate inclusive growth to their business operations, but a minority were aware of the Scottish Government’s inclusive growth policies per se. Talking with businesses directly and working on the ground in real places are both essential to constructive inclusive growth policy-making. This is the key message of our study – the need to reach out to businesses.

We interviewed a range of SMEs from individual entrepreneurs to the local subsidiaries of global companies. The survey included machinery and knitwear manufacturers, gin distilleries and diversified farms, software specialists and accountants, town centre shops and bistros and out-of-town sports facilities. These structured ‘conversations’ yielded a vision of business-led inclusive growth and a coherent set of strategic priorities for the South of Scotland Economic Partnership (SOSEP). The Good Economy’s own conceptualisation of business-led inclusive job growth was substantiated by the SME interviews: A backbone of SMEs characterised by high business dynamism in terms of sustainable growth, good job creation and social impact, thriving on an economic landscape rich in finance, skills, infrastructure and accessible market opportunities. (The Good Economy position paper, www.thegoodeconomy.co.uk)

The SMEs interviewed here are a positive force for business-led inclusive job growth in Scotland. 70% were growing and creating ‘good jobs’; 60% were paying the Real Living Wage, 7% planned to. Although 5% were formal signatories of The Scottish Business Pledge, more than 50% reported meeting the Pledge’s decent work and progressive workforce development criteria. Some businesses were interested in the Pledge as a development tool. The Pledge should be a vehicle for Scottish Enterprise’s new strategy of backing businesses by their ‘good jobs’ impact and places by their ‘good job’ need.

The Region needs a broad front of business-led inclusive job growth. There is a stark contrast between the strong performance of the 68 SMEs and the weak performance of the Region as a whole. The Good Economy’s place-based metrics for mapping and measuring business-led inclusive job growth showed the Region lagging behind the Scottish average locally and regionally. Notably for the Scottish Government national priority, 2 in 3 local authorities and 7 in 9 regional economic partnerships are behind the national average. The social need for business-led inclusive job growth is nationwide.

 SOSA’s challenge is to ‘widen the circle’ of business-led inclusive job growth. SMEs identified two shared priorities for local businesses. The first is an integrated, multi-modal sustainable regional transport system. Inclusive growth and connectivity are inextricably intertwined, especially in rural areas like the South of Scotland. The second is an integrated strategy for attracting and retaining talent. The Region should concentrate on attracting graduates and skilled people with young families by developing high-quality housing and first-class education, vibrant ‘smart town’ centres and excellent outdoor leisure and recreation, and infrastructure for SME growth in creative, technology and ‘green economy’ industries. Tourism would also be boosted if these two priorities were met. All of this calls for place-based investment, inclusive regeneration partnerships, and local authority leadership.

There are intangible ways of ‘widening the circle’. It could be done ‘at a stroke’ by relaxing the growth and sector eligibility criteria used to allocate Scottish Enterprise and Business Gateway finance and know-how. 90% of local SMEs don’t use these public ‘gateways’. Halve this rate of uptake and the Region would leap forward on business-led inclusive job growth. Inclusive growth, as a new paradigm, means that every business and every place is included. It also means interconnecting businesses and places, rather than seeing them as ‘islands’ – ‘network externalities’ are a source of business-led inclusive job growth. ‘Communities of businesses’ should be the building blocks of place-based inclusive job growth throughout the Region.

We hope that our study has a seminal influence on inclusive growth policy-making aimed at businesses, and SMEs in particular. Scotland is an excellent context for innovative research and policy. We are delighted to be working with SOSEP on developing a vision and inclusive growth strategy for the South of Scotland – with the new Enterprise Agency around the corner it is an exciting place to be.

Local Level Business and Employment needs research

Lichfields is undertaking research to explore the process of planning for business and employment needs at the local level across Scotland and how Local Authorities are currently managing the process in order to plan for business and employment needs in their area.

We are keen to understand the views of Local Authorities from professionals in planning and economic development roles and would be grateful if you could complete the following short questionnaire via Smart Survey.

We anticipate that this will take no more than 10 minutes to complete. The deadline for questionnaire responses is 28^th June 2019.

EKOS Job opportunity: Principle Consultant / Associate Director

EKOS is an independent and multidisciplinary economic and social research agency with ambitious plans for the future.   As we embark on a future growth plan we wish to strengthen our senior team with an experienced and well connected professional that can develop new business and make a significant contribution to the future of the company.

We are interested in people that can bring different perspectives and fresh approaches to our work in areas as diverse as economic development, regeneration, skills and education, public service innovation and culture and sport.

The successful candidate will have strong project management and commercial skills and will be highly respected in their field. Capable of working effectively at a senior level, and of leading and inspiring staff, they will have the flexibility to build a distinctive portfolio of work within the company’s overall aims and ambitions.

We offer a competitive salary and contributory pension as well as flexible working and a strong commitment to personal development and work life balance. 

If you think that you have the right mix of skills and experience please submit a CV and a covering letter to ekos@ekos.co.uk setting out the areas of opportunity that you would bring to EKOS.  The closing date is 5pm on Friday 28th June.

See more information 

Job opportunity at Peter Brett Associates - Principal / Associate Economic Development Specialist

Title: Principal / Associate Economic Development Specialist

Location: Glasgow

Vacancy Reference: 546

To apply for this position please follow the following link:

https://careers.peterbrett.com/vacancies/546/principal--associate-economic-development-specialist.html

The Opportunity:

Peter Brett Associates, now part of Stantec, provides a broad range of economic development and economic advice to our public and private sector clients to support their development and strategy ambitions.

Our clients include: local authorities, UK and Scottish Government agencies, private and other public sector interests in the residential, energy, retail, distribution and other sectors; Universities, Colleges and others.

Following recruitment over the last 18 months, PBA’s involvement in economic development, regeneration and development projects continues to grow, and we’re now looking to further expand our team.

You’ll be involved in the team’s ongoing development, working closely with our leaders to build relationships with clients, and ensuring we continue to provide them with market-leading advice.  You’ll have project development and management responsibility, whilst also working with other members of the team to develop their skills. 

This is an excellent opportunity to work in a truly multi-disciplinary business, developing new business relationships, and delivering excellence for our clients in the public and private sectors.

You will have significant post-graduate experience in an economic development/ economics / development environment. 

Your key responsibilities will include:

·       Reinforcing our team in Scotland in response to a combination of existing workloads and emerging opportunities in the public and private sectors

·       Project support through management, analysis and delivery; and delegation of appropriate tasks to junior staff

·       Maintaining and building positive client relationships

About You:

You'll demonstrate:

·       Degree qualification in Economics, Planning or similar related discipline

·       Understanding and experience of economic development and the planning system in Scotland

·       Client and networking skills and the ability to develop new opportunities

·       Effective bid writing capability

·       Experience of public and private sector requirements, economic assessments and appraisals, business case development

·       Excellent understanding of economic principles associated with development and infrastructure

·       Relevant experience in economic development/ strategy/ economic analysis

·       Good communication and facilitation skills, including authoring reports and coordinating inputs

About PBA:

We offer competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, which includes contributory pension plan, discretionary bonus scheme and flexible benefits allowance.

PBA provides significant opportunities for career progression and personal development through the delivery of high value quality services to influential clients, and we are proud of our friendly and supportive environment for our employees where they can attain their personal career goals.

To find out more about PBA and the range of exciting projects we are involved in please visit http://www.peterbrett.com

PBA is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunities.

To apply for this position please follow the following link:

https://careers.peterbrett.com/vacancies/546/principal--associate-economic-development-specialist.html

ekosgen Economic Development Consultancy Opportunity

ekosgen is one of the UK’s leading independent economic consultancy firms providing advice to public and private sector clients. We provide economic and social insight to help our clients make better decisions and have a positive impact on people, places and the economy.

Our work includes: Strategy development; project and programme evaluation; preparation of business cases and funding applications; economic impact assessment; socio-economic baselining.

The opportunity

We have vacancies in our Manchester and Glasgow offices for a committed, enthusiastic and capable individual to join our team.  You will play a central role within our consultant team working on a wide variety of economic development related commissions.

Depending on your experience, the role will include:

• Carrying out desk research using a variety of official data sources and the internet.
• Manipulating, analysing and presenting study data in a range of formats.
• Carrying out study fieldwork including research interviews
• Providing written input to high quality reports.
• Assisting colleagues to prepare proposals for new client assignments.

What are we looking for?

With a good Honours degree (2:1 or higher) and ideally a postgraduate degree in economics, social geography or similar, we need someone who is flexible, a team player, self-motivated, great at multi-tasking and who exhibits professionalism, even when under pressure. Strengths in statistical work, including analysing and presenting quantitative data are a must as are good organisational skills, and excellent writing and IT skills. The successful candidate will have a strong interest in the economic development sector and previous experience of working in a consultancy environment would be  preferred for the Manchester position.

What do we offer in return?

We offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package including: 

• 35 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Employer contribution pension scheme
• Employee wellbeing initiatives such as a cycle to work scheme and travel pass funding
• A positive and supportive work culture where people are assisted to realise their full potential (including through a personal performance and career management system and training)
• A Staff Wellbeing Package which includes allowances for dental and optical care, a GP helpline and subsidised gym membership

How do I apply?

To apply, please send your CV, a covering letter explaining why you would like to work for ekosgen, which location you are applying for and details of your salary expectations for the role as well as details of your current salary, if appropriate to lee.williamson@ekosgen.co.uk by 15th March 2019.

Please click here to see the full job specification for the Manchesterbased role

Please click here to see the full job specification for the Glasgow based role

We are an Equal Opportunities employer. We do not discriminate on the grounds of gender, race, disability, religion, age or sexuality.

Source: ekosgen current vacancies 

Innovation Events for Social Enterprises

5 February 2019, Dundee	Workplace innovation: people-centred change for social enterprise organisations	Book your place
13 February 2019, Eyemouth, Borders	Innovation Workshop: Value Proposition for Social Enterprises	Book your place
6 March 2019, Glenrothes	Innovation Workshop: Value Proposition for Social Enterprises	Book your place
2 April 2019, Glasgow	Workplace innovation: people-centred change for social enterprise organisations	Book your place

‘Workplace innovation: people-centred change for social enterprise organisations’ workshop – 5 February 2019, Scottish Enterprise, Dundee 

It's estimated that just a 5% increase in productivity would add £6.4 billion to the Scottish Economy. One of the major ways to improve productivity and efficiency in your business is through workplace innovation. Workplace innovation is change, driven by people, to develop new, improved ways of working.

Aimed at business leaders within social enterprises, this workshop will look at three themes of people, place and practice:

·       People - what it means to have an engaged workforce and the benefits this will this bring to your business.

·       Place - what culture you want your organisation to have and how your physical and virtual workspace can help.

·       Practice - what workplace practices you can adopt to help foster creativity, productivity and growth.

Book your place on the eventbrite website.

‘Innovation Workshop: Value Proposition for Social Enterprises’ – 13 February 2019, Eyemouth Hippodrome, Borders

Aimed at social enterprises, this workshop will introduce companies to the benefits of a Lean Agile approach to innovation. Taking this approach enables companies to focus on developing only the products and features that add value, and that the customer truly needs.

Following the workshop you have access to a 121 surgery with an Innovation Specialist, who will assist you to access further support to progress the outcomes of the workshop.

Book your place on the eventbrite website.

‘Innovation Workshop: Value Proposition for Social Enterprises’ – 6 March 2019, Business Gateway, Glenrothes

Aimed at social enterprises, this workshop will introduce companies to the benefits of a Lean Agile approach to innovation. Taking this approach enables companies to focus on developing only the products and features that add value, and that the customer truly needs.

Following the workshop you have access to a 121 surgery with an Innovation Specialist, who will assist you to access further support to progress the outcomes of the workshop.

Book your place on the eventbrite website.

‘Workplace innovation: people-centred change for social enterprise organisations’ workshop – 2 April 2019, Incremental Group, Glasgow 

It's estimated that just a 5% increase in productivity would add £6.4 billion to the Scottish Economy. One of the major ways to improve productivity and efficiency in your business is through workplace innovation. Workplace innovation is change, driven by people, to develop new, improved ways of working.

Aimed at business leaders within social enterprises, this workshop will look at three themes of people, place and practice:

·       People - what it means to have an engaged workforce and the benefits this will this bring to your business.

·       Place - what culture you want your organisation to have and how your physical and virtual workspace can help.

·       Practice - what workplace practices you can adopt to help foster creativity, productivity and growth.

Book your place on the eventbrite website.