Memorandum by the Learning and Skills
Council (LSC) (CT 32)
ROLE OF
THE LSC
1. The LSC is working in partnership with
Local Strategic Partnerships and other bodies within its area
to ensure that local post-16 training and education needs are
planned and met. Fundamental to this aim is to contribute to the
overall local economic, social and environmental objectives of
local areas as agreed at regional and local level.
2. Hampshire and the Isle of Wight has significant
coastal areas, towns and City Pods. The economic history and nature
of these areas is such that economic diversification and regeneration
are key factors in their future prosperity and the LSC plays a
key role in identifying the needs arising from regeneration initiatives
and in supporting them with focused provision of education, training,
learning and skills.
3. The LSC has a key part to play by contributing
to the skills agenda and is committed to working in partnership
with agencies and stakeholders to ensure alignment of priorities
and investments. The LSC, at local and regional level, wishes
to be fully engaged with ODPM to achieve this.
COASTAL TOWNS
IN HAMPSHIRE
AND THE
ISLE OF
WIGHT
4. Hampshire's coast includes the City Ports
of Southampton and Portsmouth. Although very different in nature
to smaller coastal towns which have typically suffered from decline,
for example as resorts or fishing ports, they do share issues
of unemployment, lower activity rates, lower average wage rates
and changing skill needs. The 2004 Multiple Index of deprivation
indicates that Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight were
ranked 88th, 96th and 126th respectively, of the 354 local authorities
in the whole of the country (where one was the most deprived).
5. Although both Cities have been very successful
in growing their core port activities (Southampton as a container
and cruise port and Portsmouth as a ferry port), other maritime-related
activities have experienced mixed fortunes and there has been
decline in traditional manufacturing activities. In both Cities,
this has resulted in a legacy of brownfield sites which have issues
such as poor access and contamination which distinguish them from
inland sites. Gosport, which has traditionally been dependent
on MOD activity and land ownership also experiences these urban
coastal challenges.
6. The Isle of Wight's economy traditionally
has been dependent on the tourism industry and thus has been vulnerable
to seasonal unemployment and a need to diversify its economy as
well as develop and adapt its tourism and leisure sectors. Regeneration
of its coastal towns is a critical part of developing the Island's
economy and Cowes Waterfront regeneration projects and initiatives
in Ryde will boost the local economy. Development of the Island's
Area Investment framework has attracted £2.8 million investment
through SEEDA devolved funding over the next three years. Although
various initiatives are making a valuable contribution to regeneration
of coastal towns there is a local view that a commitment to longer
term funding would provide greater certainty and a more comprehensive
approach.
7. As noted in both the Draft Regional Plan
and the Regional Economic Strategy there is significant variation
in levels of economic performance and deprivation within the South
East Region. Some coastal areas of the South East may be more
similar to those in other Regions than to other areas in the same
Region, although their proximity to more prosperous areas may
offer greater opportunities than their counterparts in other Regions.
FUTURE PLANS
FOR GROWTH
AND REGENERATION
8. The Draft South East Regional Plan has
proposed the Isle of Wight as a Special Policy Area, giving priority
to the regeneration of the Island in order to address its concentrations
of social and economic deprivation.
9. The Draft Plan identifies South Hampshire
as a growth area of strategic significance, raising its levels
of development and at the same time addressing the needs of significant
areas of social deprivation particularly in areas of Southampton
and Portsmouth. The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire is seeking
a step change in the local economy, raising the long term annual
growth rate in GVA from 1.7% per annum to 3.5% per annum and generating
major increased employment growth. There will be a major challenge
to meet the skill requirements associated with this growth and
ensuring the economic benefits accrue to the coastal areas in
most need of economic regeneration.
CONCLUSIONS
— Coastal towns have distinct economic
features requiring strong partnership working between local authorities
other local bodies, supported by the funding of SEEDA and other
relevant government departments. There is a local view that longer
term commitment to specific funding would be beneficial.
— The growth plans for South Hampshire,
allied to the regeneration needs of the coastal urban areas, will
require the support of initiatives aimed at spreading the economic
and social benefits of growth into the more deprived areas, not
least through the raising of skills of local people to compete
for new employment opportunities.
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