The Inclusive Economy and Culture Scrutiny Panel was scheduled to consider updates on the borough's visitor economy, the performance of its town centres, and the progress of initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth and employment. The meeting was also scheduled to review future reporting plans for the panel.

Visit Greenwich Update

The panel was scheduled to receive an update from Barry Kelly, Chief Executive of Visit Greenwich. This update was intended to outline the organisation's current performance, its future priorities, and its overall strategic direction. The report pack indicated that the presentation would cover Visit Greenwich's core functions, its Destination Management Plan for 2023-28, highlights from 2026, and its priorities and challenges for 2026-28. The importance of tourism to the UK and Royal Greenwich was to be highlighted, with figures showing the economic impact and job creation attributed to the sector. Visit Greenwich's executive roles and responsibilities were also scheduled to be detailed, focusing on six key areas: destination marketing, visitor services, place shaping, business support, intelligence gathering, and skills brokerage. The organisation's partners, strategic programmes for managing the visitor experience, and key performance indicators (KPIs) were also to be presented. The report pack included data on destination value and volume, economic impact, and job support, as well as satisfaction scores by borough. Future campaign plans, including positioning Greenwich as an unmissable entertainment-led destination, were also to be discussed. The update was also scheduled to cover the performance of town centres, including footfall and spend data, and hotel performance metrics.

Cabinet Member Update: Economy, Town Centres and Co-operatives

The panel was scheduled to consider an update from the Cabinet Member for Economy, Town Centres and Co-operatives, Councillor Asli Mohammed. This update was to provide an overview of delivery across the portfolio since June 2026, aligning with the Council's Inclusive Economy Strategy. The report indicated strong progress in several key areas:

• People: Greenwich Local Labour and Business (GLLaB) was highlighted for its success in helping residents into work and learning, marking 30 years of service. New programmes and regeneration site job opportunities were to be discussed.
• Place: Town Centre Partnerships were to be reported on, with updates on footfall, spend, and international visitor growth in Woolwich, Greenwich, and Eltham. The success of initiatives like Woolwich Summer Lates was also to be reviewed. The development of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) was also on the agenda.
• Prosperity: The report was scheduled to detail the achievements of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which was nearing its closure, and outline plans for future business support in the absence of a confirmed successor fund. The growth of accredited Living Wage employers was also to be mentioned.
• Young People: The development of the borough's first Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy was to be discussed, alongside progress in corporate parenting efforts to improve outcomes for care leavers. The report was also to cover apprenticeship initiatives and the opening of the new Future Greenwich campus.
• Community Wealth Building, Co-operatives and Pride in Place: The panel was scheduled to receive an update on the delivery of the Co-operative Commission's recommendations, including the Community Energy Fund and the development of a social care co-operative. The Pride in Place initiative in Thamesmead was also to be discussed.

The report pack also included an analysis of the wider economic context, noting rising unemployment in the UK and London, and specifically highlighting an increase in claimant numbers in Royal Greenwich.

Commissioning of Future Reports

The panel was scheduled to note the work items planned for its meeting on 17 November 2026. These were to include a review of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), an update on Adult and Community Learning (ACL), and an evaluation of the Culture Strategy. The panel was to be asked to consider the scope of these forthcoming reports and specify any detailed requirements to ensure its lines of enquiry were addressed.

The meeting was scheduled to take place in Committee Rooms 4 & 5, Town Hall, Wellington Street, Woolwich SE18 6PW. Members of the public were entitled to attend and record the proceedings. The meeting was to be recorded and broadcast on the Council's YouTube Channel.