New Anglia Board Meeting Minutes (Confirmed)

20^th June 2018

Present:

Doug Field (DF)

East of England Coop

John Griffiths (JG)

St Edmundsbury Borough Council

Matthew Hicks (MH)

Suffolk County Council

Steve Oliver (SO)

MLM Group

Andrew Proctor (AP)

Norfolk County Council

William Nunn (WN)

Breckland District Council

David Richardson (DR)

UEA

Alan Waters (AW)

Norwich City Council

Jeanette Wheeler (JW)

Birketts

Lindsey Rix (LR)

Aviva

In Attendance:

Corrienne Peasgood (CP)

Norwich City College (For Nikos Savvas)

Warren Ralls (RaW)

LEP Network (Guest)

Vince Muspratt (VM)

Norfolk County Council

Sue Roper (SuR)

Suffolk County Council

Shan Lloyd (SL)

BEIS

Paul Winter (PW)

Skills Board (For Item 9)

Chris Dashper (CD)

New Anglia LEP (For Item 12)

Hayley Mace (HM)

New Anglia LEP (For Item 7)

Julian Munson (JM)

New Anglia LEP (For Item 8)

Lisa Roberts (LiR)

New Anglia LEP (For Item 9)

Chris Starkie (CS)

New Anglia LEP

Helen Wilton (HW)

New Anglia LEP

Rosanne Wijnberg (RW)

New Anglia LEP

Actions from the meeting: (20.06.18)

Welcome from the Chair

Doug Field (DF) welcomed everyone to the meeting including Corrienne Peasgood deputising for Nikos

Savvas and Warren Ralls from the LEP Network. DF also welcomed new Board members Matthew Hicks

and William Nunn.

Apologies

Apologies were received from: Nikos Savvas, Sandy Ruddock, Dominic Keen, Johnathan Reynolds,

David Ellesmere and Tim Whitley.

In Memorium

The meeting held a minute’s silence in memory of Cllr Cliff Jordan who passed away earlier in the month.

Declarations of Interest

Full declarations of interest can be found at http://www.newanglia.co.uk/about-us/the-board/ .

Item 12: Honingham Thorpe Food Enterprise Park - Jeanette Wheeler

Introduction - David Richardson

David Richardson (DR) gave the meeting a presentation on the UEA providing details of the wide range

of activities carried out at the university including environmental studies, clean energy, digital skills and

heath.

DR also provided details on the network partners engaged with the UEA and the ongoing work to bring

together the private and public sectors in development projects.

Minutes of the last meeting 23^rd May 2018

The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting held on 23^rd May.

Actions from last meeting updated as follows:

Item 6 Enterprise Zones

To receive further information on the make up of jobs on EZs and the rationale for companies

moving into the zones. Work is ongoing and will be presented back at the September Board

Place Branding

Hayley Mace (HM) presented the paper on Place Branding which outlined plans for further

development of a single place brand for Norfolk and Suffolk (currently branded as The East).

HM proposed tendering for a branding agency to progress the work to develop the brand

messages, the visual identity and to carry out testing of the Brand as it is developed. The Board

was asked to agree funding of £50,000 for the first stage of brand development and also to agree

the timeline of activity.

The Board was asked to note proposals for the second stage of work, which included the creation

and implementation of a set of marketing tools likely to include an online portal. The second stage

of work will be funded, in part, by the successful ERDF Invest East bid.

Chris Starkie (CS) noted that this will not replace any established brand but will complement

existing more local or sectoral brands.

The meeting discussed the importance of having an overarching brand but noted that it was

important to have a clear picture of existing brands so that their clarity and positioning was not

diluted

Steve Oliver (SO) stressed that the current picture of multiple brands was not sufficiently clear

but these would be brought together under one brand with a clear communications strategy.

Jeanette Wheeler (JW) noted there were other similar brands across the country which sat

above other sub-brands without confusion.

HM confirmed that she had researched the costs from agencies and other similar work already

carried out nationally and by other LEPS and that the £50k requested was competitive.

Matthew Hicks (MH) asked for more detail on the costs of the 2^nd stage of the work.

Julian Munson (JM) advised that the ERDF funded Invest East project would include funding

for this work and £148,000 would be allocated to the second phase which included marketing

and events.

Alan Waters (AW) asked whether there would be any review points included along the process.

HM confirmed that this could be built into the tender brief.

The Board agreed:

• To note the content of the report

• To agree funding of £50,000 for the first stage of brand development

• To agree the timeline of activity.

Inward Investment

JM provided the Board with a presentation on the Inward Investment Strategy.

It was highlighted that the strategy did not just cover investment from overseas but also

domestic companies investing in the region, the expansion of existing companies and also the

retention of businesses already operating in the region.

JM described the progress made since the last Board paper in 2017, ongoing work and details

of overseas investment in eastern counties over the past year.

JM also reviewed the proposed delivery model stressing that the strategy needed to include the

varied offers available from the region including systems, services, science and technology and

skills and talent. Board members were updated on current work aimed at building international

relations across the world including that centred on the Guangdong province in China.

The meeting was advised that the £1.8m ERDF Invest East project would be starting in

September 2018. This will focus on how investment leads are drawn into the local area and

providing specific support enabling a business to develop its investment proposal.

The meeting discussed the importance of producing a strategy under a single brand. AP noted

that the joint working with partners needed to be highlighted within the strategy and CS

confirmed that it was based on a collaborative approach.

DR noted the importance of making the right first impression when establishing links with

Guandong and that many businesses already have such links with the province and these

could be built on and steered by the LEP.

The Board agreed:

• To endorse the approach and development of the Inward Investment and International

Strategic Framework set out in the paper

• To support the launch and activity of the Invest East ERDF business support / inward

investment project

• To approve the investigation of a suitable inward investment agency delivery model

• To consult with the county councils on a pilot project to advance relations with Guangdong

province in China

Skills

Paul Winter (PW) presented the Board with an update on the work of the Skills Board over the

past year and the challenges faced by the region in relation to skills.

He reviewed the Skills Board vision and delivery steps which form part of the Economic Strategy

Delivery Plan and reiterated the four ‘key messages’ of the Skills Board which Board members

were requested to support and champion.

The importance of lobbying Government was stressed and DF confirmed that this issue had

been raised at the LEP Network meeting with the Prime Minister.

The Board agreed:

• To note the content of the report

• To endorse the Skills Board vision and delivery steps

• To champion the ‘key messages’ of the Skills Board.

Enterprise Adviser Network

CS presented the paper on the Enterprise Adviser Network (EAN) highlighting the bid to host a

careers hub, the progress made by the EAN and the recommendation to bring the programme

within the LEP.

Board members were advised that the EAN has encountered challenges in recruiting enterprise

advisers, the churn of staff within schools and commitment from schools following the initial

expression of interest.

Corrienne Peasgood (CP) asked whether there was any link between those schools who have

not engaged and those who have received initiatives and funding from elsewhere. CS felt that

the biggest influence on engagement was the approach of the Headteachers as not all saw the

benefit of engagement with the EAN.

MH noted that there were many similar schemes which could make the options for schools

confusing. CS replied that this approach was designed to clarify this for schools.

The Board agreed:

• To approve further 12 months funding for the EAN at a value of £135,000

• To endorse the development of the Careers Hub and the integration of its management

with the EAN

Local Energy Strategy

Lisa Roberts (LiR) presented the paper on the Local Energy Strategy to the Board.

The Board was advised that responses have been requested by 6^th July however the deadline

will be extended to allow local Authorities to complete their endorsement processes.

90 applications have been received for the role of Regional Hub Manager with New Anglia LEP

being part of the interview panel.

The Board agreed:

• To endorse the Local Energy Strategy

• To agree the next steps regarding the Strategy’s Delivery Plan

Capital Growth Programme - Honingham Thorpe Food Enterprise Park - Confidential

The Board agreed:

• For the executive team to develop a supplementary paper for the IAC to review

• For the recommendation from the IAC to then be considered by the full board by written

procedures

Revenues Funding Framework

CS presented the paper produced on the proposed revenue funding framework for Pot C

income.

SO asked whether there were established Governance criteria for the call for innovative

projects from external partners.

CS advised that these would be included in the framework which would be developed before

being presented to the IAC.

The Board agreed:

• To approve the allocation of £135,000 set aside in Pot C for core LEP costs to fund the

Enterprise Adviser Network for 18/19

• To approve the allocation of £100,000 from Pot C towards the LEP projects budget for

18/19

• To approve the allocation of £500,000 from Pot C towards the call for innovative projects

from external partners which will help deliver the Economic Strategy

Growth Deal Quarterly Dashboard

CD reviewed the paper and the quarterly dashboard for submission to Government.

AW asked whether a further breakdown of the details of the jobs created was available.

CD confirmed that they were all FTEs but further work would be required to ascertain the

quality of jobs provided.

CS advised that this dashboard was as set out as per Government requirements however this

detail would be built into the ongoing development of BPRs which would be presented after the

summer.

SO queried the delivery of housing which appeared to be behind target. CD confirmed that

outputs were delivered on an ad hoc basis as developments were completed and so figures

would increase on completion.

The Board agreed:

• To endorse the dashboard

Chief Executive’s Report

CS asked the Board for any questions on his report.

DF updated the meeting on the meeting of LEP Chairs with the Prime Minister on 19^th June

where the PM had expressed support for the work of LEPs across the country. DF thanked

Warren Ralls for organising the event.

The Board agreed:

• To note the content of the report

Finance Report

Rosanne Wijnberg (RW) reviewed the finance report and asked for questions from the Board.

As the July LEP Board has been cancelled it was proposed that the Annual Accounts would be

issued electronically for approval by email in July.

The Board agreed:

• To note the content of the report

• To receive the Annual Statements via email for approval following the recommendation

of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Board Forward Plan

CS reviewed the items to be covered at the September Board.

The Board agreed:

• To note the content of the plan

Any Other Business

John Griffiths (JG) asked whether substitutes can attend the IAC as well as the Board.

Next meeting:

Date and time of next meeting:

10.00am - 12.30pm, 19^th September 2018

Venue: The Aviation Academy, Norwich