New Anglia Board Meeting Minutes (Confirmed)
30th October 2019
Present:
Sam Chapman-Allen (SC)
Breckland Council
Claire Cullens (CC)
Norfolk Community Foundation
David Ellesmere (DE)
Ipswich Borough Council
Doug Field (DF)
East of England Coop
Matthew Hicks (MH)
Suffolk County Council
John Griffiths (JG)
West Suffolk Council
Pete Joyner (PJ)
Shorthose Russell
Dominic Keen (DK)
Britbots
Steve Oliver (SO)
MLM
Andrew Proctor (AP)
Norfolk County Council
Johnathan Reynolds (JR)
Nautilus
Lindsey Rix (LR)
Aviva
Sandy Ruddock (SR)
Scarlett & Mustard
Nikos Savvas (NS)
West Suffolk College
Alan Waters (AW)
Norwich City Council
Attendees
John Last (JL)
NUA - For Helen Langton
Shan Lloyd (SL)
BEIS
Sue Roper (SuR)
Suffolk County Council
Vince Muspratt (VM)
Norfolk County Council
Linn Clabburn (LC)
New Anglia LEP - For Item 6
Iain Dunnett (ID)
New Anglia LEP - For Item 8
Ellen Goodwin (EG)
New Anglia LEP - For Item 10
Julian Munson (JM)
New Anglia LEP - For Item 7
Chris Starkie (CS)
New Anglia LEP
Rosanne Wijnberg (RW)
New Anglia LEP
Helen Wilton (HW)
New Anglia LEP
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Actions from the meeting: (30.10.19)
Chief Executive’s Report
To receive an update on the progress of dualling of the A47 at Tuddenham
EG
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Welcome from the Chair
Doug Field (DF) welcomed everyone to the meeting including John Last (JL) who was observing for
Helen Langton.
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Apologies
Apologies were received from Jeanette Wheeler, Johnathan Reynolds, Tim Whitley and Helen
Langton.
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Declarations of Interest
Full declarations of interest can be found at http://www.newanglia.co.uk/about-us/the-board.
Steve Oliver (SO) noted an interest in item 8a - Growing Business Fund Large Company Scheme.
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Minutes of the last meeting 25th September 2019
The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting held on 25th September 2019.
Actions from last meeting updated as follows:
The one page summary of the Local Industrial Strategy was distributed to board members.
Chris Starkie (CS) asked for feedback.
The revised LIS Foreword had been issued to board members and the LIS has been
submitted to Government.
CS advised that Sam Chapman-Allen (SC) had requested a one page summary of board
outcomes. This had been circulated with board papers and CS asked for comments to be
sent to Helen Wilton (HW).
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Welcome from Cllr Sam Chapman - Allen
SC welcomed the Board to Thetford and provided the board with a brief overview of the area
noting the increase in home building. The board was advised that £20m had been allocated
to build 5000 new homes and work was also ongoing to improve existing estates with better
infrastructure and community facilities.
SC thanked the LEP for its contribution of £1.5m towards the roundabout at the Thetford
Enterprise Park and confirmed that work is continuing to secure further funding to develop the
site.
A number of collaborative projects are ongoing with West Suffolk College to support skills
development and training in the area.
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Cambridge - Norwich Tech Corridor
Linn Clabburn (LC) provided the Board with an overview of the Cambridge-Norwich Tech
Corridor (CNTC) which was set up using pooled business rate funding with the aim of
attracting new businesses and investment to the area.
LC advised that the study carried out by Cambridge Econometrics proposed the project
should focus on the existing science and technology strengths and assets in the Corridor and
build on these to develop complementing clusters. In doing so the Tech Corridor has the
potential to create 26,000 jobs and add £2.75bn to the local economy. LC also noted that the
term “Tech” covers a wide range but focuses on the key strengths in the region including, life-
science, biotech, pharma, agritech, ICT, digital, AI and robotics and engineering,
The team identified that the CNTC needs to be more than the establishment of a brand and
are working to create joined-up, complementing, clusters in order to attract inward investment
LC reviewed some on the work currently ongoing detailing how the corridor is being promoted
with the web site receiving 1000 unique visitors per month and social media reaching a wide
audience by targeting influential people with a high number of followers.
An ambassador network has been set up with over 100 members who promote the CNTC
within and outside the region.
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LC reviewed the next steps for the team including targeted sector promotion, international
partnerships and further work to develop the relationships and collaboration across the
Corridor and help the delivery of the Economic strategy and LIS.
John Griffiths (JG) noted the work also being carried out in West Suffolk and asked whether
the CNTC would be self-financing after the one year’s funding being requested was
complete.
CS advised that given the uncertainty over future funding from Government the practical
decision was to initially request funding for one year.
The meeting discussed the work being carried out to promote the Norwich end of the corridor
such as assisting with talent sharing for companies struggling to find the correctly skilled staff
and also links to other clusters outside the corridor ie energy around Gt Yarmouth. LC
confirmed that they were working with staff at NCC to identify areas for collaboration.
Matthew Hicks (MH) asked about the long term future of the project noting that it had the
potential to be bigger than the current corridor. LC agreed that there was potential for growth
and the partnership itself could agree the future direction.
John Last (JL) asked if there was a finite point for the project or whether success criteria had
been agreed. LC confirmed that indicators were being monitored but a final target had not
been set.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To continue supporting the CNTC by agreeing an allocation of £62k for the financial year
2020/21
• To work with corridor partners to secure their future commitment to the project
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Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
Julian Munson (JM) reviewed the successful launch of the new brand and the positive
feedback received especially from the private sector where over 60 brand ambassadors had
been signed up.
JM reviewed the next steps and the work going on the promote the brand both within the
region and externally.
CS reviewed the confidential appendix proposing the combining the inward investment teams
of the LEP, Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council to create a single team -
Invest Norfolk and Suffolk, which would create a single inward investment strategy and
promote the new brand.
Pete Joyner (PJ) asked how success would be measured. CS confirmed that there would be
hard targets around job creation and also softer targets established with the former measures
brought back to the board as part of the Inward Investment Strategy.
Andrew Proctor (AP) noted that this proposal was at an early stage and that further details
and measures would be established during the next phase.
The meeting discussed the financial implications of the establishment of the team.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To endorse the forward plan of activity for the development of the Norfolk & Suffolk
Unlimited Brand
• To support the establishment of Invest Norfolk and Suffolk and the creation of a new post
of head of inward investment
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Growing Business Fund Large Company Scheme Applications - Confidential
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9
Equality and Diversity Action Plan
Rosanne Wijnberg (RW) presented the background to the production of the plan which has
been designed to support the statement and role of the diversity champion.
Three areas have been identified as priority areas of activity - recruitment and membership,
decision making and workforce.
RW confirmed that progress will be monitored and updates provided to the Board.
JL noted the issue of recruiting a diverse range of board members. David Ellesmere (DE)
noted that the initial drive from Government was for gender equality but agreed that further
diversification was an issue.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To endorse the Equality and Diversity Action Plan
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Housing Update
Ellen Goodwin (EG) presented the main points of the report summarising the work of the LEP
on the housing agenda and recommending activities to support SMEs in achieving targets for
house building.
DE felt that the LEP should be focussing on lobbying Government on those areas of housing
building where developers were facing issues. AP noted that closer involvement with SMEs
would support the LEP’s role as enabler to growth and development.
EG confirmed that the Building Growth Group is reviewing its work and Terms of Reference
and is looking to reengage with the local authorities as attendance at the meetings has been
limited.
AW updated the meeting on the recent visit of the Housing Minister to Goldsmith Street in
Norwich which provided an opportunity to present her with the main challenges to providing
good quality housing.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To commission a research piece to identify construction and housebuilding SME activity in
Norfolk and Suffolk including barriers to construction
• To delegate authority to the Chief Executive to commission the above research once an
brief with partners has been agreed
• To agree the reconstitution of the Building Growth Group to align with the Norfolk and
Suffolk Economic Strategy, the Local Industrial Strategy and the outputs of the Housing
Conference
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Brexit
CS reviewed the paper and noted that plans would be revised to the new Brexit deadline of
31st January 2020.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
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The Role of the Chair / Chair job description
RW presented the report and reviewed the process carried out for the production of the job
description.
LR observed that adding details of the time commitment of the role would be useful.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To endorse the job description for the Role of the Chair as attached
• To delegate authority to the Chair to approve the job description for the Role of the Vice
Chair
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Skills Advisory Chair Panel
CS presented the paper advising that the Board needed to approve the new chair and that
Government guidelines stated that it should be a member of the LEP board but noting that, as
this may not always be possible, external candidates could be considered.
DF asked for nominations from the board and CS offered to discuss the role further with
anyone interested.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To approve the Skills Advisory Panel Terms of Reference
• To formally acknowledge the work of Paul Winter as Chair of the Skills Board
• To approve the proposal that a current LEP Board member takes on additional
responsibility for chairing the Skills Advisory Panel as recommended by Government.
• To seek nominations for the role of Skills Board chair from the board or to externally
advertise if there are no candidates from the LEP board
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Chief Executive’s Report
CS noted some of the highlights of the report asked for questions from the board.
CS advised that investigations were ongoing into the possibility of joining the London stand at
MIPIM in Cannes to promote the NSU brand.
SC requested an update on the progress of the dualling of the A47 at Tuddenham. CS
agreed to request an update from EG.
SC asked if there was an opportunity for a regional energy strategy. CS noted that this has
already been written with the Hertfordshire LEP and the CPCA. The accountable body of the
Energy Hub will be changing which will help in getting traction on key projects.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
• To receive an update on the dualling of the A47 at Tuddenham
EG
15
October Programme Performance Reports
Rosanne Wijnberg (RW) reviewed the reports for October and highlighted key areas noting
that Small Grants Scheme applications were ahead in Q1 and have now slowed down but
area still ahead of profile.
The Board agreed:
• To note the contents of the reports
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Quarterly Management Accounts - Confidential
RW presented the accounts which include the table of programmes and their respective end
dates as requested by the Board.
RW highlighted key variances in spend and income.
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The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
17
Board Forward Plan
CS reviewed the Forward Plan and advised that the planning of items for 2020 was ongoing.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the plan
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Any Other Business
DF advised that this would be Nikos Savvas’ (NS) last meeting and thanked him for his
commitment and contribution to the LEP during his time as a board member.
NS thanked board members and highlighted the growth and expansion of the LEP over his
term of office and expressed his support going forward.
Next meeting:
Date and time of next meeting:
10.00am - 12.30pm, 27th November 2019
Venue: The Hub, Adastral Park, Ipswich
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