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New Anglia Skills Advisory Panel Meeting
23
rd
July 2021
Via Microsoft Teams
MINUTES OF MEETING
In attendance:
Adrian Orr, Suffolk County Council (AO)
Christine Futter, Norfolk and Suffolk Care
Support (CF)
Claire Cullens, New Anglia LEP Board and
SAP Chair (CC)
Clarke Willis, Swallow Barns (CW)
Glen Todd, New Anglia LEP (GT)
Jan Feeney, Norfolk County Council (JF)
Julia Nix, DWP (JN)
Michael Gray, Suffolk County Council (MG)
Natasha Waller, New Anglia LEP (NW)
Nova Fairbank, Norfolk Chamber of
Commerce (NF)
Richard Bridgman, Warren Services (RB)
Richard Self, agricultural representative
(RS)
Seb Gasse, NCC (SG)
Viv Gillespie, Suffolk New College (VG)
Yvonne Mason, The Mason Trust (YM)
Visitors:
Ed Shorthouse, New Anglia LEP (ES)
Laraine Moody, West Suffolk College (LM)
Polly Bridgman, University of Suffolk (PB)
Simon Papworth, New Anglia LEP (SP)
Apologies:
Ben Miller, Independent (BM)
Chris Gribble, Writers’ Centre Norwich
(CG)
Cllr Rachel Hood, Suffolk County Council
(RH)
Cllr Stuart Clancy, Norfolk County Council
(SC)
Corrienne Peasgood, City College Norwich
(CP)
David Gartland, Abbeygate 6
th
Form (DG)
David Pomfret, College of West Anglia
(DP)
Dayle Bayliss, Dayle Bayliss Associates
(DB)
Dena Read, ESFA (DR)
Guy Hazlehurst, EDF (GH)
Helen Langton (Professor), University of
Suffolk (HL)
Jason Parnell, Steadfast Training (JP)
Karen Gibson, Norfolk County Council (KG)
Karin Porter, Norfolk County Council (KP)
Lucy Walker, ESFA (LW)
Nikos Savvas, West Suffolk College (NS)
Paul Simon, Suffolk Chamber of
Commerce (PS)
Peter Basford, BDO Group (PB)
Stuart Rimmer, East Coast College (SR)
Stuart Smith, People with Energy (SS)
Tom Brown, Green Light Trust (TB)
Tom Humphries, Norfolk County Council
(TH)
Tracey Cox, ESFA (TC)
Vince Muspratt, Norfolk County Council
(VP)
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Item 1: Welcome and Minutes
Claire Cullens welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained that many people were on
annual leave or dealing with Covid related issues.
Stuart Rimmer was congratulated for being awarded an MBE and the TES ‘FE Leader of the
Year’. Norfolk Adult Learning were also congratulated for winning the TES ‘Adult and
Community Learning Provider of the Year’ award.
Thanks were also given to Cllr Mary Evans as she has stepped down from her role. Cllr Rachel
Hood will take her place on the SAP but unfortunately she couldn’t join us today.
The minutes were reviewed and approved. All actions had been followed up.
Updates from the last meeting:
Local Skills Improvement Plans – NF explained that the joint chamber bid had been
submitted but was not one of the successful applications. All are chamber led with a directly
linked SDF application. No one in the East of England has been successful which is
disappointing. Profiles of successful bids are varied. However, the process cemented many
collaborative partnerships across Norfolk & Suffolk and we need to look at alternative
vehicles to achieve our ambitions. The Chamber network will allow good insight into
progress.
CC reiterated the positive collaboration and thoroughness of the application. Looking
forward, we always said that we would act as a Trailblazer so we will continue with the
momentum and keep our believe in our ambitions.
Strategic Development Fund – LM conveyed that the New Anglia Colleges Group were also
unsuccessful both in the New Anglia LEP area bid plus the bid which two of the colleges were
involved with covering Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. However, they now have chance
to bid for £50,000 for collaborative work based on the original application. They hope to
submit early August to make the most of the 6 month spending window.
CC expressed her disappointment.
Clean Growth and IoT updates – NW gave an update from DB. First meeting of the Clean
Growth meeting was held on July 20th. The ToR were reviewed and discussions on the
purpose of the group, what is clean growth, agreed what isn’t Net Zero - clean growth is part
of the way to Net Zero but it is a wider remit of sustainable growth that considers energy
use, water use, communities, place, equality, skills and what it is that makes Norfolk and
Suffolk great. With the ability to ‘buy’ your way to carbon neutral through off setting, the
ambition is to be the climate positive region.
The group is not looking to duplicate what is already an active area, but to focus on
leadership and collaboration. This will be evidenced and impact measured to determine the
success of the group. The task force will be champions and advocates for clean growth and
highlight the size of the opportunity this ambition brings to Norfolk and Suffolk. The next
steps are identifying the projects for the group, defining what is meant by Clean Growth and
establishing the group to be recognised for its role in this landscape.
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VG who was at the meeting confirmed that this is an umbrella group. Only the Energy
Council has a clear focus on clean energy/net zero so they are keen that the other industry
councils do as well. She also conveyed that the universities are around the table to support
any modelling.
The IoT bid was successfully submitted ahead of the mid June deadline. The timeline is now
to wait until the 13 bids have been assessed, which should be complete Sept/Oct. If
successful, the partners will be invited to an interview in November and then move to the
pre-award stage. A further submission giving the final details will be required ahead of
gaining the licence and looking to start delivery in September 2022. At the moment, it is just
a waiting game. We were pleased with the bid and thank all the partners that helped input
into the submission and provided letters of intent and/or support.
Item 2: LEP Board Update
CC gave an update on the June LEP Board meeting where she presented an update on the
Skills Advisory panel, linked work and government related policies. The Board were
reminded of our objectives and the Local Skills Report. She also gave them an overview of
some areas of the Skills White Paper primarily the Local Skills Improvement Plans and
Strategic Development Fund.
The Board noted our achievements since our last update and approved our proposal of
looking more in our SAP meetings around in work training and developing a culture of
lifelong learning. This will include looking up and scanning the horizon with measures such as
working more closely with the LEP industry councils.
Members of the Board commented about our low salaries making it difficult to recruit and
labour shortages particularly in retail, hospitality and logistics.
SG stated that he was happy with the paper and approach but sought assurances that SAP
would still support young people who needed training to enter employment. Equally the NCC
Employment and Training Strategy Group could support this agenda. CC assured members
that we would not forget the wider objectives.
YM praised the LEP ESF webinar that had taken place on the 21
st
July as it showcased a large
amount of holistic work that has been/is running in our area. Others commented of the need
to keep promoting the good news stories.
ACTION: NW to circulate webinar slides from ESF event.
Item 3: The Landscape and Lifelong Learning
JN gave an update on the local situation with unemployment and Universal Credit. There is a
slightly different picture in Norfolk to Suffolk. Levels of claimants seem calmer but still lots of
support needed for the unemployed and in-work claimants and her team are mindful of
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furlough ending and the situation with the self-employed. However, we seem to be faring
better than other parts of the country.
The hospitality sector is still struggling to recruit and is offering a higher rate of pay to
encourage people to take up positions. Transport is still an issue to get people to potential
jobs. Chefs have always been an historic recruitment challenge and this continues together
with bar roles and housekeeping. Social care and logistics are other challenging sectors.
There are still plenty of Kickstart opportunities so keen for all members to continue to
promote. There are Open Days being set up regularly to bring young people into contact
with employers in a face to face setting to overcome some of the barriers, hear more about
the roles and have informal interviews. Initial ones have shown success. JN has recently put
together a team to support this initiative plus opportunities are now on icanbea.
YM commented on how the confidence levels of young people are so low, with many not
wanting to leave home.
LM echoed this and conveyed how West Suffolk College are supporting NEETS with real
success across their learning centres for the Get Set for Kickstart sessions.
SP updated members on the rising number of vacancies being advertised in the area.
Apparent drop in ICT but this may be of the designation of roles which may not be solely ICT
or lack of churn. We are tracking close to the national average on furlough and self
employment support rates (approx. 7%). Unemployment is also at a similar rate to March
2020 and it must be remembered that we were at record lows just prior to Covid. When
business support is removed, there are concerns that there may be some business failures.
The LEP is working with the Growth Hub to support businesses to review their future and if
they feel that their business may have to close, then this is carried out in a planned way.
The median wage rate is looking like the gap is increasing when compared to national rates
so this is something to watch with inflation rates rising.
An update was also given on the proposed Renewal Plan which the LEP is coordinating for a
wide variety of partners. There will be a series of consultations and a building of the
evidence base. There will be a focus on clean, inclusive and productive growth. The aim is
that it will align with the government agenda so the hope is that the region can draw down
funding in the future.
ACTION: LEP team to deliver a Renewal Plan workshop at the September SAP meeting.
ES reminded members about the need for us to support the rising of educational attainment
levels and for businesses to offer more higher level positions to encourage this, e.g. in
engineering. EMSI will start getting data cube updates so it will start embedding qualifier
updates.
CW commented on the positives and negatives of low wages, the increased costs of
commodities and the high demand for higher level agricultural students.
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Item 4: Developing a Culture of Lifelong Learning
CC reminded members that there are government initiatives in place around our 4 SAP
objectives. There is a local issue around young people leaving education with generally Level
2 and/or level 3 qualifications so further upskilling will typically need to take place in the
workplace. The Learning & Work Institute report Learning at Work: Employer Investment in
Skills has highlighted the low and reducing levels of training in the work place and how
recent trends are exacerbating inequalities.
What is working well in Norfolk and Suffolk or needs reviewing?
- The apprenticeship levy share scheme so need to identify other larger employers who
are keen to share.
- The need to demystifying skills, particularly if you sit outside. Businesses need clear
information.
- Plenty of funding available for training, so we need to support businesses to access
this, looking at the bottom line costs, long term advantages and potential increase in
productivity.
- Sector skills plans have really supported discussion but they need to be updated in
regard to data and potential priorities.
- Have a comms tool for all business connectors so they have the information of local
and key national initiatives thus signposting to the best option.
- Hybrid and online learning have grown/improved so this should continue to be a
viable option and increase uptake at times to suit the individual. It can also allow
learners to relook at sections of the training to consolidate learning.
- Individuals should be encouraged to take up the level 3 and HE loans – sometimes
they don’t need paying back.
- Employee/provider relationships have improved.
- Universal credit was aimed to support people to improve their chances. We need to
get back to this stage.
- Training needs to be seen as an investment so a culture change is needed. Need to
hear more from the businesses which are doing this well locally.
- Need to address training which is expensive but not fundable where it is causing
economic challenges, e.g. HGV driver training.
- FE is increasingly being seen as important by Government.
- Funding increasingly moving to a county focus which may give the SAP more
flexibility.
Item 5: Next Steps for SAP and Champions Groups
ACTION: CC to meet with LEP & CC Skills officers to discuss the next steps around Driving
Skills Progression for the Workforce and bring back to the SAP.
ACTION: Champion groups to meet and review:
- their current priorities and decide if still relevant
- develop an alternative proposition for the September SAP with a clear link to addressing
challenges/opportunities identified in our Local Skills Report plus the Skills White Paper and
A Plan for Jobs.
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- reflect on membership of Champion groups
- decide on any SAP ask.
Item 6: AOB & Next meeting
Next meeting: TBC
