1
Public
New Anglia Board Meeting Minutes (Unconfirmed)
20
th
October 2021
Present:
Claire Cullens (CC)
Norfolk Community Foundation
C-J Green (CJG)
Brave Goose
John Griffiths (JG)
West Suffolk Council
Matthew Hicks (MH)
Suffolk County Council
Pete Joyner (PJ)
Shorthose Russell
Dominic Keen (DK)
Britbots
Helen Langton (HL)
University of Suffolk
Steve Oliver (SO)
SWECO
Corrienne Peasgood (CP)
Norwich City College
Andrew Proctor (AP)
Norfolk County Council
Johnathan Reynolds (JR)
Opergy
Sandy Ruddock (SR)
Scarlett & Mustard
Jeanette Wheeler (JW)
Birketts
Attendees
John Cornbill (JC)
Insight Works – For Item 7
James Ives (JI)
BEIS
Shan Lloyd (SL)
BEIS
Jai Raithatha (JRa)
Suffolk County Council
Chris Dashper (CD)
New Anglia LEP – For Item 7
Julian Munson (JM)
New Anglia LEP – For Item 6
Chris Starkie (CS)
New Anglia LEP
Rosanne Wijnberg (RW)
New Anglia LEP
Helen Wilton (HW)
New Anglia LEP
2
Actions from the meeting: (20.10.21)
Programme Evaluation
Details of grants by district to be circulated to board members
CS
1
Welcome from the Chair
CJ Green (CJG) welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2
Presentation from Corrienne Peasgood, Norwich City College Digitech Factory
Corrienne Peasgood (CP) provided an overview of the IT and computing education previously
provided by the college and highlighted the gaps in the provision historically.
CP advised that an investigation had been carried out into the skills and aspirations of current IT
students and also into the entry level qualifications required by local employers in order to map the
gap in requirements.
The first course was developed with 20 students initially participating and the majority went on to start
apprenticeships after the first year.
The success of the course meant that a larger facility was required and the bid was progressed swiftly
with LEP funding secured in February 2019. Ground breaking was in July 2020, and even given the
challenges of the pandemic, the project was completed on time and on budget and will be formally
opened on the afternoon of the board meeting.
The building itself is physically linked to the creative arts building encouraging the crossover of skills
between the two departments and provides a wide range of facilities for students.
Jeanette Wheeler (JW) asked what was being done to promote the facility especially to schools. CP
confirmed that the Digitech factory is being promoted through the Chambers of Commerce and also
via contacts relating to apprenticeships. The curriculum feeds into degrees at the UEA and NUA and is
being promoted to schools this year.
CJG thanked CP for the presentation and said she looked forward to visiting the Digitech factory later
in the day.
3
Apologies
Apologies were received from Kathy Atkinson, David Ellesmere and Stuart Dark.
4
Declarations of Interest
None
5
Actions/Minutes from the last Meeting
The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting held on 22
nd
September 2022.
CJG reviewed the action log and confirmed all items been updated.
6
ICT Digital Industry Council Report
Julian Munson (JM) presented the ICT Digital Industry Council Report and highlighted key
areas noting that a recent report from Tech Nation had identified the fact that 13% of
vacancies are in the tech related field and that the facilities being created in Norfolk and
Suffolk provided significant opportunities for the region.
There are now 42% more roles being advertised in the tech sector than before the pandemic
and the average salary is 50% higher. Companies are struggling to recruit and while the
pandemic has allowed them to be more flexible in their recruitment in relation to remote
working this provides both opportunities and challenges to the region.
JM advised that the Council has focussed on connecting the region’s innovation centres as
never before noting the Connected Innovation project and that the Council is also mapping
technology strengths in Norfolk and Suffolk while identifying opportunities with central
Government.
JM noted the growing need to teach digital skills in non tech companies across a wide range
of sectors as considerable developments have been made during the pandemic.
3
JM confirmed that the Council is working to strengthen links with the Innovation Board, the
Skills Advisory Panel and is engaging with the DIT, Tech East and other partners to promote
the region.
The meeting discussed the importance of ensuring that employees have basic digital skills
especially in reskilling older workers and agreed that ICT provision from a skills perspective at
all levels needed to be promoted to all companies across the region to ensure they are not
missing out.
JM confirmed that the SLAs with EEEGR and Tech East are being updated to include the
requirement for them to engage with all Industry Councils to further opportunities for
collaboration.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
7
Programme Evaluation
CJG introduced John Cornbill (JC) from Insight Works who carried out an independent
evaluation of the LEP’s portfolio of programmes. The review looked in detail at three of the
LEP’s most significant programmes – Growing Business Fund, Growing Places Fund and the
Eastern Agri-tech Initiative and also examined seven other programmes to provide a holistic
picture of LEP programmes delivery.
JC confirmed that the programmes had performed well and achieved their targeted outputs but
that the review encouraged the team to look deeper at additional impacts such as increased
productivity, enhanced R&D and a more positive approach to future investment.
JC noted that the Agri-tech programme had been the most challenging to administer given the
collaboration with the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority but that recipients of
the funds had found it highly beneficial.
The LEP’s Business Recovery and Resilience Scheme had also proved to be very popular and
had benefitted from not being constrained by ERDF rules.
JC reviewed the recommendations from the evaluation and highlighted specific areas notably:
• Consider creating a more compelling “big picture” of the LEP role and achievements
• Build the story of LEP delivery capability
• Seek to improve the consistency and depth of impact evidence
He noted that LEP actions have generated significant positive impacts in line with the Economic
Strategy ambitions and that this should be celebrated.
JW offered her congratulations to the team of the successes identified.
Helen Langton (HL) agreed and noted the need to continue to promote the LEP and its
successes as the case studies will influence other companies.
Chris Starkie (CS) highlighted the hard work of the Programmes team and also stressed that
learning opportunities were identified alongside the successes and advised that a report will
come to the November board meeting to support those improvements identified.
He noted the considered risks taken by the board in investments have paid off when filling the
funding gap in the market.
Johnathan Reynolds (JR) noted the challenges in innovation funding.
JC greed that this area is always challenging as innovation is not always identified as a specific
business objective. The Growth Through Innovation scheme does support this area but it needs
to be clear to the business on how innovation and the funding can work in their specific
company.
Andrew Proctor (AP) asked for the latest details of grant provision per district.
4
ACTION: Details of grants by district to be circulated to board members
CGJ thanked JC for his work and for attending the board meeting to present his findings.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
CS
8
Government Review of LEPS - Confidential
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
9
Chief Executive’s Report
CS reviewed the report and highlighted the LEP’s attendance at the Norfolk County Council
Scrutiny Committee, the mid year review with BEIS and the successful lauch of the Generate
brand.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
10
October Performance Report
Rosanne Wijnberg (RW) presented the report and highlighted key items.
Business Growth Programme – This is the final report which uses the original dates and
funding levels. The next report will run to June 2023 and the total fund will increase to £34.6m
overall. Targets will be restated to reflect the extension of the programme.
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the report
11
Quarterly Management Accounts – Confidential
The Board agreed:
• To note the content of the plan
12
Board Forward Plan
CJG reviewed the items on the plan for the November meeting.
The Board agreed:
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• To note the content of the plan
13
Any Other Business
Pete Joyner (PJ) queried the timescales for the LEP Review and asked whether sufficient
information will be available in November noting there was not meeting in December.
JR proposed adding a December board date if required. CJG confirmed this could be added if
required.
