Public

New Anglia Board Meeting Minutes Confirmed

26th October 2022

Present:

Kathy Atkinson (KA)

Valeo Snack Foods

Claire Cullens (CC)

Norfolk Community Foundation

Stuart Dark (SD)

King’s Lynn & West Suffolk Council

David Ellesmere (DE)

Ipswich Borough Council

Viv Gillespie (VG)

Suffolk New College

C-J Green (CJG)

Brave Goose

John Griffiths (JG)

West Suffolk Council

Matthew Hicks (MH)

Suffolk County Council

Dominic Keen (DK)

Britbots

Pete Joyner (PJ)

Shorthose Russell

Helen Langton (HL)

University of Suffolk

Andrew Proctor (AP)

Norfolk County Council

Johnathan Reynolds (JR)

Opergy

Sandy Ruddock (SR)

Scarlett & Mustard

Jeanette Wheeler (JW)

Birketts

Attendees

Corrienne Peasgood (CP)

Mark Goodall (MG)

Mike Todman (MT)

BEIS

Carolyn Reid (CR)

Norfolk County Council

Rob Hancock (RH)

Suffolk County Council

James Allen (JA)

New Anglia LEP

Julian Munson (JM)

New Anglia LEP

Chris Starkie (CS)

New Anglia LEP

Rosanne Wijnberg (RW)

New Anglia LEP

Helen Wilton (HW)

New Anglia LEP

Actions from the meeting: (26.10.22)

None

Welcome from the Chair

C-J Green (CJG) welcomed all board members to the meeting

Apologies

Apologies were received from Pete Joyner.

Declarations of Interest

Chief Executives Report

Enterprise Zone Accelerator Fund: Nar Ouse Phase 2 update – Confidential – Cllr Stuart Dark

(SD) noted an interest in this item.

Actions/Minutes from the last Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 21st September were agreed as accurate.

Agri-Food Industry Council Report

Corrienne Peasgood, (CP), chair Agri-Food Industry Council (AFIC), provided the board with

an overview of recent work and noted the high level of participation from members.

CP advised that the AFIC has developed a new delivery plan which fully aligns with the

delivery of the Economic Strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk and all ongoing work supports this

direction.

CP reviewed the current strategic objectives and recent key deliveries including the launch of

the Broadland Food Innovation Centre, work to raise awareness of the food and drink cluster

and a marketing campaign to promote the Plant Science for Nutrition HPO.

CP advised that the Renaissance of the East Anglian Fisheries group (REAF) presented at

the most recent AFIC meeting and will have a closer relationship moving forward to ensure

better understanding of business support, skills and supply chain needs/intelligence across

the region’s fisheries, shellfish, and seafood sector.

Business intelligence continues to be submitted to Government and is a vital channel to

provide information on the ongoing challenges faced by the sector and the effect these issues

are having on those working in it.

James Allen (JA) noted the success of the Food Enterprise Park and highlighted the links with

the Connected Innovation programme to ensure that businesses can make the best of

innovation support. The LEP is exploring the potential for a ‘space tech meets agri-tech’ event

in January.

JA advised that intelligence has shown that over the past year inflation is agriculture has

reached an average of 34 % with fertiliser going up by 133% and animal feed also increasing

by 30-40%.

He also noted that 60% of farms do not have business plans preventing forward planning and

increasing risk.

JA confirmed that there have been 39 cases of Avian flu this month in Norfolk centred around

Attleborough impacting on business resilience, jobs, supply chains and the mental health of

those in the sector. The poultry group formed in the pandemic could be stood up to support

the companies and report back to Defra.

Viv Gillespie (VG) confirmed that the NFU have their own poultry group providing support and

noted that farmers are lobbying for vaccination.

Chris Starkie (CS) advised that the poultry group was cross county and would ensure it was

including the NFU. He noted that the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

was from the region.

Claire Cullens (CC) highlighted the ongoing labour shortages and asked whether more could

be done to support those wanting to get back into the industry.

CP advised that many companies, even larger ones, do not have a formal HR department

which was limiting recruitment and training.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

All Energy Industry Council Report

Julian Munson (JM) advised that, since the last update to the Board in March 2022, the focus

has been on establishing the new ‘sector councils’ which will represent each part of the

energy sector with Chairs or Sub-Chairs taking a place on the All-Energy Industry Council.

This would result in an overall reduction in AEIC members but ensuring representation from

across the energy sector.

The AEIC will be relaunched early in 2023 with a new chair in place as Mark Goodall

completes his term.

JM noted the success of the Generate brand which has been used at major events to

promote the offer. The AEIC is in discussion with partners as to how this work can continue

in 2023/24.

The has been a focus on cross-sector innovation through a recent event supported by the

LEP’s Connected Innovation programme and delivered in partnership with Tech East and the

East Wind group. The ‘Off-Shore Wind meets Digital Tech’ event was held at OrbisEnergy

enabling businesses from across the two sectors to engage and explore potential

opportunities for collaboration.

JM confirmed that New Anglia LEP, Norfolk County Council and Suffolk County Council have

agreed to strengthen and formalise how they work together on sector-specific skills needs

across the region. This ‘Skills Hub’ partnership will help to utilise LEP and County Council

resources and capacity as effectively as possible in order to support the regional skills

agenda. The primary focus of the ‘Skills Hub’ partnership will be on workforce development

and in-work progression.

Mark Goodall (MG) highlighted the impact of increasing prices and noted that energy is facing

the same challenges as other sectors in skills and recruitment. He stressed the need to

ensure the industry was working closely with collages and training establishments.

Helen Langton (HL) noted the importance of forward planning to provide for long term skills

provision for the sector.

VG advised that it was still changing to get people into STEM even when the provision is

there.

Johnathan Reynolds (JR) noted the ongoing issues around connectivity infrastructure and

advised there would be no further development after the current pipeline is completed unless

this is resolved.

JR advised that it is currently Wind Week with a major industry conference taking place on

Friday. The industry faces many challenges but there are also opportunities for the LEP to

play a key role in addressing them.

Matthew Hicks (MH) agreed with the connectivity issue and noted that, in spite of continued

pressure limited progress had been made and there was no long term planning,

MG noted it was his last meeting and CJG thanked him for his hard work during his term as

chair.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Create Growth Programme Report

JA advised that New Anglia LEP pulled together a consortium of partners Cambridgeshire

and Peterborough Combined Authority, Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council,

University of East Anglia, University of Suffolk, Norwich University of the Arts and Anglia

Ruskin University Peterborough to submit an Expression of Interest to the Create Growth

Programme. This was successful and a full bid was submitted in August which centres on

supporting growth in two key creative sub-sectors:

 Film, TV, Radio and Photography (mainly focusing on Film & TV)

 IT, Software and Computer Services (mainly focusing on Games)

JA confirmed that the bid was successful and each of the 6 successful local area partnerships

will receive £1.275m in grant funding for business support across the three financial years.

Creative businesses in the six successful areas will benefit from access to an additional £7m

fund which will be delivered by Innovate UK to provide finance support and deliver national

investor networking activities.

Business support is due to begin at the end of January 2023.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Chief Executive’s Report

CS thanked JA and the team for the successful bid noting the quality of the partners involved

in the consortium. He noted that this was indicative of the work of the LEP moving from

capital funding to sector and innovation funding and support.

CS highlighted the Clean Growth for Business event being held on 15th November and asked

board members to promote the event.

CS confirmed that a bid had been submitted, accompanied by a letter from George Freeman

MP, for funding for the space sector.

Resourcing - CS advised that the LEP is already providing staff to Freeport East and

additional support has been requested. The LEP has also been approached for help by local

authorities on other bespoke projects.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Quarterly Management Accounts – Confidential

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

October Programme Performance Report

RW reviewed the programme reports and requested support from board members to promote

the SGS scheme.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Board Forward Plan

CJG reviewed the items on the agenda for the October meeting.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the plan

Any Other Business

None