Public

New Anglia Board Meeting Minutes (Confirmed)

30th November 2022

Present:

Kathy Atkinson (KA)

Valeo Snack Foods

Claire Cullens (CC)

Norfolk Community Foundation

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

Peter Brady (PB)

Chair, Industry Council for Digital Tech Report

Mike Todman (MT)

BEIS

Jan Feeney (JF)

Norfolk County Council

Rob Hancock (RH)

Suffolk County Council

Ashley Cooper (AC)

New Anglia LEP

Chris Dashper (CD)

New Anglia LEP

Jason Middleton (JMi)

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: (30.11.22)

None

Welcome from the Chair

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

Apologies

Apologies were received from Alan Water, Stuart Dark and David Ellesmere.

Declarations of Interest

None

Actions/Minutes from the last Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 26th October were agreed as accurate.

Industry Council for Digital Tech Report

Julian Munson (JM) provided the board with an overview of the work of the Industry Council

for Digital Tech explaining that the Council continues to focus on supporting engagement with

the digital tech sector through targeted activities and events and is also promoting the LEP’s

Connected Innovation programme which now includes 23 hubs or centres.

JM advised that Connected Innovation has now supported 14 events across the network with

332 businesses and organisations attending and 2 cross-sector events have also been

delivered - Offshore Wind meets Digital Tech event and FinTech Futures.

JM noted that importance of obtaining market intelligence to demonstrate the successes of

the region although the global economic slowdown has had some impact on this growth. In

contrast some companies have reported in uplift in commercial opportunities where

innovation is used effectively to overcome challenges in the labour market.

JM was pleased to confirm that the LEP had been successful with a consortium bid to DCMS

for a new programme called Create Growth which is aimed at SMEs in the wider creative

sector seeking to scale up. This has a digital focus with a specific aim to target enterprises in

the gaming sector and seeks to attract public investment via organisations such as Innovate

UK and also to strengthen connections with business angel networks to unlock more private

sector investment.

JM introduced Peter Brady (PB) who reflected on his first few months as chair of the council

noting the positive work being carried out across the sector.

PB noted the importance of linking across programmes which results in improved

performance and efficiencies as well as the positives such networking brings.

PB highlighted the challenges facing members of the sector and the potential of a deepening

recession resulting in changing behaviours for businesses as they make costs savings.

It is vital that there is continued funding to support those companies which do want to scale

up and also for start ups.

PB provided the board with information about the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)

which provides an excellent facility for businesses to use and suggested that it needs to be

promoted to ensure that businesses are aware of the benefits.

PB reiterated that the LEP continues to do important work and noted the exciting future for the

space sector in the region.

Jeanette Wheeler (JW) asked what else can be done to promote the KTP.

PB suggested the use of case studies to set out what the programme can achieve to

demonstrate tangible benefits.

The board discussed the importance of digital technology to all sectors and the need to link in

with the Chambers of Commerce during the preparation of the LSIP.

Chris Starkie (CS) thanked Helen Langton (HL) for the event held at Adastral Park to launch

the Digitech Centre and highlighted the impressive facility which had received LEP funding

and noted the quality and range of the courses being offered.

CJG thanked PB for his work as chair and stressed the exciting developments in the industry.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Educating the Educators

CS presented the paper and advised that this had come about as JW had expressed concern

over the awareness among teachers about careers information and opportunities for students.

JW explained that, in her recent interactions with teachers, she found that there was very

limited knowledge among teachers around the facilities available to support careers citing

CefAS, Adastral Park and the Aviation Academy as beneficial places to visit but which were

often ignored or unknown.

JW noted the work being done by the EAN team and suggested that the range needs to be

extended to staff other than careers teachers and proposed that training was required to

extend their knowledge.

CS noted that the EAN does not cover private schools but they are welcome to participate in

the network and some already do.

Ashley Cooper (AC), a senior Enterprise Coordinator, stressed the challenges of getting more

teachers to engage but advised that sessions are run outside of school hours. Content is also

provided digitally but participation cannot be monitored.

AC explained that the Gatsby Benchmarks do include measurement of linking careers

teaching to the curriculum and that the annual Skills Festivals reach a wide range of pupils.

Claire Cullens (CC) agreed that there was a lot of ongoing activities but the bigger issue was

getting students to engage in them. There is a need to reach those who could be

ambassadors for careers education which may not just be careers teachers - parent groups,

other educators etc.

AC advised that the EAN teams were reaching out to other groups to get the messages to

relevant people.

HL agreed that it was vital to reach the right influencers including parents and noted that

universities are being charged with secondary school targets in careers but noted that schools

are currently concerned with significant practical issues such as staffing rather than long term

careers aspirations.

Viv Gillespie (VG) agreed that school trips are limited and suggested that linking work and

resources to the curriculum is likely to be the best way of reaching teachers as this is what

they are charged with.

AC advised that the team was happy to work with any school expressing interest in the

scheme.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Scale Up New Anglia

CS provided the board with an overview of the Scale Up scheme which is aimed at supporting

those businesses who want to grow as this is key to improving productivity and growing the

regional economy.

CS introduce Jason Middleton (JMi), Programmes Manager, who gave further details about

the scheme.

JMi explained that the programme was developed to provide a flexible Programme of support

to match SMEs with high growth potential to a range of existing local and national support, to

facilitate accelerated business growth and significantly increase the number of Scale Ups in

the New Anglia area. In 2017 the first Scale Up Ambassadors were appointed with the Scale

Up New Anglia Programme launched in early 2018.

To ensure support is appropriately targeted, businesses are categorised according to their

rate of growth and status, with metals used to describe each category:

Platinum: national or international significance, e.g. Aviva, BT.

Gold: growing above 20%, i.e. Scale Up businesses.

Silver: growing between 10% and 20% - the greatest potential to become a Scale Up.

Bronze: growing between 0% and 10%.

Pewter: lower value, lifestyle businesses.

Iron: struggling or having negative growth.

Those companies in the Silver category are targeted and 80-12 businesses in this group are

supported every year.

JMi advised that the High Growth network has replaced the Peer to Peer network which was

very successful and barriers to entry have been lowered so more micro businesses can be

included which then move on to participate in larger programmes.

JMi explained that plans to host discovery days to introduce businesses to national providers

and other dedicated programmes will be launched ie those aimed at women entrepreneurs.

An alumni group is also being set up to share best practise and network

JW asked whether Brexit had had an impact on scalability. JMi noted that Brexit and Covid

have both had an impact on costs meaning that businesses are holding back on scaling up.

JMi advised that marketing and resourcing has been development in such a way that

signposting to other organisation can continue should the scaleup funding no longer be

available.

Johnathan Reynolds (JR) queried whether the focus on scale up can continue given the

current uncertainties around the future of the LEP and county deals.

JMi confirmed it would be part of the LEP’s core offer going forward.

CS advised that discussions were continuing with partners to use the SPF to deliver a range

of business and that the Scale Up scheme was not prohibitively expensive as the private

sector were involved to provide support.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

County Deals

Matthew Hicks (MH) advised that a project had been carried out to identify economic support

requirements for the county and to ascertain what structure was required to follow the LEP.

Red Quadrant have completed 3 pieces of work to establish the current picture, carry out peer

analysis and identify future options.

MH stressed that the analysis had highlighted the high regard in which New Anglia LEP is

held and noted the opportunities for increased businesses involvement and removal of

duplication in the future.

MH advised that a proposal will be submitted to LEP Management in late January which will

then go to the LEP board and which will also set out the transition plan.

Andrew Proctor (AP) noted that both counties were pursuing a level 3 deal which provides

increased funding and a directly elected leader and he also stressed the importance of

partnership working in any future structure.

The meeting was advised of the variations in governance between the different models

available noting that both were looking at a directly elected leader rather than a mayor.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Chief Executive’s Report

CS highlighted digital bootcamps and their success and advised that a further bid for funding

was being submitted.

CS noted that the previously announce Investment Zones are unlikely to proceed but may

continue in a reduced format concentrating on innovation and research.

CS thanked board members for their participation in the clean growth event which took place

on 15th November.

CS advised that the Mid-Year Review had taken place on 29th November and had gone well

with no concerns raised.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

New Anglia Capital Report – Confidential

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

November Programme Performance Report

Rosanne Wijnberg (RW) presented the reports and advised that the final spend on the

Growth Deal projects is nearing completion.

RW advised there is a £3-£4m rollover on the Getting Building Fun as there have been delays

in some projects. A revised proposal for the Burtons building will be submitted in the New

Year.

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the report

Board Forward Plan

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

The Board agreed:

 To note the content of the plan

Any Other Business

CS advised board members that the NAAME Conference is being held at Adastral Park on 9th

February and all were welcome to attend.