Minutes of Meeting
SELEP Team East Sussex Meeting
Monday 8th December 2014, 4:30pm
Sussex Downs College (Eastbourne Campus)
Attendees
BS
CE
CM
DE
DG
DT
GP
JB
JH
KG
MAA
ME
Cllr Bob Standley
Christina Ewbank
Cllr Carl Maynard
Dave Evans
Derek Godfrey
Cllr David Tutt
Graham Peters (CHAIR)
Cllr Jeremy Birch
James Harris
Cllr Keith Glazier
Monica Adams-Acton
Martin Ellis
Wealden DC
ACES
Rother DC
East Sussex CC
Ellis Builders
Eastbourne BC
ES Rural Partnership
Hastings BC
East Sussex CC
East Sussex CC
Hastings BC
Recruitment SE
MH
MS
NHa
NHu
PJ
PS
RB
RD
RS
SD
TL
Melanie Hunt
Martin Searle
Nigel Hannam
Nazeya Hussain
Philip Johnson
Penny Shimmin
Cllr Rob Blackman
Richard Dawson
Cllr Rupert Simmons
Stewart Drew
Tony Leonard
Sussex Downs College
FSB
Wealden DC
Lewes DC
Locate East Sussex
Sussex CDA
Lewes DC
East Sussex CC
East Sussex CC
De La Warr Pavilion
Rother DC
Apologies
JC
Prof Julian Crampton
Brighton University
1.
Welcome & introductions
1.1.
GP welcomed the attendees and delivered the apologies; he also welcomed PJ from Locate East
Sussex and introduced new TES members ME, SD and PS.
2.
Review of previous minutes (20 Oct 2014)
2.1.
GP reviewed the previous actions; for item 3.3 DT and BS clarified that they’ll decide between
themselves who can be the alternate for the ESIF Committee as and when required. Item 3.6, the
ESIF summary document, is being completed by Anona Vazquez-Masson.
[Action: Anona Vazquez-Masson to complete a short ESIF summary for circulation to TES]
2.2.
The previous minutes were approved by the group as an accurate record of the meeting.
3.
East Sussex Growth Strategy
3.1.
RD provided an update on the Growth Strategy which is now nearing completion; a final draft is
currently being refined by Shared Intelligence and will be shared with TES in the next couple of
weeks. The group were happy to sign-off on this as earlier drafts had already been fully discussed
and agreed at previous meetings.
3.2.
A suite of ‘growth measures’ has been identified and so the next step will be to produce a full
Action Plan; a working draft has already been created and the intention is for ESCC colleagues to
further engage with Districts & Boroughs (D&Bs) and partners during the upcoming quarter in
order to drill-down and develop a more in-depth version. It’s envisaged a draft Action Plan will be
developed late Spring for presentation to TES.
[Action: RD to lead on work with partners through the Spring to develop a detailed Action Plan]
3.3.
JB commented that the Action Plan will need to be more than a simple assembly of the ongoing
activities of the D&Bs; importantly, further discussion will be needed on how TES can actually add
value.
4.
TES forward planning
4.1.
Regarding last week’s Government announcement on new road schemes (£15bn nationally), CE
said she was disappointed the Polegate/Lewes section was not included in the A27 improvements;
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has been asked to clarify some points, such as whether we
needed a stronger business case and whether the final decision on Gatwick’s second runway will
have an impact on the amount of funding available. JH advised that a meeting is currently being
arranged with DfT in order to discuss our next steps. DG urged TES, SE LEP and the C2C LEP to all
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get behind this A27 scheme; RS added that we’re already moving forward as Surrey, West Sussex,
Brighton & Hove and ESCC have recently formed a new ‘alliance’ to work through transport issues.
4.2.
MS suggested our burgeoning Comms T&F group should do something to promote the
Polegate/Lewes scheme, but RB queried whether TES has actually come out formally in support of
Gatwick’s second runway yet and strongly advised taking a formal position before undertaking any
comms. The group agreed that an immediate decision on the second runway would be
inappropriate as the subject has yet to be debated by TES – a lot more information would be
required in order to make an informed choice. JH agreed to draft a paper on Gatwick to be shared
with TES via email, with a view to TES discussing this further at the next meeting. The group further
agreed that even though Gatwick and the A27 have an obvious relationship, the subjects ought to
be treated separately wherever possible.
[Action: JH to prepare a paper on Gatwick’s second runway to be circulated to TES, to be further
discussed at the next TES meeting]
4.3.
GP ran through the key discussion points of the recent TES Communications meeting of 24 Nov; the
group then debated whether TES ought to have a more public voice, and all agreed that the main
audience of TES/SE LEP is actually the business community.
4.4.
MS commented that businesses are, for the most part, interested in funding; CM added that details
of SE LEP itself are largely irrelevant and the most important message we can put out is what we’re
doing in terms of project delivery.
4.5.
GP raised the subject of business engagement / wider business representation on TES, and referred
to his earlier proposal of a larger ‘business board’ (cited in the organigram in the previous
minutes); around a dozen candidates have already agreed to be involved, so hopefully we’ll end up
with a really strong sounding board of circa 20 senior business people.
4.6.
On the subject of collaborating with neighbouring LEPs, GP affirmed that we already have strong
links with the C2C LEP, particularly through colleagues at Lewes DC and ESCC; GP also confirmed
that he’ll meet with C2C’s Ron Crank and Ian Parkes in the New Year.
5.
Growth Deal / Local Growth Fund
5.1.
RD provided an update on the first round Growth Deal projects by way of a new ‘dashboard’
progress report, to be used regularly to update TES. MH also mentioned the first round Skills
Capital allocation, for which FE colleges have already been sent EOIs in order to bid into the fund.
5.2.
For Round 2 of the Growth Deal RD clarified that the £1bn announced in the Autumn Statement
will not now be allocated for 2015/16 as previously thought, but will instead be for 2016/17 and
beyond; this means that our prioritised list of Round 2 projects no longer meets the remit. We may
be able to simply re-profile the projects to meet the new criteria, but RB observed that other
existing/new projects intentionally omitted from the original proposal due to the assumed
timescale may now fit the bill, so any new prioritisation must include new projects and not just be a
reworking of the existing list; all agreed. (Note that business cases for the previously prioritised
projects have already been submitted to DfT.)
5.3.
RD confirmed that Greg Clark MP will shortly be writing to LEPs outlining the next stages of Round
2 (the letter is to be circulated to Board members by the SE LEP Secretariat); RD suggested our next
steps should be to firstly wait for this letter, then contact D&Bs to ask for additional pipeline
projects using the new ‘project reporting’ template included with the agenda papers. DG asked
that businesses also be included in this process; RD confirmed that commercial agents are already
being engaged in order to find appropriate sites, but the group agreed to also consider circulating
the template to ACES and the FSB, as well as to the commercial agents through Locate East Sussex.
DT asked RD to circulate a clarifying email, confirming these agreed next steps.
[Action: RD to email the group with an explanation of the next steps for Growth Deal Round 2; DE
to circulate the ‘project reporting template’ for partners to use for pipeline projects]
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6.
SEFUND update
6.1.
JH gave a brief progress update on SEFUND, confirming that the new ‘Shadow Board’ has held its
first meeting and that property consultants CBRE have been appointed to undertake the initial
feasibility and design phases of SEFUND’s development. CBRE are due to make a preliminary report
by the end of Jan 2015, with a final paper to be presented at the next SE LEP Board meeting in
Feb/Mar 2015.
7.
European funding
7.1.
GP commented that no additional update was necessary as the current position is reiterated in the
SE LEP Board papers and there has actually been very little movement since the last briefing; he
confirmed however that work on the ESIF Strategy and Local Implementation Plan is still going on
in the background and acknowledged the continuing hard work of Lorraine George, with East
Sussex support from Shelagh Powell.
7.2.
RD added that Project Initiation Documents (PIDs) are currently being worked on for Skills (led by
Essex with input from East Sussex, Thurrock, Southend and Kent); the indicative date from the Skills
Funding Agency (SFA) on when Opt-ins will be open for tender is currently Mar/Apr 2015 at the
earliest. MH queried this date, citing an email from the Association of Colleges that suggests
procurement may not begin until the summer due to ‘a delay in the process’. RS clarified that, as
per our latest information, Government is optimistically looking at gaining agreement on the ESF
Operational Programme in Feb 2015, suggesting calls during the Spring of 2015.
8.
Stakeholder update reports
8.1.
PJ provided an explanation of Locate East Sussex’s remit, detailing some of the funding that has
been awarded and giving an update on current activity, including how they communicate via the
website and social media; he also ran through some of the more common themes/issues that recur
in their business feedback. PJ further indicated that their future focus will be ‘product led’, working
with developers.
8.2.
RS gave an update on SeaChange Sussex, providing a brief explanation of the company and listing
some of the successful projects achieved so far, including the recently completed Havelock Place
(formerly known as Priory Quarter Phase 3). Some of the new projects ahead include the North
East Bexhill Gateway Road, the completion of the Bexhill Business Mall mid 2015, Bexhill
Innovation Park, and the whole North Queensway development.
8.3.
RD provided an ‘economic update’ paper and ran through some of the key figures, noting that the
paper should now be a regular standing item in order for the group to view measurable
growth/progress against the impact of the Growth Deal and East Sussex Growth Strategy. TL called
attention to the low earnings in Rother, reiterating the need for greater inward investment; MAA
suggested the report is a very good tool for viewing East Sussex as a whole but cautioned that
there is a lot of disparity within the county that the report won’t cover. RD explained that further
detail can be provided on each D&B through the R&I Team at ESCC, and by using the East Sussex In
Figures (ESIF) website.
9.
Next SE LEP Board (12 Dec 2014)
9.1.
GP quickly reviewed the agenda for Friday’s SE LEP Board meeting noting that the main item, Irene
Lucas’s Delivery Review, had already been fully covered by TES both at previous meetings and
electronically.
9.2.
CE queried whether the Secretariat had made any progress on mobile telephony ‘not spots’, and
questioned whether this would move forward now that Zoe Gordon is on maternity leave; RD
agreed to raise the query with the Secretariat.
[Action: DE to ask the Secretariat for a progress update on mobile telephony not-spots]
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10.
TES round table
10.1. PS confirmed her attendance at the SE LEP conference on Social Enterprises (2 Dec 2014); this
subject is clearly of note to SE LEP so we ought to identify what the priorities are for Social
Enterprises in East Sussex.
10.2. JB mentioned the Seafront Strategy in Hastings which encompasses the whole seafront area; it’s
hoped that several good projects can be developed out of the Strategy.
10.3. RB also raised the topic of potential infrastructure projects – following a meeting in France to
discuss closer ties with Normandy, RB noted the distinct lack of a route from Newhaven to London
and suggested this ought to be considered in future as a large scale infrastructure project.
10.4. RD confirmed that the (currently termed) Employment & Skills Partnership Board (formerly the
Adult Learning & Skills Partnership Board) is being ‘refreshed’, and an event is being planned
initially for 24 Feb 2015; further details will follow. [Update – this date has now been changed
following the ESPB meeting held on 10 Dec so please remove the marker from your diaries; a new
date will be provided shortly.]
10.5. MS stated that the Small Business Saturday event on 6 Dec 2014 was a success, helping to promote
small businesses in East Sussex and across the UK; furthermore the FSB’s ‘I Back Small Business’
campaign now has a dedicated website www.ibacksmallbusiness.com.
11.
AOB and date of next meeting
11.1. MH confirmed her plans to take early retirement; a new Principal of Sussex Downs College will be
recruited later in 2015.
11.2. JB noted some clashes with the proposed TES meeting schedule for 2015; DE agreed to contact the
group electronically with alternative meeting dates and confirm the new schedule by email.
[Action: DE to canvass TES with alternative meeting dates for 2015 and confirm the new schedule
by email]
Summary of Actions
2.1
Anona Vazquez-Masson to complete a short ESIF summary for circulation to TES.
3.2
RD to lead on work with partners through the Spring to develop a detailed Action Plan.
4.2
JH to prepare a paper on Gatwick’s second runway to be circulated to TES, to be further discussed at the next
TES meeting.
5.3
RD to email the group with an explanation of the next steps for Growth Deal Round 2; DE to circulate the
‘project reporting template’ for partners to use for pipeline projects.
9.2
DE to ask the Secretariat for a progress update on mobile telephony not-spots.
11.2
DE to canvass TES with alternative meeting dates for 2015 and confirm the new schedule by email.
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