Subject:		Greater Brighton One Public Estate Programme: Annual Report 2020
Date of Meeting:		26 January 2021
Report of:		Chair, Greater Brighton Public Sector Property Group
Contact Officer:	Name:	Angela Dymott	Tel: 01273 291450
	Email:	angela.dymott@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Ward(s) affected:		All

FOR GENERAL RELEASE

1.         PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT

1.1       On 18 October 2016, the Greater Brighton Economic Board (“the Board”) agreed the governance arrangements for the Greater Brighton One Public Estate Programme (“the local OPE Programme”). Included within these Terms of Reference is the requirement to submit an Annual Report to the Board.

1.2       The One Public Estate (OPE) Memorandum of Understanding between the Local Government Association (LGA), Cabinet Office and the Greater Brighton OPE Partnership (“the Partnership”), led by Brighton & Hove City Council, requires the Partnership to “provide an end of year report highlighting overall achievements and progress with delivery of OPE projects”.

1.3      The purpose of this report is to submit the Programme’s 2020 Annual Report to the Board, which will also be submitted to the National OPE Team in the LGA and Cabinet Office as the Partnership’s end of year report.

2.         RECOMMENDATIONS:

2.1       That the Board notes the content of the Programme’s 2020 Annual Report.

3. CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1       The 2020 Annual Report is attached as Appendix 1.

3.2       The 2020 Annual Report provides the Board with:

· An overview of the local OPE Programme and Partnership, established in November 2016.

· Confirmation of the OPE and Land Release Fund (LRF) funding awarded to date through the Programme.

· A description of the projects comprising the local OPE Programme and a high-level update on their progress and expected outputs.

· A list of the local OPE Programme’s key areas of focus for 2021.

4.         CONCLUSION

4.1      As demonstrated by the 2020 Annual Report, the local OPE Programme continues to make steady progress despite the impacts of COVID-19.  The local OPE Programme is having a positive impact in the area by both unlocking complex and/or otherwise stalled developments and in helping to build a pipeline of future development sites by making better use of public sector land and assets to meet local needs and priorities.  The Partnership continues to facilitate closer coordination and collaboration between public sector partners and stakeholders, which is key to identifying and progressing future opportunities.

4.2      The Partnership has provided the Board with an excellent opportunity to work with public sector partners to reconfigure public services and use their combined assets towards a common goal of shared and sustainable prosperity.

5.         FINANCIAL & OTHER IMPLICATIONS:

Financial Implications:

5.1      There are no direct financial implications arising from this report. The annual report includes details of the thirteen approved projects that have received OPE and Land Release Fund (LRF) funding to support their development. To date the Greater Brighton Partnership has secured £1,861,500 in funding from the National Programme.

            Finance Officer Consulted:          Rob Allen, Principal Accountant                                     Date: 15/01/21

Legal Implications:

5.2       There are no legal implications arising directly from this report. The legal implications will be addressed on a project-by-project basis by the public sector bodies involved.

            Lawyer Consulted: Joanne Dunyaglo                                         

            Date: 13/1/21

Equalities Implications:

5.3      There are no equalities implications arising directly from this report. The equalities implications will be addressed on a project by project basic.

Sustainability Implications:

5.4      The One Public Estate Programme is aimed at supporting partnerships to take a strategic approach to asset management.  This will enable partnerships to get the most from their collective assets, creating opportunities to reduce running costs, generate capital receipts, create more integrated and customer-focused services and to grow the economy by unlocking surplus sites for new housing, employment space and jobs. In so doing, the local OPE Programme will help to create more sustainable services, public sector bodies and economies.

Any Other Significant Implications:

5.5      None

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

Appendices:

Appendix 1: Greater Brighton OPE Programme Annual Report 2020

Background Documents

None