This new economic plan provides the foundation for how the council
and its partners will engage to support, diversify, adapt and grow
the economy of Brighton & Hove over the next three
years.
It is a plan which recognises the challenges we face as a city in
the UK economy in 2024, as well as the shared ambition of our
partners to work differently to reflect this context. It is
developed around the idea of a new economy for Brighton & Hove,
a ten-year journey to becoming a city which is more competitive,
productive, fairer, and greener.
It recognises that our city is well placed to thrive in activities
which will be critical to the UK and that we can do this in a way
which is more inclusive and equitable, accelerating our journey to
net zero. It is underpinned by Community Wealth Building
principles, and the ambition to see a just transition and greater
social purpose embedded in our approach to the economy.
It identifies the areas where there is potential and headroom for
economic growth and new investment; aspiring for our city to be
world renowned in our existing and emerging strengths. It promotes
the scaling of our small businesses, alongside new approaches to
celebrating and marketing the city. Importantly, it recognises the
missed opportunities created by the inequality of the city and the
ambition to enable more of the city’s communities to be more
active in our economy.
This plan will not be delivered solely by Brighton & Hove City
Council. It is underpinned by new partnerships and approaches,
which explicitly challenge and evolve from how we have worked in
the past. It recognises that Brighton & Hove should define its
own economic future, that we are a genuinely unique city in the
national context and that this can work to our
advantage.
Whilst this is a three-year plan, it commences a ten-year strategic
journey informed by the following imperatives:
10-year
Imperatives
1.
Capitalise
on our digital competitive advantage
2.
Build
community involvement as a response to poverty and economic
inequality
3.
Decarbonise
and create a more regenerative economy
4.
Build
a stronger, more inclusive labour market
5.
Celebrate
our city and welcome investment
6.
A
world-leading creative destination worthy of the UK’s best
small city
7.
Build
new knowledge partnerships to benefit all of our
communities
8.
Thrive
within a city region with a clear economic identity
For these to be achieved, we will need to make changes to the way
we work both within the council and alongside our partners. The
focus of our economic plan 2024-2027 will be to guide this
transition.
Our activity for the next three years is underpinned by the
principles of Community Wealth Building. This means fundamentally
changing systems and approaches to ensure that Brighton &
Hove’s economy evolves with the purpose of improving the city
and the lives of its residents. Our action will be framed within
this context, and is defined by the following specific, achievable
missions.
By 2027 we
will have:
1.
Worked with
existing companies (including micro and freelance) to better focus
Brighton & Hove’s role in a future economy, whilst
helping to de-risk diversification, decarbonisation and
growth
2.
Given
local people greater opportunity to influence neighbourhood
economies as a foundation for greater participation in Brighton
& Hove’s economy
3.
Ensured that
decarbonisation is an acknowledged priority across our economy,
creating a more circular and regenerative economy for the
city.
4.
Ensured residents
and employers benefit from the provision of employment and skills
support which is linked directly to the needs and opportunities
within the local economy.
5.
Radically
improved our external proposition, international profile and
investor experience, to deliver enhanced levels of investment in
the city
6.
Evolved our role
as a destination; altering perceptions and protecting core visitor,
heritage and creative & cultural assets
7.
Developed a
closer three-way relationship between universities, council and
business. Driving knowledge exchange and tackling the city’s
prevailing challenges
8.
Created a shared
economic vision with our neighbours and a shared long-term plan of
action for the City Region economy
Adopting
a mission focussed approach means we must be focussed both on new
ways of working and new projects. We have set out new partnership
and collaboration arrangements, but also committed to specific
priority actions which define our strategy.
Alongside
the continued growth in output and productivity, our assessment of
economic success will be broader in considering what a good future
looks like. This will consider broader perceptions of economic
value, exploring links between our economy and wellbeing,
environment, nature, culture and housing. Built upon the
foundations of community wealth building, this is a new type of
plan both in terms of our values, and what we value.
In the five years since our last economic strategy, there have been
fundamental changes in both the national and local
economy.
Our evidence base reflects on the current position from which this
plan will be delivered. It tells us that we need to work
differently and adapt to this new context, but that Brighton &
Hove is well placed to diversify and grow as a result of emerging
opportunities in the UK.
Recognising the
National & Local Challenge
Our economic plan cannot exist in a vacuum. The UK economy is in a
period of stagnation. Real wages have not grown in the last 15
years; income inequality is growing across the country; taxes have
increased; and foreign direct investment has declined by 11% since
Brexit.
Our city is impacted by these larger structural challenges. For
residents, the city is becoming increasingly unaffordable, with
those on average incomes no longer comfortably able to afford to
own or rent a home within Brighton & Hove. The rising cost of
essentials means that in real terms pay is decreasing, and certain
places and communities are disproportionately impacted by these
wider economic challenges.
In areas such as Hangleton and Knoll, Whitehawk, Bevendean and
Moulsecoomb, which have the lowest average earnings in the city,
these challenges are most acute. These areas are also often further
away from essential services, and housing stock can be of poorer
quality, meaning residents are more likely to be exposed to fuel
poverty and food insecurity. It can be difficult for residents in
these areas to access opportunities within our city centre, due to
barriers such as caring responsibilities, transport costs, journey
times and not having the required skills. This has become a much
more significant consideration since we last produced an economic
strategy.
Commercially, there are fewer businesses scaling up relative to
other UK cities. Availability and quality of commercial space is a
persistent barrier for businesses seeking to grow, whilst the
availability of local talent is highlighted as a barrier by many of
our small businesses, despite the presence of two universities and
expansive provision for 16-18 year-olds.
In addition to this, the biggest collective economic challenge we
face is the climate crisis and the need to transition to a
decarbonised economy. Failure to do this will increase costs for
business and act as a drag on the economic growth of our city. The
next three years are critical for addressing this.
Recognising our
Competitive Advantages
Despite these challenges, Brighton & Hove has brilliant small
businesses and, in the last five years, has seen an increase in
larger employers. The number of jobs in our digital and creative
sectors has grown by over 35%
since 2015 and the survival of our new businesses is high, with 44%
of new businesses surviving over 5 years.
This resilient, digitally enabled small business community is at
the heart of our competitive advantage as we look to the
future.
Our visitor economy has bounced back from the impact of Covid and
our brand has been boosted by an internationally renowned football
club, growing tech conferences and a broadening festival offer. We
have all of the ingredients to be one of the best small cities in
the world.
The make-up of the economy is changing and we need to consider and
adapt to the type of activities which might thrive in the future.
The Centre for Cities (with HSBC) has identified
a
definition of a new economy,
based on 47 technologically advanced sectors which they believe
will be of critical importance to the UK. They say:
“the new economy encompasses knowledge-intensive sectors at
the very forefront of new technologies and innovations including
software, robotics, telecommunications and gaming. Fuelling these
sectors is central to improving the UK’s productivity and
prosperity, and to the development of the national
economy.”
In relative terms, Brighton & Hove is very well placed to
capitalise on this. The city has more clustering of new economy
activities than other UK cities and falls behind only London,
Reading, Milton Keynes and Cambridge in terms of the concentration
of new economy firms.
Amount of
Clustering and the Size of the New Economy, 2022
This, along with high rankings on perception, enterprise and inward
investment assets suggests that the raw materials exist for us to
evolve, grow and to be a much more significant contributor to the
UK economy, as well as for local jobs, skills and
growth.
However, the route to a more prosperous Brighton & Hove will
not be achieved purely by backing these emerging
strengths.
We need to seek balance, supporting both our new and existing
sectors which already employ local people in accessible,
established jobs. Our visitor economy, alongside our cultural and
creative sectors is well-established, collectively employing tens
of thousands of residents, contributing to the identity of our
city. Similarly, our education sector is a comparative strength,
bringing new people and ideas to the city, as well as supporting
significant employment. We must acknowledge these sectors role both
in supporting an ecosystem which is attractive to inward investment
and growth, celebrating Brighton & Hove and welcoming more new
people and perspectives to the city.
Brighton & Hove’s recent and historic success is
underpinned by proximity to major international gateways (Gatwick
Airport, Shoreham and Newhaven Ports) to the city, delivering
visitors, freight and investment. This will continue to be a
foundation in the city’s evolution in a new UK economy. The
ability, to meet and trade will remain, critical and Brighton &
Hove’s ability to operate as a genuinely accessible global
hub, should remain a competitive advantage.
It is essential that we focus upon both the economic opportunities
alongside tackling inequality and navigating the climate crisis
– a new fairer, greener and more productive
economy.
Hallmarks of the
Brighton & Hove Economy
Collectively, we have influence over the economy we want to
create.
Whilst the UK economic growth has been negligible since 2016, our
Gross Value Added has increased by 13%. Whilst this is positive, we
must remain vigilant to changes in the labour market, growing
inequality and the shared challenge of climate crisis. We therefore
need to define what we believe is important to our city and make
this part of our consideration of what we value, where we aspire to
be and (most importantly) what we will do.
Based on our discussions with stakeholders and consideration of the
evidence, we want Brighton & Hove to have an economy which
is:
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Fairer & more equal: where
all people can thrive and young people achieve their
potential
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Healthy & happy: where our
economy supports wellbeing
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Genuinely productive: led by
ideas and good work
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Less carbon intensive and more
regenerative. Valuing nature
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Institutionally strong: where
businesses, public sector, education and civil society collaborate
properly
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Agile & responsive: ready to
change and adapt
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Innovative & creative: where
ideas support change
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Internationally recognised:
where our specialisms are globally renowned and all cultures are
represented
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These are the hallmarks of our economy, both established and
emerging, the features which will make us more competitive, because
we work in a better and more purposeful way. Together.
To transition into a more competitive, fairer, productive and
greener economy, we must look beyond the three years of this plan.
We have therefore identified eight priorities for the next decade
to help guide our economic thinking. These set out the longer term
aims for the city (in the context of a changing UK and global
economy) for the next ten years which our actions will contribute
towards.
Capitalise upon our
digital competitive advantage
One in eight jobs in the UK now have some form of digital
competency, with the sector worth £63bn per year to the
national economy. The sector in the city is growing rapidly, but we
can do more to harness its potential. We need to identify those
digital businesses who want to scale up and grow in our city and
support them to do so.
Over the last five years we have identified specialisms in Gaming,
Simulation, Fin Tech, Content Creation and Quantum Computing
– nationally important activities, with noted potential to
grow. To capitalise we need to develop these as an ecosystem which
enables collaboration, supports incubation and acceleration and
provides the peer support needed to facilitate companies to scale
and adapt in changing markets.
This is not just about commercial opportunity; it is about the role
that our digital sector can play in enabling our transition and
that of others. We need to better utilise the talent and ideas they
provide, and partner with them to help us tackle the challenges we
face. Recognising the role that the council and other anchor
institutions play as customers and partners will be critical to
creating the conditions for scaling in the city.
Build local community involvement as a response to economic
inequality
Our economy needs to work for all of our people. Currently, not all
of our residents can access the opportunities within our city
equally. To ensure we have a thriving economy we need to work with
residents to remove the barriers they are facing; building capacity
and retaining wealth locally, whilst harnessing the unrealised
potential which exists in our neighbourhoods and diverse
communities. This includes recognising the value and contribution
of our strong community and voluntary sector.
We also need to celebrate and support the everyday, too often
overlooked, economies (including childcare, builders, beauty
therapists, vehicle maintenance and household repairs) within our
neighbourhoods, which collectively are major employers and provide
important services in our city. We need to celebrate all of our
talents and skills.
Decarbonise and
create a more regenerative economy
To achieve our 2030 ambitions in response to climate crisis our
economy needs to work within environmental limits. We need to
reduce the carbon emissions of all our economic activities,
creating a supportive environment to help businesses make this
transition and enable them to contribute to, not extract from the
wealth within our communities.
Decarbonisation will require us to think differently about the
processes and systems which contribute to our economy. It will
ultimately help to reduce the cost of operation and can be a
differentiator for the city.
Alongside the shift to net zero, we need to make our economy more
circular to reduce both raw material use and waste. With existing
momentum and the natural resources at our disposal, Brighton &
Hove can lead the UK in this area over the next ten
years.
To address inequality and provide routes out of poverty, we need to
ensure that barriers to work are supported so that everyone who
wants to work can do so. We need our residents to develop the
skills needed to access opportunities across our economy. This will
ensure there is both a pipeline of talent to grow the key sectors
in our new economy, but also that there are good career paths in
the foundational and visitor economies, which provide a large
proportion of employment in our city.
We need to create more and better jobs that are closer to home.
This will in part, mean supporting a better deal for workers in
Brighton & Hove, improving employment rights and supporting
employers to provide a fair wage for the city.
To do this we need to address the fundamental issues which can
impact upon access to training and employment through effective
provision and services which support health, learning and
employment needs. These could include supporting neurodiverse and
disabled residents, accessibility, healthcare, transport costs,
flexibility around religious ceremonies and customs, childcare
costs and language barriers.
Celebrate our city
and welcome investment
We need to celebrate our city more. To do this we need to raise our
national and international profile and draw more investment into
the city. This can include investment in the form of businesses
relocating to Brighton & Hove as well as new investment into
our businesses and anchor institutions.
We need a more welcoming environment for this as well as new
systems for managing those who could come to the city as well as
more targeted outreach and representation to international sources
of investment. We need to organise ourselves
better.
A world-leading
creative destination worthy of the UK’s best small
city
We want to be recognised as the best small city in the world. To do
this, we need our visitor and creative economies to evolve and
deliver more value for the city whilst protecting and maintaining
our vital cultural assets. This means creating a broader and deeper
offer which works year-round and for 24 hours a day. It will be
built upon our city’s inherent creative identity, which not
only creates intrigue and fun, but differentiates the city for
investors and creates a competitive advantage over other locations
in the UK.
New ideas and promotion must celebrate the activities where we have
tradition, authenticity and pedigree. We must also demonstrate our
evolving strengths in our creative identity, cultural production,
visitor economy and diverse nighttime activities. The ‘look
and feel’ of our city is crucial to our economic
future.
Build new knowledge
partnerships to benefit all of our communities
Our economy needs to capitalise upon the knowledge and ideas
generated within the city, by the universities, businesses,
entrepreneurs, the public and civil society sector and NHS. This
should be harnessed to address the complex and interconnected
challenges that the city faces, whilst creating economic
opportunity from new ways of working.
Thrive within a city
region with a clear economic identity
Successful city economies typically operate in dynamic city
regions. For our strategic imperatives to be achieved, we will need
to adapt and build upon existing collaborative activity both within
the council and alongside our neighbours.
Most of the ambitions we identify and the transitions we highlight
can be accelerated and amplified by working at a regional level. In
the next decade we need to adopt better systems to support regional
working to create a stronger critical mass, with greater influence
in the UK economy, and to help build prosperity over the lifetime
of this plan.
This is a three-year economic plan focused on the adaptations and
transitions we need to achieve our ten-year priorities. We have
translated our strategic journeys into a set of missions which we
believe will support the transition we need to make in the next
three years.
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By 2027 Brighton & Hove will have a fairer, greener, and more
productive economy
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Our
Strategic Journey
|
By 2027 we
will
have…
|
|
Capitalise
on our digital comparative advantage
|
Worked with
existing companies (including micro and freelance) to better focus
Brighton & Hove’s role in a future economy, whilst
helping to de-risk diversification, decarbonisation and
growth
|
|
Build
community involvement as a response to poverty and economic
inequality
|
Given local
people greater opportunity to influence neighbourhood economies as
a foundation for greater participation in Brighton &
Hove’s economy
|
|
Decarbonise
and create a more regenerative economy
|
Ensured that
decarbonisation is an acknowledged priority across our economy,
creating a more circular and regenerative economy for the
city
|
|
Build a
stronger, more inclusive labour market
|
Ensured
residents and employers benefit from the provision of employment
and skills support which is linked directly to the needs and
opportunities within the local economy
|
|
Celebrate
our city and welcome investment
|
Radically
improved our external proposition, international profile and
investor experience, to deliver enhanced levels of investment in
the city
|
|
A
world-leading creative destination worthy of the UK’s best
small city
|
Celebrating
and promoting our role as a creative destination; altering
perceptions and protecting core visitor, seafront, leisure, sport,
green spaces heritage and creative & cultural assets
|
|
Build new
knowledge partnerships to benefit all of our communities
|
Developed a
closer three-way relationship between universities, council and
business. Driving knowledge exchange and tackling the city’s
prevailing challenges
|
|
Thrive
within a city region with a clear economic identity
|
Created a
shared economic vision with our neighbours and a shared long-term
plan of action for the City Region economy
|
The remainder of this document sets out how we will organise and
intervene to deliver our three-year transition and long-term
strategic objectives.
Work
with existing companies (including micro and small businesses) to
better focus Brighton & Hove’s role in a future economy,
whilst helping to de-risk diversification, decarbonisation and
growth to become a truly digital city
Rationale
Brighton & Hove already has a comparative advantage in the
quality of entrepreneurship, particularly in the digital sectors
which are so important to the future of the UK economy.
Enabled by our freelance and microbusiness community, we have an
agility and diversity which can support resilience, diversification
and growth in a period of national economic uncertainty. Scaling
these activities offers perhaps the most significant growth
opportunity available to the city.
Our small business community has told us they want to play a more
significant role in the future of their city. Evolving specialisms,
a heritage of two decades of creative and digital support, and a
new generation of companies starting in the city provides the
foundation to deliver significant positive activity.
Digital and ‘Createch’
activity is growing at a faster rate than London, with Brighton
& Hove now having the biggest concentration of Games companies
outside of London. The city’s biggest employment sectors,
Health, Financial Services, Education and Tourism, all need to
rapidly become more digital, creating opportunities for local
collaborations in FinTech, Med Tech, and through adaptation to AI.
Local demand, national prominence and momentum, provides a potent
and timely opportunity for the city.
Barriers to this opportunity are, however, both familiar and
persistent. There is still a lack of scale up within the micro
business base, perpetuated by a shortage of move on space within
the city centre and reported skills gaps within the local labour
market. We need to offer small digital businesses (and small
businesses more generally) influence in supporting the growth of
their sector and companies, as well as in the city as a
whole.
Supporting a New
Economy
Brighton & Hove’s micro businesses (particularly those in
digital sectors) are at the heart of a new economy, not only for
the city, but potentially for the UK as a whole. A new approach
needs to give these companies a more prominent role, with a greater
mutual understanding of their contribution to a rapidly evolving
economy.
Strategy
We will work more closely with our digital businesses and
particularly small and freelance companies. We will seek to engage
them in the evolution of the city and work with them to help us
innovate our responses to the bigger challenges in the city. For
those that want to grow, we will seek to support them to do
so.
How we will work
differently
We will seek to redesign partnerships to give micro businesses a
greater say on the future of the city, creating structures and an
environment where they can be contributors to the future of their
city. We will focus delivery across this plan to meet their need,
particularly in the provision of spaces and a workforce which can
support those that wish to grow and thrive in Brighton &
Hove.
Areas of
activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
programme of activity over the next three years, identifying where
actions are immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Enhance
the tech cluster network, celebrating their role and providing
opportunities to meet and network. Bring together existing networks
in order to create a clear dialogue and ongoing feedback on the
experience of being a small business within the city.
l
Learn
lessons from other cities and approaches to growing the tech
cluster, supporting scale-up and skills. Co-produce a digital
programme which supports local companies, to scale up and access
new investment.
l
Strengthen
collaboration between business, employability programmes and
schools and training providers to enrich the curriculum, provide
experiences of the world of work and signpost clearer routes to
accessing opportunities in the digital sectors.
l
Integrate
responsibilities of the LEP Growth Hub into the Business & IP
Centre to deliver more comprehensive and localised business support
and signposting to small businesses seeking to scale
l
Work
with business support providers to further develop their webinars
and workshops on topics that matter to businesses and
start-ups
l
Work
with financial institutions to explore piloting new processes and
products to increase access to finance for micro businesses in the
city
l
Engage
with other public sector partners to identify spaces which can
accommodate new activity within the city, including in assets owned
by the council itself
l
Work
with local community and civil society organisations to better
understand and combat digital poverty, promoting digital
inclusion.
Role of the City
Council
The City Council will work as a convener, bringing together
partners including the tech cluster network, Brighton Chamber and
the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership, to build upon and
grow partnerships which enable more real time feedback from
businesses.
The council will engage the sector to consider its own adaptation
and think about how local businesses can support its own transition
and adoption of new practices. The council will also need to change
to be a better partner, leading where necessary, but be an active
council.
Funding and
Investment in Action
There will be limited discretionary funding for businesses over
this period. We will therefore work with new and existing partners
to enable the increased investment directly into our business
community. This could include enabling more active approaches to
leasing of public spaces.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
l
Growth
in jobs
l
Increased
businesses
l
Increased
turnover reported
l
Increase
in businesses scaling
l
Increase
in investment in Brighton & Hove businesses
Key
Partners
This mission will be focused on the development of a tech cluster
ecosystem necessitating this to be led by a partnership between
Brighton & Hove City Council, Eagle Labs, Silicon Brighton and
Brighton Chamber, together with the Business & IP Centre,
University of Brighton, University of Sussex, Brighton MET, Sussex
Innovation, Brighton Ai, Plus X Innovation, Digital Brighton &
Hove and others.
Give local people greater
opportunity to influence neighbourhood economies as a foundation
for greater participation in Brighton & Hove’s
economy.
Rationale
When considering the economy of Brighton & Hove, it is easy to
focus on the city centre and the seafront. It is the activity in
these places which has defined the economy of the city over the
last three decades and this is where investment has been
focused.
Our evidence, however, has shown we have significant inequalities
in our neighbourhoods. In places like Hangleton & Knoll,
Whitehawk, Bevendean, Moulsecoomb and South Portslade, median
annual incomes can be more than £5,000 lower than the
national average; life satisfaction can be low and health limited;
and there is a deficit in key services and local employment
opportunities.
This is not just a problem of deprivation and poverty; it is a
missed opportunity. Residents disengaged or unable to access the
labour market means a loss of talent when our businesses are
desperate for good employees; a lack of service provision limits
opportunities for residents to move into employment and training;
historic inequalities diminish the trust and civic pride which is
needed to drive collaboration and enterprise.
Despite these challenges, the city’s neighbourhoods
(including the city centre itself) are also vital hubs for our
‘everyday economy’ and the location of many of our
small business owners. Too often overlooked, many local businesses
provide key services locally, such as childcare, which keep our
city going. Trades, such as construction, plumbing, electricals,
which often operate out of these locations, will be vital in
supporting our transition to a greener economy.
Within our neighbourhoods we need to ensure that local businesses,
residents and public services organise and work together to reduce
inequality, strengthen local economies and support the growth of
the economy across the city.
Supporting a New
Economy
A new economy for the city will be more local, more asset focused
and more optimistic, centred around local people and organisations.
In line with the findings of the city’s Fairness Commission,
Accessibility Strategy, Anti Racism Strategy and research on
employability amongst our LGBTQ+ communities,
we will recognise the talent and enthusiasm which exists in the
city’s communities, ensuring that responsibility within
economies can be devolved, where possible, to provide more targeted
local solutions.
Our new economy will be reliant on the involvement of the small
businesses and talent which is located in our neighbourhoods. These
will be a key source of the skills and services needed for the
transition to a greener and fairer economy, where wealth is
retained in the city.
Strategy
Based on the evidence we have collected, our initial focus will be
on Whitehawk, Hangleton, Moulsecoomb, Coldean and Bevendean. As we
consider the city centre in other parts of this plan, we will also
ensure we recognise and respond to residents living there, to
provide similar local focus.
We will develop coalitions of relevant agencies who respond
directly to local issues, seeking to devolve delivery to community
level. We will seek to build community power, creating greater
stewardship of local economies, as well as better support for our
local businesses.
We will seek to build on the foundations already provided by the
council’s Community Development team and our active civil
society organisations. We will capitalise upon the success of the
council’s engagement initiatives to better understand and
coordinate in response to local issues.
How we will work
differently
Our focus will be built around a new set of locally derived
outcomes, which are more focused on local needs, assets and
aspirations. Working with partners, we will build capacity within
local communities and civil society to respond to the economic
challenges and opportunities which exist in each place. This will
act as a foundation for local people to engage more fully with the
wider city economy.
Areas of
activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
programme of activity over the next three years, identifying where
actions are immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Work
with residents in target neighbourhoods to create a framework for
measuring local economic success. In particular, develop a greater
consideration of health, wellbeing and life satisfaction within the
consideration of our economic aspirations
l
Develop
more consistency across local engagement to provide feedback on the
experience of living in the Brighton & Hove economy. Focus in
particular on existing themes of cost of living and health and
wellbeing, alongside a focus on access to services and local
needs.
l
Develop
local coalitions of civil society partners and anchor institutions
to enable ‘Total Place’ coordination of resources and
more efficient delivery.
l
Develop
capacity within local areas to support greater involvement in local
economies. Test new approaches to community business and
participatory budgeting to support opportunities for more practical
engagement.
l
Work
with community partners and anchor institutions to explore the most
effective ways of connecting residents, students, employers and
staff with volunteering opportunities across the city, including
our heritage, cultural and visitor assets
l
Deliver
direct business engagement in target areas, link these companies
into the wider support infrastructure of the city and city
region
l
Build
on existing food and circular economy activity at a local
neighbourhood level to decrease food poverty and provide
opportunities for local people to engage with the city’s
climate response
l
Work
with Black & Racially Minoritised owned businesses to
understand opportunities to better engage these companies, evolving
mainstream support to better meet their needs
l
Continue
to advocate for working residents to be paid a real living wage
through promoting the Brighton & Hove Living Wage campaign in
conjunction with the Brighton Chamber
Role of the City
Council
The City Council has already responded proactively to the economic
challenges faced by residents, through a Cost-of-Living Plan and
Fairness Fund. The Community Development team also plays a critical
role as a convener of activity and is well placed to act as a
fulcrum between other public, civil society and private sector
partners.
BHCC holds data and insights which will be critical to effective
planning and leadership, therefore coordinating council departments
and other partners (particularly NHS Sussex) will be a critical
function. The council also has the relationships with local
organisations which will sit at the heart of this activity and can
act as a broker for advice to local businesses through the Business
& IP Centre.
Funding and
Investment in Action
The City Council is committed to prioritising future resources to
address gaps in local provision. We will work with anchor
institutions to bend existing resources where possible to support a
broader economic focus, supporting a ‘Total Place’
approach to the economy which unites budgets in service of the
local economy.
Where and when resources are available from central government,
foundations and philanthropic investment, we will seek to broker
investment to grassroots organisations within our target
areas.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
The success in supporting greater local economic activity must be
judged on the depth of impact as well as the scale of outputs
achieved. Across all measures of impact, it will be critical to
track diversity and representation in the city, ensuring that
activity drives fairness and reflects the profile of the city. Core
areas for focus include:
l
Increase
in local business activity in neighbourhoods
l
Increase
in number of collaborative projects
l
Increased
participation in training
l
Initial
improvements in life satisfaction
l
Increase
in wealth retained in local neighbourhoods
Key
Partners
Brighton & Hove City Council and CVS will act as the convener
of activity supported by NHS Sussex and civil society partners.
Collaboration will be supported by the Brighton & Hove
Connected Partnership.
In due course a wider partnership of public, private and university
partners can be supported to engage with city neighbourhoods to
create more direct links to the opportunities in the rest of the
city.
Ensure that decarbonisation is
an acknowledged priority across our economy, creating a more
circular and regenerative economy for the city.
Rationale
In 2024 any economic plan has to provide a platform for
decarbonisation. The next three years will be crucial to our
city’s journey to net zero. We need to respect the limits of
the planet and find new ways of valuing the natural resources which
are often overlooked in a conversation about economy.
Brighton & Hove City Council has declared a climate and
biodiversity emergency and has a commitment to be carbon neutral by
2030. We are a designated UNESCO Biosphere, and the natural
environment is a strong part of our identity as a city; a key
reason why people visit and live in Brighton & Hove and it
needs to be seen as an important economic asset.
Net zero is a central consideration when thinking about a
transition to a new economy, and there will need to be fundamental
changes to ensure that this ambition is met. Our businesses will
need to be supported to make the adaptations necessary to reduce
their carbon footprint and adapt to changing government
legislation. We will also need to support our residents to gain the
skills needed to access new green opportunities, or to upskill in
their current roles.
There is also an immediate commercial need to act. Our research
shows that 41% of our commercial space will not be fit for purpose
by 2027 based on current Minimum Energy Efficiency (MEES)
legislation – this creates significant pressure on our
already tight commercial property market, particularly in the city
centre. Doing nothing presents a significant economic risk to the
city, potentially undermining our future diversification and
growth.
Since the last strategy, we have made good progress in the
development of the circular economy within the city, working with
civil society partners and other organisations to think about how
resources are used and reused in our economy. This needs to be
further embedded, to ensure that circular practices are adopted
within all areas of our economy. This alongside the necessary major
investment which will facilitate decarbonised transport and energy
systems can become a key part of our city’s
identity.
By supporting our workers and businesses to adapt, we can ensure
that our city and residents are well-placed to benefit from the
transition to net zero.
Supporting a New
Economy
A new economy for the city needs to be green, circular and enabled
by a just transition which benefits all residents and businesses
– building wealth within our communities. We need to consider
more fully the resources we use and the implications of our
economic activity on nature and ecology around us and throughout
value chains. Becoming greener and using less resources is already
a fundamental business support need, with the overall costs
associated with climate and ecological crisis a key cost
consideration for everyone in the city.
Strategy
We will continue to develop our business support and engagement to
ensure that all activity has some focus on the transition to net
zero. We will also scale what we already do well, becoming better
in circular economy, working with larger business, investment
partners and anchor institutions to continue to mainstream this
work within our economy.
How we will work
differently
We will plan for a decarbonised economy, developing the case for
investment which make Brighton & Hove a more resilient city and
economy. This will include aligning the Circular Economy Action
Plan further within our practices. We will consider key climate
metrics and their suitability to become indicators of our ambitions
for economic transition.
Areas of
Activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
programme of activity over the next three years, identifying where
actions are immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Evolve
the Circular Economy Action Plan, positioning Brighton & Hove
as better, more effective actor
l
Develop
a deeper understanding of commercial retrofit needs and a route map
to delivery. Explore the development of new investment vehicles to
enable institutional investors (including those based in the city)
to support the delivery of this
l
Through
our City Employment and Skills Plan, support residents to train and
retrain in the skills we will need to enable mass retrofitting of
our commercial and housing stock
l
We
will embed circular economy and decarbonisation within council
services and procurement (including road maintenance, estate
management), allowing BHCC to demonstrate practical leadership in
our city
l
Convene
and support new and existing large employers investors with strong
pedigree in circular economy (such as Ingka, Brighton & Hove
Albion and L&G), to play a more prominent role in the
city’s journey to a more regenerative economy that also helps
to build wealth within our communities
l
Through
our Growth Hub, explore ways of providing direct support for
businesses seeking to decarbonise operations
l
Consider
the city and regional green infrastructure needs, creating clear
plans to support investment into the environmental resilience of
the city’s economy
l
Embed
circular economy into local and neighbourhood partnerships,
supporting local people and businesses to play a more effective
role in addressing ecological and climate crisis
Role of the City
Council
Brighton & Hove City Council will lead by example through the
adoption of circular practices internally. There is also potential
to use staff time to encourage other large businesses within the
area to adopt greener practices.
We will act as an advocate for a strong circular economy within
Brighton & Hove, to ensure that our progress and innovation as
a city within the circular economy receives national recognition.
Acting on circular economy principles will demonstrate how
greenhouse gas emissions can be cut in buildings, energy use and
consumption. We will engage more closely with government,
institutional and philanthropic investors to understand their role
in supporting projects and long-term investments in the structural
and systems changes we need to make.
Funding and
Investment in Action
We will seek to identify and apply for funding streams to support
circular economy work within the city and improve our messaging to
encourage inward investment within this area.
We will work more closely with institutional and other funders to
understand their role in supporting projects and long-term
investments in the structural and systems changes we need to
make.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
l
Increase
in the proportion of our commercial buildings which are EPC B and
above, protecting supply of space for business
l
Target
a decline in yearly scope 1 emissions across the city’s
business base, with evidence of a decrease in the cost of doing
business through annual surveys
l
Decrease
in the operational carbon emissions associated with the visitor
economy
l
Increase
in number of residents completing green skills courses and finding
employment
l
Increase
in waste intercepted and reused in the local economy
Key
Partners
This mission will be led by the Circular Economy Steering Group
convened by Brighton & Hove City Council. It will require the
collaboration of key businesses within the city; Brighton &
Hove Albion FC, Ingka, Amex and L&G will all need to be
advocates for our strategy and the pursuit of a more regenerative
economy, alongside groups representing small businesses and
specific sectors.
The Cost-of-Living action group, Civil Society groups and CVS more
generally, will enable links to community level projects and
interventions, whilst Brighton & Hove Food Partnership can
provide links to a key aspect of the city’s nascent
regenerative economy through the emerging Food
Strategy.
Ensured residents and
employers benefit from the provision of employment and skills
support which is linked directly to the needs and opportunities
within the local economy
Rationale
Brighton & Hove’s labour market is highly qualified (45%
of residents having degree level qualifications or higher), however
businesses across our economy face challenges in finding candidates
with the right skill sets. This is true in all activities, but
particularly pronounced in those sectors in which we could
diversify and grow in the next ten years. Failure to mobilise the
city and regional workforce will impact upon businesses ability to
scale and our ability to capitalise on the opportunity we have at
this moment in time.
This is reflective of a national challenge. According to the
Institute of Employment Studies there will be 3.4 million fewer
people in work by 2040 due to an ageing population and there are
already 500K fewer young people than in 2013. Unemployment remains
above pre-pandemic levels and there are record numbers of young
people not in education or employment. National policy changes to
work visas and salary thresholds for migrant workers will impact
upon the supply of overseas workers.
Businesses consistently report that they struggle to find the right
people with the right skills. This is limiting the ability of our
specialist sectors to grow and respond to the demands of a new
economy, limiting our competitiveness as a city.
Within Brighton & Hove, as reflected nationally, economic
activity has risen but many residents have long-term health and
work limiting conditions whilst others are not actively looking for
work. Evidence shows that there are significant spatial
inequalities in terms of qualifications and economic activity.
Within some parts of the city more than one in five residents have
no qualifications.
Those out of work are at greater risk of becoming further
disengaged from the world of work. Certain groups including
disabled people, low qualified, ethnic minority groups, LGBTQ+,
lone parents, and residents aged 50+ face disproportionate barriers
to work. The impact of technological advancements on the local
economy, is one of our comparative advantages, but it also will
change the labour market in a way which could exacerbate inequality
in the city, remaining aware and agile to this is key.
Mobilising our population to enable our sectors to compete, grow
and respond to the demands of a new economy is essential. Tackling
this is about equality but is also about the talent which is not
supported or mobilised in the city. Given the demographic changes
expected in our city, this is not only needed to improve outcomes
for our residents but is an economic necessity.
The city benefits from a strong ethos of collaboration, across
education and training, employer representative groups,
technology-focused networks and employability and careers
provision. These stakeholders can inform and influence how we
respond to these changes.
Brighton & Hove has two highly esteemed universities, and in
uncertain economic times, we need to lever even more value from
these assets. Graduate retention could be higher and we aspire to
more spinouts (of innovation and businesses), investment, growth
and job creation. We need to support our universities and further
education colleges (including Brighton MET and Institute Of
Technology) to have a more significant civic function in the
context of the city economy; redesigning their role will be crucial
to a more responsive, competitive and equitable city
economy.
Supporting a New
Economy
Transformational changes in our local economy and labour market
will be driven by environmental, technical and demographic shifts.
The workforce will need to change and adapt to support the
transition to a new economy, particularly considering the climate
crisis. In all sectors we will need new skills to support
participation in new types of jobs
The city will need to strengthen connections and be more
collaborative to create the routes of progression in a changing
economy, to enable employers to access the skilled workers they
need and residents to access new economic opportunities.
Strategy
We will bring together businesses and education providers to
collaborate on creating a new city-wide approach which responds to
and anticipates the workforce needs of the new economy. This will
ensure there are tangible and transparent development pathways for
our residents.
How we will work
differently
Through the City Skills and Employment Plan we will facilitate
collaboration and partnerships with a clear focus on education,
skills and employment for a new economy.
Areas of
Activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
programme of activity over the next three years, identifying where
actions are immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Publication
of a new City Skills and Employment Plan. This will provide the
foundation for collaboration between stakeholders including
training providers and local businesses across our core and
foundational sectors to meet the skill needs of residents and
businesses
l
Through
the Careers Hub, we will inspire and prepare young people for the
world of work and increase their understanding of the local economy
through strengthening links between education and
businesses.
l
Support
progression into employment and education for young people and
adults, ensuring activity is aligned to the everyday economy to
meet recruitment needs
l
Deepen
the collaboration between our post 16 and post 18 education and
training providers, maximising relationships with industry to
enrich the curriculum
l
Explore
the development of an inclusive economy charter to which companies
can commit to good work standards and a commitment to ongoing
training. It will be developed in collaboration with employers,
business representative bodies and experts and include information
and resources for employers.
l
Review
provision and employability support to ensure it is reaching our
areas of greatest inequality. Support residents that face barriers
to participate in the local offer, so that everybody who wants to
work can do so.
Role of the City
Council
Brighton & Hove City Council will act as a convenor,
facilitator, enabler and funder. We will publish and monitor the
City Employment and Skills Plan and oversee its ongoing
delivery.
Funding and
Investment in action
Brighton & Hove City Council will create and facilitate the
delivery of a new City Employment and Skills Plan which will set
out priorities for the city to inform opportunities for resource
and funding, working collaboratively with stakeholders to progress
the action plan.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
Success measures will be developed through the City Employment and
Skills Plan, but could include:
l
Decrease
in unemployment and economic inactivity
l
Decrease
in those Not in Education Employment or Training
l
Participation
in and achievement of apprenticeships
l
Growth
of Skills Bootcamp provision locally
l
Successful
implementation of Universal Support across the city
Key
Partners
This mission will be led by the City Employment and Skills Steering
Group overseen by Brighton & Hove City Council. It recognises
the key role of VCS through direct delivery and as representatives
of residents. The city benefits from strong existing collaboration
across education and training, employer representative groups,
technological focused networks, Departments of Education, Work and
Pensions and employability and careers providers, including
University of Sussex, University of Brighton, Chichester College
Group (incorporating Brighton MET), post 16 colleges and
independent training providers, large employers, Brighton Chamber,
B&H Cultural Alliance and Sussex Chambers of Commerce as
Employer Representative Board for the Local Skills Improvement
Plan.
Radically improve our external
proposition, international profile and investor experience, to
deliver enhanced levels of investment in the city
Rationale
With a national decline in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and
domestic inward investment in the last decade, we are now in a much
more competitive environment when it comes to attracting and
retaining businesses in the city. Currently, we do not promote
ourselves confidently enough and do not have the processes to
convert opportunities.
A report by Irwin Mitchell named Brighton & Hove the most
attractive city outside of London for FDI and ranked it highest in
the nation for growth potential. This recognition, however, has not
translated to actual investment and growth. Although the Southeast
was the top location for foreign domestic investment projects
outside of London in 2023, the Coast to Capital LEP attracted only
a small proportion of those projects.
Developing this plan has illustrated the exciting initiatives and
success stories in Brighton & Hove: world beating businesses,
nationally significant knowledge exchange, innovation and
university spin outs, successful events, superb culture and
globally significant digital conferences. We have, however, heard
repeated feedback that awareness of these successes was too low and
that we are not as confident as other UK cities in talking about
our assets.
We do not currently have a formal process for welcoming potential
businesses and investors and recognise the need to better position
the city for future success.
Supporting a New
Economy
New economies will be led by new investment. The city needs to be
better positioned to attract this and make this stick in Brighton
& Hove and the city region.
Nationally and internationally, businesses and institutional
investors are becoming more aware of their contribution to places
in which they invest and operate and particularly the ability that
place has in supporting them to achieve their social and
environmental goals.
A digitally enabled, socially focused economy with proximity to
markets and a strong visitor economy combined with excellent
natural environment is the fulcrum of Brighton & Hove’s
offer. These are tried and tested ingredients in those cities
globally which have a reputation for innovation and
competitiveness. We need to organise ourselves better.
Strategy
Raise the profile of Brighton & Hove, recognising and
celebrating successes in the city, redeploying resource to
prioritise clearer signposting and an enhanced welcome to potential
investors.
How we will work
differently
We will develop a refreshed narrative focused on our assets and
comparative advantage. We will be progressive in our outlook,
promoting our city as one with an economy which is fairer, greener
and more competitive than other cities in the UK. Our diversity is
also a strength.
We will align more effectively with our City Region partners
creating a more coherent and collaborative offer, with a more
effective, follow up and aftercare service for those seeking to
locate and invest in the city.
Areas of
Activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
programme of activity over the next three years, identifying where
actions are immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Understand
the strengths and weakness of the current inward investment pitch
and work with partners to identify areas of focus
l
Develop
a new brand and identity for the city’s inward investment
pitch which encompasses the city’s role as an entrepreneurial
hub, a university city, a creative destination, a digital
powerhouse and a progressive city
l
Develop
a business prospectus using digital assets to more directly
targeted at specific needs of businesses, and reflecting the new
digital economy
l
Work
closely with the Department for Business and Trade and
institutional investors, developing our proposition, processes and
routes to market
l
Provide
specific resource to track and follow up investment leads, being
more proactive in a competitive UK market
l
Provide
more effective brokerage between small businesses and potential
angel and venture capital investment
Role of the City
Council
Brighton & Hove City Council will spearhead the refresh of this
approach, convening partners to establish a shared identity and
vision for external communications.
The City Council will increase communication and joint working with
DBT and regional partners, such as the City Region, around routes
to market. It will establish an enhanced offer to businesses and
investors who are interested in the City.
Funding and
investment in action
The City Council is committed to increasing the amount of
investment in Brighton & Hove. It will use its resources to
amplify activities which are already happening and to bring
partners together to deliver new projects. We will provide named
contacts to support and welcome potential new investors in the
city.
We will seek financial and in-kind contributions from our anchor
institution partners, avoiding duplication and recognising the
collective benefit of improved welcome and perception.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
l
Establishment
of a dedicated inward investment resource within the City
Council
l
Increased
number of investment enquiries into the city
l
Increased
profile and engagement and evidenced FDI activity
l
Increase
in leverage of public and private funding into the city
Key
Partners
This mission will be led by Brighton & Hove City Council in
partnership with a wide range of stakeholders. Likely to include as
a minimum:
VisitBrighton, Brighton Chamber, Department for Business and Trade,
Develop: Brighton, Greater Brighton Economic Board, Business &
IP Centre, Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership
Celebrating and promoting our
role as a creative destination; evolving perceptions, innovating
and protecting core visitor, seafront, leisure, sport, green
spaces, heritage and creative & cultural assets
Rationale
Brighton & Hove has always been the epitome of alternative
thinking, innovation, creativity and leisure, complemented by its
iconic coastal location, unique natural setting and un-parallelled
cultural heritage. Our difference has always been the lifeblood of
our unique identity, attracting visitors, driving economic growth,
and fostering innovation. Our versatile destination offer is a
foundation for future investment and competitiveness and critical
in our journey towards being the UK’s best small
city.
We welcome millions of visitors every year, generating over one
billion pounds of investment into our city, supporting jobs,
employment and creating a busy citywide ecosystem. Brighton &
Hove Albion alone, has become an established international brand
contributing an estimated £600m annually to the city economy.
The club is a huge asset, an example of what we need to celebrate
and elevate as the city thinks about brand, perception and
offer.
As we strive to establish our credentials as the UK’s premier
small city and a global creative destination, investing in and
growing our diverse offer will be fundamental and positioning
ourselves as a 21st century city is vital.
To transform our economy, we must evolve a bigger, more diverse
visitor market; we need to think and behave differently, and
overhaul our approach, to build a visitor economy fit for the
21st Century. And a creative economy that is
sustainable, healthy, secure and thriving, rooted in our city,
Sussex, South East England, strengthening connectivity with the
capital; and speaking to a global audience.
Supporting a New
Economy
New visitor and creative economies for the city need to be rooted
in what makes us unique, our local people, talent, independence,
entrepreneurialism, and creative freelance economy. Driving value
(economic, social and commercial) from this will be crucial to the
city’s distinctiveness and competitiveness.
Brighton and Hove needs to be more of a test bed, a place for
talent and collaboration, a creative destination that is open and
accessible, a gender beacon, a place that represents the diversity
of the city, and
connects our offer in a way that mirrors how we want visitors to
experience the city.We
need to collaborate with the best and brightest thinkers and
creatives to help us continue to promote and capture our difference
and influence investment.
A new fairer, greener and productive economy needs to be tangible;
the look and feel of our city is crucial to our residents, visitors
and businesses. If we aspire to the be the UK’s best small
city, we need the best city centre and to highlight the tapestry of
neighbourhoods that support this and provide the best arrival and
welcome. We need a city where all aspects of our strategy are
realised; where circular, foundational and visitor economies
interact; where new opportunities for residents meets new
investment into the city.
Strategy
If we aim to elevate our city's international reputation and
ambition, we must prioritise dynamic year-round visitor experiences
across the city’s neighbourhoods, including new and different
experiences in the evening/night time economy (6pm-6am), to ensure
Brighton & Hove remains an attractive place (or series of
places) for creative professionals to thrive.
We must adapt and safeguard our physical assets, from our
grassroots music venues and artist studios to our large scale
production spaces, investing in new creative hubs supporting the
whole industry and nurture our creative workforce at all levels.
It's imperative for the city to protect our creative infrastructure
and our talent base, from the grassroots to the major elite. In
addition, we need to support adjacent sectors which collectively
underpin our destination identity such as our hospitality,
accommodation, and restaurant sectors as they contribute to the
vibrancy of the city.
We will seek to deliver a Creative Destination plan that is forward
looking, fair and inclusive; inspiring sustainability, promoting
health and wellbeing, celebrating our natural environment, and
amplifying existing best practice. Our starting point will be
the amazing talent and vital civic engagement in the city which
underpins deep sense of place with a stronger, more contemporary
vibrant feel.
We will work collaboratively across our different sectors and our
wider city region: to build new and imaginative strategic
partnerships; horizon scan for new opportunities; develop ambitious
ideas and interventions that can attract and leverage investment
that will improve our ageing infrastructure, create new spaces to
grow for our workforce and develop new destinations for our
visitors. We will use the assets, planning tools and
licensing policies in our gift to realise positive change,
especially across the nighttime economy.
How we will work
differently
Our work will be reliant on a collective approach to partnership,
visioning, and entrepreneurialism.
We will use our powers as convenor and facilitator to develop new
innovative partnerships to help shape our ambitions, drawing
together communities, sectors, partners and businesses with a stake
in the visitor and creative economies, locally, regionally, and
nationally. We will develop a set of clear outcomes and clear
actions for how we intend to deliver our plan together as a city.
We will put resource into positioning the city as a destination of
choice for investors and ensure that we have the systems in place
to support our strong inward investment propositions.
Areas for
Activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
initial ideas for a programme of activity over the next three
years, identifying where actions are immediately deliverable or
more aspirational. This includes:
Develop
a 10-year Creative Destination Plan that seeks to focus on
governance, alongside the following growth areas:
l
Establish
a new Creative Destination National Stakeholder Board to oversee
the Creative Destination Plan and inform its distinctiveness,
trends and ambitions.
l
Proactively
address gaps in creative infrastructure and identify routes to
investment.
l
Ensure
we use our leveraging powers such as planning and licensing to
protect culture at risk.
l
Improve
our investment in global marketing/storytelling and international
campaigns focussing on new media, filming and content creation, and
expanding markets.
l
Build
strong foundations in collaboration as part of the Local Visitor
Economy Partnership on the Sussex Strategy for Growth, setting
ambitious targets for growth for first time and returning domestic
and international visitors.
l
Work
collaboratively
with city partners on
Brighton & Hove’s profile as a major global conferencing
destination both nationally and internationally, to identify and
build new markets.
l
Drive
a new approach to diversifying the visitor experience with a focus
on experiences and campaigns across the multiple neighbourhoods
across the city; and diversifying the night-time economy experience
for the city, connecting daytime to night-time through the
experiential economy.
l
Develop
an ambitious major events calendar to include a diverse range of
festivals/events across the year, focussing on shoulder months, and
delivering for new market segments.
l
Establish
a Major Events Board to oversee the current events programme,
horizon scan for major new opportunities, and to advise on new
cross thematic ideas.
l
Develop
Brighton & Hove’s profile as a centre for major elite
sports events, with at least one major international sporting event
held every three years.
l
Develop
a new Investment framework and Commercial Strategy for the
seafront, city parks and our open spaces, to improve our heritage
capital, secure new income streams and create welcoming
destinations.
l
Explore
the potential to either expand or encourage new BIDs, to cover a
wider range of sectors and geographies, including decarbonisation
of the city’s visitor economy, and hospitality sector
infrastructure improvements.
Role of the City
Council
Brighton & Hove City Council will act as a convener, making the
case for working differently and linking new actors to existing
partners to support new approaches. We will use our strategic
influence to drive collaboration to deliver improvements, new
ideas, the promotion of the city to create positive experiences for
all who come here.
Funding and
Investment in action
To deliver a revitalised creative destination, we will take an
entrepreneurial approach, working to realise the collective power
of the city, its residents, businesses and major stakeholders. We
will work across the public and private sectors to build vision,
ensure collaboration, secure a breadth of investment opportunities
and advocate for successful good growth.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
l
Greater
media coverage and new positive global narratives about the
city
l
An
improved look and feel across the city with greater attention to
our city’s landscape
l
More
confident, secure, healthy creative industries, more space to grow
and diverse workforces.
l
Success
in securing a wide range of investment opportunities for
infrastructure projects to realise our destination
ambitions.
l
An
attractive place for industries to build partnerships, collaborate,
test new ideas and express their creativity.
l
Stronger
working relationships with our many communities.
Key
Partners
We will set up and lead a national stakeholder advisory group made
of up leading agencies (UK Sport, Sport England, Arts Council
England, BFI, Music Venues Trust, DCMS, LGA, VisitBritain, Creative
Industries Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic England) to
collaborate on and develop a strategic creative destination plan
with distinctive ambitions.
We will work collaboratively as part of the East Sussex, Brighton
& Hove and West Sussex
Local Visitor Economy Partnership, transforming our visitor economy
landscape through a new and robust structure, with shared
ambitions.
Greater value needs to be levered from the expertise within our
small business base working with the Destination Experience Group,
the Brilliant Brighton BID and the Chamber of Commerce, and the
influence of our larger employers. Brighton & Hove Albion as a
major international brand, AMEX as global HQ, Ingka as a new
arrival, and others, will be given greater influence in this space
to ensure that the city’s destinations also serve their
ambitions.
Develop a closer three-way
relationship between universities, council and business. Driving
knowledge exchange and tackling the city’s prevailing
challenges
Rationale
Brighton &
Hove has a large education ecosystem, including two internationally
significant universities, a growing further education offer,
esteemed language schools and digitally enabled primary and
secondary education. Our businesses are innovative, whilst we
recognise that scale within public sector institutions can provide
a platform for new ways of working.
Working together better through sharing knowledge and resources
across public and private sectors, can not only come up with new
solutions to our challenges, but create greater commercial benefit
from collaboration.
The innovation
and knowledge generated by the universities are core assets of the
city, but this is not always commercialised and allowed to scale in
Brighton & Hove. This means that companies leave or fail to
achieve their potential, often becoming untethered from the assets
and networks which could enable them to thrive in a university
city.
The lack of
physical space to scale, collaborate and innovate within the city
is well documented, there is also however, a lack of virtual and
collaborative space within the city for partners to work together
and create more civic and economic benefit from shared knowledge
assets.
Supporting a new
economy
A new economy for the city will be built on the strength of our
partnerships and the ability for us to realise potential of new
collaborations between public, private and academic institutions.
In a new economy, this can not only act as a driver of productivity
but can also support strong civic foundations of the economy and
stronger public value.
Strategy
Our focus will be on developing a coalition of partners for
knowledge exchange around specific local challenges and
opportunities. These will initially be the further education
colleges, University of Sussex, the University of Brighton, the
city council, NHS and our businesses.
We need to galvanise knowledge not just as a route to new business
activity and greater competitiveness, but also to help the city
overcome the economic challenges we face, Partners need to
collaborate with and benefit from the knowledge and ideas that
exist in the city. We will support a civic universities agenda and
enable more open innovation in the city.
How we will work
differently
Universities and the wider educational community will sit at the
heat of new knowledge partnerships in the city, providing challenge
and ideas as the city embarks on a period of transition. We will
take a broad view of the economy and economic success, uniting
disciplines to inspire new ways of working.
We will work in partnership with the other public institutions in
the city and within the wider region, uniting educational and
public sectors. In doing this, we recognise the budget
constraints we are all facing and the importance of identifying
opportunities and efficiencies in working together.
Areas of
Activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out our programme of activity
over the next three years, identifying where actions are
immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Develop new protocols (including Civic Universities Agreements) for
linking council, further education colleges, universities and
businesses which enables knowledge exchange linked to specific
sectors and growth/diversification
l
Seek to establish a ‘lab’-style approach for ideas,
bringing together academic, private, public and civil society
institutions to provide insight and scrutiny as the city begins new
strategic journeys
l
Work with universities to develop their civic function integrating,
teaching, learning, skills, and engagement. This will link directly
to the needs of Brighton & Hove’s small
businesses
l
Bring together partners to pool space and facilities (where
appropriate) to increase the available space, facilities and
resources available for small businesses in the
city
l
Link Higher Education and Further Education more directly into the
business support and inward investment interventions proposed
within this plan.
Role of the City
Council
Brighton & Hove City Council will act as the convenor, bringing
together our universities, other public bodies and local businesses
to facilitate knowledge exchange and to manage and support
collaboration.
Funding and
Investment in action
Initial activity would need to be funded through existing budgets,
with the potential to draw in sponsorship from the city’s
major employers. This will also rely on the corporate social and
philanthropic time of universities and business.
In due course, as collaborations emerge, these may attract public
and private investment.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
l
More
local people engaging with their local universities
l
More
knowledge exchange projects leading to scaling of
businesses
l
More
visible university spin outs within the city, being seen to drive
innovation, investments, new skills and jobs
Key
Partners
This mission will be facilitated by a joint approach –
Brighton & Hove City Council working initially with the
Universities of Brighton and Sussex, FE Colleges (including
Brighton MET, BIMM Brighton and Institute of Technology) and major
employers, with the potential to expand involvement over the
lifespan of this plan.
Create a shared economic
vision with our neighbours and a shared long-term plan of action
for the City Region economy
Rationale
In the last five years, the Greater Brighton City Region has shared
many of the positive characteristics of the Brighton & Hove
economy. Knowledge economy jobs have increased by 14% across the
region, with Arun, Crawley and Mid Sussex growing at similar rates
to the city. Creative Industries growth is outperforming the UK as
a whole with strong growth in the coastal corridor.
This similarity in specialism is accompanied by consistency in
challenge. Since 2018, commercial space has become more of a
problem across the City Region. Crawley, Mid Sussex and Worthing
have all seen a decline in office space more significant than that
in Brighton & Hove. That said, the vacancy rate in larger
industrial space has been increasing in the region, particularly in
Mid Sussex and Crawley. Partners also observe similar challenges
around recruitment in Greater Brighton, alongside the shared need
to tackle the climate and ecological crisis.
There is now an increased desire to collaborate and work together
on new approaches to economic and societal challenges. Examples of
firms such as Universal Quantum emerging from University of Sussex
being founded in the city and then scaling in the region, are seen
as precursors to a more joined up approach to growth and
diversification, which will be deepened through
collaboration.
The City Region is now widely seen as a mutually beneficial
approach by our neighbours. For the city, its region provides more
assets, space and investment potential to support a deeper
conversation about the economy of the future and the infrastructure
needed to deliver upon our ambitions.
By pooling our knowledge and resources we will be able to more
efficiently tackle some shared challenges in the region, such as
commercial space supply, housing affordability and (east –
west) transport and develop a clearer vision for growth in a city
and region which makes a much more significant contribution to the
UK economy.
Supporting a new
economy
Successful, innovative, growing cities around the world do so
within the context of a wider city region.
With issues more aligned, the success of our new economy can be
better tethered to strength of our region. We cannot deliver upon
our ambitions without the additional assets and expertise provided
by the City Region.
Strategy
We will bring together Greater Brighton partners and identify how
we can work differently to improve city region economic outcomes.
We will start to develop a different case for devolution focused on
the needs of the City Region and our contribution to national
economic growth.
How we will work
differently
Our approach to collaboration and planning cannot be achieved
through the ‘traditional’ UK approach to City Region
devolution. We need to reexamine and plan the Greater Brighton City
Region, from the ground up creating the arrangements, partnerships
and projects that all constituent authorities need to
thrive.
Areas of
Activity
The accompanying Action Plan sets out how we will commence our
programme of activity over the next three years, identifying where
actions are immediately deliverable or more aspirational. This
includes:
l
Lead
the development of a shared economic vision and case for the city
region. Acknowledge the contribution of all places and assets,
demonstrating the value of a deeper collaborative
approach
l
Develop
shared plans for transport infrastructure, decarbonisation and
energy, housing and commercial space
l
Accelerate
collaboration where a will to work together already exists
(Circular Economy; Creative Industries; Workspace; Business
Support)
l
Use
a new approach to city marketing to develop arrangements
related to brand and identity, we will also seek to develop areas
of shared inward investment identity and process across the city
region
Role of the City
Council
Brighton & Hove City Council will continue to act as a
convener, providing a leading role in the advancement of the
regional discussion and dedicating officer resource to advancing
our case for stronger regional collaboration.
Funding and
Investment in action
The Greater Brighton Economic Board (GBEB) will continue to rely
upon the contributions of its members to support its day-to-day
costs.
3 Year Indicators of
Success
l
Additional
investment into the Greater Brighton City Region
l
Development
of a vision for the city region
l
Collaboration
and partnership working on shared projects
Key
Partners
This mission will be led by the Greater Brighton Economic Board,
supported by Brighton & Hove City Council in partnership
with:
Adur District Council, Arun District Council, Crawley Borough
Council, Lewes District Council, Mid Sussex District Council and
Worthing Borough Council, South Downs National Park Authority,
University of Brighton, University of Sussex, Brighton & Hove
and Adur & Worthing Business Partnership, Chichester College
Group.
To support a mission-led approach and to think differently about
our economy, we need to organise differently and create processes
for collaborating, challenging and informing.
We need to develop partnership structures to support the delivery
of this plan over the next three years. Below we set our proposed
approach to delivering this and the function of each
component.
Brighton & Hove
City Council
The City Council’s role will change over the next three
years. Budgets will remain extremely tight and we will think
differently about how the public sector engages with this
plan.
This will require greater internal collaboration within Brighton
& Hove City Council, linking existing strategies from different
departments to ensure that these work harder for the economy of the
city.
The City Council will also be more deliberate in its roles,
recognising our limitations, but also the influence and agency we
hold. We will need to make choices and focus on the areas where
there is headroom for growth or positive change. In part this will
be driven by improved coordination and collaboration within the
council, bringing together departments to reflect the breadth of
its plan and its influence beyond the core economic development
function of the council.
We envisage that our roles over the next three years will
be:
l
Convener
– Bringing people together to oversee and audit project
development, provide inspiration and optimism.
l
Asset
owner – As an owner of significant land and buildings, the
City Council has a vital lever in enabling activity and supporting
new approaches.
l
Funder
– Although financial resources are limited, the City Council
is still the organisation most likely to be able to access public
funding and support partners to access investment. The council can
also be a more active broker of investment into business
l
Advocate
– The City Council will promote Brighton & Hove, its
residents and institutions, making the case that ours is a
different kind of city with specific comparative
advantages
l
Innovator
– The public sector can be a leader in innovation, working
with partners to pursue new ways of working
l
Auditor
– To deliver new approaches, we need to be better at
measuring success, whilst challenging some of the traditional
notions of value in our economy
Brighton & Hove
Business Growth Board
The Business Growth Board is the name for an evolved Brighton &
Hove Economic Partnership. This Group will remain the custodian of
the economic strategy in the city but will refresh and reconstitute
itself to provide new voices and more diverse representation that
reflects our economy.
The Board will provide insight and oversight into the process of
transition set out within the plan, working on an agenda of
practical projects which link to the missions of the plan. Meetings
will be facilitated working groups which relate to specific tasks
and decisions related to the transition of Brighton &
Hove’s economy.
Imagination and
Insights Lab
As a skilled and knowledge-led economy, Brighton & Hove has a
significant number of residents who have expertise in a particular
field. Partners have suggested the establishment of an Imagination
and Insights group, a space where individuals can come together to
provide a ‘lab’ function on the local
economy.
Funded through local philanthropy and relying on members
volunteering their time, the group could provide evidence and
reflection on how the city economy is working as well as bringing
examples and ideas to challenge the Economy Board and City Council
to think differently about the city’s economy. Its function
would be to provide real time insights and intellectual scrutiny to
help the plan to remain agile.
Drawing from universities, local advisors, new businesses and where
relevant external expertise, the function of the group would be to
provide imagination and ideas which would not normally be heard in
the course of a ‘typical’ public sector led economic
strategy process. It should aim to reflect a diverse range of
voices, beyond the ‘norm’, with some independence from
the more formal elements of policy development, but with direction
to ‘hack’ and challenge the status quo.
Greater Brighton
Economic Board
Given the focus placed on the City Region within this plan, the
Greater Brighton Economic Board takes on greater significance over
the next three years.
There needs to be more formal links and lines of communication
between GBEB and the Brighton & Hove Economic Plan to ensure
the voices of neighbouring and partner authorities are better
represented within the delivery of the plan.
GBEB will have specific responsibility and oversight in relation to
the regional mission, and in planning for the space and
infrastructure needed to accommodate new businesses and growth
within the region. This process needs to be more closely tethered
to the city’s economic strategy.
Anchor Institutions
Group
We will build the city’s existing networks of strategic
partnerships – Brighton & Hove Connected and the City
Management Board - to provide focus to the challenges and
opportunities across the city and support new collaborations to
engage with the missions and long-term journeys of this
plan.
Thematic
Leads
Thematic Leads are existing groups who have some specific expertise
and focus which is relevant to the delivery of this plan. They will
provide action planning and monitoring support as well as insight
linked to our missions, as well responsibility for the delivery of
specific projects where these might emerge.
Neighbourhood Economy
Groups
Working with existing civil society groups to devolve
responsibility for the engagement and involvement of the
communities and economies which exist in Brighton &
Hove’s neighbourhoods. They will develop responses to the
issues and opportunities identified within the more deprived parts
of our city and provide insight and reflection on the experience of
living and working in these places.
