BRIGHTON & HOVE ECONOMIC GROWTH BOARD

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. CONTEXT

The Brighton & Hove Economic Growth Board is a significant alliance which brings together key stakeholders who have a vital role in safeguarding and supporting improvements to the city’s economy. It is a partnership that seeks to ensure that the voice of business is fully embedded within strategic economic planning as part of a wider approach to delivering growth and opportunity for Brighton & Hove, its businesses and its residents.

The Growth Board will play a central role in the city’s economic growth agenda. It will convene quarterly to help embed a strong and diverse business voice and play a key role in the delivery and implementation of the new Economic Plan over the period 2024-27, as well as support in developing subsequent economic strategies that support delivery of agreed economic aspirations over the initial 10-year period.

The Growth Board will also offer advice and guidance to strategic partnerships at a local and sub-regional level (including the Greater Brighton City Region) on the prioritisation and execution of projects critical to the development of a fairer, greener, and more competitive economy and delivery of the objectives of the Economic Plan and wider devolution aspirations as regards economic growth.

The Growth Board does not exist in isolation. It has evolved from the successful work of the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership, but there is a need to further strengthen alliances to deliver the desired impact. The Brighton & Hove Economic Growth Board will provide:

· Clear relationships with other relevant partnerships which deliver regeneration activities

· Clear representation and involvement with voluntary, community, public, academic and business sectors in achieving economic growth.

These Terms of Reference set out roles and responsibilities of Board Members.

It is recommended that these Terms of Reference are reviewed on a bi-annual basis to ensure that they remain fit-for-purpose in a changing economic climate.

2. VISION AND OBJECTIVES

VISION

To align with government guidance, the following responsibilities will be central to the Terms of Reference:

· To support the Council in the development of the Economic Plan, taking an outward-facing view

· To monitor the development and delivery of core actions within the Economic Plan

· To take responsibility for ensuring that a business voice is embedded within strategic economic planning and local growth plans

· To identify and recognise key partnerships of economic importance to the city (e.g. GBEB, etc), working with all strategic partners to ensure effective promotion of shared issues and opportunities alongside the coordination of decisions and appropriate economic infrastructure delivery

Support the delivery of an inward investment offer designed to attract new investment into Brighton & Hove and the wider city region and retain expanding companies, as well as understanding barriers to exporting that may impact upon the city’s business base
To act as Business Ambassadors for the city – promoting opportunities and disseminating relevant information through members’ existing networks
Where relevant, respond to local, regional and national consultation opportunities and planning applications for major city developments that will have a significant positive or negative effect on the city’s economy
To collaborate with local and regional skills initiatives, including with the Employer Representative Body for the Local Skills Improvement Plan.

· To collaborate on the development of a strategic economic growth narrative that aligns with the ‘Sussex Footprint’ to secure devolved powers and longer-term funding for economic infrastructure and growth. This will include joint working with the respective Growth Boards for East and West Sussex.

3. MEMBERSHIP

The Economic Growth Board will be steered by its core membership of no more than 15 Board Members appointed through a selection process. Where possible, the Growth Board will contain representatives of the following:

· Large (250+) and medium (50-249) employers

· Brighton Chamber of Commerce representing small (10-49) and micro (0-9) employers

· Federation of Small Businesses (as for the Brighton Chamber of Commerce)

· Sussex Chamber of Commerce, who lead on the Local Skills Improvement Plan for Sussex, as well as international trade export and import documentation

· City Employment & Skills Plan steering group

· BHCC Councillor (Cllr Jacob Taylor - Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and City Regeneration[SF1] )

· Central government representative (MHCLG).

The Growth Board will give urgent consideration to ensure that the voices are suitably representative of the city’s communities, including LGBTQ+, black and ethnic minority and neuro-divergent representative voices to include black and racial majority businesses, neuro-divergence and others.

All three city MPs will be invited to attend meetings as observers. The Chair of the Growth Board will sit on the Greater Brighton Economic Board as a Business Partner to replace the Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership.

4. PROCEDURAL

membersHIP

· See 3 above

· A Panel will form to review applications for Board Membership. Initially, this Panel will comprise Board Chair (Dean Orgill), BHCC Lead Cllr (Cllr Jacob Taylor) and Sussex Chamber of Commerce (Ana Christie), supported by BHCC Economic Development Manager and the Board’s Executive Director.

· The Chair of the Board will be elected by Board Members for an initial 1-year period, with a maximum term of 2 years. Self-nomination is allowed.

· Board Members are elected for a term of 2 years. This term can be extended for 2-year periods (up to a maximum term of 8 years) subject to agreement from the Board Chair and BHCC Lead Cllr.

MEETINGS

· The Economic Growth Board will meet quarterly.

· The Growth Board commits to hosting two City Events each year on topics of relevance to the city’s wider business base.

· All Growth Board Members will have equal weighting at meetings.

5. RESOURCING

The Economic Growth Board will be resourced by a small team[SF2] led by Council officers and an[SF3] Executive Director[SF4] whose role will be to ensure that the listed objectives are being achieved. The team will develop a targeted approach, which will look for new ways of working and funding opportunities to ensure that strategic objectives are met.

ROLE

· Provide support to the members of the Economic Growth Board to ensure that they have an overview of the local economy.

· Report on whether strategic objectives, priorities, and targets are being met

· Identify strategic and policy issues for discussion at Growth Board meetings / City Events.

· To respond to local, regional and national initiatives and consultation opportunities that will impact upon the city’s economy.