Brighton & Hove City Council
Cabinet Agenda Item 51
Report title: Get SussexWorking Plan Date of meeting: Cabinet 16th October
Report of: Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Youth Services
ContactOfficer: Corporate Director Families Children & Wellbeing
Ward(s) affected: All
For general release
1. Purpose of the report and policy context
1.1 The Get Sussex Working Plan (GSWP or the ‘Plan’) is a pan Sussex response to the UK Government’s Get Britain Working white paper. It aims to reduce economicinactivity and increaselong-term employment to 80% by 2035.
1.2 Endorsement of theGSWP is sought as a strategic frameworkfor employment and skills integration across Sussex.
2.1 That Cabinetformally approves the Get SussexWorking Plan
2.2 That Cabinet approves continued participation in the already established and informally constituted Partnership Group to oversee deliveryof the Plan until such time as new governance structures may be set up, should a new Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) be established.
3.1 In November2024 the Government issued a Get Britain WorkingWhite Paper. Its purpose is to create a whole systems approach to addressing ill health, reduce economic inactivity and unemployment in recognition of the interconnectivity between health and employment.
3.2 As Sussex was on Devolution Priority Programmethe Department for Work & Pensions requestedwe develop a pan Sussex Get Sussex Working Plan to foster economic growth through a healthier, more inclusive workforce.
3.3 Local Get BritainWorking Plans are intended to tackle six key issues identified in the Get Britain Working White Paper:
· too many people are excluded from the labour market – especially those with health conditions, caring responsibilities or lower skill levels
· too many young people leave school without essential skills or access to high-quality further learning,an apprenticeship or support to work so that they can thrive at the start of their career
· too many people are stuck in insecure, poor quality and often low- paying work, which contributes to a weaker economy and affects their health and wellbeing
· too many women who care for their familiesstill experience challenges staying in and progressing in work
· too many employers cannotfill their vacancies due to labourand skills shortages, holding back economic growth, driving up reliance on overseas labour, and undermining living standards
· there is too greata disparity in labour marketoutcomes between different places and for different groups of people
3.4 The local response to the Get Britain Working Plan is the Get Sussex Working Plan (GSWP). The GSWP is a strategic, over-arching document which is live and evolving. It will be delivered and reviewed over the coming decade.The GSWP has been developed and will be delivered in a periodof major change for skills and employment, including the move under the new Mayoral Combined County Authority. It has been developed collaboratively between Brighton & Hove City Council, East Sussex, and West Sussex County Councilsin alignment with the Devolution Priority Programme, at the request of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
3.5 The GSWP was led by an officer working group with representation from each local authority. A pan SussexPartnership Group was alsoestablished to steer the development of the plan. The Partnership Group included the DWP, Sussex Chamberof Commerce (the Employer Representative Board for the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), and Public Health. As per DWP requirements, the GSWP has been formally endorsed by the DWP Regional Office and the Integrated Care Board.
3.6 The GSWP is consistent with Our CouncilPlan – A BetterBrighton and Hove for all – a healthy city where people thrive.
3.7 The GSWP (Appendix 2) is informed by data, evidence and stakeholder engagement. It sets out an over-arching vision, and six ambitions. It also sets out arrangements for governance, review and monitoring, and an
implementation plan comprising of pan-Sussex and Brighton and Hove actions.
3.8 To inform the GSWP, data mapping, policy analysis (Appendix 3) and stakeholder consultation was commissioned. (Appendix 4) The consultation included engagement with over 200 stakeholders, including employers, VCSE, education providers, NHS, DWP, adults and young people.
3.9 The GSWP sets out a visionfor Sussex and six ambitions.
Vision
‘A dynamic Sussex workforce, enabled by integrated support across employment, health, post – 16 education and skills. All residents are empowered to aspire, to develop the skills they need now and for the future; and to access meaningful employment that improves lives, addresses inequalities, and enables businesses to thrive’.
Ambitions
1. Build a skills and employment infrastructure
2. Address needsof diverse resident groups
3. Develop inclusiveworkforce strategies with employers
4. Respond to place-based needs
5. Embed employment and skills in decision-making
6. Upskill the workforce to boost growth
3.10 The Implementation Plan (Appendix 5) identifies short and wherepossible medium, and long-term actions to support each ambition and 7 key performance indicators to measure progress.
KPI 1: Employment rate (16–64)
KPI 2: NEET rate (16–17) x
KPI 3: Economically inactiveover-50s (excluding students KPI 4: Population holding Level 3 qualifications (19+)
KPI 5: Integrated referral processes betweenhealth and employment services (pilot)
KPI 6: Coordinated approach to employer support and engagement KPI 7: Facilitate and enable anchorinstitutions to activelycontribute to
inclusive economicgrowth and inclusiveemployment
3.11 It is proposed that the Get Sussex Working Partnership Group will continue to oversee the implementation, monitoring, and ongoing evolution of the GSWP, liaising with local partnerships, until such time as new governance structures may be set up, shoulda new Mayoral Combined CountyAuthority (MCCA) be established..
4.1 In alignment with the Devolution Priority Programme in preparation for the Mayoral Combined County Authority, there was an expectation that a pan
Sussex plan would be developed. Therefore, Brighton and Hove neededto be a partner in the development of the GSWP plan, and it would not be possible to deliver on the plan in an alternative model.
5.1 The GSWP was co- created by BHCC, East and West Sussex County Councils, led within the council by our Skills and Employment Team. Extensive stakeholder engagement was conducted across Sussex.
5.2 In Brightonand Hove, 4 stakeholder groupmeetings were held aspart of the consultation prior to the plan being developed, with representatives from across the council, further education and independent training providers, the voluntary sector and employability service providers.
5.3 One to one meetings were held with Hangleton and Knoll Project and Brighton Chambers of Commerce. A survey was conducted through the Your Voice platform.This included feedbackfrom members of the Growth Board. We also engaged with young people, facilitated by our Youth Employment Team and adults facilitated by a local training provider.
5.4 Once drafted the GSWP was shared with stakeholders, CLT and the lead member for Families, Children and Wellbeing and further feedback was obtained via the Your Voice Portal.Across Brighton and Hove and Sussex the overwhelming response was incredibly positive. Feedback was considered and incorporated into the Plan. A summary of all stakeholders involved in contributing to the plan is provided in Appendix 6.
5.5 A Get Sussex Working Partnership Group was established in line with DWP guidance on membership, to oversee the development and endorsement of the Plan. The Group was made up of representatives from the Department for Work and Pensions, Employer Representative Body for the Local Skills Improvement Plan Sussex Chamber of Commerce, Public Health representatives from the three public health authorities, and West Sussex County Council, East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council economyand skills officers. The guidance also stated the Integrated Care Board (ICB) should be a member. The meeting was Chaired on rotation by each local authority.
5.6 Due to significant change, the ICB involvement has been via the Sussex Workwell Board,Skills East Sussex, and the West Sussex EconomicGrowth Board rather than direct membership of the Partnership Group. Both the ICB and DWP have endorsed the Plan.
5.7 The Plan will be submitted to the DWP by 30th September asrequired.
6.1 The GSWP has been developed utilising funding from the DWP to East and West Sussex County Council as Accountable Bodies. No additional funding hasbeen made available for its implementation. Actions focus on delivering
programmes with known funding (e.g. Connect to Work) or on activities where there is no cost (e.g. sharing best practice in employer engagement). Where aspirational activities for the longer term are included, these are recorded as ‘subject to funding’ in the Implementation Plan, with no obligation to deliverthem unless funds are forthcoming.There is no financial risk to the Council however, the impact of the plan is contingent on securing new and additional long-term funding streams.
Name of finance officerconsulted: Hannah Birch Date consulted (30/09/25):
7.1 The GSWP has been developed in accordance with Guidance published by the Department for Work and Pensions: Guidance for Developing local Get Britain Working plans (England) - GOV.UK This Guidance stipulates that upper tier local authorities are accountable for leading the development and submission of the Local Get Britain Working Plan, where (as here) there is no Mayoral Combined Authority currently in place. It has been agreed with the DWP that East Sussex County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council and West Sussex County Council will ensure endorsement of the Plan and action plan through local advisory arrangements that will include representation from the voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, education and skills providers, employer and businessrepresentative organisations and other relevant local stakeholders.
No grant agreement has been signed by this Council with the DWP and no legal implications have been identified as being associated with the GSWP, which is mandated by the DWP. Cabinet is the correct body to approve the recommendations.
Name of lawyer consulted: Victoria Simpson Date consulted 07/10/2025
8. Risk implications
8.1 The rolloutand impact of theMayoral Combined CountyAuthority is not yet fully known or worked through. However, this work will feed throughinto the Devolution Board and any risks will be flagged, monitored and addressed through that piece of work.
9.1 This work identifies the numerous deliverystrands across Sussexto support those with long term economic inactivity into work, through one combined plan. The implementation of the combined plan may impact on future delivery (subject to national policy and funding). If service developments change, new EIA’s will be completed to ensure equality impactions are addressed. The plan at present does not impact on delivery service.
10.1 The plan is to reduce economicinactivity and supportpeople into work which should have positive social and economic impacts.
Public health implications:
11.1 Good work improves health and wellbeingand protects againstsocial exclusion.
12.1 This plan is a requirement of the Department for Work and Pensions and supports the Governments Get Britain Working Plan. By working pan Sussex, we begin to align the work into the MCCA geography, should a new Mayoral Combined County Authority (MCCA) be established. We are also able to utilize expertiseand knowledge across the councils,supporting more people back into employment.
1. Appendices
1. Get SussexWorking Partnership Group - Terms of Reference
2. Get Sussex WorkingPlan
3. Data mappingand policy analysis
4. Stakeholder consultation report
5. Get Sussex Implementation Plan
6. Get SussexWorking Stakeholders