TVB LEP Outline Growth Strategy

MAKING THE BOAT GO FASTER

2 | THAMES VALLEY BERKSHIRE LEP

THAMES VALLEYBERKSHIRE

NEWBURY

READING

MAIDENHEAD

SLOUGH

WOKINGHAM BRACKNELL

WINDSOR

MAKING THE BOAT GO FASTER | 3


This outline strategy for local growth has been developed by the LEP Forum and Executive during 2012 and provides a starting point for the eventual production of a full ‘Strategic Plan’, as set out in the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement of December 2012. The process of reviewing the strategic priorities set out here will commence in January 2013.

In beginning the review we will be cognisant of the emerging Common Strategic Framework approach proposed by the European Commission, which aims to align four EU funds worth £9bn to England. The likely priorities for the use of these (matched) EU Funds are: access to finance; entrepreneurship, and access to formal external business advice and support.

4 | THAMES VALLEY BERKSHIRE LEP MAKING THE BOAT GO FASTER | 5

BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE LEP

Thames Valley Berkshire has a thriving economy but faces intensified global competition from Europe and the fast emerging Asian economies. Thames Valley Berkshire’s GVA was £22 billion in 2010 and it has the highest GVA per working resident in the UK outside of London. It is home to 854,000 people and 42,000 businesses; well over half of its population is of working age and over 70% of residents live and work in Thames Valley Berkshire (including HM The Queen!). It has high concentrations of knowledge-based businesses compared to the UK, with the IT sector being a particularly strong employer in the area.

The 2012 LEP Network Annual Review of LEP-area economies shows that Thames Valley Berkshire has the following headline rankings compared to other LEP areas:

It ranks 1st in share of enterprises in foreign »ownership (2.7%)

It ranks 2nd (behind London) for »GVA per head (2009) (£30,700)

It ranks 2nd (behind London) for share of »employment in the knowledge economy (27.1%)

It ranks 3rd for resilience (defined as the »ability of an area to withstand and respond to shocks in the external environment, and measured by a basket of indicators)

It ranks 4th for proportion of adult residents »educated to degree level or above (37.6%)

It ranks 5th for lowest unemployment (5.4%) »

It ranks 5th for highly skilled employment »(52.3%)

It ranks 8th for employment in export »intensive industries (19.4%)

It ranks 11th for number of enterprises »per 1,000 population (40), but 2nd (behind London) for the birth rate of new enterprises

Berkshire has high concentrations of knowledge-based businesses compared to the UK, with the IT sector being a particularly strong employer in the area.


This is because of our economic strengths, which can be broadly summarised as:

But to sustain this potency and our role as an economy that contributes positively to the Exchequer we need to act now; in a more integrated way. Thames Valley Berkshire LEP (TVB LEP) plays a lead role in determining sub regional economic priorities and supporting activities that drive economic growth and create jobs. The LEP brings together key players representing education, employment and skills, SME and corporate enterprises, local authorities and the community sector – all working together to make things happen. It secured government endorsement on 28 October 2010 and soon raised £200k from the Department of Business Innovation & Skills to form the foundations of today’s Partnership. TVB LEP was incorporated on 16 December 2011 as a company limited by guarantee, with 20 members on its ‘Forum’ (Board) and an Executive of nine appointed directors. The government allocated Growing Places Funds in January 2012 of some £16m and this has enabled us to tackle the critical issue of access to finance.

TVB LEP will work hard locally, nationally and internationally to keep the businesses we have and attract more here. To ensure we have a ‘work-ready’ skilled labour force. That we have world-class support initiatives for local businesses, a world class inward investment package and much more. We will maximise the

Summary Description

A highly skilled workforce

Thames Valley Berkshire has a highly skilled workforce with employees attracted to good employment opportunities and a high quality of life.

Advanced sector development

Our knowledge economy is built around the ICT, Business and Financial services, Energy sectors, Defence and a strong emerging Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences sector.

Proximity to Heathrow AirportVital in attracting knowledge intensive investment from around the world – often to gain entry to the European market.

Access to and from London and the rest of the country

Ease of travel to and from London allows market opportunities and access to peers and global brands. Also well connected to the rest of the country.

The LEP brings together key players representing education, employment and skills, SME and corporate enterprises, local authorities and the community sector – all working together to make things happen.

partnership between business and local authorities to help deliver the infrastructure (business, transport, housing, digital and social) needed to support both our economy and the standard of living we expect in the area. Our LEP also needs a generously spirited community sector to look after its own and support those in need to enrich life for everyone in Thames Valley Berkshire.

The power behind our LEP is the ‘collaborative momentum’ of those who get involved to make a difference and drive our economy to new levels. This momentum is focussed on four broad strategic priorities:

These can be translated into practical actions that will underpin our strengths and keep us ‘best in class’:

Ensuring we have transport infrastructure fit »for 21st century. We have focused particularly on rail infrastructure to ensure an efficient alternative to road usage. We have already benefited from government backing for our Western Rail Access to Heathrow project, lobbied for electrification of the Mainline Railway, and will see the construction of Crossrail. We have responded to the government’s aviation policy consultation

Driving better information technology »infrastructure through the Superfast Broadband intiative, to bring rural or outlying areas up to the same level of connectivity that most of us enjoy and then pushing for ultrafast broadband and better mobile networks across all of Thames Valley Berkshire

Building a world class workforce and making »sure the next generation of residents is equipped for the future world of work. We have focused on employability soft skills and apprenticeships, and are looking to bring about Digital Learning Centres to upgrade everyone’s skills in new technologies

For SMEs we are working on access to »finance, finding the gaps in provision and working with banks to improve business confidence and promote export

We need to work hard to retain our business »base and this will in turn ensure that we have an effective inward investment offer to grow and attract new businesses.


Well-being for all who live and work within Berkshire

Access to 21st Century infrastructure

Improving employability and closing skills gaps

A hothouse of creativity and innovation – creating next generation businesses

The power behind our LEP is the ‘collaborative momentum’ of those who get involved to make a difference and drive our economy to new levels.

Thames Valley Berkshire is a great place to live with vast swathes of Areas of Natural Beauty, the River Thames, the Queen’s favourite home and top flight sports to watch and play. That’s why 73% (324,000) of people who work in Berkshire also live here. And that’s why the well-being of our residents and workforce is at the heart of all we do as this ultimately makes for a prosperous and attractive place in which to thrive.

The voluntary sector or community sector (aka third sector or “not-for-profit” sector) is the sphere of social activity undertaken by organisations that are not for profit and non-governmental. It is the glue that holds communities together and is an integral part of the LEP, and a lead player in the quest for well-being. It harnesses the might of 185,000 volunteers and (based on the minimum wage) this is worth £600m to our sub regional economy.


Our role can be summarised as:

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES | 11

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

1. WELL-BEING FOR ALL WHO LIvE AND WORK WITHIN BERKSHIRE

73% of population live and work in TVB; average earnings £39,000

STIMULATE THROUGH

LEADERSHIP

THE LEP ROLE

DEVELOP STRUCTURED PROGRAMME

MANAGEMENT

MOBILISE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

FORM COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS

COMMUNICATE BERKSHIRE

SUCCESS

MONITOR AND EVALUATE SUCCESS

HEALTH OF RESIDENTS AND

WORKERS WELL-BEING FOR ALL WHO

LIvE AND WORK WITHIN

BERKSHIRE

A VIBRANT VCS SECTOR

AONB AND RURAL AGENDA

COMMUNITY COHESION

HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE

Our ambition is to identify and remove barriers to economic growth; to ‘make the boat go faster’.


What is the strategy?

To identify a “shopping list” of strategic »infrastructure investments required to sustain the economy, under four broad headings:

Housing and Regeneration

Transport

Telecommunications

Utilities

What are the objectives?

To secure investment for Thames Valley »Berkshire strategic infrastructure from public or private sources that will remove barriers to growth in the four areas listed above

To encourage businesses and communities »to take up faster, reliable communications to improve the quality of life and to enhance business success

To lead the procurement of the »communications infrastructure needs of Thames Valley Berkshire

To make this available to large and small »businesses, in order to promote innovation and new ways of working

To work with mobile operators on the »provision of 4G across Berkshire

SUPERFAST BROADBAND

EFFICIENT TRAVEL AND

TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

ENERGY AND WATER SUPPLIES

SECURE


With a growing number of non-profit organizations focused on social services, environment, education and other unmet needs throughout society, the third sector is increasingly central to the health and well-being of our community. In Thames Valley Berkshire the sector’s objectives are: collaboration and effectiveness; retaining a greater proportion of local generated resources; and more effective collaboration with the private sector.

With such a large rural environment, there are specific issues that we need to consider in securing the well-being of those that live and work in such areas. For the vast majority the use of a car is crucial to business and this reinforces the strategic priority of infrastructure in its widest sense, i.e. good road and transport systems complemented by superfast access through a wired connection to the internet. There also needs to be first-class mobile phone coverage and mobile internet provision. The importance of infrastructure also includes utilities such as affordable energy.

This is why Thames Valley Berkshire LEP Ltd provides the chairman of the Climate Berkshire Partnership and is leading on a renewed strategic infrastructure plan for the sub region. This will inform our full Stragic Plan (per the Autumn Statement) in time.

2. ACCESS TO 21ST CENTURy INFRASTRUCTURE

GVA and jobs growth predicted to rise faster than South East average (4,200 + jobs already identified)

ACCESS TO 21ST CENTURy

INFRASTRUCTURE

In Thames Valley Berkshire the non-profit sector’s objectives are: collaboration and effectiveness; retaining a greater proportion of local generated resources; and more effective collaboration with the private sector.

14 | THAMES VALLEY BERKSHIRE LEP STRATEGIC PRIORITIES | 15

What has been achieved so far?

The renewed strategic infrastructure plan »is now well advanced and includes a specific piece of research on utilities. It has been funded in part by the local authorities (LAs) and will be developed further in the first half of 2013

The Superfast Broadband procurement plan »has been accepted by BDUK and a Programme Board has been established with strict project timelines

A working group has been encouraging parish »level involvement

Registration is strong in West Berkshire »and increasing across the rest of Thames Valley Berkshire

What are the intended outcomes?

New houses built »

Town centres regenerated »

Railways improved »

Roads and road junctions improved »

Public transport enhanced »

Utilities investments secured »

Schools and Colleges built for all of our young »people

To deliver superfast broadband (24mb/sec or »faster) to at least 90% of premises across the county and standard broadband (2MBit/sec or faster) to the remaining 10% of premises

Mobile connectivity is improved across »Berkshire, especially in rural areas

With such a large rural environment, the use of a car is crucial to business and this reinforces the strategic priority of infrastructure in its widest sense, i.e. good road and transport systems complemented by superfast access through a wired connection to the internet.


IMPROvING EMPLOyABILITy

AND CLOSING GAPS

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT –

EMPLOYABILITY

MATCHING SKILLS PROVISION

TO MARKET NEEDS


Education and Skills »

Developed a Blueprint for Education and Training in Berkshire, which sets out the priorities for ensuring that young people are better equipped for the world of work when they leave full time education and training

To develop this blueprint consultations took place with:

Local employers through a survey, which focused on the work readiness of young people

Young people in Berkshire from schools/FE and work based learning providers – 1700 responded

Educationalists – Head Teachers, FE Principals and Training Providers

Blueprint project groups have been established to pilot activities, which have been developed by local partners to meet local needs but particularly focus on how we ensure that all young people in Berkshire leave full time education and training ‘work ready’

Apprenticeships »

Pan Berkshire Campaign developed in collaboration with partners, which targeted three groups:

Teachers – event was held to raise awareness of apprenticeships to teachers

New Business – seminars to promote apprenticeships

Parents/Young People events – a series of events held in each local authority area to target parents and young people

Apprenticeship Data Packs are being overlaid with local economic data in collaboration with NAS and SFA. These will inform a local strategy on apprenticeships and will also enable us to identify where pan-Berkshire activity is appropriate.


To develop a skills strategy to ensure »provision meets local need

To ensure that young people are better »equipped for the world of work when they leave full time education and training by having access to high quality IAG and strong work experience placements supported by a Business Ambassador programme

To enable the transformation of careers »guidance and work experience in schools by developing LMI resources that will inform teachers and careers advisors about the local economy

To ensure that apprenticeship provision »meets the need of the local economy

What is our strategy?

To improve knowledge and access to labour »market information so there is a clear understanding of how provision can meet the needs of the local economy

To connect education and skills with »businesses and the local economy to ensure that local employers have the skills and talent they require; now and in the future

To increase the number of organisations »recruiting apprentices

To provide a seamless local labour policy »that reduces confusion


Create a central source of information, »research and data on skills, employment and education

Identify priorities of local employers and »market solutions

Supply information, advice and guidance »services with high quality local market intelligence in an accessible format to better align individual aspirations with local opportunities

Ensure that apprenticeships meet the »needs of the Berkshire economy influencing provision where necessary and encourage employer engagement in key sectors

Ensure young people receive high quality »Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) on all career pathways

Improve direct and interactive engagement »with employers and business intermediaries through an Employer Forum focused on the business benefits of involvement with the local employment, education and skills agenda


Labour Market Information »

Sector Analysis report has been produced, which provides clear information on the Berkshire labour market and identifies where there are gaps in provision. This has been disseminated to FE Colleges, schools and Connexions

3. IMPROvING EMPLOyABILITy AND CLOSING SKILLS GAPS

37% of working population has degree level education, 19% A level or equivalent

18 | THAMES VALLEY BERKSHIRE LEP SECTION TITLE | 19

What is the strategy?

To maintain and improve on our excellent »track record of attracting Foreign Direct Investment, whilst ensuring the large international companies already established here, remain here

To enrich the opportunities for SMEs to grow »and develop in Berkshire


To ensure all resources are directed toward »making Thames Valley Berkshire the best place to do business

To provide additional funding streams for high »growth SMEs, breaking through the barriers that the current funding system presents

To ensure that an excellent communications »infrastructure is available to large and small businesses, to promote innovation and new ways of working

To encourage public sector providers to »increase the opportunities for local SMEs to procure locally and thereby increase GVA

CATALYSE INNOVATION

EXCHANGE AND NETWORKING

ENSURE BUSINESS

SUPPORT IS VISIBLE

ADDRESS BARRIERS TO

GROWTH

ENABLING THE GROWTH OF EMERGING

TECHNOLOGIES AND SECTORS

WITHIN BERKSHIRE

DYNAMIC SPACES FOR SOCIAL

INTERACTION, BUSINESS HUBS,

IDEAS SPACE, TEC HUBS

4. A HOTHOUSE OF CREATIvITy AND INNOvATION – CREATING NExT GENERATION BUSINESSES

Thames Valley Berkshire provides 15% of the UK’s Economic Output but faces ever-increasing competition from BRIC economies

A HOTHOUSE OF CREATIvITy AND

INNOvATION



MOUs with TVCC and UKTI have been signed. »Relationships and discussions with TVCC, LAs, UKTI have resulted in understanding the issues and problems to solve

Over two thirds of our allocated Growing »Places Fund has been committed; nearly £7.5m to supporting SMEs

Superfast Broadband Programme fully »engaged with complex, integrated project plans for completion in 2015

Bankers’ Forum created and operating »alongside professionals community

What more do we need to do?

Form a Corporates Forum to ensure future »plans of Corporates are visible

Form a strong connection to the professional »services community to raise awareness and provide pipeline of right businesses to invest in

Work on the issues of mobile connectivity »and 4G provision

Look at the issues of credit, performance »and export bonds


Increase the level of FDI successes »to increase GVA and job creation

To maintain strong corporate base here »to ensure GVA and jobs safeguarded

To fund some high growth companies »to increase GVA and job creation

To be an early adopter with high take »up of fast communications infrastructure to maintain competitive edge

To increase the number of SMEs and value »of contracts for SMEs with public sector bodies for Berkshire businesses to increase GVA and job creation

WHO WE ARE

Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership Ltd comprises a Forum (Board) and an Executive. The make-up of the Forum is shown here diagrammatically:

The Executive of the LEP comprises nine directors appointed by the Forum and two co-opted directors – all volunteers with full time senior roles, as shown here:

We are also beginning to build our staff resources base and in October 2012 a new, permanent Business Director started in post. He will be joined in January 2013 by a new part-time Communications Manager and an Executive Administrator in April. With these key resources in place, we can build a strong team in a dedicated office to deliver our agenda and meet the challenges alluded to in the 2012 Autumn Statement.

PRIVATE SECTOR MEMBERS x 6

ADVISORS x 3

BUSINESS UMBRELLA BODIES I.E. CHAMBER, FSB,

IOD AND CBI x 4

COMMUNITY SECTOR x 2

PUBLIC SECTOR MEMBERS x 6

EDUCATION SECTOR x 2


FORUM


CORPORATE x 4

BERKSHIRE LEADERS x 1

COMMUNITY x 1

SME x 1

BERKSHIRE CHIEF

EXECUTIVES x 1

CO-OPTED x 2EDUCATION x 1

ExECUTIvE


HOW WE OPERATE

SME ACTION GROUP

ACCESS TO FINANCE

WORKING GROUP

BANKERS’FORUM

THAMES VALLEY CHAMBER (INWARD

INVESTMENT)

BROADBAND PROJECT BOARD

EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT

AND SKILLS GROUP

BERKSHIRE STRATEGIC

TRANSPORT FORUM

ExECUTIvE &

FORUM

The Executive and Forum activities are led by the specific ‘task’ groups shown in the diagram. This represents the core of Thames Valley Berkshire LEP Ltd.


For more information contact:

Tim Smith MBE Business Director

Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership Ltd Merlin House, Brunel Road, Theale, Berkshire RG7 4AB

Telephone: 07500 870172

www.thamesvalleyberkshire.co.uk

Documents

TVB LEP Outline Growth Strategy