13 minute read
sustainable management
Chief Executive, Jonathan Sharrock explains the role that the Coast to Capital LEP is taking to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 by working with government to agree a new deal for the local economy.
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Jonathan Sharrock
Chief Executive, Coast to Capital
Coast to Capital is a unique partnership of Local Authority, University, Further Education and high profile business leaders who come together to collaborate with diverse ideas and passion for the region. Together, our team and Board helps to promote local economic growth by influencing policy-decisions, supporting local businesses and investing in key infrastructure projects from a number of funding programmes including a £300 million Local Growth Fund portfolio.
We’re placing an even greater focus on social mobility and our new Chair, Julie Kapsalis has a really strong commitment to equality and diversity. By collaborating with key partners across the region, we are driving sustainable economic recovery to help achieve our vision to be fantastic place to live, grow and succeed.
The impact of COVID-19
The impact of COVID-19 has proven to be particularly targeted on our areas of economic strength, meaning that our economy appears to be among the worst affected in the country. Restrictions on air travel and the long-term restructuring of the aviation sector will profoundly impact our area, whilst social distancing and enforced closures have dramatically. affected the leisure, retail, hospitality and tourism sectors.
Based on official scenarios from the Office for Budget Responsibility, we are estimating
that our area’s economy could shrink by somewhere from 12% to 17%, from a total value of £58 billion prior to COVID-19
Getting Building Fund
We are working closely with government to agree a Getting Building Fund investment of £19.2 million for the Coast to Capital area.
At the heart of the programme is a proposal to create a new innovation centre in Crawley, bringing together major innovation led businesses, building on the existing strengths of Crawley based technology industries.
The establishment of a new school of nursing and allied health provision at the University of Chichester will help meet the NHS’s needs in tackling the challenges of COVID-19.
Supporting Local Businesses
Since the beginning of lockdown in March, we have provided emergency guidance across our area through meaningful coaching and advice discussions with local businesses. Our highly dedicated Growth Hub team, have triaged hundreds of enquiries, each facing unique challenges.
The support we offer is free, impartial and government backed which has put us at the forefront of diagnosing business needs and signposting to reputable sources of information. This is supported by our network of experts (Growth Champions) and links to central government and the business support community, enabling us to provide some of the best guidance in the UK. We are proud that 93% of businesses surveyed reported that they were very satisfied with the service they received.
As we look towards economic recovery, we have launched programmes and
funding opportunities to support local businesses which include our Peer Networks programme and Business Recovery Grants.
Peer Networks
Peer Networks is a national peer-to-peer networking programme for small business leaders that want to grow and develop their organisation for future success.
Delivered locally by the Coast to Capital Growth Hub, the programme creates diverse cohort groups of individuals to collaboratively work through common business issues. Through interactive action learning, this enables the discussion of challenges and provides valuable feedback to implement practical solutions to overcome them.
Business Recovery Grants
The £2.1 million grant scheme, ‘Business Recovery Grants’ has been launched to provide businesses in West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, East Surrey, Croydon, or Lewes District with funding of between £10,000 and £170,000 (for projects of £20,000 to £340,000).
The programme will provide up to 50% of an expansion project for organisations that can demonstrate a clear link to COVID-19 recovery and growth.
The Growth Hub website is regularly maintained with links to partner support and government information. Keep up to date with the latest news, information and events on Twitter @ c2cGrowthHub and subscribe to the newsletter. To speak to a Growth Advisor, complete our Request Form online at c2cbusiness.org.uk.
Helping the West Sussex economy emerge from the Coronavirus pandemic
West Sussex County Council is committed to doing all we can to sustain and grow the West Sussex economy, a role that is more important than ever as we respond to the widespread impact of COVID-19 on our businesses, jobs and residents.
Bob Lanzer
West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member Economy and Corporate Resources
Along with other public sector organisations, we have played our part in responding to the crisis, including developing a local COVID-19 outbreak plan with guidance for businesses; and the launch of Keep West Sussex Safe, which encourages the county to stay alert and follow Government guidelines to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. It’s vital that everyone follows the guidelines to give the county the best opportunity to avoid the need for any local lockdown restrictions.
But like many businesses, we are now looking ahead. So what can we, as a county council, do to support the West Sussex economy and businesses in the coming months and years? We will adopt an Economy Reset Plan by the end of the year – a framework which highlights where we consider we can best contribute, ranging from employment and skills initiatives such as providing businesses with funding for apprenticeships through our levy pot; to doing what we can to support Crawley, the wider Gatwick Diamond economy and the businesses and people affected by the impact of COVID-19 on aviation; to taking action to accelerate the adoption and application of digital technology by small and medium sized enterprises.
A partnership approach is vital – we have to work together to support the economy and look at where we can add best value. So we are working closely with key partners including the West Sussex district and borough councils, the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, business organisations such as the Sussex Chamber, and the education sector.
We already have some exciting projects providing a welcome boost to the local economy. Work has completed on a new creative and collaborative workspace in Bognor Regis railway station developed by the County Council – The Track. Town Square Spaces has been appointed to operate this hub and link with the local community to support creative and digital start-ups, freelancers and entrepreneurs with workspace, networking, meeting rooms and ultrafast fibre connection. We’re also partway through the procurement process to appoint a development partner to work alongside the County Council and successfully deliver Horsham Enterprise Park – comprising high quality mixed-use commercial and residential development on the former Novartis Pharmaceuticals site in Parsonage Road, Horsham, to bring a significant boost to Horsham and the wider area.
And together with our district and borough council partners, we have six Growth Deals underway across West Sussex. These five-year tailor-made deals identify specific priority projects and are aimed to promote local economic growth, including new homes and new jobs, and attract and bring together investment. Current examples include the Eastern Gateway project in Crawley, improving public realm and connectivity and significant development and infrastructure in Burgess Hill.
High quality digital infrastructure is essential to the county’s economic growth, and no more so than now given the challenges we face in light of COVID-19. We are investing in a number of projects to help provide this countywide. For example, our Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme is enabling rural SMEs and homes to benefit from the fastest and most reliable broadband connectivity, giving people the freedom to live and work more flexibly.
Many of our projects have received Local Growth Funding from the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, providing a welcome boost for West Sussex, and we will continue to prioritise seeking available
funding from a range of sources to support our priorities.
We continue to use our access to Government to impress upon Ministers the significant local economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, on Gatwick, the wider supply chain and horticulture and the need for Government to respond urgently.
Through hosting the countywide Experience West Sussex Partnership, we are working with our partners to support the county’s tourism and accommodation providers to put West Sussex on the map as a place to visit nationally and internationally. We welcomed Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, in August to meet with West Sussex sector figures and hear firsthand about the impact of Covid-19 on tourism and the ways government could help the industry in the coming months.
We will be progressing new activities in the coming months around skills, digital adoption, and business innovation and support. It’s clear that our county’s economy, business and skills ‘reset journey’ will be complex, multi-faceted and take time. As a council we are committed to playing our full part in addressing the challenges we face and taking opportunities to boost economic activity.
To find out more, visit www. businesswestsussex.co.uk or email business. support@westsussex.gov.uk
To find out more about Keep West Sussex Safe visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/ coronavirus
Are you looking for an effective, efficient and fast way to safely reopen after the pandemic caused by Covid-19 East Sussex based company, LED-UK Lighting ltd have introduced a new range of UV-C lights, to combat, not only Covid-19 but all known common germs, viruses and pathogens.
UV-C light, A Solution for Disinfecting Dentists Surgeries Against Covid-19
As restrictions surrounding Covid-19 are being lifted, dentists are now being allowed to resume operations. However, due to the nature of its operational procedures, special precautions must be taken to prevent cross contamination and infections due to the mist especially during fillings and extractions. Unfortunately, this means an hour’s downtime in between patients as the dentist’s operational room must be thoroughly disinfected.
UV-C light has been used to disinfect operating theatres for over 70 years. It is a common method of conducting specialised disinfection mainly in medical facilities and food processing plants.
Led-UK Lighting Ltd, in association with EcoLight LED has developed the OCTA UV-System, a robot which uses UV-C light to disinfect medical facilities such as the dentist’s operating room or surgery. The process takes under three minutes. This means that in between patients, a dentist can thoroughly disinfect his surgery in under five minutes as opposed to one hour. The OCTA UV-System is used to disinfect surfaces, the air and water. High-energy particles of UV-C rays penetrates the cell membrane of the pathogen whether it is on surfaces or in the air. As a result of the absorption of particles by DNA / RNA cell proteins, their structure is permanently damaged. This process is irreversible, which means that from that moment onward, the pathogen cannot survive or reproduce.
The process is responsible for the elimination and neutralization of 99.99% of microorganisms, including pathogenic pathogens. UV-C light is part of ultraviolet radiation with a wavelength of 200 to 280 nm (specified in PN-90 / E-01005).
Covid-19 has changed the way we live, work and socialise. Businesses need to re-think how they operate and follow the recommended guidelines for the prevention.
The use of UV-C lighting in your business will save you time, cut down on the use
of harmful chemicals, which is better for the planet, leading to a reduction in their environmental impact and helping businesses achieve their ecological and sustainability goals. But more importantly, it will reassure your customers and staff that they are entering a safe and sterile environment.
Information on the full range of UV-C systems and the one mentioned above, including copies of all the certifications and approvals is available from LED-UK Lighting Ltd, 01424 222200, www.led-uk.co.uk or
steve@led-uk.co.uk
UV-C Light Disinfection Technology
Advanced Health Care & Well-being Industry Disinfection Solution
Non-contact air and surface disinfection Confidence Speed & Precision
In Partnership with:
OCTA UV-SYSTEM Robot UV-C
LED-UK Lighting Ltd Tel: 01424 222200 Email: steve@led-uk.co.uk www.led-uk.co.uk
Industrial Specialist LED Lighting – Warehouse, Retail and Logistics Centres High and Low Bay Multi-Level Racking and Mezzanine Lighting Solutions
LED Lighting is one of the most efficient ways for a business to reduce energy consumption and operational costs, along with reducing environmental impact. Electricity bills for warehouses and industrial units are typically high due to the long operational hours and high wattage of older style lamps which have been installed. Switching to a LED Lighting system will reduce the bill by 71% in most cases, sometimes higher.
Minimum light level required
The lux level of any warehouse and industrial unit must be a minimum of 200, according to the Health and Safety Executive Lighting Booklet. If a workplace accident were to occur and your lighting is below that level, you will not be protected and risk facing prosecution.
Quick Installation System (QIS) – High to low bay and mezzanine solutions
The LED QIS is a modular solution designed for quick and intuitive installation, whilst incorporating the latest technologies from intelligent control systems, emergency
lighting through to custom elements like communication, sound, and security. All elements of the QIS are pre-manufactured and prepared prior to installation. All elements of the QIS are pre-manufactured and prepared prior to installation and come with a 7 year warranty and working life of 100,000 hours.
Key features
Multi-functional
The universal nature of the QIS really supports its application within logistic mezzanine functions, making ease of lighting aisles, corridor, and open spaces within a single, coherent system extremely effective.
Versatility
The greatest benefit of choosing our QIS is its versatility. The lighting concept can be changed at any stage and be adapted to the requirements of the building throughout its lifetime.
The QIS is dedicated to projects with high technical requirements and where time of implementation is key. The potential and ease of this system has been appreciated many times by customers and contractors by its unlimited configuration possibilities.
LED-UK Lighting Ltd offer a full turnkey solution from survey to supply, install and commissioning.
To find out more and contact LED-UK, please visit
https://www.led-uk.co.uk/contact/
Tel: 01424 222200, Email: steve@led-uk.co.uk
www.led-uk.co.uk
MEES – does your building comply?
What is it?
lntroduced by the Energy Efficiency. (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards - or MEES for short - makes it unlawful from the 1 April 2018 to grant a lease or permit a lease renewal of a property with an EPC rating of F or G. As a result of this, the landlord is required to carry out works to improve the rating to an E or above, and possibly at their own cost to let the premises.
What does it affect?
The Regulation determines that a commercial or non-domestic teased premise within the private rented sector will apply to MEES. Further to guidance provided by the Department for Business, Energy & lndustrial Strategy released in February 2017 a leased commercial Listed Building will apply under MEES subject to the necessary improvement works not impeding the fundamental characteristic of the building.
Why should I know about it?
lgnoring this Regulation will prove to be extremely costly. The penalties for breaching the legislation include fines from f5,000 or 10o/o of the rateable valuable up to a maximum of 8150,000 applicable per non- compliance. ln the event of a substantial breach, the non-compliance could be subject to an additional publication penalty. These penalties will be enforced by the Local Weights and Measures Authority for their area.
