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October– December 2018 Quarter 3

Welcome

This report brings together key business, economic and labour market intelligence to provide a regular insight into the current state of the Norfolk economy. Data is correct to 31st December 2018.

0.6% 0.75% Interest Rates

(Dec 2018)

2.2% Consumer Price

Index

(annual % change

Nov 2018)

2.7% UK House Prices

(annual % change

to Oct 2018)

National Gross

Domestic Product

(QoQ% change Jul-

Sept 2018)

Quick Links

Source: ONS, Bank of England.

Norfolk Economic

Snapshot

Infrastructure Business Skills Funding

and Swift Aircraft at Scottow Enterprise Park

which is developing a two seater trainer plane,

using extensive composites. John felt this was

especially impressive and predicted significant

overseas trade interest if the company is able

to successfully launch it. DIT agreed to adopt

key elements of Norwich’s aviation story into

the national narrative.

Annual Business Rates Consultation Event

Norfolk County Council’s Annual Business

Rates Consultation event will take place on

Wednesday, 30th January, 4 pm to 6 pm at

Norwich City Football Club.

Vattenfall Supply Chain Event

Over 40 business representatives attended a

supply chain event to meet the developer

Vattenfall; and to support small and medium-

sized enterprises (SME) to understand

contractor requirements and prepare for

forthcoming market opportunities associated

with the planned Vanguard and Boreas wind

farms.

Aviation focussed visit by DIT

The Economic Development team hosted a

visit by John Thompson, Head of Aerospace

and Aviation at the Department for

International Trade (DIT), along with aviation

specialist Dan Barlow.

The visit followed the first anniversary of the

opening of the International Aviation

Academy Norwich (IAAN) which the County

Council helped deliver. It was felt the facility

could attract inward investment, by offering

additional training capacity to major

businesses. John visited to discover what

we had to offer. We took the opportunity to

promote other aviation/aerospace assets,

visiting KLM UK Engineering, Air Livery

which under-takes the (re) painting of whole

aircraft, (including Iron Maiden’s tour plane),

Aviation Academy Interior Swift Aircraft concept

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Employment

Source: NOMIS.

Norfolk Economic Snapshot

Source: NOMIS.

The labour market in Norfolk has

overall maintained its healthy level.

Although the labour market in Norfolk

has dipped slightly when compared to

the same time last year, it has

maintained its performance above the

national average level .

At 75.2%, the County’s performance

is above national level (75%), but is

below the regional level (78.2%).

Year on year comparison shows there

has been a decrease in employment

rates in some districts.

At 4.7%, Norfolk’s unemployment

level has risen above the national

average (4.2%), and regional level

(3.6%).

The rate of claimants for Job Seekers

Allowance and national insurance

credits (1.5%) is lower than the

national level (2.3%) and the regional

level (1.6%).

NVQ4 level represents HND, degree

and higher degree level qualifications

or equivalent.

At 29.9%, Norfolk generally has a

lower proportion of its working age

population obtaining higher level

qualifications than the Eastern region

(34.7%) and Great Britain (38.6%).

This has partly contributed to Norfolk

having a lower than national level

skilled workforce and wages.

Qualifications

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Business

Business Development Team: leads and supports inward investment, business growth and

business support in Norfolk. Business team email: econdev@norfolk.gov.uk

Mirus Aircraft Seating

On the 5th October Mirus opened their facility

to their suppliers, guests and local

dignitaries. The day celebrated the

successful journey Mirus have undertaken

since their 2015 formation. Based in

Hingham, the founders Phil Hall and Ben

McGuire brought together technologies,

expertise and best practices from Formula 1,

automotive and aerospace sectors. Their

Hawk platform’s lightweight economy seat,

has now been taken by AirAsia for their

Airbus A320 fleet. In October 2018, Phil Hall

was selected by LDC as one of their “Top 50

Most Ambitious Business Leaders” for the

year. Well done Mirus!

The Things Network – Launch feedback

The Norwich Launch of TTN (featured last

quarter), attracted over 200 people. Follow

up activity includes: a Step into Tech

schools “Hack-a-Thing” (students designed

and built air quality sensors): a County

Council Highways gritting pilot project will run

this winter in Great Yarmouth: a second pilot

with the Norfolk Rivers Trust will trial water

quality sensors. The Economic Development

and IMT teams are considering a New Anglia

Capital Grant bid to enable Internet of Things

gateways to be rolled out across Norfolk and

Suffolk.

Business and IP Centre Norfolk

In October of 2017, the Business and IP

Centre Norfolk officially launched as part of

a national network of centres offering

specialist business and intellectual property

advice, events and resources. Situated in

the heart of Norwich at the Norfolk and

Norwich Millennium Library, the centre

provides a comprehensive range of online

business resources, databases and printed

media. BIPC Norfolk also offers a regular

programme of free one-to-one advice

sessions covering intellectual property,

business accounting, legal information and

general business advice, all available to

both start-ups and established businesses.

Here you can access free workshops and

inspiring talks, all designed to get your

business off the ground and thriving!

BIPC Norfolk is constantly working to

improve its service. In the new year you can

expect new additions to the ‘Spotlight’

bitesize business course programme, new

workshops, talks and networking events

and a new and improved business book

collection. For more information about

events and advice sessions, please visit:

www.bipcnorfolk.eventbrite.com

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Infrastructure

Infrastructure Development and Greater

Norwich Teams support growth and help

remove infrastructure constraints in key areas

such as transport, housing and planning.

Infrastructure team email:

infrastructure@norfolk.gov.uk

Norfolk Market Town Centre Report

Norfolk County Council produces an annual edition of the Norfolk Market Town Centre Report. This is focused on the demography and health of the high-streets in Norfolk’s market towns. Officers undertook ground surveys visiting the 21 market towns, logging the variety of shops and number of vacant units. It found the percentage of vacant units across Norfolk is 5.4%. This information provides valuable insight into the vitality of market town centres and monitors changes in unit use. You can access the Norfolk Market Town Centre Report 2018 here.

Norfolk Strategic Infrastructure Delivery

Plan

The 2018 iteration of the SIDP pulls together

information on the key infrastructure needed

to deliver economic growth in Norfolk. It is a

working document that will be reviewed on a

regular basis as information becomes

available and projects progress through to

delivery. The Plan will help NCC and partners

to co-ordinate implementation, prioritise

activity and respond to any funding

opportunities. The SIDP sets out the Norfolk

wide high level strategic infrastructure

priorities for the next 10 years. The list has

been compiled in collaboration with

stakeholders, and includes the most strategic

projects on which NCC alongside partners

are actively working to progress and which

have a recognised route towards delivery.

The Town and County Planning Association

identified the SIDP to be a case study for

best practice in future planning and

collaboration. You can read the latest version

of the SIDP here.

Norwich Western Link consultation

The Norwich Western Link is a Norfolk

County Council priority scheme. The

scheme looks to connect the Broadland

Northway, formerly known as the Northern

Distributor Road (NDR), from the A1067 to

the A47 west of Norwich. There is currently

a consultation looking at four potential

routes as shown in the image below. The

consultation launched on Monday 26

November 2018 and closes at midnight

on Friday 18 January 2019. The Norwich

Western Link consultation and background

information can be found here.

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Skills

Employment and Skills Team comprises the Apprenticeships Team, the Skills Development Partnership and the European Social Fund Facilitator teams. The focus is on raising skills

levels within Norfolk for the benefit of both the individual and the economy. Employment and Skills team email: skills@norfolk.gov.uk

Apprenticeships Celebration

Apprenticeships Norfolk are running the

first “Norfolk Apprentice of the Year”

competition to showcase apprentices

working in Norfolk and what an

excellent contribution they make to

businesses across the county.

This event is all about identifying and

showcasing the tremendous breadth

and depth of emerging talent

Apprentices have to offer within Norfolk.

For more information, please email

apprenticeships@norfolk.gov.uk

Finals will be held at UEA during

Apprenticeships week in March 2019.

Skills Deals

Apprenticeships Norfolk: ATA —TrAC AN is a

project that supports 16-24 years olds into

work trials/traineeships and apprenticeships,

with the aim of work progression. TrAC has

continued to develop relationships with local

training providers, businesses, schools and

referral points.

This last quarter saw: a new Apprenticeship

Development Manager starting at TrAC; an

event held for current and aspirant host

companies to cover support with aspects of

employing young people and their mental

wellbeing; working with ACE at Open Days to

identify the best paths for vulnerable young

people in Norfolk. Progress at end of

September: a total of 18 individuals have

been on Work Experience and there have

been six Apprenticeship Starts.

Norfolk Success at Regional Apprenticeship Awards

Three members of the Apprenticeships Norfolk Network received awards

at the regional apprenticeship awards organised by the National

Apprenticeships Service that took place in September 2018.

The award for Macro Employer of the Year went to Norfolk and Norwich

University Hospital NHS Trust with Bespak Europe Limited picking up the

award for Large Employer of the year. The hospital also won the award for Recruitment

Excellence which is given to recognise an organisation's commitment to diversity in the

workplace. Plandescil Limited, an employer working with City College Norwich who are also

members of the network were also highly commended in the small employer of the year

category.

The good news for Norfolk did not end there with Aleksandra Burzec, an apprentice from home

group in Norfolk winning the rising star of the year award, Joshua Wrath from Victory Housing

and Sonny Meijer from ford and Slater King’s Lynn both highly commended.

As a result of her win, Aleksandra went on to compete at the National Awards held in London on

the 28 November where she was highly commended.

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Funding

Economic Programmes Team provides support to the Council and other partners to access external funding, with the aim of increasing funds spent in Norfolk. Economic Programmes Team email: funding@norfolk.gov.uk

StartEast: Building the Cultural Economy

StartEast is a business support programme for

cultural SMEs, funded by Arts Council England

and the European Regional Development Fund.

It is managed by Norfolk County Council in

partnership with Suffolk County Council on

behalf of the New Anglia Cultural Board and

delivered by a dedicated team at the New

Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich.

StartEast is currently supporting 348 SMEs

across Norfolk and Suffolk. Since the launch in

May 2017 the project has delivered 3,500 hours

of expert business advice, awarded over £250k

in grants for business growth, and supported 13

businesses to attend international festivals and

trade fairs to reach new markets.

Laboratory Media Education received StartEast

support to attend Music Tech Fest in Sweden:

“We have joined support networks that were

previously unknown to us, attracted the interest

of a major international technology developer,

and gained new knowledge, skills and

technology that we will use in our work in the

region.”

StartEast will run until 30 September 2019.

Contact: starteast@norfolk.gov.uk

Conference aims to help develop a local

environment plan for Norfolk and Suffolk

On 12 December, stakeholders from

Norfolk’s environment, farming and tourism

sectors met to explore the challenges and

opportunities presented by the Government’s

25-year Environment Plan at a conference in

Norwich.

Hosted by the Norfolk Rural Strategy

Steering Group and supported by Norfolk

County Council, Norfolk: A World Class

Environment aimed to establish a new

partnership to co-ordinate the development

of a local environment plan, which will be a

vital tool in prioritising initiatives and securing

funding in the future.

Cllr Andrew Proctor, Leader of Norfolk

County Council, delivered a welcome speech

alongside Clarke Willis, Chair of the Norfolk

Rural Strategy Steering Group. Cllr Proctor

said: “According to the recently published

Agriculture Bill, environmental outcomes will

be central to future funding of agriculture.

This conference is bringing together a range

of partners with a stake in our rural economy

to look at ways we can measure and deliver

those outcomes in Norfolk and Suffolk.”