Gavin Stewart
BHEP Coordinates Business Covid-19 Response

The Brighton & Hove Economic Partnership is working with businesses to feed their concerns about the current situation back to Local and National Government

BHEP Coordinates Business Covid-19 Response

Coast to Capital £5.5m ERDF Innovation Call Launch - Monday 8th October - Horsham

Coast to Capital invite you to the launch of our £5.5m European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Priority Axis 1: Innovation Call.

Please register yourself here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coast-to-capital-october-2018-erdf-innovation-call-launch-tickets-49839902490

This two hour event is primarily an information session, but will also offer prospective applicants the opportunity to meet prospective project partners/match funders in the 30 minutes set aside for networking.

An agenda for the day will be circulated to all confirmed delegates closer to the event date.

Further information on the Call is available here

 

WorldLabs Elevating Ideas Competition for Start-ups - Deadline Approaching

 

The WorldLabs Elevating Ideas Competition provides funding to start-ups and innovative ideas across all fields, with the aim of elevating the next generation of entrepreneurs. The competition is aimed at a global audience and is appealing to anyone who can showcase their initiative and prove it is promising and sustainable.

The award of £50,000 is designed to give early-stage entrepreneurial ventures help with starting up their operations. There are additional benefits in the competition for all participants, including:

  • Publicity: The project will get a publicity boost on WorldLabs and across all other media channels.
  • Collaboration: Finding the necessary connections and establishing meaningful collaborations. Entrants will get their idea noticed and be part of a network of team-members, co-founders and investors.
  • Advancement: Establishing an idea on Worldlabs will help the venture grow beyond the duration of this competition. The same project will keep exposing the applicant to a network of collaborators, partners, advisors and investors.

To celebrate the end of the competition, WorldLabs is hosting an event in London. It will welcome 600+ entrepreneurs and investors, and over 50+ start-ups exhibiting. The top 10 teams shortlisted from the competition will be invited to pitch in front of a live audience and judges. The winner will be announced on the same day. The event will give entrepreneurs exposure to investment opportunities, mentors collaborators and industry influencers to help elevate their project to the next level.

Applications are accepted from entrepreneurs and start-ups worldwide, regardless of the type of idea and the professional/educational background of the applicant.

The deadline for applications to be received is 22 October 2018.

Click to view further information about this news alert

‘Look at me now’ at Brighton Summit

Andy Winter, CEO at Brighton Housing Trust, will be leading one of our afternoon speaker sessions at Brighton Summit on 12 October. 

Andy’s talk is called Look at me now

Belinda started using heroin when she was 13.  At the age of 48, after recovery and eight years’ abstinence, she got her first ever job. The day she got her first wage packet was one of the best of her life.

It’s easy to easy to dismiss people with alcohol and drug problems, without considering their causes and the possibility of complete recovery. Would you ever consider employing someone in recovery from addiction or mental health problems?

In this session you will hear first-hand about the extraordinary achievements of four impressive women who have overcome adversities that most of us cannot imagine. You will hear about the work of Brighton Housing Trust, how it combats homelessness, creates opportunities and promotes change in preparing people for work. Andy Winter will be joined by Sonia, a recovering addict now in employment. Together they will challenge common perceptions and show just what can be achieved.

Who’s the Brighton Summit for?

Brighton Summit is for anyone in and around Brighton who wants to evolve and grow their business. It’s relevant for all kinds of enterprise: from SMEs to start-ups; from multinationals to social enterprises and charities. Whether you’re a business owner, a CEO, or a manager. And whether you’re an entrepreneur or an employee.

What will I get from the Brighton Summit?

Fresh perspective. Approaches and ways of working that are genuinely new to you. Skills and techniques that will help your organisation thrive. The tools and confidence to do things differently. Permission to take risks – sensible risks. Low-impact, high-return networking with liked-minded business people. And the most productive and beneficial day out of the office all year.

The Summit is a conference that brings together our city’s diverse business community for a day of inspiring talks, practical workshops and new experiences.

Tickets and more information:

https://brightonsummit.com/
Friday 12 October - 8:30 am-6:00 pm
The Clarendon Centre, 47 New England Street, Brighton, BN1 4GQ

Govia Thameslink Railway appoints Steve White as Chief Operating Officer

GTR has appointed Steve White as Chief Operating Officer, from London Underground.

Steve, has worked at Silverlink Trains, Eurostar and Siemens PLC in executive roles and joined London Underground as Operations Director.

At LU he was responsible for operations and infrastructure during a period of major change on the ‘subsurface’ railway.

He has most recently has been implementing the new signalling system on the Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith and City and District Lines, and is a chartered engineer.

GTR CEO Patrick Verwer said: “I am delighted to welcome Steve to GTR and look forward to working with him. In Steve we are appointing a senior transport professional with the skills and management experience to lead GTR through the next stage of our modernisation programme, to increase capacity on the most congested part of the UK rail network.”

Steve succeeds Nick Brown, who in March announced his retirement at the end of September after almost four decades in the rail industry.

Patrick added: “I would like to thank Nick very much for the hard work, dedication and leadership that he has brought to GTR during a very challenging period. He has made a major contribution to the business, from strengthening the team to collaborative working with a wide range of stakeholders. I wish him all the very best for the future.”

 

Greater Brighton leaders welcome 'unique opportunity' to transform key port town

“A unique opportunity to create jobs and regenerate a whole town” - that’s the view of Greater Brighton leaders after meeting the people tasked with transforming Newhaven into a great place to live and work.

Home to one of just 44 Enterprise Zones in England, the port town is undergoing a period of rapid change which will see thousands of jobs created and millions invested into the local economy.

A year on from the Newhaven Enterprise Zone (NEZ) going live, Councillor Garry Wall, chairman of Greater Brighton, and Councillor Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes District Council, were given an update on the progress by its programme director Corinne Day.

During a tour of the town, businesses and residents spoke about the impact of the investment so far, which has seen the creation of new business, jobs and workspaces.

Cllr Wall, who is also Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, said: “My everlasting impression from my visit is that there's massive potential in Newhaven. This means there’s a considerable opportunity for businesses to invest in Newhaven; to get government agencies, such as Coast to Capital and Greater Brighton to help bring those investments forward; and for Newhaven to take its rightful place as a major contributor the regional economy.

“Greater Brighton needs to continue to grow, it needs to look at where it can make those growth points and Newhaven is clearly one of them. The opportunity here is unique - one that will create jobs and regenerate a whole town. It’s therefore vital that we do what we can to get the development right for residents and businesses.”

The NEZ was established as a three-way agreement between the Coast to Capital Local Enterprise Partnership, Lewes District Council and Government, with the support of Greater Brighton.

Covering eight sites and 79 hectares in the town, the NEZ acts as a catalyst to deliver new economic development opportunities. The aim is that within 25 years it will create 55,000 square metres of new commercial floor space for employment to sustain around 2,000 jobs.

During the visit, the two council leaders saw progress on some of the £30 million that has already been invested in the area - with critical flood defences created, new business units built and key regeneration sites unlocked.

The tour also took in the site of a new £23 million port access road, which received £10 million of government funding last month. This will provide direct access to the East Quay area of Newhaven Port unlocking 80,000 square metres of business space, generating up to 1,500 jobs and taking HGV traffic away from unsuitable roads in the town.

Another area visited was the town centre, which will be the focus of a £38 million mixed-use scheme to create hundreds of jobs in the construction, retail and hotel sectors, while generating an extra £100 million of inward investment into the local economy.

Cllr Andy Smith, Leader of Lewes District Council, said: “What we’ve seen is that the Newhaven Enterprise Zone isn't just the public sector working together; this is about the private sector coming in and working with us. By far the most amount of money coming into the town is coming from the private pocket.

“We want to deliver 2,000 jobs but we also want to deliver improvements to people's lives. This will become a great income generator for the area and a great wealth generator for its local people."

The Greater Brighton delegation also heard that a key part of Enterprise Zones is business rates discounts worth up to £275,000 over five years while pre-planning fees on employment led schemes are also waived.

One of those taking advantage is ValetPRO, who provide vehicle cleaning products across Europe. The company relocated to Newhaven this year from Uckfield, doubling the size of its warehouse to 12,000 square metres.

Milton Watts, ValetPRO’s operating manager, said: “The business rate relief was a significant reason for moving here as it allowed us to use that money to invest in other parts of the business, such as warehouse facilities.”

Sara Williams, of local business The Patchwork Cat, which is a cafe and fabric shop, said: “Newhaven has got huge potential. I think by bringing new businesses to the town and people having faith in the town it will be back to where it was - a good thriving town.”

Corinne Day, NEZ programme director, said: “It was great to welcome two board members from Greater Brighton to see the ongoing work in the Enterprise Zone.

“We want to tidy this place up - not just beautify, but give it a real sense of place so when people come here they want to stay. We want Newhaven to be somewhere that’s known for what it's about.”

Greater Brighton leaders: Why the myths of the Sunny South could hold us back

Greater Brighton leaders: Why the myths of the Sunny South could hold us back

‘Forget about the myth of the Sunny South’ - that was the message from Greater Brighton today as it calls for decision makers to ditch the notion that everything is rosy on the coast.

With government and big business shifting investment focus to the north, Councillor Garry Wall, the chairman of Greater Brighton, argues that overlooking regions south of the capital risks “choking off the contribution our economies make to UK plc”.

In an article for the respected Municipal Journal magazine, Cllr Wall made clear that the City Region, which contains nearly one million people from the south coast to Gatwick, is a vibrant place to do business with an economy worth more than £21 billion a year.

But he said that key issues, such as a lack of investment in transport infrastructure and a major skills shortage, are holding the region back, hampering growth and costing the treasury billions of pounds a year in revenue.

Cllr Wall argues that it is only by decision makers looking beyond the preconceived notion that everything is rosy on the coast that a true national economy can be created.

Cllr Wall, who is also leader of Mid Sussex District Council, said: “We have a simple request for investment bodies, big businesses, decision-makers of all kinds and, yes, government. That is to forget the preconceived notions about Greater Brighton, that here in the sunny South we are all comfortably well-off or retired to our seaside cottages.

“I’m asking that you don’t simply lump us in with London, that a Greater Brighton population of nearly a million people deserve better than that.”

The article references Channel 4’s recent decision to overlook the city of Brighton & Hove for a new creative hub.

While understanding the reasons for the broadcaster’s decision, Cllr Wall said he was concerned about the feedback that Brighton was too close to London and a new hub would fail to have an impact in providing new opportunities for a local workforce.

Cllr Wall said: “For me, as chairman of the Greater Brighton region - an area covering nearly one million residents from the south coast to Gatwick - what concerned us was that this revealed an unfortunate unawareness of the needs of our young people, the skills gaps we clearly have, the pockets of deprivation that exist, the employment opportunities we need to create for people born and brought up here to be able to stay. 

“That we are simply lumped together with London was always a suspicion. But I hadn’t ever seen it laid out so barely before.”

He adds: “Are we to be punished for living underneath London, for failing to get the investment in road and rail that we need because of a vague notion that we are doing alright anyway? I hope not.”

Despite the difficulties mentioned above, Cllr Wall said that Greater Brighton, which is made up local authorities, businesses and academia, would continue to make significant headway in drawing in funding to address key issues.

He pointed to the securing of £160 million of Local Enterprise Partnership investment in flood defences, house building, town centre modernisation, job creation and road improvements. 

Cllr Wall also referenced the opening of an Advanced Engineering Centre and a Construction Trades Centre last year which will help create a skilled workforce of the future.

He added that Gatwick Airport and Crawley Borough Council joining the Greater Brighton Economic Board showed that the benefits of working together as a coherent regional force were being recognised.

Cllr Wall said: “As chairman I am determined that Greater Brighton will start punching its own weight, pushing its case in a way we have admired from some leaders in the north.

“To be seen as the southern outpost of London is to do to the area a massive disservice. My job this year, working with the Board, is to remind government and business that we do have challenges and also have much to offer to help create wealth for the UK.”

 

Better Brighton & Hove Launch Architectural Competition

A heaven sent opportunity?

You have a magnificent big church building.  It’s listed as being of architectural and historic interest and value.  But because of its size and age the small dedicated church congregation (and their Diocese) are faced with an increasing maintenance bill which they cannot afford. Neither can they make provision for its future.

That’s the issue facing many churches in the city and in the country, but one the congregation of St Martin’s in Lewes Road, Brighton want to address. 

St Martin’s is an enormous church built by the Rev. Henry Wagner in the 1860s to give the local artisans and workers – the poorer families - a beautiful place of worship, and with its stunning architectural features a glimpse of the life to come.

It’s a tricky problem, but the Diocese of Chichester and the Parish are exploring a radical new idea to see if they can find the solution.  Supported by a local charity keen to develop new ideas for the city – A Better Brighton & Hove – they are holding an architectural competition with a difference.  They are not just looking for innovative design ideas on this magnificent Grade ll listed building, they are seeking team entries which can prove their proposals are viable by bringing to the table end users and/or developers and investors.

They have instructed Colander, architectural competition specialists, to carry out the competition which went live this week.  The net for entrants is being spread far and wide – locally, nationally and internationally, to find the best designers and the best uses for the church and hall complex, whilst maintaining some worship space on the site.

Peter Field the Lord-Lieutenant of East Sussex has agreed to chair the judging panel.  For many years he chaired the Regeneration Partnership for the city and he sees this as a possible way forward to deal with some of the city’s heritage building problems.  He said:

“St Martin’s is big in both floor space and volume, and I see no reason why additional space cannot be created to result in a very large area that can be put to a variety of uses - be they commercial, cultural or community.  Care will be needed to reflect and incorporate the magnificent internal features, but we could end up with a very exciting project.

If we find viable ways to restore this magnificent building then we may have a great blueprint for others to use in the future.

The competition is open to architects, designers, developers, investors and occupiers and full details can be found by visiting the Colander website.  Registration of interest closes in September.

https://www.colander.co.uk/architectural-competitions

Valley Gardens redevelopment lands lead contractor

The Valley Gardens  Project has announced Dyer & Butler Ltd. as the successful contractors who will lead on the majority of the Valley Gardens construction works and communications. For more information, please see link to the recent press release published earlier this month:  https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/press-release/contract-awarded-valley-gardens-project

Pre-contract discussions between Brighton & Hove City Council and Dyer & Butler Ltd. have taken place and a start date has been identified and agreed for 3rd  September 2018. From this date contractors will be on-site starting work on the greenspace behind  St Peters Church. Initial work activities include setting up site compounds,  site preparation, investigation  and clearance works. It is expected that highway work should commence mid-September on the north-east area of the scheme. 

A full detailed programme is being developed and will be shared prior to works commencing on the highway. Dyer & Butler Ltd  have appointed a  Valley Gardens Communications Officer who will be responsible for ensuring you will be kept up to date as the construction work progress.

Up to date information relating to Valley Gardens can also be found on the BHCC website: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/parking-and-travel/travel-transport-and-road-safety/a-vision-valley-gardens

Three stellar keynotes announced for Brighton Summit in October

Three stellar keynotes announced for Brighton Summit in October

Brighton Summit – Look Up is on 12 October, 8.30am-6pm at The Clarendon Centre.

Brighton Summit is for anyone who wants to evolve and grow their business. It’s relevant for all kinds of enterprise: from growing businesses to start-ups; from multinationals to social enterprises and charities. Whether you’re a business owner, a CEO, or a manager. And whether you’re an entrepreneur or an employee.

This year’s exciting speakers include:

Claire Mason Founder and CEO of award-winning strategic ideas company, Man Bites Dog, and pioneer of gender #SayGap movement. 

Misha Glenny British journalist, author of the hit BBC TV series, McMafia, and expert in global organised crime and cybersecurity. Misha’s talk is ‘How the hell did we get here? And how do we get out!’

Katherine Courtney Former CEO of UK Space Agency. Katherine talk ‘Bitten by the Space Bug’ explores what she calls New Space.

Our speakers also include Stephen Boobyer CEO at circular economy and tech business World of Books.

And there are expert workshops with Insight Agents and more…

For tickets and to find out more head to http://brightonsummit.com/

 

Additional funding for the Catapult Centres of £780m just announced

HM Treasury has announced an additional £780m funding for the Catapult Centres which have already helped over 3,000 companies develop and exploit new technologies.  Now is a great time to find out what the Catapult Centres can do for your business.

Discover what the additional £780m Catapult Centre funding could mean to you

 If you’re a business, you can use the Innovate UK Catapult Centres to access technical facilities and expertise. You can get support to help you adopt, develop and exploit your innovation. Any UK business can use Catapult facilities and you can start by finding out what the Catapult Centres do here.

Start by finding the right Catapult Centre for your business:

Business AND people support from the Catapult Centres

 "Catapults are also training hundreds of apprentices and doctoral students, such as at the High Value Manufacturing Catapult where in the last year 900 apprentices have gained invaluable practical experience with cutting-edge technologies used in modern manufacturing.”

- Dr Ian Campbell, Executive Chair of Innovate UK

“Catapult centres bring together the best ideas from the UK’s research base and the market know-how of business……Supporting their long-term growth will help more businesses to innovate successfully, delivering cutting-edge products and services to customers.”
- Felicity Burch, CBI Innovation Director

 Ongoing support for the Catapults makes them even more attractive to business

 This announcement builds on an allocation, confirmed by the Prime Minister last month, that the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult in Blyth and the Centre for Process Innovation in Redcar, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, will benefit from additional £180 million to support hundreds more businesses to develop products and services, bringing total investment in the catapult network to nearly £1 billion.

 Find out what the Catapult Centres can do for your business

 Take a look at what the Catapult Centres do here.

www.innovateuk.ukri.org

Network Rail Re-Think Week Long Brighton Line Closure in October 2018

After extensive consultation with passengers Network Rail have now removed a week of the most disruptive elements of their planned work in October 2018.  Previously no trains would have been able to use the Brighton line during one week of the October half term.

The work will now be carried out using just one nine-day closure from 16–24 February 2019, with supporting weekend closures from September 2018 to May 2019 remaining as planned.   In a statement Network Rail said, "The weekday closures have been carefully planned for the February school half-term (16-24 February), when passenger numbers are lower and some people may be able to be more flexible with their travel plans or take holiday."
 
The planned dates are:


 


The programme of works will involve:
 
• Stemming leaks into the tunnels and improving drainage
• Upgrading or replacing the third rail power system and signalling
• Replacing track and sets of points, which enable trains to switch between tracks
• Replacing fencing and improving security to deter trespassers.
 
It will improve reliability on the Brighton Main Line significantly, reducing delays for passengers travelling between London and the south coast.
 
 

Applications closing soon for Brighton’s fully funded Entrepreneur Accelerator

With a huge percentage of the Brighton economy being made up of small businesses, this thriving city has built up a solid support network for entrepreneurs, much of it fully funded.

Whether you’re at idea stage or you already have a fully fledged business looking to go worldwide, the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator has the most comprehensive support around. With co-working space, coaching, a network of mentors and specialists, and a community of entrepreneurs to share your journey with – it puts you in good stead to make your business a real success.

Applications are now open for the October intake of the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator, a 6 month programme designed to support you in growing your business, whether you’re at idea stage or looking to scale up and expand globally. 

The programme comes with free desk space in our state of the art co-working hubs, dedicated 1:1 coaching, access to the banks vast network of contacts, and a great community of entrepreneurs to share your journey with. It’s fully funded… so there’s no cost to you or your business.

Don’t hang around, applications close at the end August. Apply here today.

Or contact kristina.pereckaite@natwest.com to book a visit and find out more.

City Council Extends Licencing Policy Consultation

Due to an error with the on-line Portal survey Brighton & Hove City Council has restarted the 8 week consultation of the new Licencing Policy from the 9th August to the 4th October 2018.

Any comments already submitted will still be considered.

The council, as  licensing authority, is carrying out a consultation exercise as part of a interim review of its Statement of Licensing Policy (SoLP), looking specifically at extending the Special Stress Area and reviewing the Matrix approach in relation to café bars. We will be consulting for 8 weeks from 9th August 2018. I would be grateful to receive your comments, any suggested amendments or improvements and your reasons for recommending any changes by no later than 4th October 2018.

The policy reflects national legislation and guidance and demonstrates how responsible authorities will operate at a local level.

The council would like local stakeholders, residents and members of the public as well as statutory consultees and “responsible authorities” to have their say about the proposed policy.

Special Stress Area

The Council, supported by Police Licensing, and local ward Councillor are proposing to extend the Special stress Area (SSA) ref. 3.2 of the SoLP)) to cover Central Hove, to extend from the west side of Holland Road northwards/ intersection with the North side of Lansdowne Road, going westwards along Eaton Road/Blatchington Road to the junction and then south along Sackville Road down to the seafront (see link for map of proposed extension).

The SSA is defined as an area of concern to be monitored for levels of public nuisance and anti social behaviour (ASB). Applications in the SSA are expected to have a robust operating schedule with appropriate conditions. Unlike the CIZ there is no presumption of refusal. This proposal reflects the number of licensed premises in Church Road Hove, concerns which have been raised by residents and local Councillor in relation to the area, and the evidence from Public Health framework document. The proposal would also be consistent with the current SSA that acts as a buffer to the Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ).

Question 1. Do you agree with the proposal to extend the SSA into Central Hove?

Matrix approach in relation to café bars

The second proposal is regarding the café bar category as described in 3.3.3 of the SoLP and categorised in the matrix (see link to current SoLP where the matrix is shown on page 16).

The Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy (SoLP) (paragraph 3.3.3) states:

Café Bars - the licensing authority may be prepared to look favourably upon an application for the grant of a licence, subject to the following conditions that will prevent the premises becoming a public house.

·         The sale of intoxicating liquor and other beverages shall be waiter/waitress service for consumption by persons seated at tables.

·         Substantial food shall be available at all times. 

It is suggested that the term “café bars” to define this category of premises is misleading. Officers suggest the term “café” is more appropriate as essentially we are not talking about bars but small food led cafes or delis where alcohol is not the primary activity and the venues do not open late. It is also suggested adding notes to the matrix that this category is defined as “small food led establishments”.

The Annual report shows an increase in café bars granted 2017/18 but a big decrease in pubs/clubs. There are considerably more pubs and restaurants in the City compared to café bars.  As of March 2018 there were 323 Pubs, bars & nightclubs, 297 Restaurants and 89 café bars. Please see link to Licensing Committee Report

Concern has been raised about the increase in café bars granted in the CIZ. Resident’s representations to licensing panels have highlighted issues of saturation of licensing premises in the CIZ, particularly the North Laine area, leading to an increase in public nuisance and Members have raised their concerns.

Therefore, it has been agreed to consult on whether to reduce the hours of café bars in the CIZ from the current 11.30pm to earlier in the evening.

Question 2

i)     Do you agree to the change of name from “café/bars” to “café” (notes to Matrix to be amended to “small food led establishment”)?

ii)   Do you agree with the proposal to reduced hours for café/bar category in CIZ to earlier in the evening?

If you do agree, what time do you consider would be appropriate and why?

This information can also be found on-line on the Council’s Portal https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/solp-consultation.

Please submit your response either on-line to ehl.safety@brighton-hove.gov.uk, or to the Environmental Health & Licensing team, 2nd Floor, Bartholomew House, Brighton BN1 1JE.

Privacy Notice (Consent)

The Council is the data controller for purposes of the EU General Data Protection Regulation and any UK legislation supplementary to this. The Council is registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number Z5840053.

Brighton and Hove City Council are committed to protecting your personal information. As a data controller we have a responsibility to make sure you know why and how your personal information is being collected in accordance with relevant data protection law.

Why we are processing your data

·         We are collecting your data for the purpose of informing the Brighton & Hove Licensing Authority’s Statement of Licensing Policy.

·         We have a legal basis for collecting this data and any special category data under Explicit Consent and you will be required to provided consent below.

·         Personal data from individuals responding as residents or visitors will not be shared with any other third party without you being informed.

·         Data from individuals responding as a representative of an organisation or as a stakeholder may be shared with the Licensing Committee members and will be available as a public document on the internet.

·         We will hold your data until Brighton & Hove Licensing Authority’s Statement of Licensing Policy has been agreed by the council’s Licensing Committee.

 

Your information rights

·         You have rights around the information we hold on you, further information on your rights are available on our website.

 

Further information

 

·         If you would like to discuss this further please contact the city council  Information Governance Team on 01273 295959 or data.protection@brighton-hove.gov.uk

 

BHCC’s Data Protection Officer may be contacted on gdpr@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Applications open for the Utilise Plus Programme

The Utilise Plus programme, is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Utilise Plus helps eligible small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) save energy, reducing their costs and Greenhouse Gas emissions in the process. Since starting the programme in late 2017, they have already helped SMEs make an estimated combined annual saving of 125 tonnes of CO2e by reducing their individual annual energy usage, on average, by 27%. We have achieved this by offering a variety of complimentary services, including:

  • Grant funding of between £1,000 to £5,000 to cover one-third of the cost of an energy saving project.
  • Energy Audits, fully-funded by the ERDF, to identify energy and cost saving opportunities that SMEs can then act upon.
  • Energy Saving Workshops, outlining the business case for saving energy and helping participants create their own, unique ‘Action Plans’ to tackle energy use in their organisations.
  • Business Networking Breakfasts, featuring Expert Speakers on a particular aspect of sustainability and connecting like-minded SMEs.
  • Sustainability Tours of interesting organisations that have implemented significant energy saving measures, to inspire attendees to do the same in their own organisations.


If you are interested, SMEs should register their interest on our website.

Fully funded Earthship sustainability tour for Brighton & Hove SMEs

12th September 2018, 09:30 to 12:30, Brighton

Join the Sustainable Business Partnership for a Sustainability Tour of Earthship in Brighton. Earthship was built in 2006 by the Low Carbon Trust, to show how a low-energy and low-waste future could look. An ‘off-grid’ building, Earthship generates power from the sun, harvests rain water, and treats wastewater on-site using plants!

Delegates will be treated to a tour of the building to see first-hand the multitude of energy-saving measures throughout. Mischa Hewitt, Director of the Low Carbon Trust, will discuss these various sustainability features and answer questions from delegates.

Eligibility

This event is part of the Utilise Plus programme and is fully-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). As such, only those from eligible organisations can attend. Utilise Plus supports small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their resource efficiency. Please note, we will only accept one attendee per organisation. Additional bookings will be added to a waiting list and notified should any places become available.


Full details & bookings


Alternatively call 01273 964239 or email info@sustainablebusiness.org.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howzat! Brighton & Hove Rotary annual cricket event supports local charity

For a number of years, the Brighton & Hove Soiree Rotary Club has been running an annual Cricket Day at the County Ground in aid of local charities; raising a total of over £40,000 for local causes. 

This year the profits will be donated to the Starr Trust, a charity based in Hove that supports local young people aged 10 –18 to fulfil their potential in sports, arts & education; Fare Share which redistributes surplus food to organisations within the city of Brighton and Hove and the Worthing area, which in turn feed vulnerable groups and to Friends of the Royal Sussex County Hospital in supporting elderly patients through their Small Acts of Friendship Project plus other Rotary Charities.

The cost of the day is £55 per head and we are making up a number of shared tables.

Take a look at the information below, and if you need more, contact

Robert Griffiths on : 07802 580867