Agenda item

This paper forms a summary update of the work on the 2030 Economic Strategy Statement and the One Surrey Growth Board and sets out alignment with the Board’s objectives and specifically Priority 3 of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy: supporting people in Surrey to fulfil their potential by ‘enabling citizens to generate aspirations and fulfil their potential by helping them to develop the necessary skills needed to succeed in life’. Together these pieces of work will directly support SCC’s Strategic Priority to ‘Grow a sustainable economy so everyone can benefit’ whilst also supporting the Priority of ‘Tackling Health Inequality’.   

Witnesses:

Dawn Redpath - Director for Economy and Growth (SCC)

Key points raised in the discussion:

1.      The Chairman explained that the Surrey 2030 Economic Strategy Statement and One Surrey Growth Board supported the Council’s strategic priority of the Council for the next five years of ‘growing a sustainable economy so everyone can benefit’.

2.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) hoped that the work would be the start of an ongoing relationship between the Board and the work within Surrey's 2030 Economic Strategy Statement, linking health with the economy to fulfil all four of the Council strategic priorities, particularly supporting ‘growing a sustainable economy so everyone can benefit’ which has a direct impact on ‘tackling health inequality’.

3.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) reinforced the link between the economy and the wider determinants of health, noting that the socio-economic determinants of health such as housing and social inclusion were linked to having higher levels of income and more importantly good quality employment, which was vital for mental health and wellbeing.

4.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) noted that economic responses focussed on the quality of employment opportunity, skills and inclusion. The links between the economy and health could be seen geographically through a place-based approach as for example in pockets of deprivation health was poorer and there was higher economic inactivity and unemployment. It was vital to reduce unemployment and to ensure good quality employment in response to zero hours contracts and the gig economy, ensuring that individuals were not left behind in terms of a higher requirement of digital skills and access to digital services. She added that economic responses could also be thematic, for example looking at people with low level mental health or anxiety.

5.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) noted that Surrey Future Economy Commission chaired by Philip Hammond commissioned research from ARUP and the University of Surrey in 2019. The findings highlighted Surrey’s comparative economic advantage, as well as challenges such as in the aviation sectors and high levels of unemployment, an unbalanced economy due to an ageing population and inability to retain young talent, structural issues relating to housing affordability, transport, and access to digital infrastructure. Action needed to happen on a whole-Surrey basis, to be a driver of the local, regional and UK economy.

6.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) explained that the Surrey 2030 Economic Strategy Statement brought together five areas of focus underpinned by the Surrey Future Economy Commission’s findings:

·           growing the leading edge - by encouraging innovation, capitalising on the number of large multinational companies which provide 50% of employment to Surrey.

·           a whole-Surrey approach to quality places - place-based approach, create new hyper local places in line with the CIA’s findings of supporting local services and revitalising town centres.

·           improving connectivity for the next generation - ensuing that the digital infrastructure is fit for purpose.

·           green economic ambitions - capitalising on the green sector in Surrey by using the established automotive industry and exploring the possible 4,000 additional jobs in electric vehicles available to Surrey residents.

·           maximising opportunities for all - the work aligns with Priority Three of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy: supporting people in Surrey to fulfil their potential by generating aspirations and developing skills:

Fiona Edwards left the meeting at 3.33 pm

3.    the Skills and Inclusion Framework looked at inclusion, high volume and high skills with the progression of employment provision in Surrey across five stages: engagement, barrier removal, vocational activity, supporting job entry and in-work support. 

4.    understanding what provision there was in Surrey was key to support target populations to go from stage one to stage five, although not always in a neat linear way. There was a lot of provision available and close working with the DWP, and Surrey Employment & Skills Board to engage closely with partners

7.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) explained that the One Surrey Growth Board (OSGB) was working alongside the Board and offered the opportunity to bring together all place-related activity into ‘One Surrey’ leadership.

8.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) explained that the OSGB had wide representation across key partners and had started to look at the recommendations from the Surrey Future Economy Commission, after reviewing the findings from the Surrey 2030 Economic Strategy Statement it would develop a ‘One Surrey Plan for Growth’. She noted that the key components of the Plan were cross-cutting with many linking to health as an outcome, the OSGB would have a role in recognising complementary objectives.

9.      The Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) explained that the next steps were for the Surrey 2030 Economic Strategy Statement to be approved by Cabinet in December - with proposed stakeholder engagement with all partners to follow, continued engagement with the OSGB, and the ‘One Surrey Plan for Growth’ was being developed. She noted that updates would be provided at a future Board.

RESOLVED:

That the Health and Wellbeing Board noted the progress being made in supporting a more sustainable and inclusive whole-Surrey economy focusing on the links that good quality employment can have on health and wellbeing outcomes as well as the direct relationship between the economic strategy work and HWB Priority 3.

Actions/further information to be provided:

1.    The Board will continue to work closely with the Director for Economy and Growth (SCC) to ensure that the work within Surrey's 2030 Economic Strategy Statement aligns with the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Council’s four strategic priorities, particularly supporting ‘growing a sustainable economy so everyone can benefit’.

2.    The Board will receive updates on the work of the One Surrey Growth Board, including the ‘One Surrey Plan for Growth’.