City College Brighton and Northbrook College to merge and create a new Metropolitan College

City College and Northbrook College are proposing to merge. The merger will be one of equals, where two strong Colleges come together under the leadership of a single Board and Executive team.

The proposals have been developed over many months and the time has now come to seek the views and opinions of everyone in the City Region through a public consultation that starts today and concludes on 17 November.

The new organisation will build on the proud history and heritage of both Colleges - stretching back over 120 years - but will create a modern and forward looking institution that embraces the opportunities and challenges facing students in the 21^st century.

The consultation proposes a new name, The Metropolitan College, to reflect the combination of people, ideas, culture and place that the new organisation will serve.

The College will continue to operate from its five primary sites across Brighton, Shoreham and Worthing and will use the opportunity created by increased scale and efficiency to invest in its curriculum. A particular focus will be apprenticeships and higher-level professional and technical skills.

The planned date for the legal aspects of the merger to conclude is 31 March 2017.

In a joint Statement Nick Juba, CEO of City College and Sue Dare, Principal of Northbrook said

“This is all about establishing a College that can deliver for our students. A College that celebrates and promotes professional and vocational routes into work and higher education. We want our students to go on and do amazing things, to live fulfilling lives and follow rewarding careers. The Metropolitan College will offer clear routes right up the educational ladder providing opportunities for every young person or adults across the City Region to gain the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.

In a joint Statement Ian Lowrie and Julie Nerney, Chairs of Governors at the two colleges, said

“The Metropolitan College will be the engine room of the local economy training the next generation of carpenters, coders, beauticians and digital artists. We want to play our part in ensuring that businesses across the City Region have access to the pipeline of talent they need to develop, grow and create wealth for all of our residents.

We’re excited by the opportunity to strengthen the relationship between the two Colleges and to work in collaboration with businesses, local authorities, politicians, educational providers and all of our local communities for the good of our students, apprentices and undergraduates.

Now we need to hear your views so that we can ensure our proposals can be shaped by the needs of everyone in the City Region”.

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Invitation to stakeholders to take part in the public consultation

The Boards of Governors of Northbrook College and City College Brighton and Hove have issued a joint consultation on proposals to merge the two colleges into a single institution.

The rationale for the merger proposal is contained within the attached consultation document.

We are also consulting on a new name for the merged college: The Metropolitan College.

You are invited to give us your views and comments on both the proposal to merge and the proposed name, using the online feedback form.

https://r1.dotmailer-surveys.com/132o5de3-d821j467

The consultation will run from 17 October to 17 November.  We are very much looking forward to receiving your feedback.

If you have any queries, or would prefer a paper copy of the consultation document, please email : consultation@nbcol.ac.uk

Click here to download the Consultation document. 

BilliLinks Lunch Club - Thursday 20th October

Going Local; working together and transforming health delivery in Adur and Worthing

Adur & Worthing Councils, the Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group and West Sussex County Council have launched a new health delivery programme to explore ways of improving community based health solutions.

In a new approach, Going Local aims to break down the current boundaries between primary care and communities and to encourage more focus on the needs and capabilities of individuals.  GPs will refer patients, needing non medical support and advice, to a Community Referrer who will explore with the individual their underlying issues and if appropriate, will refer them to a range of services and support in the community.  

It is understood that there are practical health care solutions; in combating loneliness, debt anxiety and stress about finance for example, to be found in the heart of communities, rather than through  prescriptive medicine, with many GPs often stretched, without the time to fully explore the many complex underlying social needs of their patient.

Going Local will launch with six GP Practices in Northbrook (Worthing) and Eastbrook (Adur) this month, along with three Community Referrers, recently employed by Adur and Worthing Councils.   All will work closely with services in the voluntary and community sectors in their areas to help residents source the right help and support to meet their own individual needs.

Councillor Val Turner, Worthing Borough Council Executive Member for Wellbeing adds “I fully support this collaborative, forward thinking and innovative approach to health care in our community.  Worthing is lucky to have a wide network of voluntary groups who are best placed to work alongside residents and medical practitioners alike and in implementing social prescribing, as has been proven to be very successful elsewhere.”

Councillor David Simmons, Adur District Council Member for Health and Wellbeing said “At a time when all resources are stretched, this innovative way of helping people to deal with a range of personal problems is to be welcomed. This not only provides a proven way of increasing benefit to individuals, but also frees up resources to be invested elsewhere in the health service.”

Dr Rani Dhillon (GP Lime Tree Surgery, Worthing) adds “This new way of working with our community partners is an exciting prospect for our patients and staff.  Having the ability to offer patients help and guidance extending beyond our traditional medical role will help enhance the quality of our patients' lives, as well as increase job satisfaction for GPs. This approach , often called ‘social prescribing’ is crucial to all of us together supporting individuals achieve their maximum potential in the community.  I very much welcome it's introduction."  

Grinches look away now - only 7 days left until Christmas…

...Market days that is!  The popular Shoreham Farmers’ and Artisans’ Markets, together with the rapidly growing Lancing Village Market, only have three more events each before Christmas Day arrives!

Councillor Brian  Boggis, Executive Member for Regeneration at Adur District Council, said:

“Our growing markets showcase the incredible range of high quality food, drink and produce that we have on our doorsteps, as well as the beautiful work from local artisans which make perfect Christmas presents.

“I’m really proud of living in a District where markets can thrive, where small businesses can sell direct to their customers and where residents can easily purchase local produce.

“With such a range on offer, why not make this Christmas a truly ‘Local Christmas’ and purchase all of your food and drink from the markets?”

Councillor Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, is equally enthusiastic.

“Our markets prove that food doesn’t have to travel huge distances from point of production to point of sale.  The price and quality of what’s on offer locally easily matches that of products flown in for supermarkets from around the world.

“It’s really important that we’re able to continue to support our markets - they’re good for our health, for our local businesses and for the environment.”

Lancing Village Market will be returning this Saturday, with live entertainment on offer too. The market stalls will open from 9am until 1pm in Littlecroft car park, Queensway.

Dates for the regular Adur markets are as follows:

·         Shoreham Farmers’ Market - Saturday 12th November and 10th December

·         Shoreham Artisans’ Market - Saturday 22nd October and 26th November

·         Lancing Village Market - Saturday 15th October, 19th November and 17th December

In addition to the planned market days, there are some special festive events planned from the end of November until the Christmas weekend:

·         Shoreham Artisans Christmas Market - 25th to 27th November

·         Southwick Christmas Festival - 3rd December

·         Lancing Christmas Festival - 17th December

Keep an eye on the Councils’ website (www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/markets) for more details as the exciting plans come together over the next few weeks.

West Sussex Superfast Broadband Connection Vouchers

You are invited to find out more about the West Sussex Superfast Broadband Connection Voucher scheme and application process at:

The Studio at The Capitol, Horsham RH12 1RG from 9.30am on Wednesday 19^th October 2016

ABOUT THE SUPERFAST BROADBAND VOUCHER SCHEME

West Sussex businesses that do not have access to superfast broadband and are not included in any commercial or publicly-funded rollout may be eligible to apply for a Superfast Broadband Connection Voucher up to the value of £3000 towards the capital costs to achieve speeds of greater than 30Mbps.  Groups of eligible businesses in a building or common location will each need to submit an individual application but can pool their vouchers to fund a joint solution. The scheme is not open to residential applicants but home-based businesses meeting the criteria can apply. 

The scheme is funded by the Coast to Capital LEP from their ‘Growth is Digital’ priority, West Sussex County Council is the delivery body.

Information and an application form can be found by clicking here

To reserve a place, please email grants@c2cbroadbandgrants.org.uk to confirm you are attending the workshop and the site visit. 

Click here to download the agenda.

Click here to download directions to The Capitol, Horsham

Thursday, 10 November 2016 from 17:00 to 20:30 (GMT)

Worthing Assembly Hall
Stoke Abbott Road BN11 1HQ Worthing
United Kingdom
View Map

The main theme of this year’s conference is local sustainable transport and will explore what we can do together in the community to improve things on a very local level to achieve better social, economic and environmental sustainability in our transport networks. In particular we plan to look at cycling, walking and public transport as an alternative to the car and find out what the barriers are to choosing alternative means of transport. We’ll also look at the future of local transport and find where the opportunities lie. Travel doesn’t need to be so expensive, frustrating,  time consuming or confusing so come along and work with other partners to try and make some waves, and improve local transport and travel for everyone in and around Adur and Worthing.

Click here to book the conference. 

Upcoming Gender Pay Gap regulation 

Have your input...

Acas helps HR professionals and managers keep up-to-date with employment law and how to get the best from staff through good workplace practices.

Acas are requesting your help in developing advice and guidance on Gender Pay Reporting

The Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Section 78 Regulations are expected to come into force in April 2017. These regulations will require employers in Great Britain with 250 or more employees, to calculate their gender pay gap.

Acas are currently producing new guidance on gender pay gap reporting and we are interested in getting your views. We are also interested in finding out what you already know about the upcoming regulations. Your feedback will help us create better guidance and resources which will help employers prepare for the introduction of this new legislation.

Acas have produced a short survey that we would appreciate you spending a few minutes filling in.

View the survey here

Rampion Offshore Wind Farm Newsletter - October 2016

Construction work on the Rampion project is now well underway and inside this newsletter you will find updates, including news about the progress of the onshore and offshore works, new apprentices and community support activities.

Click here to download Rampion Offshore Wind October Newsletter

Latest News from Gatwick

Gatwick have submitted new evidence to all members of Cabinet sub-Committee on airports.  Momentum appears to be building for a possible Government announcement on

 the runway this month.  As the sub-Committee starts to consider where to expand aviation capacity in the South East, Gatwick’s new report contains substantial additional analysis – including information obtained under FOI request – that supersedes the now discredited Airports Commission Final Report.  Once corrected, analysis shows that the benefits of Gatwick expansion exceed those of either Heathrow options.  The second runway is low risk and delivery can be guaranteed quickly – by 2025.  Read More 

New route to Moscow to start from Gatwick Airport - Aeroflot, the national flag carrier of Russia launches a daily service to Sheremetyevo from London Gatwick on 15 November 2016.  Another great route launched as one of the 20 new long-haul routes from Gatwick Airport this year. Read More

Gatwick recognised for positive biodiversity impact - Gatwick Airport has scooped two prestigious awards for its commitment to protecting and enhancing the natural biodiversity of the local greenspace surrounding the airport.  The airport has retained its Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark Award (an independent verification of Gatwick’s biodiversity programme) for the third year running and, for the first time, been awarded a CIRIA Big Biodiversity Award.  Gatwick’s biodiversity greenspace includes 75 hectares of thriving woodlands, grasslands and wetlands, inhabited by hundreds of species of mammals, insects and bees, many of which are rare or protected, now flourishing as a result of Gatwick’s biodiversity programme. Gatwick’s biodiversity team works collaboratively with a wide range of organisations and external experts to ensure it follows best practice while working closely with conservation organisations and local experts, ably assisted by an active programme of volunteers and community groups. Read More

Spofforths Kreston Reeves Extends October Finance Focus Seminars 

Further seminars provided on recent business, tax and wealth developments for company directors and financial controllers

Accountants and financial advisers Kreston Reeves has extended its programme of popular Finance Focus updates, with six seminars taking place across the South East during the month of October.

This enlarged event programme comes in light of the recent merger between Kreston Reeves and Spofforths, creating one of the largest accounting and financial advisory firms in London and the South East.

Over its 20-year history, Finance Focus has become well-established within the business community as a valuable source of information to help businesses grow and plan for the future.

Aimed at company directors, business owners and financial controllers, the 2016 season of Finance Focus seminars will take place between 4^th and 20^th October with each half-day session covering a range of topics. 2016 topics include tax efficient profit extraction, updates on VAT and financial reporting changes, raising business finance and pension developments all of which will be referenced to the likely impact of Brexit on SME businesses.

Richard Spofforth, Partner, comments, "Kreston Reeves has been running Finance Focus successfully across Kent, London and Sussex for two decades and feedback gathered during this time shows how much those attending value the expertise and experience shared by our speakers. We very much look forward to another series of well-attended events as the uncertain economic climate continues to grow."

If you are interested in attending a Finance Focus seminar, please visit http://www.krestonreeves.com/news-and-events/type/events or contact Rachel Pritchard at events@krestonreeves.com or call +44 (0)330 124 1399.