Purpose

The Crawley Growth Programme is a
long-standing partnership between Crawley Borough Council (CBC) and
West Sussex County Council (WSCC), designed to accelerate economic
growth and attract inward investment by aligning resources to
deliver key regeneration schemes.

Since the signing of the original Growth Deal in December 2016,
both authorities have demonstrated a strong commitment to
collaborative delivery, using public assets and funding to create
better places for people and businesses.

This report outlines the substantial progress achieved to date and
seeks Cabinet endorsement for a refreshed Growth Deal, reaffirming
our joint ambition and setting the framework for the next phase of
delivery with WSCC.

Content

RESOLVED

That the Cabinet:

a)          
approves the Crawley Growth Deal II as set out in
appendix A of report
PES/502.

b)          
delegates authority to the Head of Economy and Planning in
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic
Development, and subject to approval from the Crawley Growth Board,
to make minor amendments to the Crawley Growth Deal II document
(appendix
A of report
PES/502) including to take account of progress with project
delivery and any new national and local policy updates, as they
come forward.
(Generic
delegation 7 will be used to enact this recommendation).

Reasons for the
Recommendations

Officers from Crawley BC and West Sussex
County Council (WSCC) have agreed through Crawley Growth Board to
progress proposals for a renewed “Crawley Growth Deal”
between the two authorities as a set of common principles and a
strategic framework for growth comprising key themes and strategic
priorities, underpinned by the continuation of an existing shared
governance arrangement and a proposed new portfolio of regeneration
schemes.

This “Growth Deal II” is expected
to act as a precursor to joint working between officers from both
authorities to prepare these new regeneration schemes as part of a
new “Crawley Growth Programme II” projects
portfolio.  Summary descriptions are set
out in Appendix B.

This Crawley Growth Deal II document is also
progressing through West Sussex County Council’s governance
and decision-making processes and as such is also subject to formal
approval by the County Council.  

Looking forward, this Growth Deal II and the
emerging Crawley Growth Programme II portfolio of regeneration
schemes will form a pivotal part of our joint presentation to the
incoming new Sussex Mayoral Authority of Crawley’s hugely
compelling case for major government funding investment to unlock
significant economic and housing growth returns. This will also be
a key mechanism to further the Council’s corporate priorities
related to a thriving economy.