Purpose

The
visitor economy is important for the County Council and for the
wider West Sussex economy, with over 37,000 jobs supported by the sector and a
pre-pandemic value of £2billion. The sector also plays an
important role in attracting workforce, inward investment and business retention, and in
contributing to residents’ health and wellbeing. This is reflected
in Our Council
Plan and
the Economy
Plan 2020—2024.
There is a range of national and local drivers
of change to inform future arrangements to support the visitor
economy, working with partners across the county. These include
Visit England’s introduction of `Local
Visitor Economy
Partnerships’, the
developingpan-Sussex
collaborationand the ending of the Experience West Sussexpartnership in March
2024.

Decision

The Leader has endorsed West Sussex County
Council support for:
 
(1)        
proposed future arrangements for the visitor economy, through a
collaborative approach across West Sussex, East Sussex, and
Brighton & Hove;
 
(2)        
the arrangements for the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP)
application to VisitEngland in November 2023;
 
(3)        
the pan-Sussex Strategic Plan for Growth framework;
 
(4)        
the establishment of an Experience Sussex Partnership with East
Sussex County Council covering the geographies of both authorities
from 1 April 2024, and for West Sussex County Council to host the
partnership;
 
(5)        
the allocation of £550,000 from the Economic Growth Reserve
to fund the new arrangements from 1 December 2023 to 31 March 2026;
and to
 
(6)        
Delegate to the Director of Place Services the
authority:
 
a. 
On behalf of the County Council to endorse the LVEP application
including initial governance arrangements;
b. 
To endorse the Strategic Plan for Growth following consultation
with partners and industry by the SVEI; and
c. 
To sign an inter-authority agreement with East Sussex County
Council and Brighton & Hove City Council for the Local Visitor
Economy Partnership, and a Service Level Agreement with East Sussex
County Council for Experience Sussex.