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#23: Minding The Gap - Sussex Transport And Transparency
Season 1 · Episode 23
dimanche 5 octobre 2025 • Duration 29:39
– Episode 23:
Minding The Gap - Sussex Transport And Transparency
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Paul Bromley - Community Rail Line Officer, Southeast Communities Rail Partnership
In this episode, Richard speaks with Paul Bromley, former political journalist, local newspaper editor, and now a leading voice in community rail and sustainable transport.
From Brighton to Bognor, Hastings to Haywards Heath – Sussex's transport network is both its greatest enabler and its biggest frustration. Paul unpacks what a Sussex Mayor could actually do to fix the tangle of private operators, bus companies, and disjointed infrastructure, and how new devolution powers could transform how we move around the region.
They also discuss the collapse of local journalism, the decline of regional scrutiny, and whether a new mayoral structure could spark a renaissance in accountability media across Sussex.
This is an episode about Minding The Gap - Sussex Transport And Transparency – from trains and timetables to truth and trust.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Morgan Sindall Construction – one of the UK's leading construction and regeneration groups with a growing footprint across Sussex.
From education and healthcare to urban regeneration and sustainable housing, Morgan Sindall is building a greener, fairer Sussex. The company invests in local supply chains, creates jobs and apprenticeships, and partners with councils and colleges to deliver community benefit on every project.
🎯 Why this matters
"A Sussex Mayor will only work if they can achieve three things – funding, funding and funding."
🧠 Topics covered include:- How a Sussex Mayor could bring buses, trains and roads under one joined-up plan
- Why end-to-end journeys – not just station-to-station – are key to sustainable travel
- Lessons from Andy Burnham's Manchester model and its B Network
- The opportunities and risks of rail nationalisation in 2026
- How transport links drive local growth, climate action, and tourism
- The urgent need for local transport expertise and investment in regional skills
- Why local journalism matters – and how devolution could bring back accountability
"It's not about Brighton versus East Sussex or West Sussex – it's about seeing Sussex as a whole."
📚 Further reading and referencesSouth East Communities Rail Partnership
Office of Rail and Road – Passenger Statistics
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Paul Bromley
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded: Projects, The Lanes - Brighton
Want a joined-up Sussex story? Want to help shape devolution so it actually works for people and places? 👉 https://sussexandthecity.info — episodes, resources and events.
#22: "Communities have an expectation"
Season 1 · Episode 22
dimanche 28 septembre 2025 • Duration 27:30
– Episode 22:
"Communities have an expectation"
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Cllr Sophie Cox - Leader of Worthing Borough Council
In this conversation, Richard sits down with Cllr Sophie Cox, Leader of Worthing Borough Council and one of the youngest council leaders in Sussex. Sophie took on the top job just days before the 2024 local elections – and now faces the challenge of steering Worthing through historic structural change.
As district and borough councils prepare to merge into new unitaries by 2028, Sophie offers an honest, on-the-ground perspective on what this means for local democracy, frontline services and community power. She shares why Worthing's Thriving Together initiative is setting a new benchmark for participatory engagement, and how councils must learn when to lead, when to listen – and when to get out of the way.
This episode asks big questions about how local government reorganisation and devolution intersect, and what's at stake for towns like Worthing as Sussex heads toward its first ever mayoral election in 2026.
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Digital Islands – established in 2017 by Gavin McWhirter, they deliver fully funded business support programmes in partnership with local authorities across Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. From half-day workshops and one-to-one mentoring at the East Sussex Business Hub, to in-person marketing clinics and peer networking, they've helped hundreds of small firms start, grow and thrive.
🎯 Why this matters"Councils need to evolve and change as communities need us to – and sometimes that's about just getting out of the way and allowing things to happen naturally and organically."
🧠 Topics covered include:- How Worthing's grassroots cultural energy is shaping a new story of place
- What it means to be a council for the community – and the expectations it creates
- The Thriving Together model of community engagement
- Balancing political leadership with officer-led delivery in times of change
- The looming impact of local government reorganisation on district and borough councils
- How Sussex Bay and Worthing Festival show councils can seed projects, then step back
- Why turnout in the 2026 mayoral election is crucial – and how to get residents to care
"It doesn't have to start with another layer of government. We need to open up the conversation, look at all the options, and make sure community voice is truly embedded."
📚 Further reading and references🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Cllr Sophie Cox
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded: Projects, The Lanes - Brighton
Want a joined-up Sussex story? Want to help shape devolution so it actually works for people and places? 👉 https://sussexandthecity.info — episodes, resources and events.
#13: Sussex Is Full Of Talent. But Employers Aren't Finding It.
Season 1 · Episode 13
dimanche 27 juillet 2025 • Duration 28:01
– Episode 13:
Sussex Is Full Of Talent. But Employers Aren't Finding It.
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Dan Wallman - Founder, TechNative Digital
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Different Hats – Strategic storytelling, curated events and creative content from Sam Thomas and co, helping Sussex leaders spark real change across business and communities.
👉 different-hats.co.uk
Richard speaks with Dan Wallman - a long-time force in Sussex creative/digital learning and founder of Tech Native Digital - about why our tech skills system hasn't been working, and what it will take to build one that does.
From pioneering creative training at DV8 Sussex to helping shape the region's Local Skills Improvement Plan, Dan has spent 20 years connecting talent with opportunity.
As a partner piece to episode 10, exploring the further education and policy approach to the labour market in Sussex, this episode gets under the skin of what local employers need. And how digital bootcamps, and a focus on junior career pathways, are some practical tools Sussex needs to help people thrive where they live.
With devolution and a regional mayor on the way, Dan argues that we need to go full throttle on a digital skills revolution.
🎯 Why this mattersA regional, employer-led approach to tech training that is inclusive and bold could:
- Close the gap between training and real-world jobs
- Align funding with current and future industry needs
- Boost participation in digital, creative and green tech sectors
- Enable long-term career pathways for underrepresented groups
- Support economic growth and social mobility
"Bootcamps alone won't fix this. We need strategy, collaboration and systems that actually work for people."
🧠 Topics covered include:
- Why bootcamps work – and where they don't
- The rise of tech-led training models co-designed by employers
- Systemic barriers to meaningful employer engagement
- How AI, better knowledge of neurodiversity and new tools are reshaping access
- The problem with vanishing junior roles
- What devolution could unlock for tech, skills and inclusion
- The critical importance of scaling pilots that work
"Employers say they want talent. But they need to take responsibility for building it – not just hoping someone else will."
📚 Further reading and referencesTech Native Digital – Dan's digital skills bootcamp and consultancy
Sussex Chamber – LSIP Hub – Local Skills Improvement Plan
Dabbble – Work experience innovation platform by Jim Byford
DV8 Sussex – Dan's former creative college supporting thousands of learners in Brighton and Bexhill
🎧 Production creditsHost: Richard Freeman
Guest: Dan Wallman
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
Want better public communication in Sussex? Want to help shape devolution in a way people understand?👉 sussexandthecity.info – for more episodes, resources and events.
#12: If No One Understands Devolution, What's The Point?
Season 1 · Episode 12
dimanche 20 juillet 2025 • Duration 29:18
– Episode 12:
If No One Understands Devolution, What's The Point?
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Flo Powell – Co-Managing Director, Midnight Communications
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Plus Accounting – Brighton & Hove's B Corp chartered accountants, supporting Sussex's growth sectors with tailored business advice, tax planning, R&D claims and more.
👉 plusaccounting.co.uk
Richard speaks with Flo Powell, PR strategist and co-owner of Brighton-based agency Midnight Communications, about trust, language, and the colossal communications challenge facing Sussex's devolution journey.
With 30 years of regional insight, Flo doesn't pull punches. She shares sharp reflections on how local authorities handle public engagement, why badly written surveys aren't just annoying – they're dangerous – and what might happen if a mayor is introduced before people understand what one even is.
This episode unpacks why messaging matters now more than ever – and what it will take for Sussex to speak with a unified, human voice.
🎯 Why this mattersIf you want 1.7 million people to back structural change, they need to know what it means for their lives, homes and businesses. Flo argues that the devolution process risks failure if leaders don't:
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Resist hiding behind jargon and PDF consultations
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Acknowledge the crisis of trust in local institutions
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Start talking like people, not like technocratic systems
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Invest in clarity, transparency and real engagement
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Recognise that good comms is infrastructure
"People won't engage if they don't know what they're being asked. This is a once-in-a-generation moment – and the messaging is miles off."
🧠 Topics covered include:-
Why its easy for local government to get communication wrong
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The 'survey trap' and how to actually ask useful questions
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Building credibility in a climate of political mistrust
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The challenge of explaining an elected mayor role clearly
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What makes Sussex unique – and what should be protected
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Lessons from brand storytelling, crisis comms and tourism strategy
"Trust is rock bottom. So you've got to lead with humanity – not bureaucracy."
📚 Further reading and references-
Midnight Communications – Flo's award-winning PR and content agency
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Experience Sussex – Visitor economy brand referenced in the episode
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Brighton Chamber – Construction Voice – Event series cited in discussion
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Flo Powell
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
Want better public communication in Sussex? Want to help shape devolution in a way people understand?👉 sussexandthecity.info – for more episodes, resources and events.
#11: Why I Want To Be Mayor (Part One)
Season 1 · Episode 11
dimanche 13 juillet 2025 • Duration 33:58
– Episode 11:
Why I Want To Be Mayor (Part One)
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Sally-Ann Hart – former MP for Hastings & Rye
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Digital Islands – Delivering fully funded business support to small firms across Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight since 2017.
👉 digitalislands.co.uk
🔍 Episode summary
This week, Richard meets someone who actively wants to lead devolution in Sussex and Brighton. Sally-Ann Hart, the former Conservative party MP for Hastings & Rye, is seeking her party's nomination to become the first directly elected mayor for the region.
They discuss why she wants the job, what she learned representing one of the UK's most deprived constituencies, and her priorities for a region grappling with inequality, infrastructure gaps, and identity.
Sally-Ann reflects on her time in Parliament during the COVID-19 pandemic, her passion for early intervention, and how she thinks coastal towns like Hastings have been misunderstood and overlooked for too long.
🎯 Why this matters for devolution
This is the first time on the podcast we've heard directly from someone who wants the mayoralty – and the power that comes with it. Sally-Ann outlines how she'd approach leadership of a 1.7 million–strong region, and makes the case that:
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The mayor must unite coastal, urban, and rural communities
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Economic growth and job creation must be priority one
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Existing skills strategies can be scaled, not reinvented
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Private investment and local pride are key tools for regeneration
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Data and accountability must be baked into the new system
🧠 Topics include:
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What a regional mayor could do that councils can't
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Lessons from Hastings and the challenge of changing culture
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Coastal regeneration, the blue economy, and green jobs
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The need for tailored plans, not blanket policies
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Dealing with political division and bringing partners together
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Building trust, dashboards, and visibility for the mayor's office
📚 Further reading and references:
- Sally-Ann Hart (Wikipedia)
- Sally-Ann Hart (They Work For You profile)
- All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coastal Communities (APPG)
- Levelling Up the South East – APPG Inquiry Report
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Sally-Ann Hart
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Want to help reimagine democracy, identity and regional change in Sussex?
Join the conversation and find resources at sussexandthecity.info
#10: Investment In Sussex Skills Needs More Than Duct Tape And Goodwill
Season 1 · Episode 10
dimanche 6 juillet 2025 • Duration 29:41
– Episode 10:
Investment In Sussex Skills Needs More Than Duct Tape And Goodwill
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Dan Shelley – Chair, Sussex Local Skills Improvement Plan Board
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Let's Do Business Finance – A British Business Bank-accredited lender, providing tailored funding and expert advice to new and growing ventures across Sussex since 2004.
👉 letsdobusinessfinance.co.uk
🔍 Episode summary
In this deep-dive episode, Richard speaks with Dan Shelley, one of the South East's leading thinkers on skills and regional development, about the real infrastructure behind economic inclusion: adult education, technical training, and making the skills system actually work for Sussex.
Dan unpacks the role of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) – a pan-Sussex strategy he helped shape – and why aligning education and economic strategy is vital.
From digital bootcamps to hospitality apprenticeships, he highlights the collaborative groundwork already underway – and sets out what's needed next, especially if Sussex is to make the most of devolved powers.
🎯 Why this matters for devolution
With a mayoral combined authority likely on the horizon, the episode explores how a reformed skills agenda could:
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Unlock economic mobility for adults across Sussex
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Link funding to real-world job opportunities in growth sectors
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Join up fragmented provision under a clear regional framework
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Build anchor partnerships between FE, HE and employers
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Empower a more inclusive and dynamic workforce
"The skills system is a big, beautiful mess – but Sussex is ready to tidy it up."
Topics include:
-
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What the LSIP actually is – and why it's already working
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Sussex's seven priority sectors – and the real skills gaps they face
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How devolution could shift adult education budgets and accountability
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Lessons from Liverpool and the Netherlands on region-led innovation
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Why FE is both vital and undervalued – and what needs to change
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Microbusinesses, public value, and the myth of trickle-down skills
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📚 Further reading and links
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Dan Shelley
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Want to help reimagine democracy, identity and regional change in Sussex?
Join the conversation and find resources at sussexandthecity.info
#9: "If You Want To Talk About Devolution, Turn Up At The Food Bank"
Season 1 · Episode 9
dimanche 29 juin 2025 • Duration 28:28
– Episode 9:
"If You Want To Talk About Devolution, Turn Up At The Food Bank"
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Kaia Allen-Bevan – Activist, speaker, founder of Youth The Gap, poet and education reformer
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Projects – A B Corp-certified workspace provider in the heart of Brighton's Lanes. Projects is building a better local economy by supporting freelancers, founders, and changemakers with flexible, welcoming workspaces, events, and community.
👉 projectsclub.co.uk
🔍 Episode summary
What does grassroots activism have to do with devolution? In this powerful episode, Richard sits down with Kaia Allen-Bevan, a leading voice in education reform and racial justice, to explore what it really means to build a future where every community is heard.
Founder of the award-winning social enterprise Youth The Gap, Kaia speaks from lived experience – growing up in Whitehawk, leading Brighton's Black Lives Matter protests at just 17, and now shaping national conversations on allyship, inclusion and structural change.
This conversation unpacks how young people are engaging with power (or not), why policy language creates distance, and what politicians need to do differently if they truly want to build trust in Sussex's most marginalised communities.
Topics include:
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How protest can be a start – not an end – for democratic engagement
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Why Sussex has an activist backbone – and why that should be embraced, not feared
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The difference between being visible and being listened to
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How local government structures and growth agendas can alienate the very people they aim to help
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Why devolution needs to mean decentralisation of trust and language, not just of Whitehall power
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Kaia's experience of breaking the odds – and why she's working to make sure others don't have to
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The danger of tokenism, and what real inclusion and co-creation look like in practice
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The vital role of community spaces, culture and grassroots organisations in holding democratic space
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What intergenerational collaboration needs to look like – and why it starts with calling people in, not out
If you care about representation, accountability, or just understanding what the next generation of leaders really expect from the system – this episode might be unmissable.
👉 Explore Kaia's work and related resources:
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Youth The Gap – A social impact consultancy creating long-term systemic change in education
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Watch This Sp_ce – Diversity and inclusion consultancy focusing on allyship and anti-racism
📚 Further reading and links
-
Class Divide Report – Whitehawk (BBC) – The area Kaia references and its connection to social mobility
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Brighton & Hove City Council – School Admissions Consultation – Referenced for accessibility critique
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Joseph Rowntree Foundation – Trust and Anti-Poverty Strategies – The link between community voice and effective policy
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Kaia Allen-Bevan
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Want to help reimagine democracy, identity and regional change in Sussex?
Join the conversation and find resources at sussexandthecity.info
#8: Why Sussex Culture Punches Above Its Weight
Season 1 · Episode 8
dimanche 22 juin 2025 • Duration 28:04
The Sussex And The City Podcast
– Episode 8:
Why Sussex Culture Punches Above Its Weight
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Stuart Drew – CEO and Director, De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Creative Crawley – Reimagining Crawley's identity through world-class public performance, co-created art, and cultural infrastructure. From artist residencies to their million-pound Creative Playground programme, they're growing a new creative economy in the heart of West Sussex.
👉 creativecrawley.com
🔍 Episode summary
In this bold and wide-ranging episode, Richard Freeman is joined by cultural powerhouse Stuart Drew, long-serving Director of the iconic De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.
They unpack the serious role of culture in economic growth, skills, tourism – and why Sussex's creative institutions are already delivering public value by stealth.
As regional devolution looms, Stuart argues it's time for leaders to stop treating the arts as an optional extra. From pioneering skills pathways and radical programming to building a pan-Sussex cultural brand, this conversation explores the real potential of culture to lead, not follow, the next phase of regional transformation.
Topics include:
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The architectural brilliance and civic mission of the De La Warr Pavilion
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Why Sussex is more than the sum of its parts – and how Coastal Cultural Trail became a model for partnership
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The birth of Sussex Modern, and what it reveals about fragmented narratives and missed opportunities
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Making the case for culture in tourism, inward investment and regeneration
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Why the cultural sector is already delivering on skills and economic participation
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A candid take on the risks of asset transfer, unstable funding, and weak advocacy
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What the incoming mayor must understand about microbusinesses and cultural infrastructure
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How art can be a safety net where youth clubs and children's services have vanished
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Why joined-up mobility (including trains!) might be a powerful cultural enabler
This is a rallying cry for policymakers, funders and mayors: invest in what's already working, and stop asking culture to prove itself again and again.
👉 Explore Sussex's creative sector and the De La Warr Pavilion:
- dlwp.com
- sussexmodern.org.uk
- experiencesussex.com
- Culture East Sussex
- Creative County West Sussex
- Brighton & Hove Culture Alliance
👉 Stay up to date with the wider project at sussexandthecity.info
📚 Further reading and links
-
📚 Further reading and links
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Creative Crawley: Building creative leadership and cultural infrastructure in Crawley
- Culture In Our City: Created to support cultural and creative workers in Brighton & Hove with opportunities for professional development and skills support.
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Coastal Cultural Trail: A low-budget marketing experiment that became a model
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Sussex Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP): Pan-regional tourism strategy with a cultural core
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Local Skills Improvement Plans – Sussex: How creative skills fit into wider workforce planning
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Talent Accelerator and Coastal Catalyst: A pathway programme creating jobs, apprenticeships and visibility for creative careers
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🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Stewart Drew
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Devolution isn't just a government thing. It's a people thing.
👉 Share your ideas, explore resources and shape what's next at sussexandthecity.info
#7: It's Time For A Sussex Digital Strategy
Season 1 · Episode 7
dimanche 15 juin 2025 • Duration 26:13
The Sussex And The City Podcast
– Episode 7:
It's Time For A Sussex Digital Strategy
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Rose Tighe – Innovation strategist, product leader, and co-lead of Brighton AI
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Magenta Associates – A Sussex-based, B Corp certified and employee-owned PR and communications agency using responsible communications to drive social and environmental change - including athical AI adoption.
👉 magentaassociates.co
🔍 Episode summary
In this future-facing episode, Richard Freeman sits down with product innovation heavyweight and grassroots organiser Rose Tighe to ask: is Sussex and Brighton already a tech region – and if so, why isn't anyone coordinating it?
From leading product strategy at Amazon and Sky, to co-creating Brighton AI (a 1,800-strong community of digital doers), Rose has spent decades navigating change – and building systems that make it useful. Now, she's at the heart of a regional conversation about what good digital infrastructure actually looks like.
This episode explores how devolution could help shape a bold, collaborative, regional tech strategy - if we get it right.
Topics include:
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What Brighton's tech community already knows – and what it's missing
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The power of low-code and no-code tools for new ideas, careers and equity
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How to make sense of fragmented innovation – and avoid duplication
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What a Sussex-wide digital strategy could learn from elsewhere
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Why coordination trumps chaos: Sussex as a live testbed for civic innovation
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Making sure digital decisions are data-informed – and community-owned
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How AI, ethics and public purpose need to grow hand-in-hand
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The need for a shared voice across local authorities, not competitive silos
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What tech professionals aren't being told about devolution – and why that matters
This is a pragmatic and passionate call to action - for mayors, freelancers, policymakers and product teams alike.
👉 Want to help shape a regional tech strategy?
Start by exploring Brighton AI and other tech meetups supported by Silicon Brighton
👉 Stay up to date with the wider project at sussexandthecity.info
📚 Further reading and links
-
Brighton AI: A community exploring the impact of AI, ethics, innovation and skills
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techUK's Local Digital Capital Index: A framework for understanding tech readiness and digital infrastructure
- techUK's Mayoral Manifesto: To support vibrant digital economies and better public services
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Silicon Brighton: Community-led digital events and learning
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Greater London Authority: London Datastore: An open data platform as referenced in the episode
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Local Skills Improvement Plan (Sussex): Strategic roadmap for skills planning across the region
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Rose Tighe
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Devolution isn't just a government thing. It's a people thing.
👉 Share your ideas, explore resources and shape what's next at sussexandthecity.info
#6: The Ocean Doesn't Care About Political Boundaries
Season 1 · Episode 6
dimanche 8 juin 2025 • Duration 25:09
The Sussex And The City Podcast
– Episode 6:
The Ocean Doesn't Care About Political Boundaries
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Dr Lewis White – Marine Scientist and Research Lead, Sussex Bay
This episode is brought to you in partnership with:
Be Well. Live Well. – An integrated wellbeing model transforming Sussex organisations through diagnostic-driven action plans. Powered by Little Jasmine Therapies and Nostos restaurant and catering group.
👉 bewelllivewell.co.uk
🔍 Episode summary
In this episode, Richard Freeman talks to marine scientist Dr Lewis White, the research lead for Sussex Bay — a bold and growing coalition driving environmental and economic recovery across 100 miles of coastline.
Lewis is no ordinary scientist. A global expert in aquatic genetics, he brings a powerful, pragmatic perspective to the role of nature in regional development. With Sussex Bay gaining international attention and cross-party praise, this conversation explores why the coast is an untapped asset for health, jobs and sustainable growth.
From ecosystem restoration to inclusive governance, this episode dives into:
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Why Sussex Bay is a model for post-devolution regional planning
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The myths of environmental work as separate from economy and education
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How over 400 collaborators are already making decisions without borders in Sussex
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What it really means to centre local voices in nature recovery
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Making environmental policy digestible (and fundable) through natural capital
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The case for cross-sector language that policymakers and scientists can both use
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Ocean literacy and the public's emotional connection to the sea
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How marine conservation can unlock jobs, boost wellbeing, and fight hidden homelessness
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Advice for Sussex mayoral candidates: don't bolt environment on — build it in
Lewis also explains how a £50m investment target is a call to build infrastructure that doesn't just withstand climate change, but actively improves lives.
This is an inspiring and grounded take on how regionalism can work with nature, not despite it.
👉 Sign up for updates, resources and events at sussexandthecity.info
📚 Key references and further reading
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Sussex Bay: A strategic partnership for marine and coastal nature recovery across Sussex.
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Ocean Literacy by UNESCO: Understanding how the sea affects us and how we affect the sea.
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DEFRA Natural Capital Programme: UK government's approach to ecosystem valuation, once led by Lewis.
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The Living Coast Biosphere: Brighton & Lewes UNESCO Biosphere, collaborating on coastal resilience.
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Local Nature Recovery Strategies (DEFRA): Legal requirement for each county to plan for biodiversity and green infrastructure.
🎧 Production credits
Host: Richard Freeman
Guest: Dr Lewis White
Sound design / editing / original music: Chris Thorpe-Tracey
Production management: Letitia McConalogue
Recorded at: Projects: The Lanes, Brighton
📣 Get involved
Want to join the conversation on devolution, environment and the Sussex of the future?
👉 sussexandthecity.info









