Councillors at Derby City Council’s Cabinet meeting next Wednesday (October 7) will be asked to vote to go forward with bids – jointly with partners across the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership area – enabling them to access up to £13million to boost jobs and economic growth.
Cabinet members are being recommended to vote in favour of pursuing bids for funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); which is part of the £214m European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) administered through the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.
The ESIF funding is to be spent over six years (2014-2020) on projects to address issues in D2N2’s catchment around business, enterprise, skills and training, social exclusion, low carbon economy and in a range of other areas.
Derby City Council will either lead and act as accountable body on, or be a delivery partner in, a number of projects promoting business, economic growth, better digital communications (broadband) or community programmes in its area. Many of the programmes require the Council to arrange or provide matched funding, in order to access the ESIF money.
D2N2’s ESIF allocation is one of the largest received by any of the 39 LEPs in England, from the European Union (pictured).
Working collaboratively with partners within the D2N2 area, Derby City Council members are set to agree funds relating to projects to:
- Roll-out the hugely successful Derby Enterprise Growth Fund across Derbyshire, generating 500 new direct jobs and benefitting at least 100 companies.
- Help budding entrepreneurs generate embryonic business plans to launch over 120 start-ups, by offering a unique combination workshops and one-to-one coaching session.
- Cement Derby’s leading position in ‘planes, trains and automobiles’, by helping SMEs in, or wishing to join, local Transport Equipment Manufacturing (TEM) supply chains, building on the successful Enscite (logistics consultancy) programme.
- Support the shift towards a low carbon economy, by helping 300 small and medium sized businesses to improve their energy efficiency and invest in renewable energy generation.
Councillor Martin Rawson, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Communities and City Centre Regeneration, said: “This new stream of funding offers a real opportunity to support SMEs in Derby to grow and create jobs.
“The ESIF provide some of the ‘fuel in the tank’ to help deliver the region’s economic plan. We’re working closely with our partners across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire to make sure these ambitious plans come to fruition and that Derby remains an attractive place to do business.”
More information about the D2N2 LEP’s strategy for using its ESIF allocation can be found at web link www.d2n2lep.org/EUFunding
Media wanting further information about the work of the D2N2 LEP can contact D2N2 Communications Officer Sean Kirby on 0115 9578749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
