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European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) Strategy Consultation

Clive WintersAssistant DirectorCoventry University Enterprises Ltd

Introduction• The Structural Funds are a mechanism for supporting social and economic

restructuring across the European Union– European Regional Development Funds (ERDF), European Social Funds (ESF), European Agricultural

Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)– Managing Authorities: ERDF – DCLG; ESF – DWP; EAFRD - DEFRA

• Notional allocation of ERDF and ESF to the Coventry and Warwickshire LEP is €136m for 2014 to 2020. EAFRD allocation not yet announced. – Additional €4.9m for the Youth Employment Initiative.– ESF and ERDF will be split 50:50 in line with national guidance– Funding needs to be matched (50%) by national public funding, local public funding or private

funding sources

• Requirement on the LEP to draft a Structural and Investment Fund Strategy for submission to BIS– Full submission 31st January 2013

ESIF Background

Introduction• Initial guidance issued in April 2013, supplementary guidance in July 2013

• Established ESIF strategy drafting group– LEP Executive, Coventry University, Coventry City Council, Warwickshire County Council, Coventry

and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce. Representation from BIS and DCLG

• LEP partners have been fully engaged in national consultation and dissemination events, local events with BIS, Skills Funding Agency and ‘opt-in’ events with Manufacturing Advisory Service, UK Trade and Investment , DWP , Growth Accelerator and Big Lottery.

• Consultation event on 5th August attracted 75 people from 52 organisations

• Additional presentations including; LEP Groups (SME, Energy) and Social Inclusion Stakeholders .

ESIF Development

Introduction• Socio-Economic Analysis

– Consistent with the Strategic Economic Plan

• Description of ERDF and ESF Themes – Rationale for Intervention, Investment Priorities, Indicative list of Specific actions, Performance Indicators

• Distribution of ESIF Allocation - Summary

• Partnership Delivery and Risk – Governance, Local Commitment, Delivery Routes, Cross Cutting Themes

• Eligibility and Compliance – Eligibility of Strategic Activities, Alignment with European Union Programmes

• Funding Priorities Spreadsheet – Strategic Activities, Funding Profile, Match Funding, Outputs

ESIF Strategy Structure

– Theme 1: R&D and Innovation (Sector Specialisation in Research, Development and Innovation and Support for Business Innovation) - 33% of the ERDF budget

– Theme 2: Enhancing Access To, and use and Quality of, Information and Communication Technologies (Roll out of High Speed Digital Networks to Address Market Failure, Take-Up and Exploitation of Emerging Technologies, Higher level workforce skills) - 12% of the ERDF budget

– Theme 3: SME Competitiveness (Supporting Business Start up, Supporting Business growth and Investment) - 33% of the ERDF budget

– Theme 4: Supporting the Shift towards a Low Carbon Economy in All Sectors (Low Carbon Technologies, ‘Whole Place’ Solutions, Technology Adoption) - 20% of the ERDF budget in compliance with the national guidelines

– Theme 5: Promoting Climate Change Adaptation, Risk Prevention and Management (Enabling economic growth, Delivering sustainable economic futures for communities at risk) - 3% of the ERDF budget

ESIF Themes (1)

– Theme 6: Protecting the Environment and Promoting Resource Efficiency (Environmental Protection and Resource Efficiency)

– Theme 8: Promoting Employment and Supporting Labour Mobility (Sustainable integration of young people, Access to employment for job-seekers and inactive people, demand side challenges)

– 40% of the ESF budget

– Theme 9: Promoting Social Inclusion and Combating Poverty (Tackling poverty, Labour Market Integration, Young People)

– 21% of the ESF budget in compliance with the national guidelines

– Theme 10: Investing in Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning (Developing Skills to Tackle Unemployment, Using Skills to Support and Drive Growth, Transforming the Skills Infrastructure)

– 40% of the ESF budget

ESIF Themes (2)

Introduction– Manufacturing Advisory Service: Provides specialist strategic and technical advice to help improve the

competitiveness of manufacturers. Linked to the SME Competitiveness Theme. (Proposal: Opt-In)

– UK Trade and Investment: Helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy and assists overseas companies to bring their high-quality investment to the UK. Linked to the SME Competitiveness Theme. (Proposal: Opt-In)

– Big Lottery: A flexible offer that supports local priorities and delivery, and provides a mechanism for the engagement of local civil society organisations (voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations) in the development and delivery of local initiatives. Linked most significantly to the Social Inclusion Theme (Proposal: Opt-In)

– Department for Work and Pensions: Support for the employment theme of the ESIF Strategy; Linked to the Employment and Social Inclusion themes (Proposal: Subject to further discussion)

– Skills Funding Agency: A flexible offer that supports procuring the right services, running the administration of the skills component of the ESI Funds Strategy, and providing monitoring and management progress reports. Linked to the Skills and Lifelong Learning Theme (Proposal: Opt-In)

ESIF National ‘Opt-Ins’

• Positive Feedbacko The strategy demonstrates a high level of understanding of the local socio-economic factors

that make up the LEP area.o The Needs of Young Peopleo Strong Social Inclusion Narrativeo Strong rationale to support rural activitieso Development and Utilisation of LEP Level data – Geographical Differences and Coventry

and Warwickshire narrative

• Areas for further worko Linkage between needs of the area and activities (Logic chain)o Prioritisation of needs and activities with fundingo Governance arrangementso Alignment of EAFRD activity

• Areas

Draft Strategy General Feedback

Introduction09:15 ESIF: PARALLEL SESSIONS (1)

ROOM CC1.3ROOM CC1.4

Low CarbonEmployment

Keith Budden, Strategic Partnership Manager, E.ON UK Kim Mawby, Employment Manager, Coventry City Council

R&D and Innovation Social InclusionClive Winters, Coventry University Enterprises Ltd Helen Hunt, Warwickshire County Council

10:15 Coffee Break10:15 Coffee Break

10:30 ESIF: PARALLEL SESSIONS (2) 10:30ESIF: PARALLEL SESSIONS (2)

ROOM CC1.3 ROOM CC1.4

SME Competitiveness Environment and Resource Efficiency / Climate Change

Howard Anderson, Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce Gina Rowe, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust; David Lowe, Warwickshire

County Council; Michael Green, Warwickshire County Council

ICTSkills, Education and Lifelong Learning

Leigh Hunt, Warwickshire County Council Clive Winters, Coventry University Enterprises Ltd

11.30 Plenary Session - Feedback From Discussion Sessions, 11:45 Concluding Remarks and Next Steps12:00 Close And Networking Lunch

Consultation Event

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European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) Strategy