20170704_GCGPLSC_Minutes European Structural and Investment Funds 2014-2020 Growth Programme for England Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough ESI Funds Sub Committee Minutes of the meeting held Tuesday 4 July 2017, 10am - 12.30pm Flegcroft Farm, 121 Aliwal Road, Whittlesey, Peterborough, PE7 2LA Agenda: 1. Welcome and introduction 2. Minutes of 7 March 2017 and action update 3. European Social Fund (ESF) National Programme Update 4. European Social Fund Opt-in Updates: Big Lottery Fund, DWP, Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) 5. ESF Project 6. ESF Calls 7. European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Programme Update 8. EAFRD Projects 9. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme Update 10. ERDF update on Applications, Budgets and Calls 11. ERDF Projects 12. AOB 1. Welcome and introductions 1.1 The Chair thanked the ESIF Sub Committee for their attendance and apologies were noted as detailed in Appendix B. 1.2 The Chair reminded the ESIF Sub Committee to make declarations of interest where necessary and provide comments on the local strategic fit of the applications presented to them during this meeting. 2. Minutes of 7 March 2017 meeting and action update 2.1. Actions from the 7 March 2017 meeting were discussed. It was confirmed that Michael Barnes did invite Ixion Holdings to present at the ESIF Sub Committee scheduled for May 2017 which was later cancelled. It was agreed to carry this action forward for the next ESIF Sub Committee. 2.2. Mohua Bhattacharya confirmed that conversations were held with Philip Bradshaw regarding the creation of ESIF Sub Committee sub group to consider EAFRD Expressions of Interests (EOIs). It was confirmed that Philip Bradshaw
was due to retire from the ESIF Sub Committee as the rural representative and that all future EAFRD EOIs would be considered via written procedures. There were suggestions for two new rural representatives to join the ESIF Sub Committee. 2.3. The draft minutes of the 7 March 2017 meeting were approved as accurate. Agreed Action 1: Michael Barnes to invite Ixion Holdings to the next ESIF Sub Committee meeting. Agreed Action 2: Michael Barnes to invite Hannah Padfield plus one nominee from the National Farmer s Union to join the ESIF Sub Committee as members. 3. ESF National Programme Update 3.1. Joanna Wright provided some highlights for the ESF programme. It was confirmed that 48% of Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP s ESF allocation had been committed. Overall, the more developed regions were performing well towards the performance framework targets. However, it was noted that under performance in the less develop region would necessitate remedial actions. It is unclear whether this would impact Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area. 3.2. An ESF project bulletin would be circulated to local partners. It would contain information on the ESF programme development and good practice case studies which are likely to be useful for projects. 3.3. It was announced that there was a national restructure in the ESF team. Going forward, there would be a separate appraisal team and a contract management team overseeing ESF projects. 3.4. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed concerns about transparency of ESF s prioritisation of Calls. It was requested that the ESF Managing Authority should consider local priorities when drawing up plans for Call publication. 4. ESF Opt-in Updates ESFA 4.1. Joanna Wright confirmed that ESF had received project change requests from the ESFA which are likely to impact commitment levels across Priority Axis 1 and Priority Axis 2. 4.2. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed whether there were plans for co-financing by the ESF Managing Authority. It was confirmed that the issue was being discussed at the Growth Programme Board and discussions were underway regarding any opt-ins in the second half of ESF Programme. 2
4.3. No other updates were provided in respect of the ESF Opt-Ins (ESFA, DWP and Big Lottery Fund) live projects. 5. ESF Project 5.1. Joanna Wright presented the item. Wisbech Community Led Local Development (CLLD) - Stage 2 5.2. There were no declarations of interest for this project application. The project is seeking 1,050,000 ESF grant to deliver five key activities to support new jobs, develop community based innovation in Wisbech. The Managing Authority noted that some of the outputs in the application fell below the expectations for the size of the grant and queried whether the ESIF Sub Committee could provide local knowledge which would explain the low outputs figures. 5.3. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the project and noted that the project worked in consultation with Joanne Goodall and Michael Barnes via the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP ESF Technical Assistance project. It was agreed that Wisbech was an area in need of funds and the ESIF Sub Committee welcomed the Wisbech CLLD project. It was recognised that the project partnership had strong local knowledge of the area which should benefit the community. The ESIF Sub Committee noted that this project would support hard to reach communities and would also support the DWP employment gap target. Stuart Durrell confirmed that the project would be complimentary to Department for Work and Pension s Flexible Support Grant which was awarded to Fenland District Council. Overall, the ESIF Sub Committee concluded that this project provided strategic fit and value for money for Wisbech. 6. ESF Calls 6.1. Joanna Wright updated the ESIF subcommittee on preparations for future Calls in the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area. ESF Managing Authority would continue to work closely with the LEP to develop tailored Calls for the area. 6.2. Joanna Wright presented four draft Calls to the ESIF Sub Committee for comments on local strategic fit and value for money. Investment Priority 1.2: Sustainable Integration of Young People into the Labour Market 6.3. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the proposed Call and noted that the Call would need to broaden its references to include work experience which would make a stronger link to young people s labour market. The ESIF Sub Committee welcomed the Call s request for provisions to bridge the gap between schools, employers and young people. It was recognised that there was a shortage of school advisers in the region and the Call helped towards the integration of young people in the labour market. The ESIF Sub Committee agreed to local strategic fit and value for money. 3
Investment Priority 2.1: Enhancing equal access to lifelong learning apprenticeship connect 6.4. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the proposed Call and noted that this Call would promote apprenticeships via locally driven provisions reflective of the priority sectors for Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP. The Sub Committee agreed that the Call provided local strategic fit and would add value to provision in the LEP area. Investment Priority 2.1: Enhancing equal access to lifelong learning- Self Employment 6.5. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the proposed Call and identified that there was a shortage of targeted provision, especially for the self-employed, which the Call sought to address. This also addressed a priority for Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough in particular for areas in the LEP with a high number of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It was noted that this Call linked business support and supporting those out of employment. It was hoped that the Call would generate provision which was complimentary to ERDF Priority Axis(PA) 3 projects and the DWP referral process. The ESIF Sub Committee agreed to local strategic fit and value for money. The ESIF Sub Committee would like to see providers under this Call work closely with the Growth Hub and other ERDF PA3 projects. Investment Priority 2.2: Improving the labour market relevance of education and training systems 6.6. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the proposed Call and noted that it would bridge training and employment gaps not filled by the City Deal. The ESIF Sub Committee was pleased that this Call was bespoke to key strategic sectors. The ESIF Sub Committee noted that this Call had less of an immediate strategic relevance than the 2.1 apprenticeship Call and would prefer to see the 2.1 apprenticeship Call published first. The ESIF Sub Committee agreed to local strategic fit and value for money. 7. EAFRD National Programme Update 7.1. Mohua Bhattacharya introduced the item. Michael Gove is the new Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The ministerial team remained unchanged. 7.2. There is a concern that there has been a lower number of Expression of Interests (EOIs) received nationally and EAFRD would continue remedial actions to increase the up take in the programme. 7.3. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the concerns with the low number of EAFRD EOIs received and considered ways to promote the programme. It was suggested that agronomists would be a good point of contact for referrals to the programme. It was also suggested that the programme could be promoted via an article in the National Farmer s Union newsletter. Agreed Action 3: 4
Mohua Bhattacharya to circulate EAFRD promotion material to Philip Bradshaw. 8. EAFRD Projects 8.1. Mohua Bhattacharya presented two EAFRD projects to the ESIF Sub Committee for comments on local strategic fit and value for money. Creating a processing/distribution hub for added value cereals (Fengrain Ltd) 8.2. Phillip Bradshaw made a declaration of interest for this project and did not participate in the discussion. The project is seeking 500,000 EAFRD grant to convert an existing store into a processing hub linking a number of satellite stores in the eastern region and installing a high-speed intake, cleaning and out loading system. The project would create four Full Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs at a cost of 125,000 per FTE job. It is unclear if the jobs would be at a higher level than the current jobs. The proposed jobs did not meet the national priority of 30,000 per FTE. The Managing Authority recommended a strategic fit score of 2 out of 4. 8.3. The ESIF Sub Committee noted that the equipment was crucial to the project and without it; the project would have little added value. There were concerns about the lack of detail regarding the jobs creation. It was recognise that there was a local drive for farms to process their produce. It was also acknowledged that there was also a shortage of approved grain storage locally. The ESIF Sub Committee would like the full application to provide more detail on the skills of the FTE jobs and displacement. The ESIF Sub Committee expressed that the project provided adequate value for money and strategic fit. The ESIF Sub Committee supported the Managing Authority recommended score on strategic fit. Pre-processing plant for the production of food grade cereal ingredients (Camgrain Stores Ltd) 8.4. There were no declarations of interest for this project. The project is seeking 190,164 EAFRD grant to create a barley processing plant using the latest technology within the high value premium breakfast cereal market. The project would create four FTE highly skilled jobs with added accreditation at a cost of 47,500 per FTE job. These do not meet the national priority of 30,000 per FTE job. The project would provide added value by providing quality barley for the food and drink market and open up potential for exports and replacing the need for imports. The Managing Authority recommended a strategic fit score of 3 out of 4. 8.5. The ESIF Sub Committee noted the increase demand for quality barley in the local market and agreed that the project would add value to Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area. The ESIF Sub Committee supported the Managing Authority recommended score on strategic fit. 9. ERDF National Programme Update 5
9.1. Vicki Bidwell introduced the National Programme overview paper and highlighted the key points from the written update. ERDF had legally committed 1.184 billion of funding with 439 projects and four Financial Instruments. A further 323 applications to the value of 558 million were currently under consideration. Overall, 42% of the budget has been committed. 413 claims have been paid amounting to 108.5 million of ERDF. 9.2. The future funding team had started a series of consultation meetings with stakeholders to help inform policy development concerning potential future funding under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Meetings were held in York and London with the Greater London Authority, voluntary and community sectors. The meetings have been well received and provided for lively, open discussions between participants about scope and scale of activity and implementation options. 9.3. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed these updates and asked the departments involved in the consultation to recognise that the new fund would need to join up all the ESIF programmes. The ESIF Sub Committee was keen to see local consultations happening to help inform this policy development. 10. General Update on Applications, Budgets and Calls 10.1. Martin Haindl introduced the item and explained the new format of the management information. The ESIF Sub Committee was provided with an updated position on the progress of applications in each of the ERDF Priority Axes, and the remaining funds available, as per the written paper. Overall, good progress was noted in the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area against the 2018 performance targets although a number of Project Change Requests may impact the figures. 10.2. Martin Haindl also reported that Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area was on track to exceed its forecasted 2018 output targets. It was noted that there was a good flow of project claims. 10.3. The ESIF Sub Committee briefly discussed the contracted projects in the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area and Michael Barnes provided a brief update on preparations for a Financial Instrument under Priority Axis 4 with New Anglia LEP and Hertfordshire LEP. Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP was in the process of procuring a block 2 ex-ante assessment to inform how the LEP might proceed with the Financial Instrument. 11. ERDF Projects 11.1. Martin Haindl presented three projects to the ESIF Sub Committee for comments on local strategic fit and value for money. Innovation Centre in Digital Molecular Technologies 6
11.2. There were no declarations of interest for this project. The project is seeking 4,550,528 ERDF grant to establish a new open-innovation Centre, exploiting the proximity of major industrial players, the available expertise and the hightech industrial cluster of SMEs in the region. The project seeks to address an emerging need of an interdisciplinary area of technology linking chemistry and data science. The project would assist 10 new enterprises and has applied for 31% of the notional allocation and would provide 36% of the outputs target for Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area. 11.3. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the project and agreed that the project provided good strategic fit and value for money. Cambridge Science Park Bio Hub 11.4. There were no declarations of interest for this project. The project is seeking 1,336,200 ERDF grant to provide biomedical companies with access to an affordable laboratory bio hub for research. The project would support 17 new enterprises and introduce 13 new products to the market at one third of the cost of the national average. The project would need to provide clarification on procurement, State Aid, expenditure and potential income if invited to full application. 11.5. The ESIF Sub Committee discussed the project and noted the shortage of wet laboratories in the region. It was acknowledged that this project proposal responded to the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP ESIF strategy call for innovation and the project had the backing of scientists on the Cambridge Science Park. The ESIF Sub Committee agreed that the project provided good strategic fit and value for money. Repowering the Creation and Extension of UK-Centric Supply Chains 11.6. There were no declarations of interest for this project. The multi-lep project is seeking 496,779 ERDF from Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP to help companies in the food and associated manufacturing sectors to map, assess and improve the capabilities of their supply chains. The Marches is the other proposed LEP area to be targeted by the project. The project is asking for 5% of the LEP allocation and would deliver 5% of the business support output. The project would assist 40 businesses and support 5 new enterprises. 11.7. The ESIF Sub Committee queried whether this project had an in-depth understanding of Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP areas supply chains given the differences between the two proposed LEP areas involved in the project. It was noted that Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough had similar provision already in place and it was unclear as to whether this application would provide added value to existing activities in the LEP area. The ESIF Sub Committee also queried how the applicant (Aston University) would link both LEP geographies to make a homogenous project. The ESIF Sub Committee supported the strategic fit but suggested a condition to encourage stronger links to the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area, greater clarity on value for money and additionality. 7
12. Any Other Business 12.1. Mohua Bhattacharya confirmed that there would be an EAFRD event held in September 2017 for the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP area to help promote the availability of EAFRD. 12.2. The Chair thanked Phillip Bradshaw for hosting the meeting at his farm and closed the meeting. Date, time and venue of future meetings: Date: 20 September 2017; Time 10am- 12.30pm, Venue: TBC Date: 30 January 2018; Time 10am- 12.30pm, Venue: TBC 8
Annex A List of Agreed Actions for the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough ESI Funds subcommittee 04/07/2017 Meeting. Agenda Action Item 2 Action 1: Michael Barnes to invite Ixion Holdings to the next ESIF Sub Committee meeting. 2 Action 2: Michael Barnes to invite Hannah Padfield plus one nominee from the National Farmer s Union to join the ESIF Sub Committee as members. 7 Action 3: Mohua Bhattacharya to circulate EAFRD promotion material to Philip Bradshaw. Action Assigned to Michael Barnes Michael Barnes Mohua Bhattacharya 9
Annex B Attendee List Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough ESI Funds subcommittee 04/07/2017 Meeting Chair & Deputy Chair: Name, title and organisation Georgia Pritchard, DCLG Subcommittee Members: Name, title and organisation Michael Barnes, GCGP LEP Mohua Bhattacharya, Defra/RPA Joanna Wright, DWP Philip Bradshaw, NFU Martin Haindl, DCLG Claire Higgins Sector/Organisation Representing Deputy Chair and acting Chair (ERDF Managing Authority) Sector/Organisation Representing LEP EAFRD Managing Authority (DEFRA) ESF Managing Authority (DWP) Rural ERDF Managing Authority GCGP LEP Others in attendance (non-members - including secretariat): Name, title and organisation Sector/Organisation Representing Stephanie Goulei-Ake, DCLG Secretariat (ERDF Managing Authority) Stuart Durrell, DWP, Job Centre Plus Equalities/DWP Vicki Bidwell, DCLG ERDF Managing Authority Apologies: Name, title and organisation Andrew Thomson, ACER Julie Farrow, Hunts Forum Mark Reeve, GCGP LEP Aled Jones, Alliance for Sustainable Development Julia Nix Jackie Tinkler, DWP David Gill, St John s Innovation Centre Ostap Paparega, Kings Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council Martin Clark, Allia / Future Business Centre Sector/Organisation Representing Higher/Further Education Non profit organisation Private Sector Environment Equalities/DWP ESF Managing Authority Chair Local Authority Charity 10