New Anglia Investment Appraisal Committee

CONFIDENTIAL

Meeting Minutes (Unconfirmed)

23rd July 2019

Present:

Committee Members

Lindsey Rix (LR)

Aviva

Martin Williams (MW)

Santander

Alan Waters (AW)

Norwich City Council

David Ellesmere (DE)

Ipswich Borough Council

Tim Whitley (TW)

Sandy Ruddock (SR)

Scarlett and Mustard

In Attendance

Rosanne Wijnberg (RW)

New Anglia LEP

Chris Dashper (CD)

New Anglia LEP

Iain Dunnett (ID)

New Anglia LEP

Apologies

Dominic Keen (DK)

High Growth Robotics

Andrew Proctor

Norfolk County Council

ACTIONS

• Review of Innovation Fund draft terms of reference.

• Chris Dashper (CD) to engage with loan recipient and report back to next committee meeting.

• Chris Dashper (CD) to liaise with large company on conditions of investment.

• Iain Dunnett (ID) to liaise with grant applicant on provision of further financial information required

by the committee.

• Iain Dunnett (ID) to continue liaising with future grant applicant on provision of financial

information.

Welcome from the Chair

Lindsey Rix as Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Apologies

Dominic Keen and Andrew Proctor

Declarations of Interest

None

Minutes of previous meeting (25 June 2019)

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by the committee.

Growing Places Fund Horizon Paper (Confidential)

Iain Dunnett (ID) reviewed the GPF Horizon Paper and stated no points for discussion.

Growing Business Fund Programme Performance Report (Confidential)

6.1

Growing Business Fund Approvals

6.2

Small Grants Scheme Approvals

Page 1 of 2

The monthly GBF report and accompanying appendices were reviewed by Chris Dashper (CD) and

stated no points for discussion.

Innovative Projects Fund Revised Arrangements

Alan Waters (AW) stated that the proposal for inclusion of Pooled Business Rate contributions into the

fund were still to be agreed by Suffolk and Norfolk Leaders Groups. Alan Waters (AW) and David

Ellesmere (DE) both expressed need for clear expression of; local authority areas in an inclusive manner

with a clear allocation of £500k each to Norfolk and Suffolk; the LEP £500k being allocated where most

appropriate; a balanced allocation between rural and urban needs; that a draft terms of reference

required for comment; discussion on sign off between local authorities and LEP and agreement that

Investment Committee representation will be the local authority members on the funds panel; Investment

Committee step in needs to be possible re allocation of LEP funds.

Sandy Ruddock (SR) questioned the need for a £60k management fee.

The IAC agreed to review a draft term of reference at their next meeting in September.

Loan Update (Confidential)

The IAC agreed to review the project at the next meeting of the IAC. LEP Executive to continue to provide

updates on a regular basis.

Growing Places Fund Large Company Grant Request (Confidential)

The committee agreed a grant of £379,318, subject to approval of the capital grant programme by the

board, provision of a suitable State Aid statement by the applicant and evidence of confirmation by the

parent company that the applicant would continue to be located in the region.

GPF Grant Application (Confidential)

The committee agreed to review the project again at the next meeting.

Any Other Business

Lindsey Rix (LR) asked when other grant applications would be presented to committee. Iain Dunnett (ID)

explained that the figures were being prepared and would be presented to the committee in September.

Date and time of next IAC meeting:

Teleconference, Tuesday 10 September 2019, commencing 08:30

Dial: 033 3443 3443

Room Number: 83889320 #

PIN: 3227 #

Page 2 of 2

Agenda item 6: Growing Business Fund Performance Report

Programme Overview - What is the Growing Business Fund?

Launched in April 2013, the Growing Business Fund provides grants for businesses to enable growth, an increase productivity and job creation.

Capital grants between £25,000 and £500,000 are provided at up to 20% of project costs for SMEs, with an enhanced rate for small businesses located in an Assisted Area (until 2021)

Funding for the Growing Business Fund is provided on an annual basis by the LEP's Growth Deal.

The fund is accessed through the New Anglia Growth Hub with Due Diligence undertaken by Finance East.

What is the overall Programme Status?

Amber

Finance

£1m of additional funding has been put into the fund, however, a slowing of applications means that it is unlikely that we will spend all the allocation.

Green

Outputs

Based on recent grant applications, spend and pipeline, the scheme will probably over perform against the targets for the year 2019/20.

Green

Delivery

The pipeline of applications coming forward has slowed, however, existing approvals will ensure that the fund performs well.

What are our key updates?

Membership of the Approval Panel was widened at the end of 2018, to ensure the panel has the knowledge required to operate effectively.

Whilst a high number of enquiries continues the number of actual applications coming forward is slightly lower and tending to be smaller in scale and requiring less grant aid.

Participant SMEs of the Scale Up New Anglia programme are being offered a range of support including applications to GBF (where appropriate)

What is our financial position?

Financials (£ million)

Year

2013 to 2016

2016/2017

2017/2018

2018/2019

2019/2020

2020/2021

2021/22

Total

Profile Spend (£m)

£12.000

£3.536

£3.050

£5.096

£4.121

£2.790

£0.000

£30.593

Actual Spend (£m)

£11.999

£3.001

£3.049

£4.764

£1.163

£23.976

Remaining Spend (£m)

£0.001

£0.535

£0.001

£0.331

£2.958

£2.790

£0.000

£6.616

2019/2020 Expenditure Profile

Q1-18/19

Q2-18/19

Q3-18/19

Q4-18/19

Quarterly Forecast

£1.030

Quarterly Spend

£0.963

£0.200

£0.000

Variance

£0.067

£0.830

£1.030

What is our contribution to the Economic Strategy?

Actual to end of

Monthly

Outputs April 2019 to March 2020

Target

Shortfall

Notes

June 2019

Change

Value of grants approved

£4,121,000

£555,635

£178,869

£3,565,365

Value of private sector match approved

£16,484,000

£2,413,615

£895,703

£14,070,385

Number of New Jobs to be Created

206

165

Value of grants claimed

£4,121,000

£1,163,280

£200,486

£2,957,720

Private sector match funding drawn down

£16,484,000

£4,656,084

£1,414,944

£11,827,916

Number of New Jobs Created

206

161

What is the project status?

The following table shows grants approved by sector since the start of the programme in 2013/14

Number of

Projects

Grants

Private

Total Project

Jobs to be

Sector

Approved

Match

Costs

Created

A - Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

235,899

1,018,543

1,254,442

58.0

B - Mining and Quarrying

100,000

1,654,600

1,754,600

10.0

C - Manufacturing

124

13,944,398

90,669,109

104,613,507

1536.5

E - Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities

295,594

1,260,379

1,555,973

28.0

F - Construction

1,086,486

5,231,673

6,318,159

142.0

G - Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles

2,829,816

52,354,642

55,212,708

386.0

H - Transportation and Storage

666,992

3,275,957

3,942,949

90.0

I - Accommodation and Food Service Activities

372,000

2,342,138

2,714,138

45.5

J - Information and Communication

717,700

3,537,616

4,255,316

74.0

K - Financial and Insurance Activities

30,000

79,425

109,425

3.0

L - Real Estate Activities

100,000

232,500

345,000

10.0

M - Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities

2,264,241

14,596,363

16,860,604

259.6

N - Administrative and Support Service Activities

2,088,771

11,212,136

13,300,907

248.0

P - Education

20,000

102,191

122,191

4.0

Q - Human Health and Social Work Activities

31,580

126,320

157,900

3.5

R - Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

502,921

3,159,776

3,662,697

55.5

S - Other Service Activities

320,000

4,737,413

5,057,413

32.0

Total

252

25,606,398

195,590,781

221,237,929

2985.6

What are the next steps?

The LEP is working with delivery partners, to ensure that the scheme has a greater focus on business growth and productivity.

As part of the marketing Action Plan a number of case studies have been commissioned and the growth hub website revamped, literature and banners are being redesigned and relaunched

Agenda item 6.1 New Anglia LEP

Growing Business Fund

Grant Approvals 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2020

Total

Date

Jobs to be

Business Name

Grant Awarded

Private Match

Project

Description of Support Given

Approved

Created

Cost

Apr-19

Anglian Plant Ltd

£170,000

£681,915

£851,915

8 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Portable Space Ltd (2)

£78,378

£313,513

£391,891

5 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Goldwell Manufacturing Services Ltd

£40,000

£96,200

£136,200

2 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Belle Coachworks Ltd (4)

£36,000

£85,151

£121,151

5 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

HBD Europe Ltd (2)

£52,388

£341,133

£393,521

6 Capital grant to support business growth

Jul-19

Bendart Limited

£42,500

£99,495

£141,995

4 Capital grant to support business growth

Jul-19

(2) t/as Fathom

£40,000

£162,821

£202,821

4 Capital grant to support business growth

Jul-19

Hugh Crane Cleaning Equioment Ltd

£56,369

£507,327

£563,696

5 Capital grant to support business growth

Jul-19

Anglia Indoor Karting (Ipswich) Ltd

£40,000

£126,060

£166,060

2 Capital grant to support business growth

£0

£555,635

£2,413,615

£2,969,250

Agenda item 6.2: Small Grant Scheme Approvals (April 2019 - March 2020)

Total

Jobs to

Date

Grant

Private

Business Name

Project

Description of Support Given

Approved

Awarded

Match

Cost

Created

Apr-19

DXB Pumps & Power Ltd.

£16,845

£67,385

£84,230

1.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

Bradleys (Stowmarket) Ltd. (2)

£17,919

£71,679

£89,598

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

Praxis42 Ltd.

£6,362

£25,449

£31,811

4.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

Edmondson Hall

£25,000

£371,148

£396,148

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

The Penny Bun Bakehouse Ltd.

£7,203

£16,807

£24,010

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

Criterion Ices Ltd.

£19,515

£78,064

£97,579

2.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

Fruitful Media Ltd.

£8,805

£35,222

£44,027

7.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Apr-19

Tosier Chocolate Ltd.

£2,724

£10,900

£13,624

1.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Apex Print & Promotion Ltd.

£9,930

£39,720

£49,650

2.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Pastonacre Ltd

£4,305

£17,224

£21,529

1.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Donald Utting & Sons Ltd (2)

£24,973

£99,892

£124,865

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Safety Devices International Ltd

£5,600

£22,400

£28,000

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

A J Laminated Beams Ltd

£5,500

£22,000

£27,500

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

P J Lee Hire & Sales Ltd

£6,600

£26,400

£33,000

2.0 Capital grant to support business growth

May-19

Newton Automotive Ltd (2)

£16,160

£64,640

£80,800

1.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

Timberwolf Ltd

£18,275

£73,100

£91,375

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

CapTrac Ltd

£25,000

£101,844

£126,844

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

Yum Yum Tree Fudge Ltd

£10,905

£43,620

£54,525

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

N-Ergise Ltd

£25,000

£64,285

£89,285

1.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

Emkay Plastics Ltd

£14,453

£57,814

£72,267

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

Vinyl Installation Ltd

£7,200

£16,800

£24,000

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jun-19

C.S. (Computer Services) Ltd.

£1,749

£6,996

£8,745

0.0 Capital grant to support business growth

Jul-19

The Space Burston

£9,313

£52,775

£62,088

2.0 Capital investment to support business growth

Jul-19

Clenshaw Minns Ltd

£21,740

£86,963

£108,703

1.0 Capital investment to support business growth

Jul-19

Able Cleaning & Hygiene Supplies

£1,113

£4,455

£5,568

0.0 Capital investment to support business growth

Jul-19

Sabrefix (UK) Limited

£4,260

£17,040

£21,300

3.0 Capital investment to support business growth

Jul-19

E Rand & Sons Limited

£4,247

£16,991

£21,238

0.0 Capital & Revenue investment to support business growth

£320,696

£1,511,613

£1,832,309

28.0

SGS Grants Approv2d Apr19-Mar201

Agenda Item 7: Innovative Projects Fund - 2018 Projects Call

Programme Overview - What is the Innovative Projects Fund

The Innovative Projects Fund is a revenue grant programme that provides funding towards innovative projects to support the delivery of the themes and

activities identified in the Economic and Industrial Strategies. The first call of the Innovative Projects Fund was made in October 2018 with a remit to facilitate

innovative projects supporting economic growth and the delivery of the Economic Strategy utilising revenue from the Enterprise Zone Pot C.

What is the Overall Programme Status?

Overall:

Green

Delivery:

Green

5/5 projects are now in the delivery phase.

Spend:

Amber

5/5 projects have had delays in starting their projects on 1st April 2019 resulting in a delay in expenditure.

Outputs:

Green

5/5 Projects are not expected to deliver outputs in quarters one and two.

What are our Key Updates?

•Successful applicants under the Innovative Projects Fund were notified after the 27 March 2019 IAC meeting.

•Offer Letters were issued to five of the eight successful applicants between April and May 2019.

•Two projects, Fit 4 Nuclear and Connecting Creative Capital, have not yet met the conditions of the offers made by the IAC.

•The Start East 2 Project has declined its award as it was unable to attract match funding from ERDF.

•The total amount allocated to the five projects under the 2018 IPF Call is £330,268.

•The total amount remaining committed to Fit 4 Nuclear and Connecting Creative Capital is £218,000 (subject to meeting offer conditions).

•The total amount allocated and committed to projects is £548,268.

•Signed offer letters were received back from all five successful projects by end of June 2019.

•Building Supply Chains & The Ipswich Cornhill Projects can make claims for Quarter 1, the Programmes Case Worker is still awaiting one of those claims.

•The 3 further projects will be making their first claims from Quarter 2.

•Claims made under Quarter 1 so far total £6,580

What is our Financial Position?

Financials (£ million)

Forecast

Financial Year

2019/20

2020/21

Brought Forward

0.000

0.056

LEP Allocation

0.500

0.000

Spend [Act/Fcst]

0.274

0.056

Committed

0.218

0.000

Carried forward

0.056

0.000

2019/20 Allocation Vs Remaining Expenditure

2019/20 - IPF Forecast Vs Actual Spend

£350,000.00

120,000.00

£300,000.00

100,000.00

£250,000.00

80,000.00

£200,000.00

60,000.00

40,000.00

£150,000.00

20,000.00

£100,000.00

£50,000.00

Q1-19/20

Q2-19/20

Q3-19/20

Q4-19/20

20/21

£0.00

Qtrly Forecast

Qtrly Claims

Amount allocated

Remaining spend

What is our contribution to the Economic Strategy?

Quarter/ year:

1 (Apr-Jun) 2019

Outputs - cumulative from April 1st to 30th June 2019 (Quarter 1)

Actual to date

Forecast to 2021

Number of Direct Full-Time Jobs Created

High Value Jobs created

Number of Jobs Safeguarded

Number of businesses created

Number of Businesses Supported

Number of Learners

Number of businesses created

What is the Project Delivery Status?

Building Supply Chains - NCC: This project has started delivery and will make a claim for Quarter 1 2019. Vattenfall in partnership with NCC and the

Chambers of Commerce have held initial events for local business.

The Ipswich Cornhill - Ipswich Central: The project has started delivery and has made a claim of £6,580 for Quarter 1. A claim of £33,000 is forecast for

Quarter 2.

Growing the Year-Round Economy - Visit East of England: This project was delayed in starting as the website database of tourism assets in the region had

not been handed over complete. The Project Manager was then tasked with ensuring the database was complete prior to starting the IPF project. The project is

now in delivery and a first claim will incorporate quarters one and two.

The Catapult - The Catapult Network: The project was delayed whilst accommodation for the project was confirmed between all partners. This was required

before the post could be advertised. Accommodation has now been secured at OrbisEnergy and the Offer Letter has been signed.

Norfolk & Suffolk Offshore Wind Competitiveness Positioning Programme - GYBC: The Offer Letter has been signed and the project has started.

What are the Next Steps?

A 2019/20 Call of an enlarged IPF Programme is awaiting approval from the NALEP Board on 25.09.19

The Programmes Case Worker for the IPF Programme is working with Project Leaders to ensure claims and associated monitoring reports are received for

quarter 2.

New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership

Investment Appraisal Committee.

Tuesday 10^th September 2019

Agenda Item 8

Innovative Projects Fund

Author: Tanya Nelson

Summary

The proposal to combine LEP, SCC and NCC revenue funds for the purpose of a larger

Innovative Projects Fund was approved by Norfolk and Suffolk leaders at their meetings on July

25^th 2019 and the 26^th July 2019 respectively.

At its meeting on 23^rd July 2019 the IAC approved in principle the establishment of the larger £1.5

Million Innovative Projects Fund jointly with local authorities from Norfolk and Suffolk - with final

sign off at the September LEP board meeting. At the same meeting, the IAC requested a Terms

of Reference for the Panel overseeing the decision making for the new larger programme.

A Terms of Reference is provided as appendix A to this paper for consideration by the IAC.

As part of the approval process for the Terms of Reference the IAC is asked to nominate three

private sector members of the IAC to sit on the Innovative Projects Fund ‘decision making’ Panel.

Only two private sector members will be required to attend meetings to ensure that the meetings

are quorate. The panel members will have a delegated responsibility from the LEP Board for

financial decisions up to a limit of £500,000 in respect of the Innovative Projects Fund.

A draft of the application form and guidance document for the 2019/20 Innovative Projects Fund

is provided as an appendix B for approval.

Recommendation

The Investment Appraisal Committee is asked to:

 Approve the Innovative Projects Fund ‘Terms of Reference’;

 Nominate 3 private sector members to sit of the IPF Panel (only 2 required to attend at

any panel meeting) delegating decision making power up to £500,000;

 Approve the 2019/20 Innovative Projects Fund application and guidance forms;

Background

The Innovative Projects Fund is a revenue grant programme that provides funding towards

innovative projects to support the delivery of the themes and activities identified in the Economic

and Industrial Strategies. The first call of the Innovative Projects Fund was made in 2018 and

led solely by New Anglia LEP with a remit to facilitate innovative projects supporting economic

growth and the delivery of the Economic Strategy utilising revenue from the Enterprise Zone Pot

C. Following the outcome of the first call of the Innovative Projects Fund, Councils in Suffolk

and Norfolk agreed to match New Anglia LEP’s future 2019 allocation of the Innovative Projects

Fund through their respective pooled business rates. In doing so, a £1.5 million pot has been

made available to prospective projects under a 2019/20 call.

At its meeting on 23^rd July 2019 the IAC approved in principle the establishment of the larger

Innovative Projects Fund jointly with local authorities from Norfolk and Suffolk - with final sign off

at the September LEP board meeting.

The proposal to combine LEP, SCC and NCC revenue funds for the purpose of a larger

Innovative Projects Fund was approved by Norfolk and Suffolk leaders at their meetings on July

25^th 2019 and the 26^th July 2019 respectively.

A Terms of Reference is provided as appendix A to this paper for consideration by the IAC.

The Terms of Reference outlines the responsibility of the Innovative Projects Fund Panel. It

covers remit, membership, frequency of meetings, quorum of the panel, declarations of interest

and how the panel will undertake decision making.

As part of the approval process for the Terms of Reference, the IAC is asked to nominate three

private sector members of the IAC to sit on the Innovative Projects Fund ‘decision making’ Panel.

Only two private sector members will be required to attend meetings to ensure that the meetings

are quorate. The panel members will have delegated responsibility from the LEP Board for

financial decisions up to a limit of

£500,000 in respect of the Innovative Projects Fund.

Membership of the Innovative Projects Fund Panel will be reviewed annually.

In preparation for a

2019/20 call application and guidance forms have been drafted for

consideration and included with this paper as appendix B. The new guidance includes the

merged criteria, combining the LEP’s criteria and that of the respective county’s pooled business

rates fund. Preference is that projects bidding for funds from the Innovative Projects Fund are

regional in nature. However, this would not preclude countywide or locality-based projects from

being supported. Following feedback from public and private partners, it is agreed that the

Innovative Projects Fund call for 2019 should further encourage projects that support our

competitive strengths and the high growth sectors (clean energy, agri-food and ICT/digital)

thereby supporting the Strategic Opportunities of the emerging Local Industrial Strategy. A

concerted effort will be made to publicise the funding (and make clear any funding constraints)

through the various sector groups and the business organisations in the region in a bid to attract

more applications from the business community.

The Innovative Projects Fund would again look favourably on cross-sector collaborations, where

specialist skills in one sector can drive innovation and growth in another. Revenue projects that

aim to increase innovation and those that demonstrate they are innovative in scope will be

considered for funding. Furthermore, proposals for revenue funding to add value to LEP or

council led capital schemes will also be considered.

Timetable

A suggested timetable for the 2019/20 call is as follows:

 Programme Call Launch - October 2019

 Programme Call Closes - December 2019

 Projects review and appraisal: January- February 2020

 Funding Decisions: March 2020

New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership

Innovative Projects Fund Panel

Agenda item 8.1

Draft Terms of Reference for Innovative Projects Fund Panel

Author: Tanya Nelson

Background

The Innovative Projects Fund is a revenue grant programme that provides funding towards

innovative projects to support the delivery of the themes and activities identified in the

Economic and Industrial Strategies. The first call of the Innovative Projects Fund was

made in 2018 and led solely by New Anglia LEP with a remit to facilitate innovative projects

supporting economic growth and the delivery of the Economic Strategy utilising revenue

from the Enterprise Zone Pot C. Following the outcome of the first call of the Innovative

Projects Fund, Councils in Suffolk and Norfolk agreed to match New Anglia LEP’s future

2019 allocation of the Innovative Projects Fund through their respective pooled business

rates. In doing so, a £1.5 million pot has been made available to prospective projects

under a 2019/20 call. It is likely that two funding calls will be required to allocate the

funding.

Remit

The remit of the Innovative Projects Fund Panel is to ensure an allocation of funding is

made through the Innovative Projects Fund, and that this allocation supports the

development of projects that deliver the aims and objectives of:

 The Norfolk and Suffolk Economic Strategy,

 The Industrial Strategy (where applicable)

 The respective economic strategies of the local authority from where the project

originates (where applicable).

Allocations of funding will be achieved through the following process:

The panel will be provided with a strategic assessment of projects by independent

consultants and these projects will be ranked in order of score.

The panel will make decisions on which projects should be approved for funding on

each application it considers.

The panel will have a delegated responsibility from the LEP Board for financial

decisions up to a limit of £500,000.

The panel will be required to approve material changes to funding agreements as

invariably further developments of a funding agreement will occur after initial approval

by the panel.

Membership

 The panel will be formed of six members which will be appointed by the LEP

Investment Appraisal Committee, Suffolk Leaders Board and Norfolk Leaders

Board, two will be private sector members of the IAC and four will be from the Local

Authorities. All six members will commit to attending meetings (either in person or

by telephone) and, unless they are required to declare an interest in an item, vote

on all items brought to the meeting.

 Three private sector members of the Investment Appraisal Committee will be

appointed to the Innovative Projects Fund Panel but only two shall attend at only

one meeting.

 The membership of the Innovative Projects Fund Panel will be reviewed annually.

 No delegations shall be permitted.

 A Chair of the Panel shall be appointed.

 A Deputy Chair shall be appointed to chair the Panel in the Chair’s absence or if

he/she elects to delegate the chair.

 Officers from the LEP Executive will attend meetings and present reports and

recommendations but will not be entitled to vote. Project applicants will not be

entitled to attend meetings unless it is deemed necessary.

 Meetings of the Innovative Projects Fund will not be open to observers or other

attendees.

 The terms of reference will be reviewed on an Annual basis.

Quorum

 A quorum of four members will be required, of which at least two shall be private

sector representatives.

 In the event of a vote, a decision is approved if it receives a majority of the votes

cast.

Meetings

 The panel will meet twice a year to discuss and make a decision on approval of

applications under the Innovative Projects Fund.

 An offer of funding will be limited to a period of 6 months within which the applicant

must accept the offer and terms. If an acceptance is not forthcoming within the 6

month period then a new application must be submitted.

 Further quarterly meetings will be scheduled (either in person or by telephone) to

discuss the progress and performance of the programme and cancelled if there is

no business to conduct.

 Where there is urgent business which cannot wait for the next meeting, with the

agreement of the Panel’s Chair, a written procedures process will operate as

follows:

- Panel Members will be circulated with details of the proposal and will be given five

working days to consider the proposal.

- A telephone conference will require a quorum where a majority approval or disapproval

is reached on a decision.

- Any Panel Member with an interest to declare must abstain from voting.

- Decisions made by written procedures and telephone conference will be noted at the

next meeting of the Panel.

Declarations of Interest

 All Members of the Panel are expected to declare an interest in any projects in

which they have a pecuniary interest outside their role in the New Anglia LEP.

 The maxim is “if in doubt declare”.

 Contributions of fact from the individual may aid the group in reaching its decision;

however the Chair will exercise discretion in allowing contributions.

 Members who have declared a pecuniary interest will not be allowed to vote, if a

vote becomes necessary.

Information to be provided

 A secretariat function provided by the LEP will provide administrative support to

the Innovative Projects Fund Panel, coordinating the preparation for meetings and

following up on decisions made.

 For each item on the agenda, the Panel will be provided with a report containing

the information necessary to enable them to reach a decision and including a

recommendation from the executive officer at the LEP responsible for supporting

the applicant towards submission of the project. Where necessary, Panel

Members can request and receive additional information to help them reach their

decision.

 Officers from the LEP Exec will attend meetings to provide project summaries and

recommendations.

 The process for the 2019 call is outlined in the organogram in Appendix A.

Agenda item 8.2

INNOVATIVE PROJECTS FUND

2019/20 CALL

Guidance for Applicants - Innovative Project Call (revenue)

Introduction

New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership is committed to driving economic growth in Norfolk and

Suffolk. Our ambitions for future growth are set out in the Economic Strategy for Norfolk and

Suffolk for the period 2017 to 2036.

The ambitions are:

• The place where high growth businesses with aspirations choose to be

• An international facing economy with high value exports

• A high performing productive economy

• A well-connected place

• An inclusive economy with a highly skilled workforce

• A centre for the UK’s clean energy sector

• A place with a clear, ambitious offer to the world

We will deliver these ambitions through actions and investment in priority themes and places.

The themes are:

• Our offer to the world

• Driving business growth and productivity

• Driving inclusion and skills

• Collaborating to grow

• Competitive clusters, close to global centres

The priority places are:

• Ipswich

• Norwich and Greater Norwich

• The Norfolk and Suffolk Energy Coast, including Bacton, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft

and Sizewell, with assets on and offshore

• The Cambridge - Norwich corridor

• The East/West corridors along the A47 from Lowestoft to King’s Lynn and the A14

Felixstowe through Ipswich, Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and Haverhill

to Cambridge

• King’s Lynn and the A10 and rail corridor to Cambridge

The Economic Strategy can be viewed by following this link: http://www.newanglia.co.uk/new-

economic-strategy/ The Local Industrial Strategy can viewed here: <<insert link>>

Call for projects

Applications are invited for revenue grant support towards innovative projects to support the

delivery of the themes and activities identified in the Economic Strategy and the Local Industrial

Strategy.

Specific Criteria

Applications should support one or more of the following high-level objectives:

NSES High Level Objectives (in current Delivery Plan)

Our offer to the world (OOTW)

OOTW-1: Integrate our inward investment and business location offer, campaigning at scale in new

markets and working with national Government.

OOTW-2 Attract the highly skilled people we need

OOTW-3: Make sure that investment markets have the information they need to take the decision to invest

in infrastructure of all kinds. Improve digital connectivity, etc.

OOTW-4: Use consistent place branding with an overarching offer.

OOTW-5: Work with Government to ensure that the unique contribution of our energy sector is well

understood and supported.

Driving Business Growth and Productivity (DBGP)

DBGP-1: Sharpen our high-quality business support offer to ensure it meets the changing needs of

businesses adapting to new ways of working and technology.

DBGP-2: Enable our SMEs to grow and increase exports by focusing grant programmes and other support on

growth, innovation and productivity

DBGP-4: Prioritise digital and physical infrastructure projects to support businesses to develop and provide

the space that new and existing firms need to grow.

DBGP-5 Set up new schemes to help high growth businesses and make it easier to access advice and funding

for commercial innovation and commercialising business and university R&D.

DBGP-6: Provide improved access to finance and assisting business capability in identifying skills deficits.

DBGP-7: Establish new centres of excellence to improve productivity and innovation, providing new skills for

business leaders and employees.

Driving Inclusion and Skills (DIS)

DIS-1: Through the development of sector skills plans, produce clear statements about the skills businesses

need now, and in the future, to influence providers, business investment and personal choices by new

students and those already in the workplace.

DIS-4: Prioritise leadership support for our entrepreneurs and those in new high growth businesses, through

further accelerator support, and business mentorship.

DIS-6: Step up our efforts to promote and support the delivery of high quality apprenticeships, providing

clear entry routes into our focus sectors, directly produce the skills and capabilities our economy needs -

including higher level technical skills through degree and higher level apprenticeships.

DIS-10: Develop new approaches and remove barriers to getting people back into work, especially for those

furthest from the jobs market and provide support for all into sustained employment.

Collaborating to Grow (CTG)

Work across sectors:

CTG-O1: Link up our innovation hubs and wider business support offer, focusing on specific places where it

makes sense to do so.

CTG-02: Ensure our work on opening up supply chain opportunities reaches across sectoral boundaries

Competitive Clusters, close to global Centres (CCGC)

CCGC-O1: Supporting our national and global clusters to ensure commercial opportunity they represent is

fully developed and well communicated to Government and investors.

Eligibility criteria

Only project applicants located within the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership area may

apply.

All projects must:

 Be able to demonstrate their contribution to the delivery of both the NALEP Economic

Strategy, the Norfolk and Suffolk Economic Strategy (NSES), and Call Focus through

direct and indirect outputs.

 Be able to demonstrate a clear link to:

 One or more of the current priorities in the NSES Delivery Plan (see table above)

and

 Not duplicate interventions already under way

 Wholly benefit Norfolk or Suffolk residents or businesses

 Be State Aid compliant

 Able to demonstrate the need for funding and the additionality achieved by the funding.

 Plug a funding gap that cannot be met by other grant programmes (e.g. Innovate UK,

Growing Business Fund or Agri-tech grants) and demonstrate that the funding will add

value.

 Be for revenue funding only, although purchase of small plant, equipment etc could be

admissible.

 Match funding up to 50% would be an advantage, this can be match funding in kind (e.g.,

staff time) but must be for new activity (existing staff positions working on the new project

must be backfilled).

 Support inclusive growth.

It will not be possible to support:

 Capital costs

 Transport feasibility studies

 Core running or staff costs

 Business as usual costs

 Assigned funds to support other grant schemes (delegated grant schemes)

 Any costs that have been incurred before a grant offer is made

 Items that only benefit an individual or sole business

 Items that are not directly needed to deliver the proposed work

 Loan repayments or contributions to general appeals

 Activities of a political or exclusively religious nature

 Expenditure against activity already supported from other Government sources, Local

Authority grants, or European Commission Structural Funds

 Expenditure on works or activities which any person has a Statutory Duty to undertake,

except where there is strong justification in terms of the regeneration outputs that will

result

 VAT, unless this cannot be recovered

 Projects where the sole beneficiary is the private sector

Application process

 Please ensure that you have discussed your project with someone at New Anglia LEP

before applying. You will be asked to provide the name of your contact on your

application.

 Grants offered under this programme are classified as de minimis aid under European

Commission State Aid rules. You are entitled to a total of no more than €200,000 of de

minimis aid from all Public Sector bodies in any three-year period. Applicants will be

asked to declare any de minimis funding received in the last 3 financial years.

 An application form can be requested by e-mail from [email protected]

 When requesting an application form please confirm the following details in your e-mail:

 Name of applicant

 Name of project

 Brief project description

 Grant amount to be requested & estimated total project cost

 Confirmation of any match funding

 Project start date (if known)

 Name of contact at New Anglia

 You will need to provide sufficient information to help determine if the project meets the

requirements of the Call.

Please send completed Application Forms to [email protected]

To arrive no later than 5pm on XX XXXX 2019.

No late submissions will be considered.

Project Selection criteria

Projects will be scored on a competitive basis against the criteria set out in this call

 Demonstration of clear fit with Economic Strategy.

 Additionality. How is this more than business as usual.

 Value for money. Can the project demonstrate this is good use of public money.

 Leverage. What additional funding, public or private or in-kind support does the project

generate.

 Impact. What will the project deliver?

 Sustainability. What will happen when the funding ends.

Key areas will be scored 1-5 for each project, with 5 being the highest.

Table 1 provides further detail (see below).

Table 1: Assessment process

Criteria

Guidance

Clear Fit with

High - strong

Medium - Good

Low- Strategic fit not

Applicants should demonstrate for their project:

Economic

strategic fit that

strategic fit.

clear, supports <3

•Does the project or scheme directly support the

Strategy

directly supports 5

Project supports

ambitions. Perhaps

ambitions / themes/ priority places set out in the

or more themes

3-5 ambitions &

ongoing upkeep or

Economic Strategy?

and directly delivers

has a clear link to

sustaining activity

•Does the project unlock other projects with a high

specific actions in

actions in themes

but does not directly

strategic fit?

the themes and

& places but

support an action in

•Does it help accelerate delivery of a LEP or Local

places and / or

delivers limited

a theme or place or

Authority led capital scheme?

unlocks other

improvement on

will not bring about

•Will it deliver new economic growth, or is this

projects that do. A

business as usual

net additional growth

business as usual?

clear inclusive

and/ or marginal

or direct inclusive

•Have you assessed the inclusive growth

growth impact.

inclusivity.

growth impact.

contribution of the project?

•Is there a clear rationale for public intervention;

market failure or distributional impact, or should it

be funded by other means?

Additionality

Strong fit-

Medium -

Low - demonstrates

Applicants should demonstrate that their project is

demonstrates

low additionality

more than business as usual.

strong additionality

reasonable

above existing

The programme will not normally provide/support core

above existing

additionality

provision.

funding, unless in a start-up phase.

provision.

above existing

Does the project bring additional partners or benefits to

provision

the table.

Does it leverage in additional funding? How much and

has it been committed, cash or in-kind?

Value for

High- Significant

Medium- Good

Low- Poor value in

Applicants should demonstrate for their project that the

Money

value in the project

value in the

the project.

project demonstrates good use of public money.

project

Costs per output should be in line with acceptable

levels for other comparable LEP funded projects.

Leverage

High- project

Medium- project

Low- project requires

Programme contribution will always be within

requires minimum

operates at mid-

significant

acceptable State Aid ranges, SME intervention would

contribution and

point of

programme

be between 10-30%, de-minimis intervention could be

has maximum

Programme

contribution and has

higher, but leverage should always be at the highest

private or public

contribution and

minimum private or

level possible.

match

equivalent private

public match

or public match

Criteria

Guidance

Impact

High- Significant

Medium - Good

Low- Minimal impact

Projects which deliver the maximum impact for the

impact as a result

as a result of the

minimum contribution will score the highest in

of the project.

project.

terms of assessment.

Broader impact projects, those which demonstrate

a wider benefit will score higher.

Projects which support and lead to the

development of others are to be seen in a positive

light.

But projects that demonstrate clear outputs or

outcomes will be prioritised.

Applicants need to show clearly what the

Programme is purchasing and what it is getting in

return.

Sustainability

Strong- project is

Good- project

Weak- sustainability

Projects should clearly describe future

self-sustaining

shows potential

is not achievable

sustainability in terms of resources and finances.

immediately

sustainability

within 5 years or

Projects which require the minimum public input

following

within 1-3 years

requires ongoing

and have no further requirement for public funding

Programme

from Programme

public support.

will score in the strong category.

funding.

Project Selection Process

Once submissions have been received, applicants may be required to respond to queries

about their projects from the LEP programmes team as part of the shortlist process.

Applications will be subject to a full appraisal by an independent consultant once submitted.

The appraisal will be in accordance with the National Local Growth Assurance framework and

HM Treasury Green Book principles of viability, value for money, achievability, affordability

and need.

The Innovative Projects Fund panel will be provided with a strategic assessment of projects

by the independent consultants and these projects will be ranked in order of score.

The panel will make decisions on which projects should be rejected or approved for funding

on each application it considers.

The Innovative Projects Fund Panel will consider all applications at its meeting on xx March

2020 meeting and determine whether to approve or reject each application.

An award of funding: All projects approved for funding will be subject to an agreement drawn

up in conjunction with the LEP’s Accountable Body, Suffolk County Council. The agreement

will include the cycle of anticipated drawdown of funding and the outputs expected to be

generated by the project. An offer of funding will be limited to a period of 6 months within

which the applicant must accept the offer and terms.

Support

Queries on the completion of the Application Form and process should be directed to:

[email protected] or [email protected]

Useful information

Economic Strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk

NSES Delivery Plan (awaiting link)

Applicants should ensure that they are familiar with the standards required for full business

case appraisal at an early stage. Guidance for this can be found at: HM Treasury Green

Book Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government

In addition, reference should be made to the DCLG Appraisal Guide (December 2016).