Page 1 of 4
Growing Business Fund Grant Panel Meeting Minutes (Confirmed)
Wednesday 04 April 2018
10.00am - 12.30pm
Community Action Suffolk, Brightspace, Hadleigh Road, Ipswich, IP2 0HH
Present - Panel:
Mike Burrows (MB)
Jeanette Wheeler (JWh)
Martin Ince (MI)
Dominic Keen (DK)
Sandy Ruddock (SR)
In attendance:
Jason Middleton (JM)
Julie West (JWe)
Rose Joy (RJ)
Barry Henson (BH)
Vimmi Hayes (VH)
Neil Sargent (NS)
Amanda Castell (AC)
East Coast College (Chair)
Birketts (Vice Chair)
Martin Ince Communications
Britbots
Scarlet and Mustard
New Anglia LEP
New Anglia LEP
New Anglia LEP
Suffolk County Council
Suffolk County Council
Finance East
Finance East
Actions from the meeting: Wednesday, 04 April 2018
New Applications for Approval
JM/Nigel Best, Growth Hub Manager, to discuss ‘Key Worker Insurance’ in generic
terms to the Business Advisers so that they can mention when they are with clients,
especially those applying for grants.
Small Grant Scheme Update
Statistical data on the New Anglia grant schemes to be provided to Panel members - to
be included with Agenda going forward.
Link to be emailed to Panel members for the stats which are uploaded every month on
the Growth Hub website.
Follow up Apprenticeships with Natasha Waller, Skills Manager at the LEP.
Look at ways of adding Apprenticeships onto the Growth Hub website.
Email SR three bullet points to promote GBF
Any Other Business
Circulation List - JWe to ensure all parties have the same distribution list
GDPR - JM to look at paperwork to ensure everything is GDPR compliant.
JM/Nigel Best
JM
JWe
JM
JWe
JWe
JM
1
Welcome
MB welcomed everyone to the meeting and round table introductions took place.
2
Apologies
Apologies were received from Paul Stewart, Center Parcs, David Dukes, Norfolk County Council, Stuart
Ager, Finance East, Max Applin, Max Applin Consulting
Page 2 of 4
3
Declarations of Interest
JM informed the Panel that Computer Service Centre Ltd have a delivery contract for the Growth Hub
website.
Julie West is a Trustee of Community Action Suffolk where the meeting was held.
4
Meeting Minutes: Panel Meeting 07 March 2018
Confirmed, with no amendments, or specific matters arising.
Terms of Reference - MB again reinforced the need to keep under review the voting numbers and gender
balance on the Panel.
Note taken that it is important to maintain representation from both local authorities, Norfolk County
Council and Suffolk County Council, for their collective local knowledge.
5
New Applications for Approval
a) Computer Service Centre Ltd - Agreed to support
Approved Grant: £265,800
No additional conditions, twenty-five jobs to be created.
b) Panel Graphic Ltd (2) - Agreed to support
Approved Grant: £64,386.
It was also noted that the company has made a grant application to BEE Anglia and therefore this
will need to be referenced in the Offer Letter to ensure the grants apply to different aspects of the
work to be undertaken.
Four jobs to be created
c) Broadway Colours Ltd - Agreed to support
Approved Grant: £40,000
No additional conditions, four jobs to be created, de-minimis award
Discussion took place on Key Worker Insurance as a means of safeguarding employees.
ACTION - JM/Nigel Best, Growth Hub Manager, to discuss ‘Key Worker Insurance’ in generic terms to
the Business Advisers so that they can mention when they are with clients, especially those applying for
grants.
6
Small Grant Scheme Update
The Panel noted the award of nineteen Small Grants in the month of February, totalling £183,900 (Grants
Awarded) - See Appendix 1.
JM asked Panel members to note that there will be a small decrease in the figures for grants awarded in
March.
Discussion took place on Apprenticeships and the issue of businesses not being able to find suitable,
good quality applicants.
ACTIONS:
As requested, statistical data on the New Anglia grant schemes to be provided to Panel members - to be
included with Agenda going forward.
JWe to email link to Panel members for the statistics which are uploaded every month on the Growth
Hub website.
JM to follow up Apprenticeships with Natasha Waller, Skills Manager at the LEP.
JWe to look at ways of adding Apprenticeships onto the Growth Hub website.
JWe to email SR three bullet points to promote GBF.
7
Funding and Jobs Creation
BH advised that final spend to date stood at £3,061,000. Looking ahead to 18/19 there is £2.79M in the
GBF however £1.27M being carried forward, plus the £370,000 from today’s agreed grants therefore
£1.64M is already committed. Budget paper going to the LEP board which may release additional funds
later in the year.
Cumulative confirmed job creation now 1,831, with an additional 22 jobs created from the Small Grant
scheme.
Overall total paid out is £20,343M.
Page 3 of 4
8
Updates on Approved Grants
BH provided brief update on one grant project.
9
GBF Applications ‘Pipeline’
NS and AC provided brief details of applications in progress.
Julie West advised of eight new Expressions of Interest being processed by the Growth Hub.
10
PR and Marketing
Jwe provided update on Growth Hub website, and case studies which are due to go live later this month.
11
Any Other Business
Circulation List - Jwe to ensure all parties have the same distribution list
GDPR - JM to look at paperwork to ensure everything is GDPR compliant.
The meeting closed at 11.45am.
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, 02 May 2018, 10.00am - 12.30pm
Centrum (Meeting Room 3), Norwich
Page 4 of 4
Appendix 1. Small Grant Scheme projects approved in February 2018
No
Applicant
Grant
awarded, £
1
P.W.Waters Ltd.
6,050
2
TM Services Audio Visuals Ltd.
4,939
3
MH Goals Ltd.
4,195
4
CSS Cloud Ltd.
25,000
5
School's Out Activities Ltd.
7,241
6
All Star Training Ltd.
4,600
7
The Limecrete Company Ltd.
3,750
8
PCE Automation Ltd. (2)
8,220
9
Plinth Medical Ltd.
9,490
10
Frank and Earnest Ltd. (2)
8,991
11
The Handsome Prints Company Ltd.
21,000
12
Portable Space Ltd.
23,821
13
SH Jenkins Ltd.
25,000
14
Kiezebrink UK Ltd. (2)
10,240
15
Step On Safety Ltd.
1,400
16
Inductive Logic Ltd.
3,907
17
Sassa's Bespoke Cakes
3,359
18
Novo Farina Ltd.
3,817
19
Travel Photographer of the Year Ltd.
8,880
Total - Feb 2018
183,900
