Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

 

“Relevant Background Information

 

      Co-financing for European Social Fund (ESF) applications

 

      At the January 2008 meeting of the Development Committee, members received an update on European funding.  They were reminded of council’s successful application for funding from the European Social Fund (ESF).  It aims to provide training to help those not currently in employment to find jobs within the hospitality and retail sectors.  ESF projects are 65% funded and project promoters are expected to find the 35% co-financing from other sources.

 

      BelfastCity Council has been approached to provide co?financing to a number of other organisations who have made applications under the European Social fund programme.

 

      Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT) Social Economy Event

 

      At the December 2007 meeting of the Development Committee, members asked that consideration of a report on the proposal for sponsorship of the UCIT All-Island Social Enterprise Trade Show be deferred for consideration at a future date.

 

      Collaboration with Northern Ireland SciencePark (NISP)

 

      Members will be aware that the Northern Ireland SciencePark (NISP) delivered a range of activities last year which were co?financed by Belfast City Council.  NISP has now submitted a proposal for additional activity in the next financial year and has asked Belfast City Council to make a financial contribution towards this work. 

 

      BITES (Business Improvements through Environmental Solutions) Tender: Request for delegated authority to accept tender

 

      At the 8 August 2007 Development Committee, members approved an action plan for the development of the environmental industries in the city.  This included the second phase of a programme to support business improvements through environmental solutions (BITES).  A tender for the development and delivery of this programme was issued in January 2007. 

 

      Shopmobility – request for support

 

      Members will be aware that the Shopmobility scheme has been supported by council since 1995 as part of its local economic development plan.  A proposal for financial support of £25,000 for the current year of operation has been submitted for consideration.

 

Key Issues

 

      Co-financing for European Social Fund (ESF) applications

 

      The European Social Fund (ESF) provides funding for training measures to help people get into employment and enhance their career prospects.  In October 2007, a call for projects under Priority 1 of the Northern Ireland ESF Programme – Helping People into Employment – was launched.  The call closed in November 2007. 

 

      A number of organisations approached council to ask for support in advance of making their submissions.  These were:

 

-     LEAP (north Belfast): project to enhance employer and client engagement in north Belfast with a view to increasing employability of local people.  The project aims to place around 300 local people in employment over the three year period of the programme.

 

-     Stepping Stones (east Belfast): project to enhance employer and client engagement in east Belfast, focusing on addressing the needs of small businesses. The project aims to place around 220 local people in employment over the three year period of the programme.

 

      Both organisations are part of the Citywide Employability Consortium (CEC) which has been supported by Belfast City Council since 2006. 

 

      These organisations have now been informed that their applications have been approved, pending economic appraisal by Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). 

 

      The financial support requested from Belfast City Council as co?financing is:

 

-     LEAP: £48,684 per annum

 

-     Stepping Stones: £32,665 per annum.

 

      In the previous year, the funding allocated to each of these organisations as part of their work with the CEC was:

 

-     LEAP: £48,506

 

-     Stepping Stones: £42,500.

 

      It is proposed that any co-financing offered to these ESF projects by Council would replace any future Council contribution to the CEC work for both organisations. 

 

      Belfast City Council has also been approached by Women in Business to co-finance a ‘Women Returners Network’.  This group will provide services such as e-mentoring, discussion forum and networking opportunities, work placement opportunities and newsletters to encourage women back into the labour market.  The projects aims to:

 

-     Direct 110 women to further course in enterprise/business start-up

 

-     Direct 110 women to further educational courses

 

-     Help 55 women find employment.

 

      Women in Business have asked for co-financing from Belfast City Council of £30,419 in year 1. It is understood that they also intend to approach four other councils for co-funding, namely Newtownabbey Borough Council, Ards Borough Council, Castlereagh Borough Council and Lisburn City Council. 

 

      To date, Belfast City Council has not engaged in female-only business support activity given that this has not emerged as a priority within the Global Enterpreneurship Monitor (GEM) research and it was an issue that had traditionally been led by Invest NI and organisations such as Women in Business. 

 

      Members should be aware that, given that this ESF is funded by the EU, any agreement to co-finance these projects will preclude the draw-down of monies from DETI (i.e. the money for co-financing will have to come from rates monies only).

 

      Members are asked to consider co-financing the first year of the three projects as follows:

 

-     LEAP: £48,684, providing that specific targets are met

 

-     Stepping Stones: £32,665, providing that specific targets are met

 

-     Women in Business: £30,419, on condition that the other named councils also approve co-financing of the project to an agreed level.

 

      It has been confirmed with DEL that agreement to co-finance these schemes will have to be renewed on an annual basis.  If Members are to agree on co-financing support for all three projects the total contribution will be £111,768.

 

      Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT) Social Economy Event

 

      Members are reminded that UCIT had requested sponsorship of £14,000 from Belfast City Council for its All-Island trade fair and conference in June 2008.  Other confirmed sponsors include:

 

-     International Fund for Ireland (IFI) – sponsorship of £43,000

 

-     Co-operation Ireland – sponsorship of £43,000

 

-     Invest NI – sponsorship of £12,500.

 

      UCIT have asked Belfast City Council to contribute £14,000 towards the event.  The funding will be used to cover costs of venue hire (St George’s Market) and the gala dinner (BelfastCastle). 

 

      The event will be attended by up to 200 exhibitor delegates, 30 buyers, 60 statutory representatives and around 300 additional operators within the social economy sector in Ireland.  It is expected that up to 40 of the exhibitor delegates will be from Belfast. 

 

      Members are asked to agree to sponsorship of this event, up to a value of £14,000.

 

      Collaboration with Northern Ireland SciencePark (NISP)

 

      NISP has submitted a funding proposal to Belfast City Council to support the development and delivery of four programmes aimed at consolidating the knowledge industry in the city.  The key components are:

 

-     Springboard – a year-round, flagship programme that assists technology-based             companies and entrepreneurs refine their business and financial strategies through a group mentoring process

 

-     Frameworks – a series of 23 half-day workshops targeted at entrepreneurs and the research community. Content is delivered by experts from service providers (law firms, IP, accounting). Workshops are delivered onsite at the universities.

 

-     Evening Series – Case studies of successful ventures from inside and outside             of the region or leading innovation breakthroughs from established European technology companies delivered at the Innovation Centre

 

-     25K award – continuation and expansion of the successful programme to             stimulate action around the identification of the most promising ideas from our research base

 

      Each of these components is interrelated and, when combined, they create a rounded package of support for the most promising knowledge-based research or early stage ventures.

 

      BelfastCity Council support will be used towards Belfast-based companies and will predominantly cover costs related to the Frameworks initiative.  However it is accepted that there is a win?win situation if all initiatives can be offered as a package to target businesses. 

 

      It is therefore recommended that members agree to the allocation of up to £60,000 towards the development and delivery of the NISP-CONNECT model, pending confirmation of additional support from the other identified public and private sector sources.

 

      BITES (Business Improvements through Environmental Solutions) tender: request for delegated authority to accept tender

 

      The deadline for submission of tenders for the delivery of this programme was 29 January 2007. In order to expedite the procurement process, members are requested to delegate authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Chair of the Development Committee, to accept the most advantageous tender for the works, within the overall available budget.

 

      Shopmobility – request for support

 

      Shopmobility currently operates from five locations within the city and, with the opening of its new location in Victoria Square, this will increase to six.  It is also working to extend its facilities to a number of other venues including Belfast City Council parks, Belfast Zoo and the local hospitals.  The service currently provides 44 scooters, 3 electric wheelchairs and 86 wheelchairs at events and venues all across Belfast.

 

      The charity’s annual operating budget is around £200,000.  Income to support the scheme includes:

 

-     Department for Regional Development - £75,000

 

-     Belfast Trust - £26,000

 

-     Environment and Heritage Service - £24,000

 

-     Department for Social Development - £25,000

 

-     Wheelchair hire - £6,000

 

-     Private/other income – £20,000

 

      Members are asked to approve a request for £25,000 funding to support the current year’s activities.  This will cover costs relating to ongoing development as well as marketing and promotional activity.

 

Resource Implications

 

      ESF applications:

 

-     £48,684 towards LEAP project

 

-     £32,665 towards Stepping Stones project

 

-     £30,419 towards Women in Business project.

 

      Ulster Community Investment Trust (UCIT) Social Economy Event: Request for £14,000 sponsorship.

 

      Collaboration with Northern Ireland SciencePark (NISP): financial contribution of £60,000 towards programme delivery requested.

 

      Shopmobility: Request for £25,000 funding.

 

Recommendations

 

      It is recommended that members:

 

-     Agree to co-finance the LEAP ESF application up to a maximum of £48,684 for one year, providing that specific targets are met and as a replacement for any contribution towards CEC activity by LEAP

 

-     Agree to co-finance the Stepping Stones ESF application up to a maximum of £32,665 for one year, providing that specific targets are met and as a replacement for any contribution towards CEC activity by Stepping Stones

 

-     Agree to co-finance the Women in Business ESF application up to a maximum of  £30,419, on condition that the other named councils also agree to co-finance the project

 

-     Agree to sponsorship of the UCIT Social Economy trade event, up to a maximum of £14,000

 

-     Agree to the allocation of up to £60,000 towards the development and delivery of the NISP-CONNECT programme, pending confirmation of additional support from the other identified public and private sector sources

 

-     Give delegated authority to the Director of Development, in consultation with the Chair of the Development Committee, to accept the most advantageous tender for the BITES programme, within the overall available budget

 

-     Approve a request for £25,000 funding to support the current year’s activities for Shopmobility. 

 

Key to Abbreviations

 

      ESF      -     European Social Fund

      UCIT     -     Ulster Community Investment Trust

      NISP     -     Northern IrelandScience Park

      BITES  -     Business Improvements Through Environmental Solutions

      LEAP    -     Local Enterprise Action Programme

      CEC      -     Citywide Employability Consortium

      DEL      -     Department for Employment and Learning

      GEM     -     Global Entrepreneurship Monitor

      DETI     -     Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment”

 

            After discussion, the Committee adopted the recommendations contained within the report.