Welcome to the Active Engagement bulletin on news, activities and opportunities relating to the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) for the VCS and partners. This bulletin is distributed at the start of every month; providing a round-up of recent news and highlighting what’s coming up in the future.
For information on the role of LEPs and their relevance to your work please visit the One East Midlands policy page. Information specific to D2N2 can be found here at One East Midlands or on the D2N2 website at www.d2n2lep.org
If you would like to contact the Active Engagement Officer at D2N2 or have items of relevance to this bulletin that you would like including you can contact us at Rachel.quinn@d2n2lep.org or tel: 07551 124225.
D2N2 Board and ESIF Sub Committee – VCS representative feedback
The D2N2 Board and ESIF sub-committee met on the 19th September in Newark. Key items on the agenda included arrangements for EU funding continuity post referendum, the formal launch of the Growth Hub and updates on HS2.
The D2N2 VCS representative, Sylvia Green, has produced a summary of discussions of particular reference to the VCS.
Copies of all D2N2 Board meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the D2N2 website at http://www.d2n2lep.org/about/board
The latest agreed minutes for ESIF Sub-Committees can be found via the gov.uk portal at: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/local-sub-committees-meeting-documents
If you have any particular issues that you would like to raise or feed into Sylvia as VCS representative or with Matt Allbones or Michael Henry as equalities representatives at ESIF Sub Committee then please get in touch using the contact details at the top of this bulletin.
D2N2 Future ESIF Calls – position update
The communication from HM Treasury last month committed government to fully fund projects under the European Structural and Investment Funds programme which are contracted before the Autumn Statement. However, this raised questions as to any plans for future calls beyond the Autumn Statement; now set for 23rd November 2016.
LEPs have now been asked to complete (for ESF and ERDF) high level schedules of investment priorities linked to the timing and scale for associated funding calls. Although these do not guarantee funding will come forward they are a way of reinforcing the need to commit funds in order to achieve successful delivery of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan.
This schedule will be submitted by 7th October and will include prioritisation of the Active Inclusion Community Grants Programme, community-level Low Carbon activity and continuation of a range of youth, skills and employability programmes relevant to VCS delivery.
D2N2 will seek to keep stakeholders informed as further information becomes known.
Skills Strategy Review – 2016-2020
Following the recent Sector Skills Refresh Events in Nottingham and Chesterfield, D2N2 have launched a formal consultation to run from the 23rd September – 7th October. The refresh aims to provide a forward looking framework and evidence base for skills need, delivery and coordination in the D2N2 area and will influence the activities and focus of provision. The presentation from the events and the Executive Summary are both available online to view prior to providing feedback on the strategy.
You can access the consultation here: http://www.d2n2lep.org/skills.
D2N2 Employer Survey – deadline extended to 7th October
The D2N2 Employers’ Survey probes the challenges and issues employers face in relation to skills, training, recruitment and accessing support. The survey will provide strategic direction for investment and the delivery of activities as well as providing valuable insight to inform the previously mentioned Skills Strategy Refresh.
As a significant employment sector, the VCS are encouraged to respond. To correspond with the closure of the skills strategy refresh consultation, the deadline has been extended to 7th October.
You can find the survey at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzAdUk8Ou5ysbwq6xO9v2pjDmctVz7dJq1sZT8Ulyq3gW5vQ/viewform?c=0&w=1
Please circulate both the skills refresh and employers survey to your networks.
Skills Funding Agency – Procurement Update
As many will know, a large part of ESF delivery is co-financed and managed by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA), including contracts for Inspire Local, Employ Local and Youth Engagement. Contracting against these projects is running slightly behind schedule. The SFA have released the following update to LEPs:
On 26th August I wrote to you to inform you that almost all of the tenders had been received, that Agency staff were working hard on the evaluation of the bids and also how we intended to manage the contract award panels. We are now almost through the 1880 evaluations and are holding multiple contract award panels each week; we will contact you when your specifications are ready for governance. The awards panels will be complete in October and the latest contracts will start in late October/early November once they have been processed through governance and the standstill period. We want to make sure that these contracts have the best chance to deliver and our ESF Delivery team will ensure that the contracts are set up as quickly as possible. The team will also arrange tripartite meetings between the Agency, the LEP and the successful provider so delivery can commence as quickly as possible. In addition to this, we have agreed with the Managing Authority and the Department for Education that we will offer to extend all contracts from the current end date of March 2018 to July 2018. I will write to all Local Sub-committee chairs separately to set out the extension offer and how we would plan to manage the contract variations to Managing Authority Memorandums of Understanding and provider contracts, subject to Local Sub-committee approval. This extra four months will be very helpful in giving providers more time to deliver locally and will also take NEET contracts to the end of the academic year.
We will provide further information as it is received.
Derbyshire Funding for ‘Recovery Communities’
Derbyshire County Council have approved funding for 8 community based projects focussing on recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. The £200,000 investment programme is funded through anticipated reductions in participant use of mainstream services.
D2N2 are keen to see how these projects, many of which focus on rebuilding skills, aspiration, confidence and employability, can work complimentarily with inclusion and employability funded through ESF.
For more information about the fund and the projects receiving support click here
Tenth Nottingham Dragon’s Den - open for applications
Budding entrepreneurs are invited to pitch for a small grant (up to £3000) in support of their business start-up and for help and advice from this year’s ‘Angels’ panel. Applications must be received by 9.30am on 5th December to be considered. All organisations working with pre start and new start entrepreneurs are encouraged to signpost to this opportunity.
For more information or to apply visit http://www.nottscf.org.uk/grants/dragons-den/
D2N2 Growth Hub - open for business
Following the successful application for ERDF funding, The D2N2 Growth Hub is now fully live. The Growth Hub exists to help business link effectively with services that can help them to thrive and grow. The Hub now offers a dedicated phone line, business advisers, a bespoke website and a growing network of business support providers meaning improved capacity to provide a better service to its customers.
The Growth Hub is available to all businesses across the D2N2 area – providing or signposting to support for businesses at all stages of development.
To find out more visit the website at www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk or view the e:card
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