Innovation Support Project Post 2014 (J000)
Decision:
* RESOLVED –
(1) That the post of Innovation Support Project Manager be made permanent.
(2) That applications for funding to support the project be submitted as opportunities arise.
Minutes:
The Development and Growth Manager submitted a report recommending continuation of the Innovation Support Project based at the Innovation Centres.
The Tapton and Dunston Innovation Centres had been open since the late 1990s and had been highly successful in nurturing new technology and innovation businesses in Chesterfield. Since September 2012 the Innovation Support Project had been in operation from the Innovation Centres, providing direct one-to-one support to companies helping them to identify and resolve their innovation needs. The project had been funded in part by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by the Council from savings made as part of the restructure of the staffing at the Innovation Centres in 2011/12. The ERDF funding for the project was due to end in June 2015 along with the contract for the Innovation Support Project Manager.
The project was managed by the Innovation Support Project Manager on a part time basis (three days per week). The project had exceeded the targets for the number of businesses supported and the portfolio of the businesses that the Project Manager worked with had a combined turnover of £81m, a net profit of £8m and employed over 1050 staff. Since the Innovation Support project commenced in September 2012 it had supported 15 Chesterfield businesses to access over £2m of Regional Growth Fund, supporting the creation of over 200 new jobs.
The report considered the options for the future of the Innovation Support Project, and it was proposed that the £30,000 saving from the earlier staffing restructure be retained to enable the continuation of the Innovation Support Project Manager post with a view to securing additional support as and when available. It was anticipated that either direct financial support would be available via the new European Union structural funds programme or via activity that was supported by the new programme, for example, businesses being signposted to other projects if they offered more specialist or appropriate support.
* RESOLVED -
(1) That the post of Innovation Support Project Manager be made permanent.
(2) That applications for funding to support the project be submitted as opportunities arise.
REASONS FOR DECISIONS
To ensure that local innovative businesses have the opportunity to grow and contribute to the improvement of the local economy.
To maximise the income to the Council from lettings at the Innovation Centres.