Decision details

Sheffield City Council has been nominated by the Sheffield City Region (SCR) to receive European Structural and Investment Funds, and to act as Accountable Body for the Sheffield City Region Enhanced Growth Hub Project.

The provision of this service is funded by two separate sources:

1. European Regional Development Fund under a contractual agreement already in place between Department for Communities and Local Government and Sheffield City Council
2. Sheffield City Region Growth Hub through a match funding agreement which is the subject of this decision request.

This report seeks the approval to enter into a match funding agreement with the SCR allowing Creative Sheffield to receive £120,355 of funding towards the salary costs of the Accountable Body Team between April 2016 and March 2019.

Approval of the wider project (SCR Enhanced Growth Hub) to which this funding is directly linked, was executed through the Key Decision made by the Cabinet Member for Business and Economy in September 2016.Please see the decision report attached in the background papers.

Background

SCR Growth Hub is part of the business growth strand of the Strategic Economic Plan and a key delivery mechanism as part of the response to the challenge facing the City Regions businesses over the coming decade. Its main focus it to address barriers to the growth of our existing SME base by provided a uniformed approach to delivery of all publicly funded business support across the City Region.

The project will draw down European funding through the 2014 – 2020 European Structural and Investment Programme to enhance the provision already delivered by the “core” Growth Hub by providing additional resources for the following activities:

• A programme of specialist intensive support interventions delivered by private sector business consultants, operated as a grant scheme (maximum grant will be £5,000)
• A programme of Events and Master classes based on the needs and demands of SME’s are engaged in the programme.  
• Establishing Key Account Managers in the 4 South Yorkshire areas who will maintain links with significant local businesses referring into the Growth Hub where appropriate.

As Accountable Body, SCC will be lead partner, holding the funding contract with Department for Communities & Local Government for the ESIF grant.  It will enter into Service Level Agreements with the South Yorkshire Local Authorities and with SCR Combined Authority and will work closely with each partner to deliver the project.

As outlined in the match funding agreement the Accountable Body Team will be responsible for the following functions on behalf of the partnership.

•           Financial Management, Processes and Controls

•           Procurement Compliance

•           State Aid Compliance

•           Evaluation

•           Programme & Project Monitoring

•           Document Management Systems

That the Director for City Growth:

(i) approves the Council entering into the match funding agreement with the Sheffield City Region for a match funding grant of up to £120,355 between April 2016 & March 2019; and

(ii) approves, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance and the Director of Finance and Commercial Services:

·         the completion of all necessary documentation.

·         to agree the terms and sign off any variations to the above funding agreement.

·         such other steps as may be deemed appropriate to achieve the outcomes set out in this report.

Approval of the recommendations will allow:

• Creative Sheffield to provide the Accountable Body service; without which the project could not be delivered.
• Creative Sheffield to confirm to DCLG that all match funding requirements of the contract for the SCR Enhanced Growth Hub has been met.

·         Draw down the grant from SCR to ensure there is no budget shortfall in either the service or the project.

Do Nothing

• Would result in Creative Sheffield being unable to draw down the match funding which would leave a budget shortfall in the Accountable Body Team.
• The match funding is a condition of the contract between DCLG and Sheffield City Council for the delivery of the SCR Enhanced Growth Hub project. Failure to secure this funding would result in a funding gap in the project which would result in DCLG suspending delivery