Issue - meetings

Received a report on the proposal for the Council to submit an application in the first round of bids under the Government’s Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (LEGI), which is aimed at fostering entrepreneurship in deprived areas of the country.  There are three rounds of bids under the LEGI and submissions for the first round have to be made by 9 December 2005. 

Noted that as part of the bidding process, the Council is required to submit a costed Enterprise Plan and this is currently being developed following consultation with key stakeholders.  Further aspects of the criteria include the delivery of the Enterprise Plan by a partnership with a strong private sector influence, and the Council acting as the Accountable Body for the project.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Regenerating the Local Economy’, to:

(i)  The submission of an application in the first round of bids under the LEGI on the terms set out in the report;

(ii)  Endorse the three key themes of the Enterprise Plan, namely “Enterprise Culture”, “Access to Support” and “Space for Business”;

(iii)  Authorise the Acting Director of Regeneration and Environment to sign off the final Enterprise Plan, following further consultation with key stakeholders, for submission by 9 December 2005;

(iv)  Authorise officers to approach prospective partners to establish partnership arrangements to oversee the implementation of the Enterprise Plan if the Council is successful in its application;

(v)  The necessary steps being taken to implement the Plan from April 2006;

(vi)  Authorise, in principle, ring-fencing the proceeds arising from the Local Authority Business Growth Initiative (LABGI) into Block Four of the Local Area Agreement, to be reviewed when the level of LABGI proceeds is known;

(vii)  The Council acting as the Accountable Body for the delivery of the LEGI; and

(viii)  Note that a further report will be presented once the outcome of the application is known.