Delivering Regeneration in Cumbria Gillian Elliott and Ian Hill Cumbria Regeneration Support Team

Overview Cumbria – location and context The policy environment EU and other funding programmes How programmes work together Case studies – examples of projects

Where are we?

Policy Context Regional Economic Strategy  Produced by NW Regional Development Agency  Key document for allocation of UK Government Funds for Regional Development Regional Spatial Strategy  Regional spatial planning policy – what development, and where  Produced by NW Regional Assembly (non-elected regional government) Sub-regional strategy  Produced by partners in Cumbria to support Cumbria’s priorities

EU Programmes Objective 2 programmes since 1988 Major source of economic development funds in the region Recognise that we need to diversify after 2006.

Other EU programmes Leader+ 2 Interreg projects – one RFO Leonardo projects Current interest in Article 6, FP6

Regional Funds – 2 new delivery companies RRural Regeneration Cumbria WWestlakes Renaissance

National, Regional and Local Programmes Rural Regeneration Cumbria North West Development Agency EU Funds: Government Office North West Westlakes Renaissance Objective 2Objective 3 Cumbria Learning and Skills Council UK Government Funds Regeneration Support Team Projects Job Centre Plus

Objective 2/3 Programme Monitoring Committee Objective 2 Advisory Group Objective 3 Advisory Group Action Plan Partnerships Programme Management Group Co-financing organisations EU Structural funds governance

Priority 1: Business and Ideas Priority 2: People and Communities Priority 3: Regional Infrastructure C B & I partnership: business support agencies, local authorities, £12m Alston Moor Partnership £0.2m West Cumbria Partnership £3.5m Barrow Partnership £2.4m Local partnerships: local authorities, NGOs, regeneration agencies Rural Cumbria Economic Development Zone (EDZ) £6m West Cumbria & Furness Economic Development Zone (EDZ) £12m Objective 2 - Cumbria

Integrated team Regeneration Support Team supports Objectives 2, 3, Leader+ and regional funds Financed by ERDF/ESF technical assistance and Cumbria partners Management and employment by local authority Project support and development Policy and intelligence Appraisal, monitoring, reporting and financial claims

Case Study 1: Whitehaven Community Enterprise Unit Objective 2, priority 2 Offers employment support, advice and social enterprise activity for unemployed people Refurbishment of building £167,000, 50% ERDF, 50% regional funds Services to unemployed people financed by ESF (Objective 3) and regional funds

Case Study 2: Osprey project Pandion haliaetus (‘fish eagle’ - falco pescatore Extinct in UK from 1919 Project to support and promote their re- introduction to England Total Project Costs: £541,095 or around €750,000 (50% ERDF Objective 2, priority 3) 100,000 visitors/year, over €2m in to local economy

Case Study 3: Wordsworth Trust A study centre and historic collection for William Wordsworth – poet and writer of the 18 th and 19 th centuries. Total project £3 million:  ERDF £400,000 (Objective 2, priority 3),  Heritage Lottery (UK National Lottery) £2 million Developed and managed by NGO Iconic architecture in a National Park

More to do Possible developments:  Matching the funds at source so that applicant makes one application  Integrated appraisal systems  Funding programmes to use the same targets and outputs Do different sources of funding follow the same strategy?