1. GM calls for European Regional Development Fund projects
European Funds - Programme Updates
31st January 2017
Andy Churchill
First slide

2. ESIF European Structural Investment Funds
These are for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth
European Regional Development Fund
Starting with enterprise
Capital & Revenue, buildings, loans, training
European Social Fund
Starting with people
Revenue fund, human resources, training and job subsidy
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development

3. National Programmes delivered at Local Level
National ESF, ERDF and EAFRD Operational Programmes
National Programme Monitoring Committee (Growth Board)
Strategies at LEP level (39 sub-committees)
LEP level ESIF Committee
Must have Third Sector involvement at all stages of the Programme
Regulations
UK Partnership Agreement

4. 2014-20 Seven year programmes
N+3 Final Claims to Europe before end of 2023
Very late start, slow appraisals
First calls March 2015, first projects agreed March 2016
Then more changes and delays - due to
Development of devolution
Pause after referendum vote
Now building up steam
GM often leading the way

5. Post Referendum Pause - calls stopped 31st July, committees postponed
Value for Money and fit with Domestic Strategies
ESF calls 25th Oct - 30 Nov. 22 calls for £53m (no GM)
ERDF calls restarted - 89 calls for £348 - all on 16th Dec
Two for GM (P1 and P3)
EARDF calls restarted 25th January
Change to forms and appraisals
VfM and fit with Domestic Strategy now at beginning
Local ESIF committee now to comment on VfM
VfM does not mean cheapest, but best economic return (like Social Value Act)

6. Managing Authority Runs the Operational Programme Agrees Projects
Makes claims to the European Commission

7. Devolution Local LEP level ESIF committee is advisory only
Run by DCLG on behalf of the Managing Authorities
DCLG is MA for ERDF and DWP is MA for ESF
SUD (10% of ERDF for Sustainable Urban Development)
All eight core cities
Co-Financing Organisation
GM is first non-national body
Intermediate Body (some powers devolved from MA)

8. Bidding Direct Bidding for ERDF, EAFRD and some of English ESF
Co-Financing for some of English ESF
Skills Funding Agency (only until July 2018)
DWP
NOMS
Big Lottery Fund
and now, G Manchester (through Trafford)

9. English ESF Co-financing
Large (national) body
Identifies its own match
Allocated an amount of ESF
Carries out its own bidding rounds to commit the ESF and deliver outputs and results
BLF gives out ESF and Match. SFA/DWP/NOMS just provides ESF

10. Referendum vote
Prime Minister says will trigger Article 50 at end of March 2017
We then have two years to agree, or an agreement is imposed
So we would leave by March 2019
or Later
Chancellor’s statement October 3rd - all projects signed before we leave EU will be guaranteed funding
Most projects are three years, so takes us to 2022 (for the programme)
Thus we have funding for about the next five years

11. Referendum vote
Prime Minister says will trigger Article 50 at end of March 2017
We then have two years to agree, or an agreement is imposed
So we would leave by March 2019
or Later
Chancellor’s statement October 3rd - all projects signed before we leave EU will be guaranteed funding
Most projects are three years, so takes us to 2022 (for the programme)
Thus we have funding for about the next five years

12. Simplification Programmes have become much too bureaucratic
Focus on recording money spent and checking eligibility
Less concern for what is being delivered
Gold Plating
European Commission is determined to change this
Simplification Agenda
High Level Group
ESF Platform on Simplification
Delegated Acts in standard costs

13. Simplification Programmes have become much too bureaucratic
Focus on recording money spent and checking eligibility
Less concern for what is being delivered
Gold Plating
European Commission is determined to change this
Simplification Agenda
High Level Group
ESF Platform on Simplification
Delegated Acts in standard costs

14. Devo and GM Co-Financing Organisation Agreed April 2016
First non-national Co-Financer
Devolved Education and Skills Budget
Match for ESF

15. ESF in GM P1 (unemployed) £81.85m Total available
£30.0m Awarded through SFA and BLF
£32.7m CFO proposal (Working Well, and Work and Health)
£19.1 m Still to be allocated (2018 onwards?)
P2 (employed) £64.1m Total available
£10.9m 2 SFA contracts awarded
£17.4m Employer engagement
£35.0m Future calls (likely higher skills P3 and above)

16. ERDF in GM - next steps
Much of ERDF through Financial Instruments (loans). British Business Bank runs N P’hse Investment Fund (loans to enterprises). launch expected mid February local Fund Managers. Also GM Fund of Funds (capital development - urban and low-C)
Current Calls P1 Innovation and P3 Enterprise (start-ups)
Previous P3 bid cancelled (New Enterprise Allowance match not allowed), so new call
Call due soon - P4 Low Carbon Economy
with Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings, small scale low-C renewables in community centres etc, perhaps with loan

17. Website: www.networkforeurope.eu
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Twitter: @network4europe
Final slide

18. Thank you!