Untitled Document

Issue 74: 2nd July 2010


> What’s new? > Partner’s Perspective: “The Emergency Budget… what next for Convergence?”, Carleen Kelemen, Director, Convergence Partnership Office. > How is Convergence doing? > What are other European Programmes doing?

This is part of a monthly series of newsletters that will keep you up to date with the progress of the Convergence Programmes for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as they are put into action over the coming months.

Work completed on pioneering business centre

The construction of a pioneering business innovation centre in Cornwall is now complete. The £12m Pool Innovation Centre is a purpose-built, three-storey building with space for 49 offices, six shared meeting rooms and a conference facility.

> Click here for more details

Gulf War veteran supports silver surfers

First Gulf War veteran Rich Emerson, who suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when he left the army, is being supported by ESF (European Social Fund) Convergence to run a surfing course for the over 50s to boost their confidence.

> Click here for more details

Cornwall School for Social Entrepreneurs Summer Sessions

Cornwall School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) will be running a series of summer sessions, delivered by inspiring ‘experts’ and ‘witnesses’ during July in the China Clay area. The sessions are designed to give participants a taste of the SSE programme, and allow budding social entrepreneurs to learn more about the field, and SSE in particular.

> Click here for more details

New Equal Opportunities and Sustainable Development Awards

ESF providers and subcontractors are invited to nominate themselves for the new ESF equal opportunities and sustainable development awards which highlight providers who have made a special effort to mainstream equal opportunities or sustainable development through effective policies and implementation plans or by providing specialist support.

> Click here for more details

“The Emergency Budget… what next for Convergence?”

Carleen Kelemen, Director, Convergence Partnership Office


Exciting opportunities		“The ERDF and ESF Convergence programmes, that run until 2013 for commitment and 2015 in terms of spend, present Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with an exciting opportunity to continue its journey of economic renaissance.

Investments so far

“Investment to date has included:

The Wave Hub
Peninsula Research Institute for Marine Renewable Energy (PRIMaRE)
A spectrum of business support designed with the private sector
The best performing Jobcentre Plus / Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) employment programme in the country

The delivery of these and a host of other investments continues apace – for further details visit the Convergence website.


Changing public spending priorities		“The UK is in the midst of a seismic re-alignment of public spending priorities and budgets – the £6.2bn in year cuts announced in May, the June Emergency Budget and the Comprehensive Spending Review that will happen in the autumn, when much of the detail will be revealed.


Effect on Convergence		“These changes in Government policy and spending are likely to affect the shape and mechanisms for the implementation of Convergence but the opportunities and the mission of the two programmes remain undiminished.

Key issues

“Key issues at the moment include:

For ERDF Convergence

Reflecting on the progress of the programme to date
Identifying the match funding needed to draw down European investment
Maintaining the Secretariat functions needed for the programme, currently based in the South West Regional Development Agency

For ESF Convergence

Ensuring that the unique scope and intensity of the ESF Convergence added-value opportunities are both bespoke/relevant to the local economy and properly reflected in the nationally-led procurement and delivery mechanisms of both DWP and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Maintaining the Secretariat functions needed for the programme, currently based in Government Office for the South West.”

Convergence Programme position as at 2 July 2010

The table below summarises the value of Convergence investments.

We have met our spend targets for 2009 and due to a change in the regulations the targets for 2010 have been lowered. Official confirmation of the new targets is awaited, but calculations show that the revised 2010 target for ERDF Convergence is in the region of 73m euros, which has already been exceeded.

This means there is no risk of the Programme losing funds this year because they have not been drawn down from the EU on time, however, the pace of activity cannot slow as the target for 2011 is very challenging. The Programme will be managed as if the 2010 target had not changed, in order to put it in the best position to meet the 2011 target.

All monetary figures are £ million	Total	ERDF Programme	ESF Programme
Programme budget	524.4m	371.2m	153.2m
Value of investments contracted	260.3m	173.7m	86.6m
Value of investments endorsed (but not contracted)	28.8m	28.8m	0.0m
Actual project spend to date	94.1m	51.2m	42.9m
Spend target for end 2010		achieved	45.4m

NB. The Programmes’ budgets are set in Euros so the pound sterling figures are estimates and will vary with the exchange rate during the life of the Programmes.

The Convergence Programmes are investing in a higher value, more knowledge based economy.
A list of investments can be found on the Convergence website.

Glossary

Contracted: Contracts signed by both the applicant and the organisations managing the Programmes
Endorsed: Investments awaiting final exchange of contracts.
Spend: Money claimed from the European Union by projects for work in progress.
Spend target: The amount of money the Programmes must spend on by the end of 2010.


Rural Programme		Find Rural Development Programme contact details and updates on the Convergence website.


European Fisheries Fund Programme – deadline for applications		The next deadline for European Fisheries Fund (EFF) applications over £100,000 is 11 August 2010. Please send all applications by this date to: Business Relations Team, Marine Management Organisation, PO Box 1275, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 6XB. Please note applications received after this date will not be considered in this round. We recommend applicants use the local facilitator Steve Bailey on 07876 035 733.


Newlyn		The decision to accept the offer of £2.2 million EFF funding lies with the newly appointed Harbour Commissioners, to be made before the deadline in mid-August.


Contact details		For contact details and information about the fisheries programme, visit the Convergence website.

More detailed information about Convergence, links to key organisations and websites can be found on our website.

You can also check out the latest Convergence updates by visiting our Media Hub, following us on Twitter or getting our news feeds.