Issue - meetings

Report of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Regeneration and Planning

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor James MacCleary

(Non-key decision):

(1) To support the continuation of the business start-up and the general business support programmes under the LEAP brand and ask that consideration be given to supporting community enterprise throughout the programme.

(2) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning to appoint Edeal to continue the delivery of the LEAP business support programmes for up to three years; and, in order to achieve this, to waive Contract Procedure Rule 10 in respect of this contract for the reason set out in Reason 2 (Section 2.2 of the report), below.

(3) To allocate a total of £102,500 over a three-year period as funding for the continuation of local business support.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and the Director of Regeneration and Planning, reviewing the achievements of the Local Enterprise & Apprenticeship Platform (LEAP) business start-up and the general business support programmes and to secure further funding for LDC’s continuing contribution to the business support landscape.

Following discussions, the Cabinet made a slight revision to officer recommendation (1) and this was detailed in full below.

Resolved (Non-key decision):

(1) To support the continuation of the business start-up and the general business support programmes under the LEAP brand and ask that consideration be given to supporting community enterprise throughout the programme.

(2) To authorise the Director of Regeneration and Planning to appoint Edeal to continue the delivery of the LEAP business support programmes for up to three years; and, in order to achieve this, to waive Contract Procedure Rule 10 in respect of this contract for the reason set out in Reason 2 (Section 2.2 of the report), below.

(3) To allocate a total of £102,500 over a three-year period as funding for the continuation of local business support.

Reasons for decisions:

(1) As noted in paragraph 1.2 of the report, a full procurement process was followed in 2015, which resulted in the appointment of Edeal to deliver the LEAP business start-up programme. Since this appointment, levels of positive feedback have increased and there has also been an increased level of demand.

(2) the proposed funding dovetails with the work already being done through the Business Hothouse described in paragraph 1.10 of the report which Edeal is also working on and would deliver additional value for money if resources were pooled in this way.

(3) As well documented in paragraphs 1.11 – 1.17 of the report, this proposal outlines the importance of business support, especially at a time to help local economies recover from Covid-19. Furthermore, it indicates how the programmes directly link to the Corporate Plan - in particular to the priority on Community Wealth Building, and other council policies. Withdrawing LEAP’s support would a) mean 654 businesses over the 3-year period would have to seek support elsewhere which is limited, b) run the risk of adversely impacting the local economy, and c) negatively affect the reputation of LDC, especially as the programme has become an established brand.