http://www.nwda.co.uk/docs/Mark%20Hughes_comp

Business Support Mark Hughes, Executive Director Enterprise and Skills, Northwest Regional Development Agency

STRUCTURE 1.

Business Support Drivers

2.

Business Support Simplification • • •

3.

Approach Core themes Experience

Moving Forward

1. Business Support Drivers • A less benign economy • Business needs • Economic Development Strategies (Nat/Reg/Local) – Enterprise (Finance), Innovation, Creative Economy – Leitch World Class Skills, HE at Work - High Skills High Value – Manufacturing

• Programme for Business Support Simplification – Easier for business to understand and access – More targetted and better value for public money – Measurable impact

• CSR / LAA-MAA / SNR

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Approach • Overview – – – –

Align RES and BSSP Partner in Region and Nationally Embed Corporate Plan, Appraisal Framework, ERDF, RDPE Exemplar Region

• Regional Steering Board – – –

Convened June 2007, Enhanced April 2008 Membership (Private sector, Public sector, NWUA ) Leadership, commitment, co-ordination, communication, monitoring

• Regional Transition Plan (May 2008-Dec 2010) – Submission 6 May 2008 – Sign-off by Regional Steering Board – Comments Today

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Core Themes • Product Portfolio • Business Link • Branding & Marketing • Commissioning • Evaluation

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Product Portfolio • Streamline 3,000 to no more than 100 by 2010 • To date 7 themes, 18 offers and 30 products • New products - opportunity to pilot via RSB / TMB National Grants & Services Directory

Current NWDA Mapping 2008

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November 2006: 305 in NW:

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151 live business support projects

- 38 NWDA / 25 have closed

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103 due to close by Dec 2010

- 133 rest of public sector

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c90% good/fair match to portfolio,

- 134 info channels

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Need detailed ‘transition path’

April 2008 40% ‘closed’

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‘Introduction path’ consideration for new products & ERDF/RDPE projects

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2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Business Link • Transformation • Primary access channel to publicly funded support – inclusive of private and voluntary sectors

• Merger into BL of all IDB – – – – –

RDA support March 2009 Skills Brokerage April 2009 UKTI June 2009 Resource Efficiency October 2009 Protecting the Natural Environment April 2010

• Enhanced Business Link – to support hard to reach groups – broaden specialist brokerage activities

• Provide intelligence for all stakeholders

BUSINESS SUPPORT: Brand/Marketing Research Findings of Customer Testing: •

Range of public sector support not well known and often surprises

•

Number and complexity often drives negative perceptions of Gov, waste

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Simplification of offering and clear central access welcomed by all

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Single unified brand for all business support preferred – Offers a simple and clear solution – It feels cost efficient and ‘right’ to the tax payer

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Need to indicate specialisms within the brand, ideally by theme / product

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Government funding is a worthwhile endorsement

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Delivery partners and other elements can simply confuse

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Brand guidelines to be published July 2008

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Brand/Marketing Business support brand (single brand)

Theme Product name

Location or sector (if relevant)

Public sector endorsement (by exception only)

Identified as backed by government

Access point Boilerplate containing additional information, e.g. multiple funding sources, details of the wider business support offer

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Commissioning • Proposed procurement level • Key is engagement in specification, investment, performance …

National Procurement

Region Procurement

- Debt Finance

- Finance Awareness and Capability

- Risk Capital for equity gap

- Capital Investment Grants

- Export Credit Guarantee

- Skills solutions for business

- Promoting resource efficiency

- Shared business support environments

- Innovation collaborations

- Business Expertise for Growth

- Preparing to go international

- Innovation finance

- Getting into new overseas markets

- Business Creation

- Foreign Direct Investment

- Business Collaboration Networks - Local Community Business Community

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Evaluation •

Evaluation key for future business support to measure impact, effectiveness and efficiency

•

All RDAs required by BERR to complete extensive evaluation

by September 2008; feeding into next CSR timetable

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NWDA undertaking 100+ reviews covering £900million spend from 2002-07

2. BUSINESS SUPPORT: Experience

3. MOVING FORWARD • Immediate Next Steps -

Deliver TMP

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LAA process

• Product Plans • Enhanced Business Link • Local Partnership and Delivery • Business Engagement