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Looking back on our achievements 2008-2009
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Contents 3 Foreword
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Supporting the region in challenging times
4 This year’s key achievements
6 Supporting business growth and competitiveness 10 Improving skills and education opportunities 12 Developing the workforce 14 Connecting the region 16 Improving quality of Life
19 Policy and performance 20 Highlights of the Business Plan 2009-10 21 Board and Executive 22 Information
2008-09 was both a challenging and successful year for the Northwest. The economic downturn continued to impact on the regional and national economy. However, there were a number of important successes in the drive to transform our economy. Providing strategic leadership is our most important role in the current economic climate. We reacted quickly, announcing a support package for businesses totalling over £200 million. This enabled us to put in place a number of initiatives targeted at ensuring businesses have alternative avenues to finance. This is something which will continue to be a priority for us in the year ahead. We are also providing regular updates to Government on how economic conditions in the Northwest are changing and what we are doing to respond. Key developments during the year included our announcement of the first investments from the Northwest European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which, along with Agency funding, supported a range of key projects. This included business finance initiatives, for example the Transition Loan Fund and Grants for Business Investment, and key infrastructure projects such as the Barrow Link Road and the Liverpool Lime Street Gateway project. We also continued to make good progress delivering the region’s transformational projects: the development of MediaCityUK is well underway; the Government renewed its commitment to the development of Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus; and an additional £26 million of funding for the University of Cumbria was announced. Liverpool’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008 was also a resounding success, generating an economic benefit of £800 million for the region. The Government’s Sub-National Review highlighted new responsibilities for RDAs, including developing single integrated regional strategies to bring together economic, spatial and housing strategies.
In the Northwest, this will mean an enhanced but changing role for the Agency and new ways of partnership working. As the first English region to begin working on this, the NWDA and 4NW - the Regional Leaders Forum, are developing the strategy in partnership on behalf of the region, with the draft strategy planned for consultation later this year. The economic impact of RDAs was highlighted in March, with the Government releasing the findings of an independent report which showed that for every £1 invested by the RDAs an average of £4.50 of economic output was put back into the regional economies. This means that RDAs have turned their £5.1 billion of evaluated expenditure into an overall benefit of over £23 billion. A total of 65 of the NWDA’s programmes and projects were assessed, which showed that the Agency performed better than the national average – solid evidence of the NWDA’s ability to deliver real economic change on the ground. The economic climate will continue to create challenges for the Northwest in the year ahead, and we must maintain the provision of relevant, timely support to ensure the region is in the strongest possible position, whilst ensuring that we deliver on our priorities to achieve our long-term aims for the economy. The region’s strength in partnership working has always been its strongest asset, and I hope that we can continue to build on this as we work towards achieving our shared vision for the region.
Bryan M Gray Chairman
Steven Broomhead Chief Executive
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This year’s key achievements Business
Place
People
• Development of MediaCityUK where £150 million of private sector leverage was secured.
• Supporting Liverpool Capital of Culture and sub-regional 08-themed projects, including Cheshire Year of Gardens, Cumbria Adventure Capital, Taste Lancashire and Manchester Year of World Sport.
• Supporting the University of Cumbria and skills and employment in Pennine Lancashire.
• Successfully managing the European Regional Development Fund on behalf of the Northwest.
• Implementation of the Northwest Climate Change Action Plan.
• Implementation of the Finance for Business Strategy to improve access to finance for those areas not addressed by private sector provision. • Continuing the development of Business Link Northwest. • Launching a Visitor Attraction Fund for high quality capital investment in leading visitor attractions. • Supporting our major science assets and concentrations of innovation in Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus, Manchester (including Manchester Knowledge Capital), Liverpool and Lancaster.
• Supporting City Employment Strategies in Liverpool, Manchester and Blackburn.
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• Developing strategic employment sites, including Kingsway, in Rochdale, and Liverpool Knowledge Quarter, and supporting the delivery of the Manchester City South development framework. • Delivering regeneration in East Manchester via the Urban Regeneration Company, including the continued development of Ancoats. • Supporting economic development in Housing Market Renewal areas, including Oldham/Rochdale, East Lancashire and Merseyside.
• Securing continued improvements in perceptions of the region as a place to live and do business. 2
• Supporting for major regional events, including the BT Paralympic World Cup, the FINA World Swimming Championships, Liverpool Biennial and the Tour of Britain.
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1 MediaCityUK 2 Museum of Liverpool 3 University of Cumbria
• Delivering regeneration in Liverpool via Liverpool Vision, including investment at Mann Island, the new Museum, the canal link and Liverpool Northshore. 4
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Business
Why it’s important England’s Northwest needs to become more competitive within the global market place by increasing levels of enterprise and innovation and driving growth in the region’s priority sectors, whilst ensuring that it delivers its commitment to tackling the climate change agenda.
Supporting business growth and competitiveness Business support Objectives during the year included: • Implementing the new Northwest Enterprise Strategy • Developing projects to support business start-ups • Building Business Link Northwest as the primary access route for business support • Delivering the new Finance for Business Strategy • Implementing the Government’s Business Support Simplification Programme
Our key achievements 2008-09 Business Support • Business Link Northwest, launched in April 2007, continued to provide effective and targeted business support, assisting 92,642 businesses with an 91% satisfaction rate. • A £35 million Business Start-Up Programme, funded by £26.6 million from the NWDA and £8.4 million funding through ERDF, to provide advice for ‘Starting a Business’ and young businesses.
• Launch of the Government’s Business Support Simplification Programme to streamline business support in a difficult economic climate.
Business Finance • As part of the response to the economic downturn, the Access to Finance service was strengthened within Business Link Northwest. • The ‘Grant for Business Investment’ scheme supported 58 businesses during the year and awarded over £11 million of grants. • 92 loans totalling over £1.3 million from the Small Loans for Business initiative were allocated, creating or safeguarding 245 jobs.
• Intensive assistance (in addition to ‘Starting a Business’ advice provided by Business Link Northwest above) through Intensive Start-Up Support for under represented individuals to help start their own business. • A £10 million High Growth Programme, funded by £3 million ERDF and £7 million NWDA, designed to help businesses in the region with ‘Starting a High Growth Business’ and provide ‘Coaching for High Growth’.
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• Launch of a series of Survive and Thrive events, managed by Business Link Northwest, to support businesses through the economic climate.
• Up to £10 million was provided for the Transitional Loan Fund, to provide transitional loan funding of up to £250,000 for SMEs facing a temporary shortfall in their working capital. During the year, the scheme supported over 50 businesses with short-term loans of almost £4 million.
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• The NWDA committed to a 10-day prompt-payment pledge to help suppliers with cash flow. Innovation & Efficiency • Applications for the Grant for Research and Development scheme increased, with 77 awards totalling over £6 million announced during the year.
Outcomes
5,840 The number of new businesses created
Enterprise Support • Launch of the Northwest Enterprise Strategy to drive up enterprise levels in the region, particularly within hard to reach groups such as BME communities, people with disabilities and women.
29,980 The number of businesses assisted by the Agency during 2008-09
• Development of the Northwest Women’s Enterprise Action Plan to increase female entrepreneurship in the region.
1 Supporting small businesses
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Supporting business growth and competitiveness Internationalisation Objectives during the year included: • Supporting businesses to realise the opportunities from globalisation • Working with UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) to help companies trade internationally • Generating inward investment from target markets • Working with partners on investor development programmes with existing overseas investors
Climate Change and Sustainable Consumption and Production Objectives during the year included: • Providing support to business on sustainable resource use and procurement • Encouraging energy research in Northwest universities • Supporting energy and waste technology development • Delivering demonstration programmes in sustainable resource use and climate change adaptation technologies • Helping high energy users reduce emissions and mitigate unavoidable emissions
Regional Sectors and Visitor Economy
Our key achievements 2008-09 • The region was once again the best performing region (outside the South East) for attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), attracting 176 FDIs during the year and creating or safeguarding 11,436 jobs. Successes included: - Bank of New York expanding in Manchester creating 500 new jobs. - Maersk Line (the largest shipping container company in the world) moving their UK & Ireland HQ from London to Liverpool, supporting 90 jobs.
- US owned Sitel establishing a new call centre in Lancashire that will create 300 jobs.
Objectives during the year included:
• Ongoing support for UKTI to help businesses in the Northwest trade internationally, as part of the Agency’s £4.9 million three-year investment.
• Supporting the Advanced Engineering and Materials sector
• An agreement between the NWDA and aerospace systems manufacturer Aircelle was establised, enabling the company to expand its operation at the Agency owned Michelin site in Burnley, creating 150 new jobs.
• Delivering programmes in the Creative and Digital sector
• Producing and implementing a Manufacturing Strategy/Action Plan • Supporting Food Northwest and related supply chain initiatives • Delivering the Northwest Biomass programme and Centre of Excellence for Biopharmaceuticals
Our key achievements 2008-09 • NWDA funding of £3 million, matched by ERDF, to enable Northwest Vision + Media to take forward the growth of the Creative and Digital sector in the region. • Development of the Manufacturing Strategy and Action Plan to drive the growth of the sector. • Opening of the new Food Technology Centre in Cumbria, which received a £1.5 million investment by the NWDA and ERDF, to facilitate the growth of the Food and Drink sector in the sub-region. • Launch of the Energy Innovation Centre in Capenhurst, enabling startup companies to turn innovative ideas into commercially successful products and services.
Our key achievements 2008-09
• Opening of the Biomedical Research Centre in Liverpool, an international centre for research, supported by a £6.4 million NWDA investment.
• £10 million investment towards four Carbon Reduction initiatives, including: - £1.6 million towards Foundation, managed by Groundwork Northwest, to give individuals and businesses the chance to donate to local community climate change projects. - £2 million for the Carbon Challenge Fund, delivered by Envirolink Northwest, to provide grants of between £100,000 and £500,000 to new projects that can demonstrate significant carbon savings. - £3.3 million towards two business support initiatives, with match funding from ERDF. These include the ‘Grants for Improving your Resource Efficiency’, designed to help SMEs fund investments in environmentally-friendly capital equipment, and additional projects under ‘Grants for Research and Development’.
Innovation
• Completion of the Joint Striker Figher (JSF) design engineering project to provide improved access to BAE Systems’ Samlesbury site.
• Launch of the £4 million ERDFfunded Innovation Voucher scheme, which aims to assist 1,000 businesses in developing closer links with the region’s knowledge base. The scheme awarded 500 innovation vouchers during the year.
• Continuing the development of the region’s major science, research and innovation concentrations
• Opening of the £13 million pilot waste treatment and recycling plant in Knowsley, developed by the Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority in partnership with the NWDA, designed to divert 40,000 tonnes-a-year of household waste from landfill.
• Ongoing implementation of the Aerospace and Automotive supply chain programmes.
Our key achievements 2008-09
Objectives during the year included:
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• Implementing the Northwest Science Strategy and investing jointly with the National Technology Strategy Board • Publishing and implementing an ICT Strategy • Delivering an Innovation Voucher scheme
• Launch of a £750,000 project to increase the uptake of biomass energy systems by the region’s industries.
• Launch of the Northwest Tidal Energy Group to examine the Northwest’s ability to extract tidal energy from the Irish Sea. 1 Northwest Energy Coast
3 • Planning permission was granted for Vanguard House, a major new facility for hi-tech businesses and leading edge science on the Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus. • Two investments to support the continued delivery of the Northwest Science Strategy were agreed – £8 million for the Knowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry and £4.9 million for the Northwest e-health project, a new information and technology service to support the Northwest’s biohealth sector.
Outcomes
1,103 The number of businesses supported to engage in new collaborations with the region’s knowledge base
2 Northwest Automotive Sector 3 Daresbury Science & Innovation Campus 8
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Skills and Education
Why it’s important The skills base of the Northwest workforce is critical to the economic development of the region. In order to compete effectively, the region’s businesses need access to a highly skilled workforce that is relevant to their skills needs.
Improving skills and education opportunities Leadership, management and higher level skills development Objectives during the year included: • Delivering a major programme to promote leadership through a range of learning methods • Extending the LSC Train to Gain Leadership & Management programme
Our key achievements 2008-09 • £21 million investment for a programme of projects to develop world-class leadership and management skills within the region including: - £6.5 million for the expansion of the Train to Gain Leadership & Management Advisory Service, delivered by Business Link Northwest.
- £9.5 million for Leading Enterprise and Development (LEAD) – a leadership programme targeting 2,000 businesses.
• £3.25 million investment in a new University Centre at Blackburn College, which will serve up to 600 extra students.
- £4.4 million to enable ‘Mentoring for Northwest Businesses’, matching quality mentors with businesses that have less than £2 million turnover.
• Additional funding of £26 million over the next eight years in the continued development of the University of Cumbria.
• Supporting the University of Cumbria and Higher Education in Burnley
• Launch of the state-of-the-art Automotive Training Centre at Great Sankey High School (Cheshire), supported by a £250,000 NWDA investment, to provide pupils with vocational training. • Investment of £400,000 to support the training needs of businesses in the Advanced Flexible Materials sector.
• Supporting the Higher Level Skills Pathfinder • Supporting Further and Higher Education in developing a demand/business led response to higher level skills needs
• Additional £1.5 million training funding to extend the Coaching and Leadership Solutions Project and support the automotive industry during the economic downturn. • Construction of the £6.5 million Centre for Music, Performance and Innovation at Liverpool Hope University, supported by £3 million from the NWDA. • Start of work on the development of Winsford Learning Zone, supported by the Agency, to provide education and training for 250 students from local schools. • Official opening of Macclesfield Learning Zone, a state-of-the-art £38 million education campus supported by a £5 million NWDA investment.
Outcomes
27,275 The number of adults assisted with vocational training/ education
2,000 The number of businesses supported by the LEAD programme
1 Northwest Composites Centre 2 Macclesfield Learning Zone 1
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People and Jobs
Why it’s important Reducing worklessness and tackling social exclusion in areas with acute needs will help to reduce levels of economic inactivity, helping to improve the region’s employment rate and enabling disadvantaged groups to realise their economic potential.
Developing the workforce Size of the workforce Objectives during the year included: • Supporting Liverpool and Manchester City Employment Strategies and Pathfinders • Tackling worklessness and social exclusion • Implementing the Regional Equality and Diversity Strategy • Implementing the Regional Ageing Framework • Influencing flexible working to support retention and recruitment • Providing support for rural community initiatives through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
Our key achievements 2008-09 • Completion of the new £16 million Greggs bakery in East Manchester, safeguarding 300 jobs. The development was assisted by a £7 million grant from the NWDA.
• The launch of a Regional Ageing Framework – Everybody’s Future – along with a £210,000 investment in the establishment of 50/50 Vision (Regional Forum for Ageing).
• The latest in a series of progress reports on the regeneration of Blackpool, published by Government Office for the North West (GONW). Achievements included the town’s successful bid with Preston for Housing Growth Point status and a Multi-Area Agreement focusing on the number of benefit claiments.
• £240,000 investment to support the launch of Emeritus College, a project to link mature/senior people to organisations which can benefit from their expertise.
• The launch of the Regional Mental Health Leadership Group to examine ways of reducing the issue of poor mental health and get people into, or back into, work.
• £500,000 co-commissioning with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for a six month intervention programme for unemployed people in Greater Manchester. • Targeted funding for Lancashire and Cheshire & Warrington to support businesses in sustaining employment opportunities for long-term unemployed jobseekers.
Outcomes
26,602 The number of jobs created or safeguarded through Agency activity during 2008-09
1 • Support for the development of the rural economy including: - The launch of the NWDA-managed Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), a £75 million scheme, funded by Defra and the EU, to increase the competitiveness of rural areas in the region.
2 - The launch of the £18 million Northwest Livestock Programme, which aims to improve farm competitiveness through six pilot farms in Cumbria, Lancashire and Cheshire. - An Agency grant of £4.7 million for Reaseheath College (Nantwich), to create an Enterprise Delivery Hub to support rural businesses.
6,415 The number of people supported in finding employment through Agency initiatives
£75 m RDPE funding that will be invested in supporting the growth of the region’s rural economy up to 2013
1 Northwest Livestock Programme 2 Tackling worklessness 12
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Infrastructure
Why it’s important The infrastructure required for sustainable growth requires an effective transport and communications provision, as well as appropriate employment and housing sites through an effective planning system.
Connecting the region Conditions for private sector investment Objectives during the year included: • Continuing the regeneration of East Manchester and supporting Oldham/ Rochdale Housing Regeneration Programmes • Developing Liverpool Vision Economic Development Company and major regeneration schemes in the city • Supporting Blackpool college and university campuses to capitalise on the Talbot Gateway scheme • Supporting Preston Commercial Business District, Blackburn’s Freckleton Street, Elevate HMR Programme and a new Economic Development Company • Working on masterplanning proposals in Warrington • Supporting development at Barrow, Lillyhall, Westlakes Science Park and Carlisle
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Our key achievements 2008-09 • Work to enable the delivery of key schemes by Central Salford, including Agency investment of £1.1 million to take forward the Irwell City Park scheme.
• £10 million ERDF and NWDA investment for the construction of an access road for the Waterfront Business Park, part of the Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness development.
• Continued development of Ancoats, including unlocking the development potential of the former Howarth Metals site at Jersey Street.
• £3 million investment for new road infrastructure to support the development of other key employment sites in Barrow.
• Agency funding of £8.2 million to support the delivery of the new Blackpool College campus and the signing of the £220 million Talbot Gateway development.
• Development of the Carlisle Renaissance Action Plan, which aims to regenerate the city centre and increase employment.
• Progress on transforming Warrington town centre following the acquisition of the Time Square retail site to secure its redevelopment. • £2.5 million investment for public realm improvements around Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter and £6.4 million ERDF funding to improve the city’s gateway train stations and bus routes.
Employment sites and premises
Our key achievements 2008-09
Objectives during the year included the development of key sites: • Kingsway, Rochdale
• £17.3 million investment to create 170 hectares of new green space through the REVIVE in Cheshire programme. • Continuing the Newlands land regeneration programme, including the £8 million Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Reserve (Lancashire) and £3.8 million to transform 73 ha of brownfield land (Bury).
• Agecroft, Salford • Widnes Waterfront • Newlands • REVIVE in Cheshire
• £4.3 million investment for remediation works to enable the development of a multi modal freight distribution centre at the 3MG site in Halton. The development will create up to 1,200 jobs for the area.
• £1 million Agency investment for Penrith New Squares, a mixed-use scheme which had stalled due to the economic downturn and is now progressing.
• Continued support for the development of Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale.
Outcomes
302 ha Amount of brownfield land reclaimed during the year
£340 m Public and private sector investment levered in
• Facilitating the acquisition of a 16 ha site by Halton Borough Council as part of the Widnes Waterfront redevelopment. 1
• Ongoing review of the Northwest’s strategic and sub-regional sites to ensure investment continues to meet regional priorities.
1 Metrolink at Kingsway
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Quality of Life
Why it’s important Improving the region’s image and building on its outstanding quality of life plays a vital part in encouraging business investment, driving the visitor economy and promoting the Northwest as a place to live and work.
Improving quality of life Marketing the region Objectives during the year included: • Promoting the region and its destination brands to national and international visitor markets • Working to bring major cultural, sporting and business events to the Northwest, including support for the Liverpool 08 Programme, Blackpool 365 and Manchester International Festival, amongst others • Promoting the region as a location for Pre Games Training Camps for Olympic teams competing in London 2012
Our key achievements 2008-09
Outcomes
• Support for the Liverpool 08 Programme, which generated more than 15 million cultural visits to the city and an £800 million economic impact for the region, including: - Investment in key events such as La Machine, The MTV Europe Awards, and the Liverpool Biennial - Support for national marketing campaigns to promote the Programme outside the region
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- Supporting regional awareness through a series of building wraps
• Continued support to secure major events for the region, including the European Badminton Championships, the World Netball Series and Great North Swim, which generated a £45 million economic impact.
• £2 million investment to help secure the region’s appeal as a business tourism destination.
• 2,985 businesses registered for CompeteFor, the NWDA-funded programme which matches companies to London 2012 contract opportunities.
• High quality supplements in the Financial Times and The Times promoting the region’s business credentials. • Continued support for Blackpool 365, the town’s three-year signature events programme, supported by an Agency investment of £3.5 million.
• The Agency also supported 08-themed projects across the rest of the region, including Manchester Year of World Sport, Cheshire Year of Gardens, Cumbria Adventure Capital and Taste Lancashire, which collectively attracted an additional 500,000 visitors. 2
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• Launch of the Stuart’s Stories campaign, which featured BBC Radio 2 presenter Stuart Maconie promoting England’s Northwest through a series of travel diary style pieces in national publications.
• Becoming a major partner in the Lakes Alive season of arts events in Cumbria, which generated £1.25 million for the economy. The Agency also confirmed an additional investment of £250,000 for the event up to 2012.
• Thailand, 15 Pacific Island countries from Oceania and Swimming Australia confirmed their commitment to using the region’s sports facilities in the run up to London 2012.
£800m Economic impact of Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Programme for 2008
£45m The economic impact generated by major events in the Northwest during the year
2,985 1 Stuart’s Stories
The number of Northwest businesses registered on CompeteFor during the year
2 Lakes Alive
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Improving quality of life
• £20.6 million funding was invested to ensure the region’s five sub-regional Tourist Boards are in a strong position to support tourism businesses during the economic downturn. • Monitoring the effects of the economic downturn on the tourism industry through the Agency’s tourism research activity. • Ongoing support for the region’s Visitor Information Strategy to improve the provision of information services in the Northwest. • An additional £500,000 three-year extension to the Heritage Tourism Improvement Scheme to help unlock the tourism potential of the region’s historic sites.
Policy and performance
• Investment to enhance and develop the region’s visitor experience, including:
The NWDA has had a strong year, both in terms of delivering its programmes and projects and in supporting the region through the current challenging economic conditions. We have continued to deliver the objectives set out in the improvement plan agreed with the National Audit Office (NAO) as part of the Independent Performance Assessment (IPA) process and have also been reaccredited with our Investors in People status.
- £1.9 million for Waterfront Connections to enhance public realm at Liverpool Waterfront. - The launch of the Liverpool canal link, which received over £7 million NWDA funding. - £1.8 million to progress plans for the development of Liverpool’s International Slavery Museum. - The opening of the Midland Hotel (Morecambe), supported by an NWDA investment of over £4 million. - Supporting the development of plans to transform Chester Zoo.
In the past year, the Agency took on formal responsibility for responding to economic shocks in the region, as well as responsibilities in relation to Train to Gain and enhanced collaboration with the Technology Strategy Board. We also successfully integrated the management of the Northwest European Regional Development Fund, with a total of 29 projects, worth £50.6 million, already fully contracted.
1 1 The Midland Hotel, Morecambe 2 International Cricket
- £2.65 million to upgrade facilities at Lancashire County Cricket Club and secure the future of international cricket in the region.
The Agency continues to play an integral leadership role in the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) for the Northwest, established in November 2008. Work has already been progressed on the five work themes agreed by the JEC - Business Support, Infrastructure, Supporting Communities, Labour Market Issues and Preparation for the Upturn. The Agency has also
maintained a close dialogue with businesses and banks in the region to review the state of the economy, respond to and deal with concerns and to develop co-ordinated responses where possible. 2008-09 saw agreement between the Northwest Regional Strategy Team and wider stakeholders to a draft timetable and process for a new Single Regional Strategy for the Northwest. The Single Regional Strategy ‘Principles and Issues’ Paper has been subject to public consultation to help inform the issues that the Strategy will need to address, and an extensive common evidence base has been made available. The NWDA and 4NW, working in partnership, also submitted the Northwest Regional Funding Advice (RFA) for 2008-09 to 2010-11 and up to 2018-19, to Government on behalf of the region. This outlines the region’s transport, housing and regeneration, economic development and skills priorities.
investment planning and working with the Manchester city-region on their pilot city-region status. Work also progressed with partners on the Northern Way initiative, developing a programme of activity around innovation, as well as taking the lead on a new energy strand to the innovation work. Following its successful lead RDA role for Skills and Employment, the Agency has retained the lead roles for the Department for Children, Schools and Families and faith going forward. We have also taken on the lead RDA role for the Department for Energy and Climate Change. During the year, we also refreshed our Corporate Plan for 2009-11, which will increase immediate support for business and continue long-term investment in capital projects, skills and other activities to stimulate recovery and position the region for sustainable long-term growth.
We continued to develop our relationships with regional and sub-regional partners and supported the development and delivery of Multi-Area Agreements, as well as developing our approach to joint
Target
2008-09 Achieved
Jobs created or safeguarded
23,000
26,602
Employment support
2,600
6,415
New businesses created
2,300
5,840
Business supported
28,000
29,980
Business collaborations with the knowledge base
1,100
1,103
Public and private sector leverage
£330m
£340m (73% private)
Brownfield land reclaimed or developed
300 ha
302 ha
Skills development
26,000
27,275
We have now exceeded the output targets for:
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Highlights of the Business Plan 2009-10
Board and Executive The Board
The Executive
Bryan Gray CBE DL – Chairman
Steven Broomhead Chief Executive
Strategic Priorities
People and Jobs
• Play a lead role in the Joint Economic Commission for the Northwest
• Support activities to help people retain or regain employment, including City Employment Strategies in Liverpool and Manchester
Vanda Murray OBE – Deputy Chair
• Support those who are most remote from the labour market in order to tackle and prevent increases in worklessness
John Brooks
• Implement and monitor the Regional Equality and Diversity Strategy, including supporting older people and migrant workers
Peter Hensman
• Support the implementation of Multi-Area Agreements and the development of statutory city-regions in the Northwest • Continue to work with 4NW, the Regional Leaders Forum, to develop a new Single Regional Strategy • Help to develop the capacity of local authorities and other partners in order to implement the Sub-National Review of Economic Development
Business • Launch the £140m Venture Capital & Loan Fund • Continue to develop Business Link Northwest • Implement the Northwest Enterprise Strategy, including a new Business Start-Up Programme and High Growth Business Support Programme
Peter Allen MBE
Joe Dwek CBE
Dave McCall Councillor Tony McDermott MBE
• Support the work of the new Regional Select Committee • Ongoing development of the NWDA’s organisational capacity to reflect the Agency’s changing role and response to economic conditions
Robert Hough – Deputy Chair
Infrastructure • Identify development schemes under threat due to the economic climate and bring forward up to £20 million of capital investment to ensure these can progress
Brenda Smith
• Work with partners to develop new strategic priorities including the development of the Atlantic Gateway and Cumbria Energy Coast
Dr John Stageman
• Deliver regeneration in East Manchester, including the regeneration of Ancoats
• Grow the MediaCityUK site, including development programmes in the Creative and Digital sector
• Support Central Salford to regenerate Salford city centre and develop MediaCityUK
• Invest in the region’s major science, research and innovation concentrations
• Support the continued delivery of ReBlackpool’s regeneration plans
• Work with UK Trade & Investment to offer an integrated support package to help companies trade internationally
• Deliver transformational infrastructure projects through West Lakes Renaissance
Mark Hughes Executive Director of Economic Development Bernice Law Chief Operating Officer (was on secondment at the Liverpool Culture Company) Peter Mearns Executive Director of Marketing & Communications Simon Nokes Executive Director of Policy & Planning
Councillor John Merry CBE Anne Selby
• Create conditions for further private sector investment and improve the attractiveness of Liverpool as a visitor destination
Ian Haythornthwaite Executive Director of Resources
James Berresford Director of Tourism Diane Summers Director of Human Performance
Lord Peter Smith
Councillor Susan Williams
The Board meets approximately nine times a year and has nine formal committees and sub-committees.
Annual Public Meeting The Agency’s annual conference and AGM will be held on 15 October 2009 at the Liverpool Echo Arena and BT Convention Centre. The AGM willl provide an opportunity to review our performance and contribution to the region in 2008-09. The Agency’s Annual Report and Accounts will also be published at this time.
• Continue to implement the Northwest Climate Change Action Plan
Quality of Life Skills and Education • Implement key leadership and management programmes, including the Train to Gain Leadership and Management Programme and the Leading Enterprise and Development (LEAD) programme • Engage businesses, schools and Higher Education institutions in the ‘releasing potential’ agenda, to grow enterprising attitudes in the workforce • Make capital investment in the Further and Higher Education system, including support for the University of Cumbria
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• Invest in the five sub-regional Tourist Boards to support tourism businesses and growth in the visitor economy • Promote key business sectors and emphasise the region’s competitive advantages by demonstrating the Northwest’s diverse knowledge-based economy • Deliver thematic campaigns to take advantage of the Northwest’s strength in culture • Attract and deliver major national and international sporting, cultural and business-related events • Help the region benefit from the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and use the Northwest’s sports infrastructure to attract Pre Games Training Camps
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Information
Business Plan 2009-10: A summary of Agency
315o: The Agency’s corporate magazine
plans for 2009-10
NWDA Single Equality Scheme: Outlining Agency is committed to Equality and Diversity
Support for Northwest Businesses: A brochure outlining the range of publiclyfunded support available to the region’s businesses
A Business Guide to England’s Northwest: Facts and figures on the region for potential investors
2012 Update: Be proud: Northwest Legacy Framework for London 2012
Prime: Visitors’ guide to the region’s cultural attractions
GO: A what’s on guide for visitors to England’s Northwest
This document is available in large print, braille, audio tape and the following languages; Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Somali, Urdu and Hindi. Please contact the Marketing Department on 01925 400 100
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www.nwda.co.uk
www.enw.co.uk/visit
www.enw.co.uk/invest
The Agency’s corporate site
The region’s tourism site
The region’s investment site
Printed on Take 2 Offset, made from 100% recycled fibres, sourced entirely from post consumer waste
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Annual Review 08-09 STAGE 5:Layout 1
2/7/09
15:10
Page 1
Renaissance House, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1QN Tel: +44 (0)1925 400 100 Fax: +44 (0)1925 400 400 www.nwda.co.uk www.enw.co.uk/visit www.enw.co.uk/invest
June 2009 NWDA j4-13