· Web viewSWOT AnalysisPage 14 THE STRATEGY Page 1 5 Intervention Logic Page 15 Objectives Page 17 ESI Fund Outputs and Results Page 18 Consistency, Complementarity and Synergy

BRADFORD CENTRAL COMMUNITY LED LOCAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 2017-2022


1. INTRODUCTIONPage 3

2. BRADFORD CENTRAL CLLD AREAPage 3

3. DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND POTENTIAL OF THE CLLD AREAPage 5

3.1 The Local Social and Economic ContextPage 5

3.2 SWOT AnalysisPage 14

4. THE STRATEGY Page 15

4.1 Intervention LogicPage 15

4.2 ObjectivesPage 17

4.3 ESI Fund Outputs and ResultsPage 18

4.4 Consistency, Complementarity and SynergyPage 19

4.5 Equal OpportunitiesPage 20

4.6 Environmental SustainabilityPage 23

4.7 Innovation Page 23

5. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Page 24

6. ACTION PLANPage 26

7. MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING ARRANGEMENTSPage 31

7.1 The Local Action GroupPage 31

7.2 The Accountable BodyPage 33

7.3 Project Development and SelectionPage 37

7.4 Monitoring and EvaluationPage 39

7.5 Communications and PublicityPage 44

7.6 Training and DevelopmentPage 45


1. INTRODUCTION

This Local Development Strategy (LDS) has been developed by the Bradford Central Local Action Group, which was formally established and operating from 26th May 2016.

The LAG, started with the agreeing the overall vision for the Bradford Central CLLD area and discussed what they wanted to see in the area, over a series of meetings. The following vision has been agreed, and this will form the basis for measuring the success of this strategy.

Our Vision is:

By 2022 the Bradford Central CLLD area will be a great place to live work and do business.

Businesses and people will be entrepreneurial, prosperous, competitive, audacious, skilled and sustainable. The area will be clean, green, well-connected, fair and inclusive, and people will enjoy meaningful employment.

The overall strategy as to how the LAG plan to achieve this vision, investing £6m (comprising £1.5m ESF, £1.5m ERDF, £2.2m of Public resources and £0.8m of private resources), is set out in this document.

2. BRADFORD CENTRAL CLLD AREA

This strategy will be delivered in the 20% most deprived LSOAs (IMD 2010) in the Bradford Central wards of City, Great Horton and Manningham. These LSOAs account for 86% of the total ward coverage. The total population covered by the area is 45,789. The specific geographical area is outlined in the attached map (Annex A). The area covers most of the city centre along with neighbouring areas of high deprivation, unemployment and demographic diversity to the south and west. The area has a diverse population, which includes 60% from a Pakistani background and twice as many people from Central and Eastern European communities than the rest of the District.

Considerable work has taken place since 2013 involving a large number of local and community stakeholders (and partners in this project) to identify the target area, as part of the development of the Leeds City Region LEP ESIF strategy.

This area has been selected because these wards are all in the 20% most deprived SOAs nationally and would benefit from a holistic approach to economic development and interventions to improve economic competitiveness that can be delivered through the CLLD strategy.

The 20% most deprived LSOAs, with a total population of 45789, making up the CLLD area are as follows:

Ward

LSOAs

Population

Adjacent to:

City

E01010730

Broomfields

1381

E01010731, E01010823, E01010844

E01010731

West Bowling

1640

E01010730

E01010833

Manningham South/Brown Royd

1565

E01010658, E01010812, E01010835, E01010837, E01010842, E01010843

E01010835

University/Lidget Green

1718

E01010833, E01010837, E01010838

E01010837


1900

E01010658, E01010660, E01010661, E01010833, E01010835, E01010838

E01010838


2205

E01010661, E01010835, E01010837, E01010839

E01010839


3050

E01010663, E01010666, E01010838

E01010844

City Centre/bottom of Manningham Lane/Lumb Lane

1972

E01010730, E01010823, E01010842

15431

Great Horton

E01010658


1942

E01010659, E01010660, E01010833, E01010837

E01010659

Scholemoor/Horton Bank Park/Westwood Park

1771

E01010658, E01010660, E01010661

E01010660


1456

E01010658, E01010659, E01010661, E01010837

E01010661


1482

E01010659, E01010660, E01010663, E01010837, E01010838, E01010839

E01010663

Great Horton

1533

E01010661, E01010666, E01010667, E01010839

E01010666

Great Horton

1724

E01010663, E01010667

E01010667

Great Horton

1656

E01010663, E01010666

11564

Manningham

E01010673

Heaton

1722

E01010676, E01010679

E01010676

Manningham

1417

E01010673, E01010679, E01010840

E01010679

Manningham

1723

E01010673, E01010676, E01010823, E01010824, E01010840, E01010841

E01010812


2061

E01010840, E01010843

E01010823

Midland Road

2191

E01010679, E01010824, E01010841, E01010842, E01010844

E01010824

Manningham

1659

E01010679, E01010823

E01010840

Manningham

1822

E01010676, E01010679, E01010812, E01010841, E01010842, E01010843

E01010841

Manningham

2262

E01010679, E01010823, E01010840, E01010842

E01010842

Bradford Inner City

1899

E01010823, E01010840, E01010841, E01010843, E01010844

E01010843


2038

E01010812, E01010833, E01010840, E01010842

18796

3. DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AND POTENTIAL OF THE CLLD AREA

3.1 The Local Social and Economic Context

The key social and economic conditions and issues can be summarised as follows:

· Low Levels of educational attainment: 37% of the population have no qualifications, 14% have level 1 and 11% have level 2 – the fact that 62% have low or no qualifications impacts significantly on opportunities to access jobs and higher wages.

· Lower than average levels of economic activity: 55% of the working age population works, compared to 70% across the UK; 7% are self-employed, compared to 10%; and 45% are inactive compared to 30%.

· Limited employment opportunities in the area and limited mobility: There are 3.29 claimants for every job in the area. There is a need for more jobs and increased mobility. At the same time 52% of people in the area have no car – therefore jobs outside the area may not be accessible.

· Mismatch of skills and jobs in the area: Retail is the largest sector in which people work in the area (21%) with manufacturing and accommodation/food joint second with 11%. Businesses based in the area by sector in the area are: Retail (18%), Professional, scientific and technical services (15%) and health (8%). This indicates potential barriers for local people accessing jobs in the area, (excepting retail) although 20% of those working, are in elementary jobs – a direct correlation to the low skill /qualification levels.

· Significant employers within the area include: Bradford Council, University of Bradford, Bradford College, Midland Hotel, Provident Financial, Santander.

· Diverse ethnic mix: 87% of the households in the area are BME families and 3.5% of the population are overseas migrants. An understanding of the drivers and culture in these households is essential.

· Limited English language: 27% of adults in the households speak no English, 26% have one adult who can speak English and 51% of households have no adults that can speak any English. ESOL is a therefore a key requirement to integrate these households into the wider socio-economic context and enable them to enter into employment.

· Higher than average levels of children living in poverty: 27% in Manningham, 30% in Great Horton and 27% in City wards, compared to 19% across England.

The following sections provide more detailed data.

Resident Population and Profile:

· Demography

· Total Population – 45789

· 52% Male: 48% Female

· Working Age – 64.7% (63.5% England average)

· Aged 0-15 – 28.1% (19% England average)

· Dependency rate – 0.55 (0.58 England average)

· Ethnicity

· White British – 17%

· Asian – 65% (Pakistani – 50.6%; Indian – 5.8%; Bangladeshi – 4.9%; Chinese – 0.5%; other Asian – 3.2%)

· Black – 3.6%

· Other White – 6.4%

· Household make-up

· Pensioners – 9.6% (20.7%)

· 1 person householders – 26.1% (17.9 England average)

· Lone parents with dependent children – 16.6% (24.5%)

· Student households – 1.9% (0.6%)

· Other key factors

· 52% of residents without a car (26%)

· 26% of households without any English as main language

· 30% of Children living in poverty (19%)

Educational attainment and qualifications

· Key Stage 1 attainment – 14.2% (15.9% av.)

· Key Stage 2 attainment – 26.9% (28.8% av.)

· 37% without any qualifications.

Jobs in the area:

· Sectoral breakdown of Jobs in the CLLD area:

· 21% of jobs are in Retail

· 11% are Accommodation and Food Services

· 11% are Manufacturing

· Employment of CLLD Residents by Occupation:

· 6.9% in Managerial occupations (10.9% av.)

· 7.9% in Professional (30.3% av.)

· 8.8% in Admin (11.5% av.)

· 10.1% in Skilled Trade (11.4% av.)

Economic Activity:

The following table provides details of much lower economic activity rates compared to the England average using the Census 2011 data:

Indicator

CLLD area

England Average

Economically active % of total working age population

55.3

69.9

Full time employment

21.8

38.6

Part-time employment

12.7

13.7

Self-employed

7.0

9.8

Unemployment:

The most up to date claimant data that is available at the LSOA level, and enabling collation for the CLLD area is from February 2016. The key indicators are as follows:

· A total of 6830 working age claimants across the CLLD area – accounting for 23% of the total working age population in the CLLD area.

· 1395 JSA claimants accounting for 20.4% of all claimants

· 880 aged 16-24 accounting for 12.9% of all claimants

· 1985 aged 50+ (29.1%)

· Male and female claimants are balanced at 50% each.

· 3090 ESA /Incapacity Benefit claimants accounting for 45% of all claimants

· 340 Disabled claimants (5% of all claimants in the area).

· 500 people unemployed for more than 12 months (January 2016 figure)

· Female JSA claimants account for 3.4% of economically active (January 2016)

· Male JSA claimants account for 5.4% (January 2016).

Skills and Employment Support Infrastructure:

· Get Bradford Working Programme

· DWP provision, including the Work Programme

· Skills Funding Agency’s Adult Skills Budget provision

· LEP Skills Service

· ESF funded programmes across Leeds City Region

The Business Base:

· 1755 Enterprises in the CLLD area (64% of these in City Ward).

· 21% of enterprises are sole traders

· 2% are public organisations

· 9% are non-profit

· 83% micro businesses (up to 9 employees)

· 13% small (10-49 employees)

· Entrepreneurial culture seen by 3.5% increase in business stock in Bradford between March 2013 and 2014 (Y&H average – 2.7%)

· Sectoral breakdown of businesses in the CLLD area:

· 18% of enterprises are Financial & Business services; and Retail

· 15% are Professional, Scientific & Technical

· 9% are Accommodation and Food Services

· 8% are Health

· 5% are Manufacturing

· 20.8% in Elementary occupations (11.1% av.)

Business Growth:

Data on jobs growth in the businesses by sector is only available on the wider District basis, as follows:

Bradford District - Skills Demand by Priority Sectors to 2022

Priority Sector

2012 Total

Expansion Demand

Replacement Demand

Total Requirement

% of 2012 total

Manufacturing

25,089

-2,586

6,998

4,412

17.6

Energy & Low Carbon

2,623

310

1,042

1,352

51.6

Construction

6,295

1,101

3,292

4,393

69.8

Logistics and Transport

7,429

919

3,676

4,595

61.8

Hospitality

13,138

453

5,982

6,435

49.0

Digital, Creative & IT

5,565

1,110

2,368

3,478

62.5

Finance & Business Services

19,936

1,691

8,944

10,635

53.3

Health and Social Care

31,582

3,541

13,333

16,874

53.4

Total

111,657

6,539

45,635

52,174

46.7

Source: UKCES Working Futures/BRES 2015/CBMDC

· Skills levels demanded by employers increasing - proportion of jobs requiring level 4 and above rising to 47% from 37% between 2012 and 2022.

· Workers with lower level qualifications (below level 2) expected to decline to only 14% of the total workforce.

· Majority of the new jobs in Bradford will require a minimum of level 3 qualification with at least a third of them needing level 4.

The key business growth drivers are:

· Globalisation of markets

· Demographic change (aging population, increase in youth cohort, flow of migrant workers)

· Technological change

· Climate change and transition to green economy

Business Support Infrastructure -existing and planned:

· ERDF Programmes across Leeds City Region

· Bradford Council Business Growth Rate Scheme

· LEP Business Growth & Skills Support

· Start-up loans

· New Enterprise Allowance Scheme

· Other Programmes (e.g. Prince’s Trust, UnLtd)

Local Infrastructure:

The CLLD LSOAs and the adjacent area has significant numbers of community and private sector assets and infrastructure, these include:

· University of Bradford

· Bradford College

· Bradford City Football Club

· A vibrant voluntary and community sector, providing enterprise, skills and employment support, including managed workspace for small businesses.

· The Green Moor Big Local programme

· Significant business and finance, and visitor economy sector presence.

Deprivation

The LSOAs in the CLLD area are ranked in the highest levels of deprivation, with significant numbers of the LSOAs falling within the 10% most deprived. The following sets out the number of people in CLLD area living in neighbourhoods ranked among the most deprived 20% of neighbourhoods in England on IMD 2015 and the seven IMD domains.

Domain

% living in 20% most deprived

England average %

Index of multiple deprivation

91

20.1

Income

97.6

20.1

Employment

86.9

19.7

Education

97.6

19.8

Health

69.5

19.8

Barriers to housing and services

14.5

21.2

Living environment

92.9

20.9

Crime

56.9

20.6

The following data further evidences the levels of deprivation in the CLLD area:

Indicator

CLLD area %

England average %

Children in out of work households (HMRC/DWP 2014)

22.3

15.2

Children in poverty (HMRC/DWP 2013)

30.9

18.6

Households suffering multiple deprivation

(Census 2011)

2.1

0.5

People aged 16-64 with a limiting long-term illness (Census 2011)

17.4

12.8

Consultation feedback

Consultation was undertaken by ABL, Cnet, Skillsbridge and The Bridge Project, with a total over 300 residents (including LAG members and informal communications) and 150 businesses within the CLLD area. This consultation was intended to provide more localised data and information about the social and economic context and in particular the key barriers to business start-up and growth and residents gaining and progressing in employment.

The consultation with residents from the area focussed primarily on those that were unemployed and economically inactive, including targeting those that are considered ‘hard to hear’ and who experience particular social inclusion barriers including those that were homeless, had mental ill-health issues, were refugees and those with substance misuse issues.

Consultation focused on market failures related to various types of capital, namely: human, social, financial, political, and environmental.

The full consultation feedback reports have been drafted and will make the basis of detailed commissioning activities.

The main findings of the consultation are summarised below:

Human Capital

· All surveyed want to work

· Language skills are an issue for refugee & BME groups

· Lack of information about jobs, skills, who can help, processes etc. is a barrier for all groups

· IT skills to apply on-line for jobs is a barrier for most groups

· Refugees are well educated, but qualifications need updating/validating

· Bridge Service users need to replace proof of qualifications

· Relevant experience /job-readiness is lacking in most groups (except for the Bridge service users – who had all previously had jobs)

· Confidence and self-belief - are issues for most groups

· Age is a barrier to both training and employment

Social Capital

· The main gap is networks and contacts with those that can potentially offer opportunities – for most groups

· They have links within the community – but with mainly voluntary/faith/youth organisations

· Lack of support structures for former substance abusers

· Isolation & loneliness is an issue for refugees and BME Women

· Cultural mobility is an issues for some BME groups

· Caring responsibilities limit take-up of learning and employment opportunities

Financial Capital

· All groups have limited finances – this impacts on ability to:

· Pay for transport to training/work

· Pay for appropriate clothing for work

· Integrate into the wider community and learn about the culture and way of life – for refugees

· Pay for caring responsibilities to allow them to work

· Catch 22 situation and a heavy reliance on payday loans etc

· Too many jobs are zero hours/part-time

Political Capital

· All groups find it difficult to understand the UK system for employment

· All groups face some degree of prejudice when applying for jobs, including post-code prejudice

· Focus of JCP / programmes on getting any job – outcome driven, rather than client-centred – i.e. system forces you into employment before you are ready/ or unwilling to do – potentially impacting on sustainability of work

Environmental Capital

· Whilst all groups have access to transport, most cannot pay for it

· Access to computers is limited, although they are available in libraries – 1 hour limits constrain ability to research, look for & apply for jobs

· All groups suggest there are limited jobs available in the area – but some groups cannot/do not wish to travel too far

· Areas not attractive and deter investment

· Community centres are an asset that should be used more

· Some employers not complying with the law and do not pay minimum wage or pay very low piece work rates

· Black/criminal economy impacts on motivation of some young people.

Potential Solutions

The consultees were also asked what needed to be put into place to address these market failures. The following interventions were suggested to fill gaps in support or enhance existing support and address their needs:

· Employment & training hubs providing a holistic, client-centred package of support targeting specific groups, in locally accessible and community venues

· Information, advice and guidance on jobs, skills needed, and recruitment processes/how to apply

· Personal development courses – including confidence and life skills

· ESOL, Basic skills, IT, employability, job entry/return to work courses

· Vocational training relevant to the local job market

· Mentor, key worker support pre-& post-employment (particularly for vulnerable)

· Volunteering /work experience/trials

· Employer awareness of barriers /issues and how they can help

· Support for employers to recruit from /provide work trials/experience for these groups e.g. employer provider fair, reassurance packages including risk assessment for vulnerable

· Adult apprenticeship opportunities

· Inter-cultural awareness activities in local communities (and wider) – supporting integration, reducing prejudice and addressing issues of social networks

· Support for transport and caring costs

Consultation with businesses focused on what strengths and opportunities the strategy needed to capitalise on; discussions about the issues that prevented them from further growth, and what was needed to fill gaps in support, or enhance the existing infrastructure.

The key findings were as follows:

Potential for Growth:

· Our people – from young people to new arrivals we have the human resources on which to build

· Our area – we need to create a positive image of the area, providing a cleaner, safer environment for business growth

· Our businesses – take existing businesses to the next level, improve quality and create new ventures

Key Issues:

· Lack of capital or finance

· Lack of specialist skills

· Bureaucracy and red tape

· Competition from other areas and the grey economy

Support Needs:

· Peer mentoring and networking to share experience and skills

· Business support

· Technical skills, emphasising marketing, employing staff, the start-up process, social media, finances

· Developmental emphasising confidence, planning, start-up and development

· Workshops, marketing, social media and internet, start-up

· Improving quality

· Supporting start-up

· Encouraging growth

· Improving skills

· Building networks (including with areas of higher growth)

Funding and Finance

· Start-up Grants – new businesses

· Growth Funding – to support existing businesses to grow

· Wage Subsidies and Incentives

· Funding for training

Skills, training and education

· Training for staff in both specialist and generalist skills

· Developing people’s skills to match business needs

· Employability training/skills

· Access to funding

Employment support activities

· Engage more closely with businesses

· Subsidise wages

· Offer incentives for businesses

· Offer real work experience

· Paid Apprenticeships

· Hold events such as recruitment/job fairs

· Promote local job opportunities

Further consultation was then undertaken with wider stakeholders including Bradford and Shipley further education colleges, the University of Bradford, Aspire-igen, Jobcentre Plus, and Talent Match providers, to check the findings from the CLLD residents and businesses, and to consult on the proposed solutions.

The findings from this consultation validated much of the original findings. Additional comments and solutions included the following:

· Volunteering opportunities for local people to gain skills and training with agencies offering volunteering being connected to employers of paid vacancies at the end.

· Make sure job fairs have jobs not just training providers

· Incentives to businesses offering placements/Work experience – towards their time training

· Give wage subsides to encourage recruitment by employer and employee incentives to sustain employment.

· Specialist package of support for women

· Develop the skills that people already have

· Promote strengths of people to employers, not focusing on barriers/issues

· Promote equality in recruitment

· Flexible programme aimed at identifying /developing skills rather than pushing people straight into jobs

· Financial management training & budgeting skills

· Regenerate areas by using students/volunteers, or ILM model

· Supporting local community groups to develop and look after the environment

· Make use of unused facilities available in key locations e.g. providers, employers

· Promote corporate citizenship & social responsibility

· Local Trading directory to support each other

· Focus on manufacturing, digital, environmental and food as key sectors

· Develop an enterprise culture for the area

· More enterprise in schools

· Pre-pre-start up support needed

· Support beyond year 1 for start-ups – focusing on sustainability

· Support ILM courses to train managers

3.2 SWOT Analysis

Much work has been undertaken by the LAG to agree and prioritise the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The data and feedback from the consultation and labour market information, set out in the earlier section, have helped to inform and provide evidence for the discussions. These have also been consulted on and validated by the community and businesses in the CLLD area, as part of public-facing strategy document (Annex B). The LAG has agreed the following:

We have lots of strengths in the area that we must build on, including:

· A strong entrepreneurial culture and ambitious businesses

· High numbers of graduates

· A concentration of financial and business service jobs in the City ward

· A well-established and diverse food and drink sector

· A large number of local community groups and organisations that support community development

· Most people in the area want to work and support themselves and their families

· A rich and diverse ethnic and cultural heritage to form the basis of a strong identity for the area

We also have many weaknesses, that must be addressed:

· Young people are leaving school without as many qualifications as in other areas of Bradford

· Lower skill levels throughout the whole population

· High unemployment

· People who need extra support to find and stay in employment are not getting the support they need and the mainstream support programme is not working for them

· Lack of information about: jobs, skills, how to get a job; how to grow a business; who can help

· Low levels of aspiration amongst both businesses and residents, particularly amongst young people

· Low job creation levels

· Too many jobs in the area are zero hours/part-time

· Significant English language needs

· Some people are reluctant to travel out of the area, for cultural reasons &/or they do not own a car

· Unattractive areas with empty shops and derelict buildings that means businesses are less likely to move to the area and set up and invest

· Limited access to computers and digital skills, when everything is becoming digital

· Low confidence levels impact on ability of residents to get into jobs or start a business

· High deprivation levels impacting on health and well-being

· Isolation and loneliness of many groups, impacting on their well-being

We could address some of the weaknesses by taking advantage of opportunities including:

· A growth in numbers of young people creating a large potential labour market for businesses growing and investing in the area

· Investment plans and long-term projects like Greenmoor Big Local, and the Manningham Masterplan

· Community and private sector assets and infrastructure, e.g. community centres, in /adjacent to the area

· Bigger businesses and employers are keen to get involved in providing work experience and other support

· Growth sectors including health and social care, and financial and business services, providing employment from entry level to professional and highly skilled

· Bradford City of Film status and other media related activities, making the most of familiarity with technology amongst young people in particular

· The increased uptake and use of the internet and digital technology to promote businesses and increase sales

· Connections to the world-wide markets from local links

We must also do something about the threats, including:

· A ‘brain-drain’ with the skilled and educated moving out of the area

· Attractiveness of Leeds (and other cities) as a place to work and live in.

· Uncertainty about future funding as the UK leaves the European Union

· Negative perception of Bradford alongside perceived prejudice/stigma facing some groups /areas

· High crime levels impacting on community safety and image of the area

· Uncertainty about investment including from financial institutions.

4. THE STRATEGY

4.1 Intervention Logic

11 | Page

Rationale: CLLD aims to facilitate a bottom-up, local community driven approaches to tackle market failures impacting on economic and social cohesion and labour market participation. These include: Information failures at local level restricting small and medium enterprise (including social enterprise) competitiveness and deterring new enterprise formation; Limited financial, human & social capital preventing access to networks, services and support needed to strengthen economic performance or entrepreneurship and enable residents furthest from the labour market to access employment opportunities; Poor quality/ limited local infrastructure that is inadequate for market needs (businesses and residents); Poor linkages between areas of deprivation and areas of high economic growth and jobs.

Bradford Central CLLD Strategy Vision

Bradford Central CLLD LAG Strategy

Mapping & good practice

Socio-economic & labour market information

Community, Business & stakeholder consultation

Bradford Central CLLD Strategy Objectives, summarised as (see 4.2 for full objectives): 1: Local residents to access holistic support, training and upskilling and progress into jobs and within jobs; 2: Support for existing and new small & medium-sized enterprises to grow and create jobs: 3: To connect residents and businesses to opportunities for employment and business growth; 4: To support collaborative working for a greener, healthier and safe environment; and 5: to develop on the unique identity and strengths in the Bradford Central CLLD area as a basis for economic growth.

Outputs:

1200 participants;

270 new & existing enterprises supported etc. (details in action plan)

Outcomes:

e.g. Higher skilled residents;

Higher rates of business start-up/survival;

Business growth, etc.

(details in 4.2)

Identification of market failures, needs, opportunities & solutions

Results:

350 participants in training/employment/

job-search

(details in action plan)

Activities:

e.g. community based, enterprise, skills & employment support (details in action plan)

Inputs:

£3m ESF/ERDF; £0.8m Private;

£2.2m Public

4.2 Objectives

1. By 2022, to support 1200 local people, to be their most productive and realise their potential, providing holistic, flexible, targeted and specific interventions for them to access training and upskilling and progress into jobs and within jobs.

2. By 2022, to create a network of support for 270 small & medium sized enterprises (SMEs), from start-up through to development and expansion, with specialist support for those with growth potential, maximising and sustaining business generation and growth, enabling them to achieve their potential, thereby increasing employment opportunities and economic growth in the CLLD area.

3. To connect (socially, economically, digitally and physically) CLLD business and residents to opportunities within and outside the area, leading to sustained growth and employment for 140 unemployed or inactive residents, by 2022.

4. To create a local environment and culture that supports economic and social needs, through collaborative working for a clean, healthy and safe environment within the CLLD area, now and for future generations.

5. To build on the unique identity of the Bradford Central CLLD area and capitalise on the strengths, reinforcing local character and distinctiveness, and growth potential, as a base on which to attract opportunities, people and businesses into Bradford Central leading to sustained economic growth.

As part of the development of the overall strategy and identifying the activities that would address the needs, specific outcomes were set against each of the activities which were also linked to the objectives. These will become Key Performance Indicators against which progress will be measured, alongside the contractual ESF and ERDF outputs and results. Baselines will be identified at the outset.

These outcomes are as follows:

Objective

Outcome

1

Non-claimants engaged in job-search provision

Higher skilled residents

Entry into quality jobs

Sustained jobs

In-work progression

Higher levels of sustained employment

2

Higher rates of start-up & survival

More innovative, competitive, productive & outward facing businesses

Growth of businesses

In-work progression


Improved access to business opportunities from regeneration & growth

3

Entry into quality jobs

In-work progression




4

Increased environmental and economic sustainability

Community resilience and self-reliance

Increased equality, well-being & health

5



Increased investment by businesses/public sector

Increased visitor footfall

Improved image and perception of the area

4.3 ESI Fund Outputs and Results

The outputs and results that the Strategy and specific activities supporting each of the objectives will achieve are set out in the Action Plan (Annex C).

The target outputs and results are as follows:

Output /Result

Number

Number of Participants

1200

Participants that are unemployed including long-term unemployed

500

Participants that are inactive

500

Participants that are aged over 50

180

Participants that are from ethnic minorities

720

Participants that have disabilities

60

Participants in education or training on leaving

150

Unemployed participants in employment, including self-employment on leaving

100

Inactive participants into employment or job search on leaving

150

Number of enterprises receiving support

150

Number of new enterprises receiving support

120

Employment increase in supported enterprises

140

Number of potential entrepreneurs assisted to be enterprise ready

120

Delivery of all of the above stated outputs and results will be to residents or businesses that are based within the 20% most deprived LSOAs as outlined in section 2.

All the outputs are within the More Developed category region.

Discussions took place with key stakeholders prior to the inclusion of the CLLD programme in the ESIF. These discussions focused on potential target numbers of outputs and results. Discussions centred around the numbers of potential beneficiaries within the CLLD area i.e. the target market for interventions to support start-up, SME development and residents into employment and progression. Analysis of the total potential beneficiaries, taking into account the resources that are needed to engage effectively with many of these and the intensiveness of support needed for them to help them to participate and progress, fed into discussions.

Further discussions have taken place at the LAG, to further refine these numbers and to ensure that the strategy, whilst challenging, is achievable. These discussions have resulted in the proposed figures included above and in the Action Plan. These take into account the proposed activities and the gaps in service provision, and hence the ERDF outputs have changed from the original submission to the LEP – with a need to particularly focus on the culture of enterprise and sustainable start-up as this is where the main gap is.

4.4 Consistency, Complementarity and Synergy

The LAG’s approach to developing this strategy has been about where the ESIF investment can have most impact, fill gaps and enhance the existing support provision, without duplicating it. In planning the activities, the LAG has discussed existing infrastructure and provision, and it has been built into its main planning document. An extract of this planning document setting out the links against each of the priorities activities is provided below:

Objective

Priority and Gap in provision

Link to existing activity

1

A – Community based services

Lack of specialist services to help people furthest from the job market to develop the skills and resources to develop aspirations, self-awareness and secure meaningful employment.

National Careers Service

Adult Skills Budget provision

Apprenticeship Hub

LEP Skills Service

Talent Match

Metro/JCP

2

A – Community-based Enterprise Hubs

Lack of community level support focused on developing an enterprise culture and encouraging start-up across the whole population spectrum;

Limited access to face -to-face business support within the community for start-ups and for existing businesses;

Proposed ESIF Leadership & Management programme for small business owners / managers

Ad: Venture

LEP Skills Service

Yortender

LEP ‘Meet the Buyer’ events

LEP pop-up business advice cafes

Proposed ESIF programme to support supply chain for SME manufacturers

Business Enterprise Fund

Start-up loans scheme

LEP Finpoint Business Finance Platform

UKTI trade missions & events

3

Connecting recruiting businesses to unemployed residents

More intensive and wider ranging support needed for are most vulnerable and furthest from the labour market and to make better use of the graduate skills.

DWP

SkillsHouse

Employment Opportunities Fund

J – An environment for business & employment

Need for innovative approaches to increase take-up etc.

ESIF Digital Enterprise Programme to support non-digital businesses to improve their access to and use of technology

City Connect Leeds/Bradford cycle superhighway

WYMetro proposed 20-year bus and transport strategies

4

Develop a culture of greener and healthier working practices

Need for innovative collaborative approaches between businesses and local organisations.

5

H- Business Clusters

Need for strategic approach capitalising on key growth sectors.

Ad:Venture

Coordinated strategic marketing and communications for the CLLD area

Single information point to improve local access to services

Council Neighbourhood Offices


4.5 Equal Opportunities

The LAG’s strategic approach in equal opportunities is as follows:

In line with the Equality Act 2010, and the Public Sector Equality Duty the LAG will not tolerate discrimination because of a protected characteristic; these are Age, Race, Sex, Gender Reassignment, Disability, Sexual Orientation, Religion or Belief Pregnancy or Maternity and Civil Partnership or Marriage. We will also not discriminate because of working patterns or trade union membership nor will we tolerate harassment or bullying on these or any other grounds. We will:

· Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act.

· Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

· Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

· Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics.

· Take steps to meet the needs of people with certain protected characteristics where these are different from the needs of other people.

· Encourage people with certain protected characteristics to participate in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.

There will be no exclusion on the grounds of protected characteristics:

· the Action Plan and specific projects resulting from implementing it will be designed to meet the needs of all potential participants;

· services will be responsive to the needs of all communities and under-represented groups;

· support will be targeted towards under-represented communities where relevant;

· we will be responsive to, and inclusiveness of, under-represented groups in delivery and management.

The CLLD Strategy is intended to enable the equality of opportunity, entry into employment and start-up, survival and growth of businesses, for residents and businesses, in the most deprived areas.

Support through this strategy and the work of the LAG and LAG Support Team will ensure that Gender and Equal Opportunities are integrated into all aspects of project planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It will be embedded within the strategy and principles cascaded through all projects developed and delivered as a result of the implementation of the overall strategy for CLLD.

In delivering this strategy all organisational stakeholders and participants, will be required to demonstrate how they will help to embed due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty/Equality Act 2010 in their activities, including how they will promote gender equality and equal opportunity and:

· Engage with diverse people, including those with multiple barriers, to encourage them to participate in learning activities;

· Respond to individual needs to address specific barriers to participation;

· Provide support in a way that suits their preferences and takes into account specific equality and diversity issues and circumstances.

· Involve target group representatives in design and management of the delivery.

In addition, Project Deliverers will also be required to detail how they will address the elements which are often issues in delivery:

· Physical access to services can often prove a barrier to target client groups because operational bases are not accessible

· The delivery model is not flexible enough: e.g. times support available, start dates, intensity of attendance.

· The workers are not determined and skilled enough to engage people in services.

· Documentation and the need for IT skills is often a barrier, but on-going recording of needs and activity is integral to support provision.

The LAG, Accountable Body and LAG Support Team will take positive steps to challenge disadvantage and discrimination and promote diversity and full access to opportunity in all of its work, embedding the following in Strategy implementation and through all contracting for the implementation of the strategy:

Delivery of service to users:

· Treat everyone who has contact with the CLLD strategy and projects with dignity and respect.

· Plan delivery of services in a way that will not negatively affect how someone accesses them because of protected characteristics. This will include involving representatives from the communities in any project Steering Groups.

· Take steps to establish what services are required by different sections of the community as part of the project development, building on the consultation undertaken to develop the overall CLLD strategy.

· Maximise the flow of information and support to groups and organisations based in communities which experience discrimination and social exclusion. This will include the LAG Support Team working with those organisations who are engaging with these target groups to develop proposal that address the strategy objectives, enabling ERDF/ESF investment to reach these and thereby address social exclusion.

· Ensure meetings, literature, website, publicity, training events and all other forms of communications are accessible to the widest possible range of individuals and communities.

Use of buildings and venues:

· Ensure that all visitors to LAG and delivery partner offices and events are not discriminated against, harassed or victimised when accessing our premises or venues.

· Selecting venues for events and training with a consideration of:

· How people enter

· How they find their way around

· Signage

· How information is provided

· How tables and counters are laid out and designed

· Accessible toilet facilities.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

As part of the monitoring and evaluation of each of the projects implementing the strategy, along with the outputs and results the following information will be captured through feedback and information gathering, reported on, and will inform improvements to the service delivery to ensure prevention of discrimination:

· Accessibility of the services provided

· Characteristics of beneficiaries

· Reasonable adjustments made.

Accessibility:

All people with disabilities will receive support as outlined above, with specific additional consideration taken into account regarding their characteristics, including:

· In planning and designing a service, we will consider what disabled people with a range of impairments might reasonably need, and make reasonable adjustments. This will include marketing and communication tools and support literature developed in formats to suit a range of impairments.

· Ensure reasonable adjustments are made to enable easy access to our offices and venues where our events are held. Venues will be selected to take into account this accessibility (as listed above).

· Delivery of services in outreach locations and through using technology (email, skype, webinars) to ensure accessibility for those less mobile.

4.6 Environmental Sustainability

The CLLD strategy vision statement sets out the importance of environmental sustainability as part of its future. To this effect implementation of the strategy will be underpinned by Environmental Sustainability principles. A CLLD/LAG Sustainable Development policy and implementation plan will be developed to comply with relevant environmental legislation, in the way that the LAG and the LAG Support Team work.

This will include: staff induction and development to include awareness of sustainability; delivery from venues accessible by public and green transport where use of travel is unavoidable; recycling, reducing and minimising waste and energy consumption; on-line delivery (where possible) and electronic record-keeping etc. These will be monitored and reported on.

All projects delivered as part of the implementation of the Strategy will be required to commit to promoting sustainable development and have policies in place. Monitoring of these will be undertaken as part of the project compliance checks.

Furthermore, sustainability has been incorporated into the strategy particularly as part of objective 4, developing greener and healthier working practices.

4.7 Innovation

One of the roles of the LAG Support Team will be to work with communities, organisations and businesses in the CLLD area to develop solutions and proposals to the issues that they are facing, and also to take advantage of opportunities.

One of the key strengths of the residents and businesses in the CLLD area is their entrepreneurial nature and their ability to develop creative and innovative solutions to issues - in this area “desperation breeds innovation”.

The approach to collaborative working and developing the community’s capability to respond to challenges, will encourage new ways of dealing with barriers for both businesses and the residents and it will bring together different stakeholders to address the need.

The LAG will be instrumental in this approach, with individual LAG members championing specific activities, and facilitating this collaborative working.

5. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Community involvement and indeed community lead has been central to the development of this strategy, from consultation, through to the development of priorities and agreeing activities for inclusion.

The LAG has been established since May 2016, but prior to this, various community-based stakeholders were actively involved and making decisions about what is needed in the area. This started with the initial definition of the CLLD area in 2013, which involved the following stakeholders coming together to define the area, and the specific needs that might be addressed:

· Spencer Park Residents Association

· CNet –

· Bradford CVS

· Bradford MDC Neighbourhoods Service –

· Bradford MDC Regeneration

· Greenmoor Big Local –

· University of Bradford –

· ABL (Bradford) Ltd –

· Incommunities –

Between the inclusion of the CLLD programme in the Leeds City Region ESIF, and the launch of the commissioning for Stage 1 activities, community stakeholders, including those delivering services directly to residents and businesses within the CLLD area, continued to meet regularly, with a focus on consulting wider to identify specific needs and opportunities and to scope out the potential for the area. These stakeholders continued in this role as the Project Development team and led on the community, business and stakeholder consultation that has informed this strategy. The team comprised:

ABL

Bradford CVS

CNet

Skillsbridge

The Bridge Project

Bradford Council

Incommunities (up to April 2016)

The approach to establishing the LAG was intended to ensure active community involvement in development of the strategy. To this effect the make-up of the partnership involving residents and businesses from all 3 wards, alongside organisations working with residents and businesses, has ensured a community and bottom-up approach to the process.

The community have actively been involved in shaping the strategy through the consultation too.

The Bridge, Skillsbridge, ABL and CNet have consulted with over 300 residents including LAG members and informal input; and 150 businesses in the area, in a 2 stage process:

The following consultation were undertaken to identify needs and to inform the strategy and interventions:

The Bridge Project:

Twenty-five Service Users were interviewed; all were abstinent from illicit drugs, and currently benefitting and engaging in substance misuse treatment services. Interviewees are all residents of the CLLD area and have experienced one or more of the following problems: substance misuse, offending behaviour, mental ill health or homelessness.

Five professionals were also interviewed who work with people that have one, or more, of the following barriers; substance misuse, mental health, unstable housing, history of criminal justice involvement, and living in CLLD area.

Skills Bridge:

Twelve individual interviews were undertaken. The participants represented in the research are unemployed refugees who live in the Manningham, City and Great Horton areas in Bradford

In addition, five professionals who work and volunteer supporting refugees in the CLLD area answered the online questionnaire

Interviews combined elements of free conversation and guided questions, to ensure a friendly, lively approach and enabled participants to feel more ‘at home’.

CNet:

CNet interviewed 113 individuals from Great Horton, City and Manningham Wards. 45% from City Ward 35% from Great Horton Ward and 20% from Manningham Ward (using these proportions to redress the previous imbalance in consultations).

ABL:

7 consultation sessions were undertaken involving 75 unemployed or economically inactive residents, including BME women and men of different ages. In addition, 7 detailed individual interviews took place.

The business consultation took the form of a Questionnaire, and Online Survey and a number of events to gather information from 150 businesses over the period of the project. Information and views were gathered from over 120 businesses and presented to a further 30 for discussion and analysis.

ABL also hosted a stakeholder event to promote the CLLD programme and to obtain input from stakeholders that were active within the area and working with the target beneficiaries. This was attended by 34 people representing 30 organisations and helped to validate the potential solutions that were being put forward, in addition to ensuring linkages with existing infrastructure.

These consultation findings were reported to the LAG, who then over a series of meeting agreed the SWOT, objectives, priorities and the activities that they wish to support. These decisions were minuted.

These discussions informed the development of a ‘public-facing’ strategy document (annex B) that was agreed by the LAG. This document set out the Vision, SWOT, Objectives and Priorities, and was used in a series of strategy validation activities with the target groups. The project partners that undertook the original consultations consulted with a further 70 residents, businesses and stakeholders, for example, ABL hosted a strategy validation event, helping to clarify issues identified at the original consultation events, which was attended by 10 individuals and the views of the original consultees were sought via mail and e-mail.

These consultations focused on the following questions:

1. Do you agree with the Vision? If not, what needs to change?

2. Does anything need to be added or taken away from the SWOT?

3. Do the Objectives and Outcomes address the needs in the area? If not what is missing?

4. Are the priorities/actions right or is there something missing? (Please tell us your top three)

Feedback from these consultations were collated (annex D) and presented to the LAG, once again to shape the development of the strategy and activities.

Further discussions by the LAG has informed the detailed Action Plan and the development of this full Strategy.

These processes have actively involved the community in all stages of the strategy development and will continue to do so through the commissioning and project development processes as the Strategy is being implemented.

6. ACTION PLAN

The LAG have agreed actions to be taken forward to implement the Strategy and achieve the objectives. The following table sets out the actions against the objectives, along with proposed beneficiaries, outputs/results, outcomes and funding requirements:

Objective

Activity

Rationale

Link to existing activity

Links to other LDS activities

Target Beneficiaries

Outcome/KPIs

Output/ results

Funding

ESF

£,000

1 – By 2022, to support 1200 local people, to be their most productive and realise their potential, providing holistic, flexible, targeted and specific interventions for them to access training and upskilling and progress into jobs and within jobs.

To establish and run network of community-based services to provide coordinated, holistic, flexible, targeted and specific interventions for people furthest from the job market, incorporating access to:

1. Personal and skills development

2. Mentoring Support

3. Facilities and equipment

Lack of specialist services to help residents within this area, particularly those furthest from the labour market – to help them to develop aspirations, self-awareness and secure and maintain meaningful employment.

Gap also in in-work support.

DWP provision


Adult Skills Budget provision

Apprenticeship Hub

LEP Skills Service

Talent Match

Metro/JCP

Objective 3 activities.

Economically inactive;

Unemployed, including long-term unemployed;

Those with multiple barriers: refugees, recent migrants, mental health, substance misusers, disabled, BME communities.

· Non-claimants engaged in job-search provision

· Higher skilled residents

· Entry into quality jobs

· Sustained jobs

· Higher levels of sustained employment

O1 – 700

COO1 – 325

COO3 - 325

04 – 108

05 - 460

CO16 – 36

CR02 - 90

R1 - 60

R2 - 100

Total - 1950

975 – ESF

975 – match including ABS, NCS

2 - By 2022, to create a network of support for 275 small & medium sized enterprises (SMEs), from start-up through to development and expansion, with specialist support for those with growth potential, maximising and sustaining business generation and growth, enabling them to achieve their potential, thereby increasing employment opportunities and economic growth in the CLLD area.

To establish, run and coordinate an Enterprise hub with community-based satellites, to provide an expert ‘one stop shop’ for business networking, skill sharing, support, including from the wider business support infrastructure, and a physical base for those who need it.

Incorporating targeted access to:

· Mentoring

· Business advice and support

· Skills support

· Networking and events

· Finance

· Support for business clusters

Lack of community level support focused on developing an enterprise culture and encouraging start-up across the whole population spectrum;

Limited access to face -to-face business support within the community for start-ups and for existing businesses; inaccessible skills support as focus on specific sectors, qualifications achievement and funding requirements.

Proposed ESIF Leadership & Management programme for small business owners / managers

Ad: Venture

LEP Skills Service

Proposed ESIF programme to support supply chain for SME manufacturers

Business Enterprise Fund

Start-up loans scheme

LEP Finpoint Business Finance Platform

NEA

Objective 5 activities

Potential business start-ups from all groups; existing small businesses; business managers/owners; employees in SMEs;

Businesses in key sectors (food manufacturing, health and social care, international trade, digital and on-line trading).

· Higher rates of start-up & survival

· More innovative, competitive, productive & outward facing businesses

· Higher rates of start-up & survival

· Growth of businesses

· In-work progression


· Improved access to business opportunities from regeneration & growth

C1 - 115

C5- 120

C8 - 112

P11-108

O1 - 80

O4 – 12

05 - 40

CO16 – 3

CR02 - 20

Total 1510

ERDF - 755

& ESF – 755

+ match from businesses, ABS, NEA, providers.

3. To connect (socially, economically, digitally and physically) CLLD business and residents to opportunities within and outside the area, leading to sustained growth and employment for 100 unemployed residents, by 2022.

Mechanisms to promote opportunities, support residents into employment (including traineeships/apprenticeships) and employers to recruit those that are most vulnerable and furthest from the labour market, including under-employed graduates– addressing poor linkages between areas of deprivation with nearby areas of high economic growth and job opportunities.

Limited community level support for connecting unemployed residents to opportunities resulting from business growth and wider regeneration activities; Mis-match of skills between those residents have and those needed in these opportunities; larger businesses not reflecting local demographic diversity; businesses struggling to recruit locally.

DWP provision

SkillsHouse

Employment Opportunities Fund


Unemployed residents; under-employed graduates; businesses;

SMEs in CLLD area.

· Entry into quality jobs

· In-work progression



O1-330

CO01 -130

CO03 - 130

O4 – 50

05 - 180

CO16 – 15

CR02 - 32

R1 – 25

R2 - 38

Total 600, ESF 300 + match from businesses involved & public sources

3 – as above

Reducing employment barriers linked to social and economic isolation, by addressing transport issues and digital inclusion for residents and businesses

Digital driver growth requires an increase in uptake of digital technologies. Planned ESIF programme is time-limited. Lack of digital skills is major barrier for unemployed. Also need innovative community-based approaches to addressing mobility issues.

ESIF Digital Enterprise Programme to support non-digital businesses to improve their access to and use of technology

City Connect Leeds/Bradford cycle superhighway

WYMetro proposed 20-year bus and transport strategies

Objective 1 and 2 activities

Unemployed /inactive residents;

SMEs in area;

Community organisations.



C1 - 10

C8 - 8

01 - 50

CO01 - 25

CO03 – 25

04 – 10

05 – 40

CO16 - 6

R1 - 8

R2 - 12

Total 234: 42

ERDF + 75 ESF; matched with private sector from businesses, public from sources such as ABS.

4. To create a local environment and culture that supports economic and social needs, through collaborative working for a clean, healthy and safe environment within the CLLD area, now and for future generations.

Stimulating local level collaboration amongst small businesses, community and local organisations to address health, environmental and business sustainability.

Significant issues in relations to people’s perceptions of the local environment, which is impacting on health and well-being and potential investment in the area. There is a need to develop a culture of greener and healthier working practices, involving local organisations and businesses.

Big Local


Local community organisations/ Social enterprises/businesses.

· Increased environmental and economic sustainability

· Community resilience and self-reliance

· Increased equality, well-being & health

C1 - 10

C8 - 8

86 total: 43 ERDF + match from public and private.

5. To build on the unique identity of the CLLD area and capitalise on the strengths, reinforcing local character and distinctiveness, and growth potential, as a base on which to attract opportunities, people and businesses into Bradford Central leading to sustained economic growth.

Coordinated strategic support and development to attract investment, including enabling business clusters, marketing and communications for the CLLD area stimulating the local economy to deliver jobs and growth.

Need for a unique selling point to bring investment into the area – focusing on strengths and opportunities; strategic approach to supporting key business clusters – to attract further investment and provide a basis for new business growth; information market failures creating barriers for businesses and residents e.g. lack of awareness of skills needs for key growth sectors

Ad:Venture

Council Neighbourhood Offices


Objective 2 and 3 activities

Local SMEs in key sectors;

Residents and potential entrepreneurs


· Growth of businesses Increased investment by businesses/public sector

· Increased visitor footfall

· Improved image and perception of the area

C1 - 15

C5 - 5

C8 -12

P11 - 12

01 – 40

CR01 - 20

CR02 - 20

R1 - 8

R2 - 7

Total 320: 85

ERDF + 75 ESF + match from private and public.

The Action Plan is summarised and attached at annex C.

7. MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS

7.1 The Local Action Group

Bradford Central Local Action Group (LAG) is made up of local residents, and voluntary, public and business sector representatives based in the area who work together to shape and develop a Local Development Strategy (LDS) and bring forward plans that address business growth, unemployment and social inclusion through Community Led Local Development (CLLD) in the Bradford Central CLLD area. It has been established as partnership, with no other legal status. All members are volunteers who will adhere to clear terms of reference and code of conduct (Annex E).

The overall mission for the LAG is:

To create an environment in the Bradford Central CLLD area that stimulates business start- up, sustainability and growth and that supports unemployed people get onto the local employment ladder and/or gain new skills.

Duties of the LAG

· To develop and deliver a Local Development Strategy (LDS) for the Bradford Central CLLD area, by bringing together a group of private, public, voluntary and community sector representatives that is broadly reflective of the make-up of the Bradford Central area to form a Local Action Group.

· To oversee the preparation of a 5-year strategy including an Action Plan that sets out the interventions and main targets for each year of the Programme to achieve the LDS aims and objectives.

· To actively engage the community in the development and the implementation of the strategy, building capacity to enable sustainability of activities.

· To make effective links and encourage partnership working between the area’s statutory, community and voluntary organisations, within and outside the LAG area to maximise benefits for all in the Bradford CLLD area.

· To act as a forum for identification and discussion of major issues and development needs affecting the environmental, economic and social character of the area, alongside development potential. Where appropriate, make recommendations or coordinate activities.

· To promote bidding opportunities, with clear selection criteria, to all potential applicants in the LAG area.

· To select and prioritise projects according to their contribution to the LDS objectives and targets, specifying funding levels, outputs, timescales and any conditions.

· To monitor the implementation of the LDS, and review, suggesting changes in the strategy and implementation, as necessary.

· To promote innovation and best practice across the CLLD area.

· To conduct its business in a compliant manner, acting on the advice of the Accountable Body on legal and technical issues as necessary.

· To share experience with other relevant groups and networks locally and wider, as appropriate.

· To promote equality of opportunity within the area, irrespective of gender, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or age.

LAG Membership

The LAG is made up of 23 voting members; residents and public, business, community and voluntary sector representatives that reflect a broad range of interests and the Bradford Central CLLD area e.g. gender balance; members from across the 3 wards, demographic make- up, including vulnerable and socially excluded groups.

LAG membership comprises:

· 6 Residents from across the 3 wards

· 6 Businesses from across the 3 wards

· 6 locally based public and /or voluntary organisations working with the target groups, from across the 3 wards.

· 2 Representatives of the Getting it Going Project Delivery Team

· 1 Manningham Master Plan representative

· 1 Greenmoor Big Local representative

· 1 Bradford Council elected member

More than 50% of members are from the private/voluntary / community sectors.

Others

Manningham Master Plan

Greenmoor Big Local

BMDC Councillor

The Bridge Project/CLLD Project Team

CNet/CLLD Project Team

The responsibilities of the Local Action Group Chair, to:

· Facilitate all Local Action Group (LAG) meetings, agreeing the agenda with the LAG Support Team and ensuring that meetings run to purpose and to time

· Ensure all participants have an equal opportunity to participate

· Ensure all LAG meetings are run in accordance within any relevant frameworks e.g. Code of Conduct, any ESIF regulations

· Ensure all decisions taken at meetings are implemented

· Ensure probity, e.g. regarding Declarations of Interest

· Bring impartiality and objectivity to decision making

· Ensure that all applications are dealt with in a fair and equal manner

· Ensure the LAG is updated on progress of the CLLD programme as a whole and on projects in particular

· Raise strategic issues for discussion

· Ensure that the LAG works well in co-ordinating and networking project applications

· Facilitate procedures with the LAG Support Team and Accountable Body

· Act as spokesperson for the LAG, by representing the LAG’s views, e.g. at meetings, conferences and to the media.

The role of the LAG Vice Chair is to support the Chair in the range of work above, and to deputise for the Chair if the Chair is absent for any reason.

The procedures for dealing with conflicts of interest

1.All LAG meeting agendas will have a standard item for conflict of interest. Any declared conflicts will be minuted and then included on the register of declared interests, maintained by the LAG Support Team. This register will detail the nature and extent of the conflict and will be open to all Members of the LAG.

2.Any LAG Member who has a financial interest, whether direct or indirect in matters to be discussed, must promptly declare such interest and the remaining LAG Members at the meeting will decide whether the member shall:

· Withdraw from the meeting

· Remain in the meeting and take part in the discussion but not participate in any vote

3.LAG Members who are directly involved or have a direct interest in any application submitted must declare an interest and take no part in the consideration of the application unless invited by the Chair to respond to questions relating to the application.

4.LAG Members representing an organisation which has an involvement in an application, but that will not receive any financial benefit, should declare an interest but can take part fully in the discussion and decision making.

5.Any LAG Member who has a personal interest (which is not a pecuniary / financial interest) in any matter must promptly disclose that interest but may remain, speak and vote unless the chair decides the interest is substantial.

7.2 The Accountable Body

Bradford Council’s Regeneration Department has agreed to undertake the Accountable Body role. (Acceptance letter at Annex F). This organisation has substantial experience and knowledge of European and other public funding and has undertaken the role of Accountable Body for a range of funding streams including European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund and Heritage Lottery Funding The Council team is currently undertaking Accountable Body functions for the South Pennine Leader Programme, working in partnership with Pennine Prospects under a formal Partnership Agreement to deliver the programme on behalf of the LAG.

The specific role undertaken by this team is detailed below:

1.The Accountable Body has contractual responsibility for the delivery of the programme on behalf of the LAG. It is responsible for the successful and effective conclusion of the programme delivering the LDS, and undertakes to ensure that financial propriety and compliance is observed in its management of the programme. The Accountable Body is also responsible for personnel, accountancy and administrative services to the LAG and the programme, and ensuring sufficient staffing capacity is in place in its own organisation, or as agreed by the LAG, to an appropriate organisation based within the CLLD, as a LAG Support Team.

2.The purpose and duties of the Accountable Body are:

I. To be applicant for stage 2 European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) applications.

II. To enter into Funding Agreement with DWP and DCLG as Managing Agents of the CLLD project funding, ESF and ERDF respectively, on successful award.

III. To prepare and submit annual Delivery Plans and Progress Reports as required by the Managing Agents.

IV. To provide advice and technical support to the LAG on LCR ESIF/EU policies and processes. In particular, to advise the LAG on issues of eligibility and compliance, including conflicts of interest.

V. To support project selection process by providing gate-way checks on projects submitted to ensure that projects selected for support:

a. Meet eligibility criteria

b. Fit with the priorities of the LDS

c. Undergo a transparent and compliant application and selection process

VI. To enter into Grant Funding Agreements with approved projects, incorporating appropriate conditions in accordance with decisions made by the LAG.

VII. To pay project grant claims in accordance with Grant Funding Agreements and actual expenditure incurred by projects, in advance of submission of collated claims to DWP and DCLG.

VIII. To process collated project grant claims and present these to DWP and DCLG for authorisation and payment.

IX. To undertake overall contract management, ensuring compliant delivery of the ESF and ERDF contracts.

X. To undertake annual visits to all projects, ensuring compliance and eligibility.

XI. To maintain project and programme records to audit standards, and make these available for audit as required.

XII. To prepare regular progress and financial reports to the LAG, DWP and DCLG.

XIII. To incur eligible expenditure for running costs ensuring match-funding is in place to meet these costs, and submit quarterly claims in arrears.

XIV. To undertake overall risk management and maintaining a risk assessment register with regards to delivery of the contracts.

The LAG has agreed that the overall Accountable Body functions should be divided and will be a separation of duties between the Accountable Body and a LAG Support Team, with the Accountable Body focusing on contract management; compliance; and funding and claims management. How it will work in practice is set out in the diagram at Annex G).

The LAG Support Team role will ensure that the delivery of the CLLD strategy is fully embedded within the community and supports the capacity building and empowerment of organisations based within the CLLD area itself. The LAG has agreed that this part of the Accountable Body role will be undertaken by a partnership of ABL and CNet. ABL will carry out programme management, project development and LAG secretariat functions. CNet will provide project appraisal and monitoring functions. Details about both these organisations and their suitability to take on this role are provided below.

Action For Business Ltd (Bradford) is a social enterprise and company ltd by guarantee established in 1992 to support local budding entrepreneurs to set up and grow their business in Manningham and surrounding areas. Overseen by a voluntary board of local activists, 24 years later ABL still provides this support and now also runs a busy business centre, Carlisle Business Centre, home to 90 social enterprises, businesses and charities and venue for many corporate and local community events.

A community anchor organisation, always keen to play its role in supporting local people and the local economy, ABL has run a number of programmes over the years; including being the accountable body for Manningham Sure Start and, most recently, being the accountable body for the Bradford Central Getting It Going CLLD development project.

ABL also runs a series of projects that support local business growth and local people to access training and employment and to improve their health. This ensures that ABL has strong local networks both with business and local communities. The area is home to diverse communities from established Asian communities to more recent central and Eastern European migrants. ABL is proud that Carlisle Business Centre is one of the few places in Bradford that people from all communities feel comfortable to use and how well people mix together.

The CEO and senior managers at ABL have vast experience of working with a board of directors in their own organisation as well as establishing and providing support to boards with a responsibility for distributing grants to deliver specific outcomes. The CEO was also until recently involved in supporting the establishment of Big Local partnerships, again supporting local residents and activists to distribute funds to deliver specific outcomes.

CNet is the Community Empowerment Network for Bradford and District. Membership is open to individuals, voluntary and community groups and networks. Our main aim is to increase the capacity of individuals and voluntary and community sector organizations to enable them to work actively in their local communities, to participate in local decision-making, and have influence over policy and service delivery.

CNet have been administering a series of Small Grants Programmes since 2005 and have successfully run several different grants programmes and have managed the process of inviting grant applications, administering, assessing, distributing and monitoring funds on behalf of major service providers in the District – Bradford District Council,, Bradford College, NHS Primary Care Trust, Learning and Skills Council, Connexions, Health and Wellbeing Hale Funds, Short Break for Disabled Children Grant funds, Government Grassroots Grants, Home Office Targeted Support Fund, Community Against Crime Innovation Fund, and Big Local Greenmoor Grants Programme.

Over the years CNet has distributed over £3m in Grant Funds to over 950 community projects and groups in the District.

CNet has distributed Grassroots Grant funds on behalf of the Government Home Office, via the Community Development Foundation, London, in the region of £1,480,582.00 and Targeted Support Fund of £847,000 to projects and groups in the Bradford District over a four-year period. They managed, administered and ran complete assessment process for Community Action against Crime Fund applications on behalf of the Home Office via CDF.

A robust and transparent procedure is used to approve all grant applications and arrive at decisions. An independent Grants Assessment Panel for each grants programme is drawn from specialists from the voluntary and community sector, statutory organisations and from community representatives. The membership of the panels is varied according to the grant programmes involved and the funders are also invited to participate.

There is a Memorandum of Agreement entered into between CNet and the organisations receiving grants to ensure that they are accountable for the money and that the grant is used for the specific purpose that it was granted. The organisation is required to send in a Monitoring and Evaluation Form on completion of the project with evidence of spent.

Every year a series of compliance visits are carried out on a selection of groups funded. This is to enable us to see for ourselves and the funders the valuable work that is being carried out amongst communities across the District and to offer any support and guidance particularly in relation to the financial information needed to support the grant monitoring and evaluation requirements

CNet offers to and carry out the complete work of commissioning or grant making on behalf of funders thereby relieving them of carrying out all the process, procedure and monitoring attached to the scheme.

The roles and responsibilities of the LAG Support team are:

1.The LAG Support Team will provide support the LAG to carry out its role. The LAG Support Team being based in ABL and CNet and within the CLLD area will ensure that capacity and knowledge of programme development and delivery is retained within Bradford Central supporting long-term sustainability of activities that contribute to the area’s economic and social well-being.

2.The purpose and duties of the LAG Support Team are:

I. To provide the secretariat for LAG meetings, including provision of information and papers that will raise awareness of opportunities, issues and challenges and support decision-making.

II. To ensure the LAG operates within its Terms of Reference.

III. To attend LAG meetings to provide information to allow informed decisions to be made.

IV. To engage and build capacity and knowledge to ensure that as many sectors of the community as possible can contribute to the delivery of the Local Development Strategy (LDS) over the 5-year programme.

V. To provide advice and support to project applicants to enable them to submit eligible applications for funding which meet the LDS priorities and objectives.

VI. To oversee the commissioning process for projects that will implement the strategy and address priorities and actions agreed by the LAG.

VII. To process applications for funding, following gateway eligibility and compliance checks by the Accountable Body, and participate in appraisals of them following project selection processes agreed by the LAG.

VIII. As agreed with the Accountable Body, and as required, to undertake on-going contract management with each individual project against their funding agreements, ensuring that they meet performance targets and reporting back to the LAG for advice and direction where there is under-performance.

IX. As agreed with the Accountable Body, and as required, to undertake project visits to verify progress and ensure compliance and eligible expenditure and activities.

X. As agreed with the Accountable Body, and as required, to gateway-check claims for funding from each project prior to submission to Accountable Body for collation.

XI. To communicate with and promote the activities supported through ESIF to all relevant stakeholders within and outside of the CLLD area.

7.3 Project Development and Selection

The LAG has agreed the following processes for project development and selection:

Project Commissioning:

This stage focuses on developing and agreeing the specification for the activities that will be commissioned, that are intended to implement the Local Development Strategy and contribute to the achievement of the objectives, outputs and results. The following process will be undertaken:

a) A LAG member (s) to champion a specification and to be involved in both the development of the specification and the project selection process, but not the project development process;

b) Selected LAG support team member(s) (who will not be involved in developing proposals) to work with the Champion to develop commissioning specification.

c) All commissioning specification will include a weighting for local community involvement in the development and delivery of proposals. This will encourage active community participation and ownership of the interventions.

d) All commissioning specification will set out the following:

a. That the commissioning is not restricted to selective organisations. Any organisation that has the track record, expertise, capacity and knowledge to deliver what is needed, can submit proposals.

b. The agreed selection criteria and scoring methodology will be clearly stated and will be applicable to all applicants.

c. The commissioning timescales and decision-making processes – enabling sufficient time for any applicant and not disadvantaging any potential applicant.

d. The appeals process for those dissatisfied with the outcome (see below).

e) Specifications to be checked for eligibility by Accountable Body;

f) Specifications to be signed off by the LAG, excluding any representatives of organisations which might be involved in submitting proposals.

Project Development:

This stage focuses on the development of projects to support the implementation of the strategy. The LAG is required to actively engage the community in the implementation of the strategy, in addition to its development. At the same time, the opportunity to bid and develop proposals must be open, so that any organisation can apply.

a) A selected member of the LAG support team (different to any involved in project specification development) will work with and bring together relevant community groups and local organisations, to develop proposals to deliver the specifications.

b) Where relevant a LAG Member may lead and champion this process.

c) Where there are advantages and skills and expertise gaps, work with external partners will be encouraged.

Project Selection:

a) LAG support team member (not involved in project development activities) undertakes gateway checks on all submissions, putting all those meeting initial eligibility and completeness criteria, through for appraisal.

b) Appraisal panel undertaken by volunteer LAG members (with representation from business, residents and organisations – 1 each) supported by LAG support team member, under delegated authority from the LAG.

c) Decisions and recommendations will be recorded on the appraisal templates and signed by all panel members.

d) Recommended projects put forward to Accountable Body for funding eligibility checking.

e) Summaries of all projects submitted with recommendations to LAG.

f) Decisions will be made by a vote by the LAG members, following declarations of interest and excluding those with interests, from voting.

g) The LAG will need to be quorate to formalise a decision, excluding those that have declared an interest – i.e. 8 LAG members (based on full membership being in place) and representation across the interest groupings of residents, businesses and organisations.

h) The decision will only be valid if at least 50% of the votes have come from the non-public sector representatives.

i) Discussions and decisions will be minuted.

j) One of following recommendations/decisions will be made on each application:

a. To be supported in full

b. To be supported in part – specifying which part (this may apply if there is duplicatio

Documents

· Web viewSWOT AnalysisPage 14 THE STRATEGY Page 1 5 Intervention Logic Page 15 Objectives Page 17 ESI Fund Outputs and Results Page 18 Consistency, Complementarity and Synergy