The 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme for England brings together three funds:
Local Enterprise Partnership areas have each received a notional formula-based allocation from the 2014-2020 ESIF Growth Programme for England. The Heart of the South West notional allocation totals €139,010,786. The Sterling value of the allocation is calculated using exchange rates provided by Managing Authorities – the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for ERDF; the Department for Work and Pensions for ESF; and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for EAFRD. At the current time the total Sterling notional ESIF allocation for the Heart of the South West is £122,019,238.
All three funds are now moving to national reserve funds and national calls to absorb remaining monies. More details will be published when available. The ESF reserve fund process has been communicated and further details are awaited on the ERDF approach; applicants from HotSW will be able to apply for future funding from all three funds.
The following table shows the total notional ESIF allocation for the Heart of the South West and the breakdown by each Fund.
The Heart of the South West has a total notional ESIF allocation of €139,010,786. The Sterling value of the allocation is calculated using the exchange rates provided by each Managing Authority.
The following table shows the total notional ESIF allocation for the Heart of the South West and the breakdown by each Fund.
| Fund | Total notional allocation for the Heart of the South West | Transition Area (Devon, Plymouth and Torbay) | More Developed Area (Somerset) |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) | €68,745,402 (£62, 097, 723) | €51,521,569 (£46,539,434) | €17,223,833 (£15,558,288) |
| European Social Fund (ESF) | €50,856,796 (£44,381,182) | €34,548,394 (£30,129,872) | €16,308,402 (£14,188,310) |
| European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) | €19,408,588 (£15,540,333) | Not applicable (no split) |
|
| TOTAL | €139,010,786 (£122,019,238) |
ERDF and ESF must be contracted by end December 2020 and spent by end December 2023. EAFRD must be contracted by end December 2020 and all projects must be finished, paid for and complete; grant claims to be submitted by 30 September 2021.
The Heart of the South West LEP area has developed a local ESIF Strategy and ESIF Sub-Committee to direct deployment of its notional allocation.
Organisations in the Heart of the South West can be re-assured that, despite exiting the EU, any funding secured through EU programmes from now until the end of 2020 will be guaranteed by the UK government, even in a no deal scenario.
Government has confirmed that:
The European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development Fund programmes will continue to be able to award funding to successful projects across England to the full value of programme allocations. Similarly, UK organisations can continue to apply for funding and work with counterparts in other countries for European Territorial Cooperation Programmes and access other important EU programmes, such as research funding from Horizon 2020â€
Further information on the UK government guarantee for EU funding and projects can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-from-eu-programmes-guaranteed-until-the-end-of-2020
The 2014-2020 European Cohesion Policy designated regions across Europe into three types:
The Heart of the SW LEP area has both ‘transition’ status (Plymouth, Torbay and Devon) and ‘more developed’ status (Somerset). The ERDF and ESF allocations and output and expenditure targets for the Heart of the South West are split according to this status, with a higher level of funding for activities in the Transition area. Not all ERDF and ESF funding opportunities are available to support activities in all areas and intervention rates ( i.e. the proportion of match funding that will be needed) also vary by Category of Region – a minimum of 40% match-funding is required in the ‘transition’ area and a minimum of 50% in the ‘more developed’ area.
There is no Category of Regions split for EAFRD. EAFRD monies are, however, spatially targeted at rural areas of the Heart of the South West.
The Heart of the South West Technical Assistance Project runs from 1 February 2016 to 31 January 2019 and is receiving up to £101,495 of funding from the England European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.
The Heart of the South West (HotSW) Technical Assistance Project aims to:
Through the project, events are held to disseminate information about the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF)), including details of how to apply. Please see the individual programme pages above for details of past and future events.
Register your interest in ESIF in the Heart of the South West and search for potential partners.
The Heart of the South West 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Strategy(link to document – see below) sets out how we will use our ESIF notional allocation to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth across our area. It has been developed in the context of our Strategic Economic Plan to ensure that ESIF-funded activities directly contribute to our wider plans for growth.
All ESIF activity in the Heart of the South West must contribute to delivery of the ESIF Strategy priorities and targets.
Within our ESIF Strategy we have identified 5 priority areas of investment, which we have called ‘Integrated Activities’. These are:
The full Heart of the South West ESIF Strategy is available below:
The Heart of the South West ESIF Sub-Committee advises Managing Authorities on local growth conditions and priorities with regard to ESIF Growth Programme implementation, including call specifications and funding applications. Please see the following link for the latest information on the Heart of the South West ESIF Sub-Committee, including membership, agendas and minutes.
The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership was one of 38 LEPs in England. The LEP was a leader and influencer for economic growth, job creation and prosperity across the Heart of the South West area covering Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay.
Can’t find what your looking for? Contact us: LEPAdmin@somerset.gov.uk
Chief Executive
David Ralph started as Chief Executive of Heart of South West LEP at the beginning of June 2018. Previously, he had spent 5 years as CEO of the Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (D2N2) LEP from 2013 where he oversaw the development of the D2N2 Strategic Economic Plan and sector strategies, 3 Growth Deals with HM Government to deliver a £1billion capital investment programme, securing and implementing £200m ESIF programme, the Derby and Nottingham Enterprise Zone, the D2N2 Skills Deal and Time for Innovation programme, community fund and led the executive team to develop the HS2 East Midlands hub. He was also closely involved in the proposed North Midlands Devolution Deal and one of the key architects in establishing the Midlands Engine, chairing the officer steering group. Whilst in this role David was a NED of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone, and Marketing NG, the Outer Estates Foundation and a Governor of Nottingham College and on the advisory Board of Nottingham Business School.
Before the East Midlands, David was CEO of the Have Gateway Partnership working closely with local stakeholders including the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich and BT Adadastral Park across Suffolk and Essex and prior to that was Chief Exec of the Barton Hill New Deal for Communities programme in Bristol and the Nelm Development Trust in Norwich.
David is a keen sailor, walker and trail runner.