Funding and programmes
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South West Competitiveness and Employment ERDF Programme
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Convergence ERDF Programme
From 01 July 2011, European Regional Development Fund
(ERDF) programmes in the South West will be directly managed by
Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The
majority of the existing RDA ERDF staff are transferring to DCLG,
but contact details have changed so please see the attached list
for telephone numbers and email addresses.
Staff will continue to be based in Exeter, Bristol, Plymouth and
Truro, but are moving to new offices. The addresses are ERDF
Secretariat, DCLG at:
2 Rivergate
Temple Quay
Bristol BS1 6EH
Longbrook House
New North Rd
Exeter EX4 4UD
Mast House
Shepherds Wharf
24 Sutton Rd
Plymouth PL4 0HJ
Lysnoweth House
Infirmary Hill
Truro TR1 2JD
From 01 July, information relating to the Cornwall and Isles of
Scilly ERDF Programme and South West Competitiveness and Employment
Programme will be available on the
European pages of the DCLG website.
Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE)
Responsibility for the elements of the RDPE programme which have
been delivered by South West RDA since the programme started,
transfers to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(Defra) on 01 July 2011.
Many of the RDA staff who have been involved in RDPE will be
transferring to Defra, and will become the Defra RDPE Delivery Team
South West. The main office base will be:
Clyst House
Winslade Park
Clyst St Mary
Exeter EX5 1DY
Contact details for individual staff are being finalised, so
emails sent to addresses @southwestrda.org.uk will be forwarded to
the new Defra email addresses for some time after transfer.
The new central contacts for the team are:
email: rdpedeliverysouthwest@DEFRA.GSI.GOV.UK.
telephone: 01392 266367
Further information: Defra's RDPE website
page.
What are Structural & Cohesion Funds?
The European Union created Structural & Cohesion Funds as a
means of tackling the social and economic inequalities that exist
between EU regions. One third of the EU’s budget is allocated
to the funds. They support investment in infrastructure,
telecommunications, developing people’s skills and supporting
research and development. Each fund has a number of
‘programmes’, setting out the strategy for investing in its
particular region.
How can Structural Funds help the South West?
There are four Structural Funds operating in the South West,
offering a variety of support for investments that focus on
competitiveness, innovation and creating an economy based on
professional, highly-skilled jobs.
There are two additional sources of European funding available
across the region:
European Regional Development Fund
How will ERDF Programmes be managed in the future?
The Communication below was circulated by Dept for Communities
and Local Government to a wide range of partners involved in
delivery of ERDF Programmes including the Cornwall & Isles of
Scilly Convergence Programme. Comments provided in response to the
document have been taken into consideration by CLG in their
development of proposals for the future management of ERDF
Programmes. There will be an ongoing discussion with partners until
transition arrangements are finalised.
How is the South West RDA involved in Structural Funds?
The RDA has managed the South West Competitiveness &
Employment ERDF Programme and the Convergence Programme for
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, on behalf of the Secretary of
State for Communities and Local Government (CLG) since 2007.
The Secretary of State is the managing authority and had designated
the South West RDA as a single intermediate body (Article 59(2)) to
carry out some of the tasks of the managing authority.
With the closure of the RDA network in March 2012, it is the
intention of CLG to resume direct management of the ERDF Programme
from 1 July 2011. The plans for managing this transition of
activity are in hand
Until the transition takes place the ERDF Secretariat is based
in South West RDA. The Secretariat considers proposed investments,
issues grant offer letters, processes claims for grant payment and
monitors and evaluates projects and programmes in accordance with
adopted protocols. The Agency also submits claims for reimbursement
of grant paid to CLG.