Proposed decision.
To enter into a funding agreement with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and to be the accountable body for the disbursement and spend of a regional Create Growth Fund. The grant will be £1.275million over three financial years from 2022/23 to 2024/25. The decision is subject to KCC being successful with the grant application to DCMS.
Background:
DCMS launched the £17.51m Create Growth Programme in June 2022 to invite local area partnerships to bid for funds to a maximum of £1.275m over three years 2022 to 2025 to deliver targeted business support to high-growth potential creative businesses.
Following a successful expression of interest, KCC Culture and Creative Economy Service has formed a consortium to complete a bid to the Create Growth Fund by the deadline of 25 August 2022. If successful, we will be notified in the third week of September and will need to start recruitment and procurement immediately in order to meet the DCMS spending deadline for the programme.
Options:
The Create Growth Programme is a national initiative which KCC will manage on behalf of the South East Creative Economy Network. There is no match funding requirement and the Programme will bring new money into KCC to deliver creative industry growth which is central to our core work programme. Positioning KCC as accountable body is the strongest option in terms of our profile with the sector and with regional and national partners and will lead to the ongoing growth of the Kent economy through business development and inward investment.
How the proposed decision supports Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026:
Back SMEs and entrepreneurs to start-up, grow - the Create Growth Programme will enable us to develop the legacy of South East Creatives business support programme that supported over 400 creative business. The programme will also support creative freelancers to start up and grow businesses and that they attract the appropriate investment.
Work with partners to develop a better co-ordinated approach to economic development across the county -We will align a refreshed cultural strategy with the Economic Strategy and use the Create Growth Programme to deliver a coordinated approach to the productivity and growth of the creative economy.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Expenditure or savings of more than £1m;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Division affected: (All Division);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 30/08/2022
Decision due: Not before 28th Sep 2022 by Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Community and Regulatory Services
Lead director: Stephanie Holt-Castle
Department: Growth, Environment & Transport
Contact: Tony Witton Email: tony.witton@kent.gov.uk or 03000 417204 Email: tony.witton@kent.gov.uk.
Consultees
The proposed decision was considered and endorsed at the Growth, Economic Development and Communities Cabinet Committee on 22 September 2022
Financial implications: The DCMS grant will not exceed £1.27million over three financial years 2022 to 2025. All funding is to be accounted by 31 March 2025. There is no match funding requirement. It is a regional grant and will be shared between KCC and Medway Council, East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council, Essex County Council, Kent University, Essex University, Screen South and Wired Sussex according to a delivery plan agreed by the partnership. In addition, businesses across participating local area partnerships will have the opportunity to benefit from up to a £7 million national fund for finance support and from investor capacity building activities developed through the programme.
Legal implications: We will enter into a grant agreement with DCMS. A separate partnership agreement will be made with Medway Council, East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council and Essex County Council. We will use an existing KCC partnership agreement model which has been used successfully in the past and will be updated by Invicta Law.
Equalities implications: Equalities implications: An EqIA is being undertaken and will be published alongside the ROD and Decision report when the decision is taken. Data Protection implications: The need for a DPIA will be reviewed.