Rochdale BID want to keep you updated with the latest news, information and advice during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Todays update provides a summary of the following:
- Levelling Up Fund
- Help to Grow Campaign
First stage of the £4bn Levelling Up Fund unveiled
As part of last weeks Budget announcement, the chancellor launched the first stage of the £4bn Levelling Up Fund
Local authorities have been invited to work with groups in their area and develop bids of up to £20m for projects focused on improving transport infrastructure, regenerating town centres, and maintaining cultural assets.
Every local authority will receive £125,000 to help cover the costs of developing bids, with councils in the most deprived parts of the country prioritised for funding. Rochdale has been in priority category 1 for the funding.
The Levelling Up Fund will be managed centrally by three Whitehall departments – the Treasury, Department for Transport and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government – which will make decisions on successful bids.
Funding of up to £20m will be available for successful bids, rising to £50m for the most ambitious transport initiatives.
The prospectus suggests cultural projects could include "maintaining, regenerating, or creatively repurposing" museums, galleries and associated green spaces, while transport initiatives could include "improving the experience of transport users".
One suggestion for a regeneration project is to "bring public services and safe community spaces into town and city centres".
The Levelling Up Fund: Prospectus can be view here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/966138/Levelling_Up_prospectus.pdf
If any businesses would like to know more about this funding opportunity, please call the BID Manager on – 07811278517 or email:paul@rochdalebid.co.uk
Help to Grow Campaign with a focus on digital adoption for UK SMEs
The Treasury announced a new 'Help to Grow' initiative, providing £520 million to help SMEs recover from the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting digital technologies and providing management training to boost productivity and innovation.
In advance of the 2021 Budget, the Treasury has announced an ambitious new £520 million ‘Help to Grow’ initiative, aimed at helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recover and build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic by adopting digital technology and management training to increase innovation, productivity, and future growth.
The initiative contains two schemes:
- Help to Grow: Digital – this scheme will provide SMEs with discounted software and expert advice on how to best utilise it.
- Help to Grow: Management – this scheme will offer MBA-style management training to SMEs with the aim of increasing innovation and boosting growth.
In addition, the ‘Help to Grow: Digital’ scheme will create an online platform offering free advice on tech to help businesses save time and reduce costs. SMEs may also be eligible to obtain vouchers offering 50% off the purchase of productivity-enhancing software, up to a total of £5,000 each.
Meanwhile, the ‘Help to Grow: Management’ scheme will provide SMEs with access to subsidised management training provided by leading British business schools, covering topics from marketing to the management of finances. Dozens of business schools across the UK will provide 50 hours of tuition in addition to one-on-one support with a business mentor, to build the skills of SME leaders and ultimately, increase efficiency, productivity, and growth.
To registry your interest in the Help to Grow programme, please see link below:
https://helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/
Useful Links
COVID-19: what you need to do
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Support for businesses and employers during coronavirus (COVID-19)
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
If you have any queries regarding the support which his currently being offered, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07811 278517.
Paul Ambrose
BID Manager
10 Mar 2021