Powering up business: Five years of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership

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Powering up business

Working for a more prosperous,better connected and increasinglyresilient and competitive economy

2010

Five years of the D2N2Local Enterprise Partnership

2015

Five years of planningandaction to boostour economyD2N2 – the Local EnterprisePartnership for Derby, Derbyshire,Nottingham and Nottinghamshire –was approved by Government inOctober 2010. Its first boardmeeting was held on December 17,2010 – making 2015 its fifth year ofoperation.It is the fifth largest of England’s

39 LEPs. D2N2’s area has apopulation of more than twomillion people and an economicoutput of around £41.2 billion ayear.D2N2 is a private sector-led

partnership of business, localauthorities, skills and trainingproviders and communityorganisations. It helps set prioritiesfor its area’s economy, drivingeconomic growth and jobs creation.This supplement examines

D2N2’s impact to date, working tofive strategic priorities in itsStrategic Economic Plan: Businesssupport and access to finance,Innovation, Employment andSkills, Infrastructure for economic

growth, and Housing andRegeneration.The LEP’s over-arching goal –

which it is delivering on – ishelping to create 55,000 private-sector jobs by 2023. D2N2’s visionis of a more prosperous, betterconnected, increasingly resilientand competitive economy.D2N2 is a partnership led by a

board of experienced businesspeople, local authority leaders andhigher and further education, andvoluntary, sector representatives.For more information on the

D2N2 Local EnterprisePartnership see its website,www.d2n2lep.org

2 Wednesday, November 11, 2015 nottinghampost.com @NottinghamPost TheNottinghamPost

Bankof EnglandGovernorMarkCarney, left, withD2N2ChairmanPeterRichardson.MrCarney choseNottingham’sEastMidlandsConferenceCentre for hisfirst on-the-record speechasGovernor, inAugust 2013,telling his audience the regionwasa “bellwether” for theUK’s economy.

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Blazing a trail for business:How the D2N2 Growth Hubsupports the ‘Business supportand finance’ strategic priority.

CONTENTS4&5

Time to innovate: Workingwith university and businesspartners to support the‘Innovation’ priority.

6&7

Skills for productivity: Bettermatching of skills training andemployers’ needs

8&9

Five years of the D2N2 LEP:A timeline.

10-11Building an economy: HowLocal Growth Fund fuels‘Infrastructure for economicgrowth’.

12&13

Next steps for the LEP, WithD2N2 Chief Executive DavidRalph.

14&15Homes and foundations: Thedrive for better ‘Housing andregeneration’, within D2N2’sstrategic priorities

16

18&19How D2N2 is taking action tocrack the productivity puzzle.

Wehave achieved somuch...and there’smore to come

grow theirbusiness, promotingcloserbondsbetweenskills andtrainingproviders andemployers,anddeveloping theD2N2area’sadvantage inwhatwe’ve identifiedas its eightkeyeconomic sectors.It is inournature to look to the

futurebut asChairmanofD2N2– thefifth largest ofEngland’s 39LEPs–I’ve always felt the strengthof thisLEP is that it hasnever forgottenhowit beganand thepriorities it putinplaceback then tohelp thecommunities in its area.OurStrategicEconomicPlan is

the 95-page roadmap for growth, onthebasis ofwhichweweregrantedastaggering£192.2 million fromtheGovernment’sLocalGrowthFundwithwhich to lever furtherprivatesector investment andrealise ourambitions. It containsa lot oftechnical informationbuthas, at itscore, a simplepledge.ThatD2N2’s vision is to create a

moreprosperous, better connected,increasingly resilient andcompetitive economy.That itwill dothis bychampioninganddevelopingits five strategicpriorities ofbusiness support andaccess tofinance, innovation, employmentandskills, infrastructure foreconomicgrowth, andhousingandregeneration.Finally, that by 2023 this approach

will have enabled it tohavehelpedcreate 55,000 extraprivate sector

jobs in its areaofDerby,Derbyshire,NottinghamandNottinghamshire.In this special publicationyouwill

readabout themanyways inwhichweare livingup to that pledge, and theearly successeswehavegained for our

business andwider communities.For example,D2N2’s investment in

innovation–and thekey sector ofLifeSciences – througha£6.5 milliongrant towards thenewBioCityextension; theprogrammes ithas

Chairmanof theD2N2Local EnterprisePartnership, PeterRichardson, talks about itsfive-year journey.

Can it reallybe fiveyears since theD2N2LocalEnterprisePartnershipcame intobeing?A lothas changed since

Governmentapproval of theLEP inOctober 2010, its firstBoardmeetingthe followingDecember,my takingoverasChair inNovember 2012 andourChiefExecutive,DavidRalph,joiningus fourmonths later, inMarch2013.So far this year,D2N2has

campaignedalongside its localauthoritypartners andbusiness to(successfully) deliver its proposedDevolutionDeal toGovernment;workedwithEastMidlandsChamber, councillors and the localmedia to (again successfully) lobbyfor the “unpausing”of theMidlandMainLineelectrificationproject,andheld itswell-receivedAnnualConferenceandAGM(whichfeaturedLloydsBankCommercialBanking’sChiefEconomist as aguest speaker).All of thiswhilekeepingupwith

the “day job”of promotingeconomicgrowthandcreating jobs – throughassisting companies (largeandsmall)withvital bridge funding to

“D2N2’s vision is to create amore prosperous, betterconnected, increasinglyresilient and competitiveeconomy.”

Powering up business: Fiveyears of the D2N2 LocalEnterprise PartnershipEditor: CommunicationsManager Sean KirbyEditorial Support: SocialMedia and MarketingOfficer Sam Burbage

TheNottinghamPost @NottinghamPost nottinghampost.com Wednesday, November 11, 2015 3

Partnership for future enterpriseFOLLOWING the demise of the

local development agencies the

task of co-ordinating bids for

financial assistance and plan-

ning for growth on a regional

basis moved to the Local En-

terprise Partnership (LEP),

usually within a much smaller

territorial area than the under

the previous agency.Nottingham, Derby, Notts

and Derbyshire have combined

into a LEP and have such a

remit. Formed on a bi-partisan

basis, the local LEP – named

D2N2 – has already been

chosen by Government to over-

see a Local Enterprise Zone

(LEZ) based on part of the

Boots complex in Broxtowe

borough.It was suggested by Govern-

Business News

VIP visit:Deputy PrimeMinister NickClegg and PrimeMinister DavidCameron touringthe Bootsfactory inNottingham,where plans for

Research has shownthat employment

Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk NEP-E01-S2 EP01

Money up for grabsto kick-start drivefor growth and jobs

MORE money will be availableto kick-start the NottinghamEnterprise Zone.Initial work on creating thezone on the Boots site in Bee-ston is due to start later thisyear.A total of £25 million will bespent on infrastructure im-provements designed to openup areas of disused land so thathundreds of new homes can bebuilt and thousands of new jobscreated.

Communities Secretary EricPickles announced yesterday

“Linking the enterprise zonewith the existing road networkis one area we might look at touse such funding.”Steve Barber, Broxtowe bor-ough councillor for BeestonRylands, which is home to partof the Nottingham EnterpriseZone site, said: “There’s a fairamount of infrastructure workneeded to get the jobs in there,in terms of access and road

By Bryan [email protected] Boots, the Government, theD2N2 local enterprise partner-ship and the city council.Work will be completed at theend of 2014 and will includestrengthening flood defences,cleaning the site and putting innew roads, telecommunica-tions and IT infrastructure.Enterprise zones offer taxbreaks on disused sites to en-courage firms to move in andcreate jobs.

Mr Pickles said: “Economicgrowth is this Government’sbiggest priority and Enter-prise Zones are the engineroom of that strategy.

Linking the enterprisezone with the existingroad network is one

‘‘

Friday November 30, 2012

Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.uk NEP-E01-S2 EP01 NEP-E01-S2 EP01 Visit our website www.thisisnottingham.co.ukFriday November 30, 2012 Nottingham Post 7£25 million cash injection

FIFTEEN years ago, the bleakwindswept site was home to apharmaceutical factory mak-ing Ibuprofen, tonnes of it.Today, the land is at thecentre of 100 idle, unproductiveacres on the Boots site at Bee-ston.But the open space may soonbe home to a thriving new in-dustry, creating with it newjobs.It was confirmed yesterdaythat £25 million is to be spenton the first steps towards thecreation of the Nottingham En-terprise Zone on the site.Boots revealed that themulti-million-pound scheme,due to start next year, willkick-start development, jobsand, hopefully, a cluster ofhealthcare businesses.The money comes from apartnership between AllianceBoots, the Government, theD2N2 local enterprise partner-ship and Nottingham CityCouncil.Work will be completed at theend 2014 and will includestrengthening flood defences,cleaning the site and putting innew roads, telecommunica-tions and IT infrastructure.Stefano Pessina, executive

£25 million is to bespent on redevelopingderelict land at Boots’Beeston site, as thefirst step towards thecreation of the newNottingham EnterpriseZone. RichardTresidder reports

Team effort: From left,Mark Chilvers, SteveBarber, Kay Cutts, JonCollins and PeterRichardson on the site ofthe new NottinghamEnterprise Zone.

PICTURE: DAN MATTHAMSNODA20121129C-001_C

to kick-start jobs zoneChief executive’s relief asplan starts to take shapeALEX Gourlay looked re-lieved and pleased that, atlong last, a start on bringinglarge swathes of unused landback into use was in sight.

Previous chief executivesof Boots had struggled to get aproper hold on what to dowith the site, part of a hugeswathe of land created for thebusiness by Jesse Boot.A busted economic climatein the wake of the financialcrisis of 2008 was never goingto see the site take off.Alliance Boots chairmanStefano Pessina and thePrime Minister get on well.They have shared overseastrade missions to China, so itwas no surprise when DavidCameron paid him back bylaunching an EnterpriseZone on the Boots sitebetween Beeston and Not-tingham.

“Putting in the infrastruc-ture is a good first step,” MrGourlay told the Post.“The flood defence barrierswill be strengthened and wehave to do that from a com-mercial point of view.“Secondly, we are improv-ing access on to and into the

Planning and developmentstarts immediately, with bull-dozers moving on to the sitein the second half of nextyear. The vision is to create ahealth and wellbeing zone fit-ting in with the life scienceambitions of the city councilin its economic growth plan.Firms will be able to takeadvantage of its proximity tothe University of Nottinghamand Alliance Boots’ ambi-tions to become a globalhealthcare enterprise.“The site will be availableto those who want to work inthis environment,” said MrGourlay.

Nottingham,” he said.One idea yet to be firmedup is a beauty and healthcareacademy and Alliance Bootshas held talks with a numberof colleges.“We are keeping all ouroptions open,” said Mr Gour-lay. “But part of the ambitionis to create jobs. That is ourambition, that is the Govern-ment’s ambition.“We are doing this so wecan prepare the ground sothat when things are rightand we have the right ideasand the right partnerships,and the right companies whowant to come on this site, jobswill be created. But it is tooearly to be specific.”

Mr Gourlay said it was stillunclear what the futurewould be for manufacturingin its grade-I listed D10 build-ing. It is in talks with EnglishHeritage over the site.D6, also grade-I listed, isnow used for logistics follow-ing the sale of Boots Health-care International to ReckittsBenkiser.Mr Gourlay said it was un-clear at this stage whether

Priorities: Alex Gourlay

UPSANDDOWNSOF THRILL RIDES

DERBYSHIRE and Notting-hamshire Local EnterprisePartnership has secured£5 million to help firmsexpand and create jobs.

Businesses across the twocounties are being calledupon to apply for the money,part of the Government’sRegional Growth Fund.

BY OLIVER ASTLEY

THE first £1.3 million slice ofthe £20 million DerbyEnterprise Growth Fund hasbeen allocated.

principle, is expected to create more than 140 jobs at acost of £9,500 per job.

ing include those in textiles,engineering, the media andmaterials testing.

Launched in Decemberand delivered by Derby CityCouncil, the Derby Enter

Investment programme aims to bringin £20m to help firms create new jobs

The Derbyshire company whichmakes some of the country’s top theme park attractions, P2&3

Ashley LCarphone WhseDixons RetailHome RetailInchcapeKingfisherM & SMothercareNextWH Smith

HEALTH CARE EQUIPMENT &

Smith Nph

he said.

Enterprise Zone a priority for regionTHE implementation of theNotts Enterprise Zone hasbeen made a priority by thenew Local Enterprise Part-nership for the area.

D2N2, set up by the gov-

tent of investment neededto bring the Notts Enter-prise Zone to market.

If successful, the zonewill provide income forD2N2 to further boost thelocal economy.

ing the surplus land hometo incubator firms in thehealthcare sector and cre-ating a health and beautyacademy.

Mr Walton added: “Not-tingham is already

be established as quickly aspossible.”

D2N2 has appointedproperty consultantsGleeds as technical ad-visers.

The site could be de-

How D2N2 has been making the headlines over the past five years

PETER RICHARDSON

set-up, suchas theProviderCharter, to plug skills gaps in thelocalworkforce; themillionsofpounds investedby theLEP inroadsanddigital broadbandinfrastructure; and itsworkwithnational and local politicians torebalanceandregenerate itsarea’s outer city estates.It is a lot of activity and

responsibility to juggle, andwhichI andourCEOcouldnotdowithout the experienceandcommitment of theprivate andpublic sectormembersonourBoard, andour small forceofhardworking staff,whichdailypushes forward theLEP’sobjectives.I hopeyouenjoy readingabout

D2N2’s pasthistoryand its futureambitions.Myguess is thatmostpeoplewill comeaway fromthissupplement surprised to learn justhowmuchof thearea’s businesslife theLEPhashad, orplans tohave, ahand in.With theLEPnetwork’s growing

reputation fordriving sustainablegrowthacrossEnglandandknowinghowtoget thingsdone,whoknowswhat further successestheD2N2of fiveyears fromnowwill haveachieved?

PeterRichardson,Chairmanof theD2N2LocalEnterprisePartnership.

20&21Changing policy... Devolutionand the next five years for theLEPs network.

Littlewould seem toconnect seagoingsupertankers andhigh-techbio-researchbutD2N2 is the link –providingbusinesssupport and fundingtomake thingshappen.

TheD2N2LocalEnterprisePartnership is firmly rootedin itsDerby,Derbyshire,NottinghamandNottinghamshire catchment –butprovidingbusiness support andfinancingmeans its influence cropsup far andwide.This is a result ofD2N2’s one-stop

shopapproach, developed toprovidea comprehensive, flexible approachtobusinessneeds.On theStrategicPriority of

“Business support andaccess tofinance”, its StrategicEconomicPlanidentifiedarea “challenges” – theneed formore start-upassistanceandfinanceaccess – and“opportunities”–keyeconomic sectors to capitaliseon–andnecessaryactions.These included settingup theD2N2

GrowthHub, backingkey sectordevelopmentanddrivingexports (onwhichmore later).DavidRalph,ChiefExecutiveof

D2N2, explains: “There is awealthofinformationout there forbusinesspeopleneedinghelp.Asaprivate-sector ledLEP,werecognise this initself cancause confusionoverwhichis the right direction for anenterpriseto go in.

D2N2hasbecomeengineto driveenterprise

● More than1,000companiesassistedbyD2N2GrowthHubandpartners.● Jobs targets farexceededbyD2N2UnlockingInvestment forGrowthgrantsprogramme.● Over£16minGrowingPlacesFund loanshelpcompanies realisetheir ambitions.

StrategicPriority 1:Businesssupport andaccess tofinance

From left, D2N2ChairmanPeterRichardson,CommissioningManager for Skills andEmploymentKatrinaWoodward, SteveCressey,HeadofPartnershipsandProjects at VisionWestNottinghamshireCollege andformerBusiness andEnterpriseMinisterMattHancock,at theGrowthHub launch inDecember 2014.

Above, setting up theD2N2standat Venturefest EastMidlands2015.Below,D2N2ChiefExecutiveDavidRalph runs aworkshopsession at the event.


“Wedesignedour services sowhetheryou’re a companyheadwitha£100million-plus turnoveror someonewhosebusiness is stillonlyan idea,whether looking forgrowth financeor traininghelp,weorourpartners canhelp.”This approachmeans, thougha

regionalLEP,D2N2’s influenceandimpact extends furtherandwiderthan the twocounties it covers.Below,we takea lookatD2N2

mainproducts andservices –pastandcurrent – andhowtheirfundingandsupporthavehelpedcompanies achieve reachandimpact.

D2N2GrowthHubEntrepreneurs,UK leadingcompanies,would-be cottageindustries – they’veall dialled theD2N2GrowthHub.LaunchedatNottinghamTrent

University inDecember 2014, theGrowthHubhasworked to “powerupbusiness”withpartners suchastheBusinessGrowthService(incorporatingGrowthAccelerator and theManufacturingAdvisoryService),UKTradeand Investment, andregional agencies toprovidehelp,trainingand financing formorethan1,000 companies.GrowthHubaidsambitiousnew

anddevelopingbusinesses lookingto train, grow, access fundingandexpand into freshmarkets.Callershave included:● QAAssociatesLtdofRipley:

Established in 2006, thequalificationsand training

requirements companycontactedtheGrowthHub inJanuary2015seekinghelp todevelop thebusiness’ drive for growth.TheGrowthHub linkedQAto itspartner, theBusinessGrowthService, helping the companyrealise it needed toboost salesskills and systems, and itsoperations structure.

● HelenCope,Director at eventscontractorTrans-SportLimitedofTreswell, contacted theGrowthHub for leadson funded trainingaround leadershipandmanagement, on InstitutionofOccupationalHealthandSafety,and“rigging”.“GrowthHubCo-ordinator,Lisa

Hoyland, providedmewithawealthof information,not onlygivingmespecific leadsbut alsolinks tousefulwebsites,” saidHelen.Trans-SportLtdpreviously

benefited fromaD2N2UnlockingInvestment forGrowthgrant (seebelow), to expand its business.Since its launch theGrowthHub

hasalso:● Launched itswebsite

www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk . Itoffers adviceonstartingandgrowingabusiness, financing,trainingandskills andexpandingmarkets.

● AttendedorarrangeddozensofD2N2areabusiness-facingevents, includingVenturefestEastMidlands 2015, debuting inNottinghamlastApril.GrowthHubteammembersdeliver talks andprovide information.

● RunD2N2’s firstRuralMeansBusinessConference, atRuralCommunityActionNottinghamshire,NewsteadVillage, inMarch.Around100delegatesheardabout support forrural businesses in foodmanufacture, tourismandgreenenergy.LindsayAllen,D2N2GrowthHub

SeniorProgrammeManager forSectorDevelopment, added: “TheGrowthHub is there to simplifybusiness support.Weoffer auniversal service,with events andourwebandphone service. Forthosebusinesses ambitious to growandcreate jobs,wecanoffermoreintensive support.“Among the topenquiries are

people looking for further trainingfor themselves or their employees,orwanting toknowhowtoaccessfunding to expandanexistingbusiness.”D2N2GrowthHub information

canbe foundon itswebsite,www.d2n2growthhub.co.uk.Contact theGrowthHubhelplineon0333 006 9178 orviaTwitter at@D2N2GrowthHub.

Unlocking Investment forGrowthGrants fromD2N2’sUnlockingInvestment forGrowth (UI4G)programmehavebenefitedmorethan20 companies.UI4G,whichran from2013 to

summer2015, providedbridgefunding –worthup to £500,000 – forcompanies investing to expandbutjust short of the total capitalinvestment theyneeded. Itwas

Left, Around 100delegates attendedD2N2 Growth Hub’sRural Means BusinessConference in March2015.Above, DSFRefractories andMinerals, atNewhaven, received£280,000 from D2N2’sUI4G and GPFschemes.Right, Trans-SportLimited of Treswell,contacted the GrowthHub for help on fundedtraining aroundleadership andmanagement.

supportedby theGovernment’sRegionalGrowthFundand theEuropeanRegionalDevelopmentFund (ERDF). ItwasadministeredbyD2N2’s InvestmentPanel,chairedbyboardmemberPeterGadsby.UI4G far exceeded its targets.

Total grants of £4.7millionwererequested, leveraging£20million-plus investment fromcompanies.This created 420 jobs –almost threetimes the 150whichhadbeenestimated –andsafeguarded320existing jobs, four times the target.Companies operating inD2N2’s

eightkeyeconomic sectors oftransport equipmentmanufacturing, life sciences, foodanddrinkmanufacturing,construction, thevisitor economy,lowcarbongoodsandservices,transport and logistics and thecreativeanddigital industrieswereprioritised.Agoodexampleof abeneficiary is

ColdharbourMarine, ofLinby,Nottinghamshire.Thecompany’s ballastwater and

othermarine systemsareonboardsupertankers andvessels aroundtheworld.InApril, Transport Secretary

PatrickMcLoughlinopenedColdharbour’snewLinbypremises.Its £1.5millionmove–helpedbyaUI4Ggrant –brought its differentsectionsunderone roof for the firsttime. It isnowexpanding its staff.

GrowingPlacesFundWhereUI4Ggrantswentup to£500,000, theGrowingPlacesFund

offeredbridging loansof £500,000 to£2.5million to tacklemoresubstantial, stalleddevelopmentprojects.GPF’s £25million fundingwas

offeredbetweenMarch2012andOctober 2013.Applicants includedlocal authorities seekingassistancewith regenerationormajorbusinessdevelopmentprojects (seePage 14 formoredetails) but alsobusinesseswith innovative ideasbut insufficient funds.For example,DSFRefractories

andMinerals, atNewhaven,Buxton, amanufacturerofindustrial, refractory (heatresistant) products, received£280,000 fromD2N2’sUI4GandGPFschemes. Its £2.8millionproject toinstall a 12kmnatural gaspipelinein its area looked to safeguard 108jobsandcreate 15, grow its businessandreduce its carbon footprint.Commentingwhen the funding

wasannouncedPhilipBearn,DSFFundingDirector, said: “This is agame-changingproject, allowingusto compete ona level playing fieldagainst ourEuropeancompetitioninworldwide exportmarkets.Without theassistanceof these twofunds (RegionalGrowthFundandGrowingPlacesFund) this projectwouldnothave takenplace.”Todate,D2N2’s boardhas in

principle approved13GPF loansworth£16.6million.More than300jobshavebeencreatedand140safeguarded– though the large scaleofGPFprojectsmeans the fullbenefitsmay takeyears tomaterialise.


Innovationis at theheart oftheD2N2area

Innovate,waspublished inOctober2014 followingaD2N2 InnovationSummit theFebruarybefore.The report defined innovationas

“commercial exploitationofnewideas in the formofnewproductsandprocesses, neworganisationaltechniques, newmarkets andnewsources of supply”, andas importantbecause it:

● accounted for two-thirdsofdevelopedeconomies’ growth

● characterisedhigh-growthbusinesses, drivingmore thanhalfofUKprivate sector labourproductivity growth

● is aprimedriverof supplychains’ competitiveness

● deliversbusinesscompetitiveness.Barriers to innovation included

lackof time, skills and finance; fearof risk taking (particularly insmallerbusinesses); and firmsbeingunawareof thehelpavailable.Despite this, a report baseline

analysis gaveD2N2apositive“innovationprofile”.This is backed in the

Government’s latest (2014)UKInnovationSurvey, a regular reviewofUKinnovation. Its surveyof 14,487UKenterprises (with tenormoreemployees) put theEastMidlandstop –aheadof eight regionsandLondon– forbusinesseswhichconsidered themselves “innovationactive” (almosthalf of allEMbusinesses surveyed).The regionhadbeen third in the 2011 survey.

WHETHERyourbusinessis fashion, fuels or foodyoumust innovate. But howto foster the creativity andresearchwhichpowersinnovation?Weexamine the LEP’sapproach.Greatinventions andproductsDOcomeout of nowhere.

In 1902NottinghamshireCounty surveyorEdgarHooleynoticed spilt road tar,whencoveredbygravel, reduceddust.Hepatentedtarmacand foundedUKbrandTarmacplc.But the innovationcompanies

most relyon to regularly increaseprofitability is less about eurekamoments, thanapplyingknow-howandresources towardsa set goal.Developingan innovative

environment,where creativity andresearch flourish,makes for amoreregular turnoverofnewproducts andthinking –and iskey to theD2N2StrategicEconomicPlan’s (SEP)approach to its StrategicPriority of“Innovation”.TheSEPrecognisedarea strengths

–particularlyuniversitypartners’research–butwanteda“stepchange”, empoweringSMEinvolvement in innovationandcreating “innovationclusters”.NottinghamTrent,Nottingham

andDerbyuniversities’D2N2-commissioned strategicplan,Time to

● University ofNottinghammadeoneofUK’s firstUniversityEnterpriseZones,withD2N2backing.● Keysectors’innovationeffortsboostedbymillionsofpounds inLEPinvestment.● Region top for‘innovationactive’businesses, inofficialGovernmentsurvey.

StrategicPriority 2:Innovation

Below and main photo, workersfrom construction firm G FTomlinson who installed the 18-metre twisted two-blade sculptureat Infinity Park, a 250-acrebusiness park outside Derby citycentre, where around £13.6 millionfrom D2N2’s Local Growth Fund isset to be invested.


InJanuary, aspart of itsGrowthDeal,D2N2awarded theUniversity ofNottingham£5million towardsan8,000 squaremetre centre for advancedmanufacturing, tobebasedat theUniversity’s InnovationPark. Itfollowed theannouncement inJuly2014, after successful lobbyingbyD2N2thatNottinghamwouldbecomeoneoftheUK’sUniversityEnterpriseZones.Over the last fiveyears theD2N2

LEPhas,withpartners, usedinfluence, guidanceand financing tofoster innovation; creatingnetworksto strengthen joint agencyandbusinessworking, andbuildingonindividual organisation’s strengths.Thishasbeenparticularly trueacross theLEP’s eightkeyeconomicsectors:

Transport and logisticsInfinityPark, a 250-acrebusinessparkoutsideDerbycity centre, is partof theNottinghamandDerbyEnterpriseZone. It is a goodexampleof theLEP’s co-fosteringofinnovationclusters.Around£13.6 million fromD2N2’sLocalGrowthFund is tobe invested in thesite.Infinity’s first building, the

£11.8 million InnovationCentre, duetoopen forbusiness earlynext year,will houseEnscite, a transport andlogistics consultancyco-foundedbyD2N2partner, theUniversity ofDerby.Further sector innovation is

reflected in theD2N2areaDevolutionProspectus, co-authoredby theLEP

andpartners. It proposes a “freetrade zone” –adefined locationwithspecial economic status to land,handle andre-export at favourablecustomsrates – toworkwithEastMidlandsAirport.

Creativeanddigital industriesTheUniversity ofNottingham’sbecomingoneof the firstUKUniversityEnterpriseZones,waslinked to £2.6 millionofGovernment funding for aTechnologyEntrepreneurshipCentre, tobebasedat theUniversity’s InnovationPark from2016.Groundhas just beenbrokenonsite for thedevelopment. Itwillaccommodate early-stagebusinesses, including“bigdata”anddigital innovators.The£4.8 million invested from

D2N2’sLocalGrowthFund intoBetterBroadband forNottinghamshireandDigitalDerbyshire’s schemes, answersaneed identified in theLEP’sCreativeandDigital Industries (CDI)StrategicActionPlan (publishedApril 2015) forbetterbroadband togrow theCDI sector.

Life sciencesThe£30 millionBioCityNottinghamextension, currentlyunder construction inNottinghamcity centre, received£6.5 millionfromD2N2.Themajorprojectrecognises life sciences’ growth inthe city.The five-storeybuildingwill

give sector start-ups space to grow.It is due toopen in spring 2017,opening theway to createhundredsof jobs.TobyReid,OperationsDirector

atBioCityNottingham, said: “Wehave topaycredit toboth theCityCouncil and theLocalEnterprisePartnership formakingaboldstatement about their commitmentto investing in the life sciencessector.”InWorksop, a £487,500 grant for

heart surgeryequipmentspecialistChaliceMedical enabledit to expand intonewpremises,employextra staff and invest inresearch.

Lowcarbon technologiesOneof the first ‘calls’ (inMarch2015), fromthe 250 millioneuroEuropeanStructural andInvestmentFunds (ESIF) allocatedtoD2N2 tobe spent in its areaoverthenext sixyears, offeredmorethan£5 million for lowcarbonprojects.Projects, supporting thearea’s

drive towardsaneconomybasedon lower carbonemissionsandgreater energyefficiency, shouldbe completedby2020/21.Onan individual companybasis,

a £50,000D2N2grant enabledChesterfield’sCorrugatedCaseCompany to invest inawaste inksystem, sopackaging canbemanufacturedmoreenvironmentally.

Visitor economyD2N2’sTime to Innovate reportstressed innovation is asmuchaboutnew thinkingasnewproducts.Givinga fresh twist to the 18th

Centuryaristocratic traditionoftouringEuropeanculture spots, inJulyTheGrandTour’s first seasonlaunched.Tourists get toviewpreviously

unseenOldMasters artworks,alongside contemporaryartists.D2N2backed the initiativebyareatourismbignames, includingChatsworthHouseandExperienceNottinghamshire.TheLEPalsoinvested£35,000 inSeasonsOne (justcompleted) andTwo (spring 2016).A£933,000EuropeanAgricultural

Fund forRuralDevelopment(EAFRD)pot is currently onoffer tosupportmarketingplans for ruralbusinesses looking todiversify;possibly intovisitor economyactivities suchas cottage lets orexperienceholidays.Thebidsdeadline isNovember 27.

Transport equipmentmanufacturingAtypical exampleofD2N2’spractical approach tobuild thissectorwas thehelpgiven toStandardMotorProductsEurope(SMPEurope) ofAnnesley. Itreceivedan£81,000D2N2granttowards the company’s £320,000investment, enabling it tobringmanufacturingofhi-techelectronicsystemsback to theUK fromtheFarEast.Thishasalreadycreated 11jobs.SukyChahal, SMPEurope’s

GroupFinanceDirector, saidat thetime thegrantwasannounced: “Theinvestmenthasmeantwe’vebeenable todevelopandproducenewproducts, suchas enginemanagement sensors, here in theUK.”

FoodanddrinkmanufacturingItwasproost (Dutch for cheers)when inSeptemberThornbridgeBrewery launchedanewventure, abrandedbar inDenBosch, southernHolland,withNetherlandsbaroperator, PaulLeeyen.It isnowalso looking forpremises

inHelsinki, Finland’s capital city.In 2014 thebreweryhadreceived

£78,000 fromD2N2 tohelp it expandpremises, and increaseproductionandemployees,withaview togoingafternewmarkets. Its beers canalreadybe supped inAmerica,Sweden, Italy, JapanandAustralia.Nottinghamshire-based chilled

and frozen food transporter,RefrigeratedDeliveryServices isexpanding its business andbranching intonewareas, thanks toan£81,000 grant fromD2N2.“Increased spaceandcapacity

hasmadeall thedifference,” saidSimonHerberts,RDSOperationsManager.

ConstructionD2N2’s two-prongedapproach topromotingConstructioninnovation includes:

● Workforce – Its SkillsActionPlan forConstruction (publishedMarch2014) identifies theneed formoreapprenticeships, bringingyoungpeople into the sector, andadditional training for currentworkers, especiallyupdating skillssuchas in lowcarbonandsustainability awareness.

● Training facilities –Aproposed£60 millionNottinghamSkillsHub, runby themergedNewCollegeandCentral colleges, to bebuilt inNottinghamcity centre, isset to receiveup tohalf its fundingfromD2N2 (subject tobusinessplan).Constructionwill beamongthemanyvocational skills taughtthere.

Top, a site visit to the new BioCity Nottingham extension site, in October.D2N2 Board Member Peter Gadsby is pictured in the centre (black hat).Above, RDS – Refrigerated Delivery Services – received an £81,000 grantfrom D2N2 to innovate and expand its markets.

Picture: Shawn Ryan


Aspart of its target tocreate 55,000 jobs,D2N2and its key stakeholdersare addressing the skillsmismatch –workingwithareaemployers tounderstandwhat theyneed in theirworkforcesandwith trainingproviders to ensure theirprogrammesprovidethose skills.

Mostbusinesseswould classemploymentandskills asvital tobusiness growth, innovation,competitiveness andstaffdevelopment.RichardMunyard,Managing

Director ofhi-techNottinghamshireplastics firmS&SPlastics,wasquoted inD2N2’sStrategicEconomicPlan (SEP) as saying:“Oneof the largest challengesthe company faces isrecruiting skilled staff towork inmostdepartments.”TheD2N2Skills for

GrowthStrategy(launchedby thenMinister forSkills andEnterprise,MatthewHancockMP, inOctober2013) promotes a sharedunderstandingof local skills andbusinessneeds.The strategy isoverseenby theSkills andEmploymentCommission, and theD2andN2Skills andEmploymentBoards, andaims to raise theambitionsandaspirationsvital toeconomic success.Consequently,moredecisionson

skills in theD2N2areaarenowbeingmadeby local businesses andpartners,whounderstandwhat isneeded.D2N2workshard to ensurestakeholders – employers, localauthorities, schools, colleges,universities, employmentandskillsproviders, communitygroups, theGovernmentandothers – areengaged in this process.TheLEPhashelpeddesign skills

and trainingprogrammesandstarted joiningupservices,provisionand funding tomeetkeypriorities.Theseactionswill seemoreyoungandadultunemployedinwork, andahigher skilledworkforcewith real careeropportunities and jobprogression.

D2N2hasalso committedto supportinginfrastructure for skillsthrough its capitalinvestment.Deals include:● £30 million towards

theNottinghamSkillsHub, a further educationcentre tobe runby the

mergedCentralCollegeandNewCollege inNottingham;

● £2.61 million for theVisionUniversityCentreatWestNottsCollege,Mansfield, to supporthigherlevel vocational skills;£3.48 million for theChesterfield

higher level skillsuniversity centre,whichwill concentrate onvocationalhigherapprenticeshipandhigherlevel qualifications, formainlyadultlearners.

D2N2has committed to12skillspledgesaimedat growingbusinessesthroughskills andrecruitmentdevelopment forDerby,Derbyshire,NottinghamandNottinghamshireresidents:

1)Developand ImplementSectorGrowthAgreementsDiscussionswith the right

organisationswill ensure there’sappropriate employerownershipandleadership.D2N2will create andsupport skills

advisorygroups for eachof its eightkey sectors (seePages 6and7) to

match skills provision to employerdemand.Thiswill bedonebyallocating£7millionofEuropeanStructural and InvestmentFundsmoney toSKILLSLocal to supportworkforcedevelopmentandbusiness growth; providingincentives to train, upskill andcreate careerpathways.Targets/Keyperformance indicators(KPIs): 3,600 employeesand1,500SMEs (small andmedium-sizedenterprises) engaged.

2) ImproveBusinessLeadershipandManagementSkillsTheD2N2GrowthHub is aone

stop shop for employers to findoutaboutbusiness services andaboutfundingopportunities. Itwill helpbusinesses access the £7 millionSKILLSLocal funding (mentionedabove); to betterunderstandwhattheirworkforceneeds, thepositiveimpact of skills trainingonbusinessgrowthandhowtoaccess support.Targets/KPIs: 600 employeesand500SMEsengaged.

3)DevelopandPromoteApprenticeshipsandTraineeshipsAnApprenticeshipGrowthPlan

Developingskills is keyto boostingbusiness andgettingmoreintowork

● £2.6magreed forVisionUniversityCentre,WestNottsCollege, and£3.4mforChesterfieldhigher level skillsuniversity centre.● £7million forSKILLSLocal, tosupportworkforcedevelopment● £6million forEMPLOYLocal, toincentiviseemployers to createapprenticeships.

StrategicPriority 3:Employmentand skills

RichardMunyard,ManagingDirector of S&SPlastics, saidoneof the largest challengesthe company facedwasrecruiting skilled staff.

ApprenticeChrisMakin ofDerryBuildingServices,Newark.


will raise aspirations, reduce themismatchof skills andaddress skillsgaps inworkforces.Workingwithemployers andyoungpeople, thestrategywill stimulate interest inhighquality apprentice and traineespathways,making it easier forbusinesses to recruit and stimulatedemand.Thiswill bedone throughthe£6 millionEMPLOYLocal fund,whichwill incentivise employers tocreateApprenticeshipsandHigherApprenticeships.WorkwithD2N2areauniversities,

colleges andFEproviderswilldeveloppathways toHigherandDegreeApprenticeships, basedonemployerneedsandgrowthsectors.Targets/KPIs: 1,000Apprenticeshipscreatedand800SMEssupported.

4) FosterEnterpriseandEntrepreneurialBehaviour and

5) Implement anEmployabilityFramework forYoungPeopleWorkingwithpartners on

programmeswhichencouragemorestart-upsactivity, and focusongenerating ideasandpromotingenterprising thinkingacross theworkforce, andwithineducationand

trainingprogrammes.AtD2N2’s 2015AnnualConference

andAGM,held inChesterfield inJuly, theLEP launched itsEmployabilityFramework toencourage entrepreneurialbehaviour inyoungpeople andprovide schools, colleges andcareersadvisorswith the tools tohelp themdevelopemployability skills andlearnabout theworldofwork.Over thenext twoyears the

EmployabilityFrameworkaims toensure that youngpeople andstudents leaving schoolhavehadatleast six “purposeful and impactmeasured” interactionswithanemployer, andaccess to impartialandpersonalised careers advice.For secondary schools/colleges,

theFrameworkwill look to ensure:● access to adedicatedEmployer

Adviser, toworkwith the school at astrategic level;

● agovernorwithoversight formonitoring the success ofmeasurestohelp studentswith careers,enterprise andemployability;

● access toup-to-date, user-friendly labourmarket intelligencespecific to theD2N2area;

● acommitment todelivering the

principles of theD2N2EmployabilityFramework.D2N2’sFrameworkhasbeenco-designedwith theUniversityofDerbyand theEvolveTrust.CAREERSLocal, a £2 million

programme,will put parts of theD2N2EmployabilityFrameworkintoactionandprovide support toyoungpeople at riskof becomingNEETs (Not inEducation,EmploymentorTraining).Targets/KPIs: 500SMEsengaged.

6) IncreaseAccess toCareer InsightsandSupportD2N2will promote career insights

byencouragingmoreemployers andemployees to connectwith schools,youngpeople, parents andexistingemployees topromote local careerpathwaysand jobopportunities.Career insightswill formpart of ourfundingprogrammes, to improve thealignmentbetween the skills supplyandemployerdemandacross theD2N2area, aswell as supportingdevelopmentof amorehighly skilledandqualifiedworkforce.Targets/KPIs:FeweryoungpeopleclassedasNEETsandreduced skillsshortages.

7)PromoteGraduateRecruitmentandRetentionSupport developmentof graduate

internshipsandplacementswithlocal employers.Thekey sectorswhichwill deliver

growth for theareaareknowledgeintensive, and it is vital thattechnical andhigher level skills arenurturedanddeveloped.Wewillenable this throughaccess to the£7 millionSKILLSLocal and£6 millionEMPLOYLocal funds,wideninggraduate access tograduate level employmentacrosstheD2N2areaand improvinggraduate retention.Targets/KPIs: 300SMEplacementsand500HigherApprenticeshipscreated.

8)DevelopaProviderCharter for all

Skills&TrainingProvidersLaunched inApril 2015 – through

theD2N2ProviderAdvisoryBoard,the ‘voice’ of skills andemploymentproviders to theSkills andEmploymentCommissionandbusinesses – theProviderChartermakes skills provision in theD2N2areaemployerandsector-led.Providers commit to engagewith

employers, findoutwhat skills gapstheyhave in theirworkforces andthe training coursesneeded to fillthose, andbeawareof thekeysectorsvital to economicgrowth.Providers alsoagree to trackapprentices and learners’ careerdevelopment, to ensure the rightskills and trainingarebeingprovided.Profiles of skills and training

providers, containingmuchof thisinformation, canbeaccessedbyemployers looking for a trainingestablishment to fill theneedsoftheir apprentices andworkforce.Seewebsitewww.d2n2skills.co.uk/home/201/d2n2-provider-charterMelanieUlyatt, chair of theD2N2

Skills andEmploymentCommission, said: “Employers gointo this processknowing theprovider iskeen toworkwith themandcanprovide the trainingsolutions theyneed.”

9)CreateaSkills Escalator to showvocational/educational/employment routes for keyeconomicsectors.Workingcloselywithemployers

D2N2hasdevelopedaSkillsEscalator a “careerpathway” foreachof ourkey sectors, includingtheHigherandDegreeApprenticeships tobeavailablefromJanuary2016.We’re spreading thewordabout

thevalueof apprentices throughindustry champions suchasMarkTownsend,ApprenticeAmbassadorto theSkills&EmploymentCommissionandManagingDirector ofDerryBuilding

Services ofNewark.“I startedmycareerasan

apprentice, asdidover 70%of ourworkforce, so Iknow first-hand thebenefits apprenticeships canbringtoabusiness,” saidMark.

10)Workwithkeystakeholders todevelopaSkills toEmploymentDevolutionDeal for theD2N2areaAspart of currentD2N2area

Devolutionnegotiations, itsDevolutionProspectus includesproposals to restructure skillsdelivery.

11)Provideclear and transparentinformation,whichemployerscaneasily access tomake informeddecisions

12)Developand implementprogrammes forHigherSkillsDevelopment, SectorGrowth,Enterprise, InnovationandpathwaysInJune (2015) project applications

were invited to the £15mBuildingBetterOpportunities (BBO)programme.Jointly funded throughD2N2’s

EuropeanSocialFundallocationandtheBigLotteryFund, itwill supportprojectshelping joblessyoungpeople and the long-termunemployed intoworkor furthertraining.DavidRalph,ChiefExecutiveof

theD2N2LEP, said: “D2N2 iscommitted to inclusive economicgrowth,which iswhyweareinvestingheavily in creatingsustainable jobs throughmajorprogrammes suchasBuildingBetterOpportunities.”Targets/KPIs:Theprogrammewillhelpat least 3,996 individuals acrossD2N2;half of themwomen, andhighproportionsof over-50s andpeoplewithdisabilities.Thisyearalso saw the launchof a

£3.2mESF fund, throughD2N2, to aidyouthemployment inNottinghamCity, to create “more inclusive labourmarkets”.

The launchof theProviderCharter,in April 2015.


JUST as any good manufacturerknows that building a lastingproduct means starting with theright materials, D2N2 built“infrastructure for economicgrowth” into its main strategy fromthe very beginning.Research conducted ahead of its

Strategic Economic Plan’spublication identified gaps in thearea’s infrastructure – of road, rail,cycle and other transport links;facilities for skills and training,and to develop key sectors; accessto digital connectivity – whichcould constrain growth. As the SEPput it: “without a step-change ininfrastructure investment acrossthe D2N2 area, we will faceserious constraints in unlockingthese ambitions.”D2N2’s Local Growth Fund

(LGF) allocation – part of the£12 billion in state fundingannounced by the Chancellor in2013, to go to the 39 LocalEnterprise Partnerships – is themain solution to filling in theseinfrastructure gaps.Currently standing at

£192.2million (it was increased inJanuary 2015), it is designed tolever an additional £380 millionthrough joint projects with andmatched funding from localauthorities, business and otherpartners – making an anticipatedcombined package of £554.4 millionavailable to the D2N2 area betweennow and 2021.By 2021 it is anticipated that this

whole LGF “pot” will have, amongother benefits, helped create:

● projects worth a total of£1.4 billion

● around 20,000 new jobs● and “unlocked” potential for

12,800 new houses (more on thisbelow).

Despite the LGF monies beingawarded (relatively) recently,there’s been a rapid move throughthe planning stage, to then put itto good use.As with the strategy behind

D2N2’s Unlocking Investment forGrowth and Growing Places Fundprogrammes (see Pages 4 and 5 formore details), which helpedindividual businesses, D2N2 usesthe LGF to kick-start stalleddevelopments and lever in fundingfrom other agencies – only on amuch larger scale. For example,projects already approved forfunding so far include:

On transport● £10.3 million: Forpedestrianisation and relatedworks in connection with the£150m transformation of theNottingham Intu Broadmarshareas, the ‘southern gateway’ tothe city.

● £6.1 million: Nottingham CycleCity Ambition Programme; aNottingham City Council schemeto provide cycle commuter routesrunning North-South and East-West across the city. Work beganon the Western Corridor cycle pathlast month (October).● £3.14 million: Towards theNottingham Ring Roadimprovements.● £6.49 million: Hucknall TownCentre improvements.● £7 million: Newark SouthernLink Road, a £28 million singlecarriageway between the A1 andA6, ‘unlocking’ access to 100 acresfor employment and housing use,creating up to 2,500 jobs.● £1.1 million: Harworth andBircotes Access Road, to facilitateemployment and housing growthin North Nottinghamshire.● £2.52 million: Seymour LinkRoad, a £7.5 million road to link theMarkham Vale Enterprise Zone (in

which D2N2 and the Sheffield CityLEP are joint investors) tojunction 29 of the M1, helpingunlock access to 81.5 acres ofdevelopment land.

On facilities to promote keysectors● £6.5 million: D2N2’s investmenttowards the £30 million extensionto the BioCity Nottingham site,currently under construction. Itwill provide extra space for thegrowing life sciences sector in thecity. It is expected to open inspring 2017 and to create 700 jobsover a 30 year span.

On facilities to promote skills andtraining● £2.61million: Vision UniversityCentre, West NottinghamshireCollege. In September (2015) D2N2confirmed its part of the fundingfor the College’s planned£6.5 million university centre, a

Growth fundingwill help createprojectsworth totalof £1.4bn

state-of-the-art facility teachinghigher and further educationskills. It is due to open inSeptember 2016.● £3.48 million: Chesterfield Centrefor Higher Level Skills. TheUniversity of Derby andChesterfield College-backedscheme will see a college teachinghigher vocational skills to mainlyadult learners, from the premisesof the former St Helena’sGrammar School in Chesterfield.

On digital connectivity● £4.8 million for digitalconnectivity: £2.63 million forNottinghamshire’s BetterBroadband for Nottinghamshireprogramme and £2.19 million forDerbyshire’s Digital Derbyshirescheme, to provide fibre opticbroadband capable of deliveringdata transmission speeds fasterthan 24mbps (megabits persecond).

Awarded thisyear:● £4.8mtowidendigital broadbandaccess● £2.5mtoco-fundalink road to link theMarkhamValeEnterpriseZonesitewith theM1● £3.14mforNottinghamRingRoad improvements.

StrategicPriority 4:Infrastructurefor economicgrowth

D2N2 is set to agree £2 million towards the refurbishment of the Grade I Listed Buxton Crescent and Grade II Listed natural baths and Pump Room to create a79 bedroom, five-star spa hotel and thermal natural mineral water spa. Right, The former St Helena’s Grammar School, in Chesterfield, which will be turned into ahigher level skills centre, due to open September 2016.


Further projects set to be approvedthis financial year (2015/16) are:

On transport● £12 million: For Derby’s Our CityOur River project, a phased£90 million flood defence and cycleconnectivity project which willbenefit Derby City and theneighbouring Pride Park businesspark. Planners approved thescheme in October and contractor,GBV, is due to begin work on itsPhase One this month (November).● £6.4 million: Derby’s ConnectedCycle City and PlacemakingProject will develop cycling andpedestrian connections in the citycentre, and between it and outlyingareas.● £1 million: Provision of a newaccess and link road at AshbourneAirfield, Derbyshire, to unlockdevelopment land providing anadditional 300 housing and 500jobs.● £4 million: Drakelow Parkdevelopment, south of Burton-on-Trent. Investment in a newsettlement including a 12 Hectareemployment park and more than2,000 homes.● £5.8 million: SustainableTransport Package.● £4.86 million: A61 WhittingtonMoor Roundabout junctionimprovements, Chesterfield (aDerbyshire County Councilscheme).

On key sectors development –● £2 million: Buxton Crescent -Refurbishment of the Grade IListed Crescent and Grade IIListed natural baths and Pump

Room, to create a 79 bedroom 5* spahotel, a thermal natural mineralwater spa, a visitor centre, sixshops and environmentalenhancements. This will enhancethe Visitor Economy key sector inthe D2N2 area.● £13.65 million: For Infinity Parkin Derby. The 250-acre businesspark, south of Derby city centre, ispart of the Nottingham and DerbyEnterprise Zone. It is hoped it willeventually support up to 8,000 hi-tech and knowledge-based jobs;supporting a range of D2N2 keysectors including transport andlogistics, low carbon technologiesdevelopment and construction.

On skills and training development● £30 million: Nottingham SkillsHub, a £60 million furthereducation and vocational skillsfacility to be built in Nottinghamcity-centre, and managed by thesoon to be merged New CollegeNottingham and Central College.● £5 million: Towards the newInstitute for AdvancedManufacturing at the University ofNottingham’s Innovation Parkcampus.In addition to driving forward

and funding schemes within itsarea of Derby, Derbyshire,Nottingham and Nottinghamshire,D2N2 has been working closelywith a range of partners – localauthorities, transport organisations(including Network Rail and HS2Ltd) and central Government – toensure its catchment benefits fromregional and even nationalinfrastructure improvements.This has included in 2015

campaigning successfully to get theMidland Main Line electrificationscheme ‘unpaused’. D2N2’s push toget HS2 Ltd to confirm TotonSidings in Nottinghamshire as anEast Midlands Hub for the plannedline (Staveley in Derbyshire wouldbe a maintenance depot for HS2)has also been favourably receivedby Sir David Higgins, Chair of HS2Ltd, though official confirmationhas yet to be received.Last month (October) Peter

Richardson, D2N2 Chairman, alsojoined others as a speaker andsignatory at the Derby Roundhouselaunch of the Midlands Connectinitiative. The partnership betweenMidlands’ Local EnterprisePartnerships, local authorities,

The planned£6.5 millionVision UniversityCentre at WestNottinghamshireCollege willreceive£2.6 million fromD2N2’s LocalGrowth Fund. Itis due to open inSeptember 2016.

D2N2 is investing £6.1 million in the Nottingham Cycle City AmbitionProgramme. Picture: Nottingham City Council

businesses and transportorganisations will promoteintegrated transport to better linkup the region.“It’s only by developing this kind

of framework that the ‘MidlandsEngine for Growth’ will be able todrive forward its own and the UK’seconomy in the future,” said PeterRichardson.


55,000private sector job

target set by 2023

77,000home target set by 2023

MILESTONEMOMENTS

2010

2011March:NottinghamEnterprise Zone oneof 11 announced forUK.March: First LEPnewsletter to businesses,detailing its responsibilities and namingBoard.March: Announced D2N2 to receive £17.8million for Growing Places Fund loanscheme, to kick-start stalled developments.May: Business consultation event atAlliance Boots on D2N2’s future direction,hosted by Derbyshire and NottinghamshireChamber of Commerce (pictured).

2012January: Ongoing promotion of

Nottingham Enterprise Zone madeNew Year priority.March: Nottingham Enterprise Zoneextended to Nottingham Science Park,Beeston Business Park and MediPark as wellas original Boots site, including MediCity(pictured).March: £17.8 million Growing PlacesFund opens to business applications.September: D2N2 allocated£125,000 from Government forcore resources.October: £5 million fromGovernment for UnlockingInvestment for Growthbusiness grants scheme.November: D2N2appoints Peter Richardson

(pictured) as Chairman.

2013March: David Ralph takes up role as

Chief Executive.June: D2N2 to receive 250 million euros in

European Structural and Investment Funds(ESIF), to be spent 2014- 2020, to fueleconomic growth.July 9: D2N2 Growth Plan publication launchedat Derby’s Pride Park Stadium (pictured).July 25: £67.3 million from D2N2 LocalTransport Board to support six major transportschemes.August 28: Bank of England Governor, MarkCarney, calls East Midlands a “bellwether” forUK economy.October 11: Derbyshire crane

manufacturer Street Crane (pictured)receives a £150,000 grant from D2N2’sUnlocking Investment for Growth (UI4G) tocreate 43 new jobs and expand.October 30: Minister of State forSkills and Enterprise, MatthewHancock, launches D2N2 Skills forGrowth Strategy at ChesterfieldCollege.November 6: D2N2 Low-Carbon Sector Strategy Plan

draft consultationlaunched.

June: CoalitionGovernment invites areasto set up Local EnterprisePartnerships (LEPs).October: Governmentapproves formation of D2N2LEP.December: First D2N2 BoardMeeting. Bombardier’s ColinWalton (pictured) madeChairman.

January 30: Time to Innovateinnovation summit, organised by D2N2,

at University of Derby Enterprise Centre,attended by 120 delegates.March 13: Invitation to tender to produceStrategic Action Plan for Transport EquipmentManufacturing.April 4: Final business case for area’s£2.4 billion investment programme, submitted inStrategic Economic Plan.April 22: Minister Eric Pickles at Markham Vale EnterpriseZone for work starting onsite.June 6: Rebalancing the Outer City Estates business plan launched in Nottingham.July 3: University of Nottingham becomes one of UK’s first University Enterprise Zones.July 7: £554.4 million D2N2 Growth Deal investment package announced.July 18: 2014 D2N2 Annual Conference and AGM at BioCity Nottingham.October 14: Creative and Digital Industries survey, to shape sector’sDevelopment Plan.October 23: DSF Refractories and Minerals of Newhaven receives£280,000 D2N2 investment for its £2.8 million gas pipeline project,safeguarding 108 jobs and creating further 15.October 24: LEP publishes Construction Sector Action Plan.November 17: MediCity EZ site’s first anniversary – 31 companies

and 80-plus staff on site.November 18: Life Sciences Strategy & Action Planlaunched, BioCity Nottingham.November 19: Food and Drink ManufacturingStrategy and Action Plan launched.December 5: D2N2 Growth Hub launchedby Business Minister Matthew Hancock.January 6: Launch of Strategic Plan forTransport and Logistics launch, at AIM

in Ripley.


2015January 6: £2.5 million from D2N2 and from Government forBetter Broadband for Nottinghamshire.January 29: Growth Deal extended to £192.2 million fromLocal Growth Fund.March 11: Work begins on first building at Infinity Park,Derby, part of Enterprise Zone.March 17: Peter Richardson, D2N2 Chairman, andNottinghamshire and Derbyshire delegates lobbyingnational politicians on area’s Devolution.March: Power of 3 launched at MIPIM, Cannes, byD2N2 delegation (pictured).March 23: D2N2 area publishes DevolutionProspectus.March 23: First calls for projects to bid from D2N2250 million euros in ESIF funding to tackle business,innovation, low-carbon technology, digitalconnectivity, skills and employment.March 27: First D2N2 Rural Means BusinessConference.April 22: £3.2 million from European SocialFund for Nottingham youth employmentinitiatives.April 28: D2N2 launches Provider Charter, to

strengthen employers/skills provider links.June 1: Chancellor George Osborne calls Midlands a

UK “engine for growth” at Derby event.June 18: £6.5 million D2N2 grant for £30million BioCity

Nottingham extension (pictured).June 23: Project bids open for D2N2/ Big Lottery Fund £15 million

Building Better Opportunities fund, tackling poverty and social exclusion.June 24: 2014/15 D2N2 Annual Review published.July 1: CA Blackwell named contractor for Nottingham EnterpriseZone Boots site.July 3: £35,000 from D2N2 launches Visitor Economy-boosting GrandTour Season One.July 16: Procurement Charter launched. Firms on D2N2-fundedprojects committed to developing jobs, training and SME supply chains.July 14: 2015 D2N2 Annual Conference and AGM at ChesterfieldFC’s Proact Stadium.July 14: Employability Framework launch, helping young peopledevelop employment skills.July 14: HS2 Chairman, Sir David Higgins, backs Toton as a hubstation for HS2 line.July: D2N2 Boosting Productivity workshops supporting keysectors.July 28: Castleward Derby housing/commercial developmentopens Phase One. Project backed by £850,000 from D2N2.September 4: D2N2 and partners submit area’s DevolutionDeal to GovernmentSeptember 8: Proposed £6.5 million West Notts College HE

centre to get £2.6 million from D2N2.October: Growth Hub has now assisted more than 1,000businesses.

January 30: Time to Innovateinnovation summit, organised by D2N2,

at University of Derby Enterprise Centre,attended by 120 delegates.March 13: Invitation to tender to produceStrategic Action Plan for Transport EquipmentManufacturing.April 4: Final business case for area’s£2.4 billion investment programme, submitted inStrategic Economic Plan.April 22: Minister Eric Pickles at Markham Vale EnterpriseZone for work starting onsite.June 6: Rebalancing the Outer City Estates business plan launched in Nottingham.July 3: University of Nottingham becomes one of UK’s first University Enterprise Zones.July 7: £554.4 million D2N2 Growth Deal investment package announced.July 18: 2014 D2N2 Annual Conference and AGM at BioCity Nottingham.October 14: Creative and Digital Industries survey, to shape sector’sDevelopment Plan.October 23: DSF Refractories and Minerals of Newhaven receives£280,000 D2N2 investment for its £2.8 million gas pipeline project,safeguarding 108 jobs and creating further 15.October 24: LEP publishes Construction Sector Action Plan.November 17: MediCity EZ site’s first anniversary – 31 companies

and 80-plus staff on site.November 18: Life Sciences Strategy & Action Planlaunched, BioCity Nottingham.November 19: Food and Drink ManufacturingStrategy and Action Plan launched.December 5: D2N2 Growth Hub launchedby Business Minister Matthew Hancock.January 6: Launch of Strategic Plan forTransport and Logistics launch, at AIM

in Ripley.

2014


THE value of homes and activity ofthe construction sector buildingthem have become a bellwether forjudging the health of bothindividual and state finances.But housing is about more than

money. Affordable homesregenerate an area and createsocial stability, in turn making anarea attractive for businesses tomove to, while building activityprovides employment and trainingfor construction apprentices.This wider importance is

recognised in D2N2 makingHousing and Regenerationone of its Strategic EconomicPlan’s (SEP) five StrategicPriorities.

The SEP quoted a 2012 UKContractors Group report, statingevery £1 invested in housebuildinggenerated an estimated £2.84 ineconomic activity, throughcontractor profits and wages,benefit to construction supplychains and associated spending inthe wider economy.D2N2 committed itself to:● Using LEP funding (such as

the Local Growth Fund) toencourage new housing on mixeduse sites. Sites which mixresidential, retail outlet andbusiness opportunities are moreattractive to developers, create astronger sense of community andpromote more sustainable travel(including pedestrian and cycleroutes).

● Working with local authoritypartners and housebuilders toaccelerate completion ofsustainable new housing, includingby developing sites which didn’trequire residents to heavily rely oncar transport.

● Supporting proposals to“rebalance” the outer city estates inthe D2N2 catchment (see panel, right).Examples of mixed use

developments backed by D2N2include:

Enterprise ZonesHousing is part of the mix plannedfor Nottingham and DerbyEnterprise Zone sites, which D2N2supports, including the AllianceBoots site (up to 675 new homes)and Beeston Business Park (up to285).Business Growth at all EZ sites –

including the Markham ValeEnterprise Zone, off junction 29a ofthe M1, which D2N2 invests inalongside the Sheffield City RegionLEP – is expected to unlockopportunities for additionalhousing development nearby, to

serve the hundreds of peopleemployed on sites. For example, theunlocked capacity for around 1,600homes at the Infinity ParkEnterprise Zone site, Derby.

Local Growth FundD2N2’s allocation of £192.2 millionfrom the Government’s LocalGrowth Fund (LGF) will finance theobjectives in its Strategic EconomicPlan, its growth deal, over six years(to 2020). The LGF is to co-fund, withlocal authority and businesspartners, both development ofproject sites with residentialaccommodation and roadimprovements aimed at againunlocking areas for housing.Examples include:

● £5.5 million to promote A46Rushcliffe corridor developmentsites – at RAF Newton, Cotgrave(including town centreregeneration) and Bingham –creating an anticipated 1,600 houses

● £5.8 million for land adjacent tothe Rolls Royce Hucknall plant, tocreate 800 homes;

● £1.1 million on Harworth Access

Road junction improvements;enabling employment and housingdevelopment at three locations,opening the way for 855 homes;

● £12.8 million for theA61Chesterfield corridor, providingadditional capacity to enabledevelopment, including 3,500 homesalong the corridor;

● £7 million for the NewarkSouthern Link road, a new singlecarriageway with roundaboutjunctions, to unlock an urbanextension on Newark’s south sideand create 3,200 houses;

● £8.6 million for the DrakelowPark project, south Derbyshire;with D2N2 funding a bridge acrossthe River Trent and bypass aroundWalton, to unlock 2,100 dwellings.

Growing Places FundCreated to kick-start stalled multi-million pound development projectsacross the D2N2 patch, withbridging loans of £500,000 to£2.5 million, the £25 millionGrowing Places Fund was open toapplications between March 2012and October 2013.

● Boots site inNottinghamEnterpriseZonegetsmaincontractor.● £850,000 fromD2N2GrowingPlacesFund for£100mCastlewarddevelopment,Derby.PhaseOnewell underway.● Sliceof £3.2mYouthEmploymentInitiative fund, viaD2N2, tohelp reduceNottinghamNorthunemploymentand‘rebalance’ outerestates

StrategicPriority 5:Housing andregeneration

The sheer scale of projects whichsuccessfully bid, means theircompletion – and the final tally ofeconomic benefits – may be yearsoff. GPF schemes helpingaccelerate housing developmentinclude:

● £850,000 for the £100 millionCastleward Derby development, ona 30 acre brownfield site nearDerby Midland Station. In additionto commercial space it willeventually include 800 homes.Phase One (164 homes) is wellunderway.In addition, D2N2 is investing in

the future technology of howhouses are built. It has given£238,000 towards the experimentalLIME (Living In a ModularEnvironment) house project, tocreate a green three-bedroom homein Lime Street, Bulwell. Themodular building, including pre-manufactured wall panelsassembled on-site for quickerconstruction, would be a prototype,which company SASIE Ltd ofNottingham wants to put into massproduction.

Providing afoundationfor newhomes andregeneration


The Castleward development in Derby, where buildings have been completed on its first boulevard. D2N2 has invested£850,000 in the project. Left, the site from the air. Top right, the Rolls-Royce Hucknall site and, above right, the formerRAF Newton, where hundreds of new homes are planned.

ECONOMIC GROWTH SHOULD BENEFIT ALL COMMUNITIES“BIG beasts” from different UKpolitical wings have taken aninterest in work being done withinthe D2N2 catchment to rebalanceand regenerate its communities.To address issues faced by outer

city estates – currently focusing onNottingham North’s Aspley,Basford, Bestwood, Bilborough,Bulwell and Bulwell Forest areas,which despite their city centreproximity experience higherunemployment, low prospects andsocial exclusion – D2N2 teamed upwith Nottingham North MP GrahamAllen (MP for those estates) toseek solutions.The LEP used its contacts to

bring together influential people,regionally and nationally, to form along term action plan, to help theestates’ address problems.Part of D2N2’s vision is that

economic growth should benefit allcommunities. It is hoped theNottingham North model can beused to tackle similar problems onother UK estates.In June 2014 Lord Michael

Heseltine, and the then Secretaryof State for Business Vince Cableand Chair of Labour’s PolicyReview, John Cruddas MP, wereamong national speakers at aconference held at New CollegeNottingham. Topics included the“Challenge of our Outer Cities”,“Enabling the Community to DriveChange” and “How Devolving RealPower Can Change Communities”.This resulted in a business plan

for the six Nottingham Northestates and the formation in 2014of the charity, the Rebalancing theOuter Estates Foundation, to takeaction to help the six estatesaround skills and employment,health and leisure opportunities.Graham Allen is FoundationChairman and D2N2 ChiefExecutive David Ralph one of itsfour Directors.The Foundation’s first annual

report, published in October, canbe read on its website at http://rebalancingouterestates.com/index.html. It records successesincluding:On skills and jobs –● The first annual Nottingham

North Jobs and ApprenticeshipFair in March 2015 attractedalmost 1,000 people, and 23employers and 12 training andapprenticeship providers. Itresulted in 145 attendees securingjobs. A second event is planned.Part of the Youth Employment

Initiative (YEI) funding availablethrough D2N2’s 250 million euroEuropean Structural andInvestment Funds (ESIF)allocation, was secured to helpreduce Nottingham North youthunemployment.On health –● Plans for a GP delivered

‘health MOT’ for those aged 60and above, particularly looking atearly identification of lung disease.

● Working towards free dentalchecks for three-year-olds. TheNHS ‘Mobile Smiles’ dental unit isnow regularly visiting NottinghamNorth primary schools.

● Building young mums’awareness of the possible dangersof drinking while pregnant, and theFoetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorderwhich can affect children’s mentaland physical development.

Employment, skills andenterprise in Nottingham North –

● The Rebalancing the OuterEstates Foundation wants to workwith local authorities andbusinesses to set-up anEmployment, Skills and EnterpriseHub in Bulwell town centre, toencourage drop-ins byjobseekers.David Ralph, Chief Executive of

D2N2, said: “The rebalancing ofthe outer city estates is a goodexample of how the LEP is lookingto ensure the benefits of growthcan be felt by all communitiesacross our area.”ESIF funding is also tackling

social inclusion and regenerationvia its calls for project bids. Partof a £15 million ‘pot’, announcedin June (2015), is to help joblessyoung people and theunemployed. Around £3 million ofthis was earmarked for “financialinclusion”, funding projectshelping those with moneyproblems, due to unemployment,budget plan better; addressing acontributing factor to socialexclusion and poverty.

Nottingham North MP Graham Allen, D2N2 Chairman Peter Richardson andLord Michael Heseltine at the Rebalancing the Outer Estates Conference,held at New College Nottingham in April 2014

TheMarkhamValeEnterpriseZone,whichboth theD2N2andSheffieldCityRegionLEPs investin topromotebusinessgrowth.


(including InfinityPark inDerby,which joined theEZ in2013).

● GrowingPlacesFund, thehighly successful schemeproviding“bridging” loansof £500,000 to£2.5 million tokick-startmajor,stalleddevelopmentprojects.Todate,D2N2’sBoardhasapproved, inprinciple, 13GPF loansworth£16.6 million; creatingmore than300jobsandsafeguarding 140 (moreinformationonPages 4 to 5).

● Backing for theD2N2GrowthHub,whichpowersupbusinessbyproviding freehelpandadvice,networkingand financial support, tonewandestablishedbusinesses. Ithasaidedmore than1,000 of themsince its launch inDecember 2014.And fornewsonDevolution. You

canread full details in thissupplement (atPages 20 and21)aboutD2N2’s energetic lobbying,alongsidepartner local authoritiesandbusiness, fordevolvedpowersfor its catchment.

Wearenowanticipating thefinal announcement fromGovernment, grantingpermissionto formasingleCombinedAuthority(aprecursor tobeinggranteddevolvedpowers) to cover thewholeof theD2N2area,whichwill thenhelpdrive forwardeconomicgrowthfor the rest of the life of thisParliament andbeyond.Devolutionwill transfer some

central powers to local control –giving theD2N2areagreater say inshaping its owneconomicdestinyandgovernance –but, just asimportantly, itwill further embedtheprocess of partnershipworkingacross ourDerby,Derbyshire,NottinghamandNottinghamshirearea,whichbegan fiveyears agowith theformationof theD2N2LEP.Yes, thereare somerisks.Thenew

CombinedAuthority couldadd torather thanreducebureaucracyand,ifwehaveanelectedMayorwith

D2N2will continue tobe fundamentalto the area’sgrowth

executivepowers, he/ shewill havetobuild trust and support.Moreover, theCombined

Authoritywill be local government-ledandmaychoose to listen less tothevoiceof business – thewealthcreators across theD2N2area –andto thehigherand further education,andvoluntary community sectorrepresentationwhichmakeupourcurrentLEPBoard.Over thepast five, and

particularly the last two to threeyears, the “businessvoice”hashadanunprecedentedopportunity tomake itself heardanddriveforwardeconomic strategiesandpriorities across theD2N2area.Wehaveachievedgoodresults; aheadof our trajectoryon jobs targets and, in theEastMidlandsgenerally, aheadofthe curveoneconomicperformanceand in raisingthe region’s reputationwithGovernment.Soonafter thismonth’s

SpendingReview, theEastandWestMidlandswill becoming together to launchits ownprospectus for thefuture – for theMidlandsEngine forGrowth, akeybrand toattract attentionand investment.TheD2N2LEPhasbeen

andwill continue tobefundamental to economicgrowthacross thewholearea.Thingsarechangingbutbymodellingwhatwedoonour corevalues –basingactionsonevidence,addingvalueandaspiringtodobetter – andcontinuing to ensure thevoiceof business is at theforefront,wewill achieve

ourvision for amoreprosperousbetter connected,increasingly resilient andcompetitive economy.

D2N2Chief ExecutiveDavidRalph looks aheadto thismonth’sGovernment SpendingReview, andhow itmightshape the LEPand theregion’s futureeconomicambitions.TheChancellor’s 2015SpendingReview, tobedelivered in twoweeks’time (November 25),will set the toneandworkload for theGovernment –andultimately the expectationsonagencies chargedwithgrowing theeconomy, suchasD2N2and its fellowLEPs– for the life of thisParliament.GeorgeOsborne said inJuly the

ReviewwouldoutlinehowtheGovernment intended to “fix thepublic finances”andeliminateBritain’s deficit by 2019/20.Asalways, it is the ‘how’behind

that broadandambitious statementwhichwill receive themostattention.TheReviewshouldalso identify

whetherD2N2 (andotherLEPareas)have theirmuch-lobbied-forDevolutiondeals andwhether thisareawill receive furtherLocalGrowthFunding (for capitalprojects), newsites added to theNottinghamandDerbyEnterpriseZone, funding forbusiness supportand thereforeourD2N2GrowthHub,andoperational funding forLEPs.Iwouldhope theGovernmentwill

alsouse this big announcement tomovebeyondconsidering itself as“new”, to anextent still in thestrategy stage, and towardsamoredelivery-focusedapproach.Thiswouldgiveusgreater

certaintyaroundmajorprojectssuchas theplannedHS2 line,withthe relatedbenefits for this areathrough theproposedTotonEastMidlandsHubandmaintenancedepot at Staveley.Fromtheperspectiveof theD2N2

LocalEnterprisePartnership,wewill be listening closely to thedetailsof theSpendingReview for twokey‘D’words –deliveryandDevolution.Deliveryof additional:

● LocalGrowthFundmonies, tofurther fuel investmentwearealreadymaking in theinfrastructurevital for economicgrowth, suchas in transportnetworks, facilities forbusiness andeducation, andexpandingdigitalbroadband.

● EuropeanStructural andInvestmentFunds (ESIF), adding tothe 250 millioneuroprogramme for2014-2020D2N2hasbeenallocated, tofundprojects addressingbusiness,skills, employment, environmental,social exclusionandother issuesacrossDerby,Derbyshire,NottinghamandNottinghamshire.

● EnterpriseZone sites; adding tothe existingones in theNottinghamandDerbyEnterpriseZone

Above, David Ralph,D2N2 ChiefExecutive. Right,Chancellor GeorgeOsborne. Left, animpression of£30 millionextension to BioCityNottingham site.D2N2’s Local GrowthFund has invested£6.5 million in thebuilding.


The “productivity puzzle” isn’t thelatest trendy toy but a seriousquestion – why, despite economicgrowth, UK productivity lagsbehind other countries?It is lower than all G7 countries –

the industrialised democracies ofAmerica, UK, France, Germany,Italy, Canada and Japan – exceptthe latter, according to the reportInternational Comparisons ofProductivity (Office for NationalStatistics, February 2015).On GDP per hour worked (see

panel, right) UK productivity wasbelow G7 average every year, from1990 to 2013. America’s was aboveaverage each year.Productivity even varies between

UK regions.Using a different measure – GVA

(gross value added) per head ofpopulation (see panel) – anotherONS report assessed productivityby England’s 39 Local EnterprisePartnership areas. D2N2 – coveringDerby, Derbyshire, Nottingham andNottinghamshire – was mid-ranking (24th out of 39). Between2010, when D2N2 was established,and 2013 (latest figure) its area’sGVA rose £1,517 per person, to£19,329.But, outside of economic

forecasts, does productivity matter?National wage levels show what

people earn, not what that buys.Living standards measures saymore about how far personalincome stretches.The Organisation for Economic

Co-operation and Development – its34 national members work toimprove economic and social well-being – links productivity directlyto living standards. It is argued thatraising productivity provides moreand better goods to greaternumbers at a cheaper rate (if costsavings are passed to customers),so raising living standards.Pressure to crack productivity is

building, said D2N2 LEP ChiefExecutive David Ralph.He said: “Our over-arching target

is to create 55,000 jobs in the area.We’ve made good progress throughD2N2 programmes such asUnlocking Investment for Growth.“As the economy grows, shifting

towards increased jobs and fallingunemployment, focus will move toboosting productivity throughinvestment and improved skills.We’re active in those areas but infuture our Strategic Economic Planwill have to adapt to focus more onproductivity, not just jobs creation.”The Government launched its

“Fixing the Foundations: BoostingBritain’s Productivity” manifestoin the Midlands, in July.

Business Secretary Sajid Javidsaid then: “Productivity isn’t justsome obscure measure, of interestonly to economists. It matters toeach and every one of us.“If we could match the USA for

productivity it would boost ourGDP by 31%. That’s equivalent to£21,000 a year for every householdin the UK.”Current D2N2 strategies mirror

many of the manifesto’s 15 points,including:

Better investment needed intransport/roads networkD2N2 invests in transportnetworks:

● £2.5 million for the £7.5 millionSeymour Link Road, linking theMarkham Vale Enterprise Zone toM1 junction 29a, near Chesterfield,

unlocking land for business andmore than 1,000 jobs;

● jointly investing in a £2 millionpackage to improve services onEast Midlands Trains’ Castle Line;Nottingham to Lincoln;

● £6.1 million for NottinghamCity’s improved cycle network.Work started in October (2015).

Highly skilled workforce, withemployers in the driving seatD2N2 builds closer links betweenemployers, and skills and trainingproviders, promoting higher levelskills. Further information is inthis supplement – Pages 8 and 9 –but this year launched:

● Provider Charter – Skills andtraining providers signing itcommit to work with employers, tobetter fill skills gaps.

● Employability Framework –Helping develop employabilityskills in those aged 16 and over.Companies work directly withschools.

● And D2N2 is set to be a majorinvestor in a proposed £60 millionNottingham Skills Hub for furthereducation (subject to businessplan).

Reliable and low-carbon energy, ata price we can affordLow carbon goods and services

development is one of D2N2’s eightkey economic sectors. A sectorstrategy plan was produced inNovember 2013. Investment hasincluded:

● In March (2015), bids wereinvited for a £10 million D2N2 lowcarbon projects fund, moving theeconomy towards lower carbonemissions, more renewables andbetter energy use;

● £280,000 from D2N2’s GrowingPlaces and Unlocking Investmentfor Growth funds to help DSFRefractories and Minerals,Newhaven, to lay a natural gaspipeline, reducing costs andemissions.

World-class digital infrastructure inevery part of the UKD2N2 has agreed £2.6 million forBetter Broadband forNottinghamshire and £2.1 millionfor Digital Derbyshire, both part ofBroadband Delivery UK, whichaims to make fibre optic broadband– with download speeds of at least24 megabits per second – availableto 95% of properties by 2017.

High-quality science and innovation,spreading fastD2N2’s partners includeNottingham, Nottingham Trent andDerby universities. The Local

Whyboostingproductivitymatters... andwhat D2N2 isdoing about it

D2N2 jointly invested in a £2 million package to improve services on EastMidlands Trains’ Castle Line.


WHAT IS PRODUCTIVITY?

Enterprise Partnership:● Backed the University of

Nottingham becoming a UniversityEnterprise Zone (UEZ), to attracthigh-tech businesses. UEZ statusincludes £2.6m towards aTechnology EntrepreneurshipCentre, opening 2016;

● Businesses, entrepreneurs anduniversity representatives attendedD2N2’s Innovation Summit, heldJanuary 2014, resulting in the Timeto Innovate report (more details,Pages 6 and 7).

More people with a chance to workand progressProjects helping young and/or

long-term unemployed people couldapply to a £15 million BuildingBetter Opportunities fund fromJune 2015, funded by D2N2 and theBig Lottery Fund (more details,Pages 8 and 9).

Open and competitive markets withthe minimum of regulationD2N2’s Better Business Regulationservice builds links betweencompanies and food, health, firesafety, environmental protection,waste, and trading standardsregulators. In June (2015)representatives of 30 black andethnic minority businessesattended free BBR lunchtime

sessions, held (withNottinghamshire Fire and RescueService) to raise awareness ofregulations.

A trading nation, open tointernational investment

● D2N2 and UK Trade &Investment published an Export forGrowth business guide;

● Companies the LEP has helpedexpand into new foreign marketsinclude Thornbridge Brewery,Bakewell. A £78,000 grant helped itincrease production and sell tomore countries;

● The D2N2 DevolutionProspectus (see below) proposes aFree Trade Zone to promote thearea’s global market presence.

Resurgent cities, a rebalancedeconomyWith local authority partners D2N2is pushing for regional devolution,believing greater self-governancewill give more control over thearea’s economic destiny.In March (2015) D2N2 Chairman

Peter Richardson joined adelegation taking the DevolutionProspectus proposals toGovernment ministers. D2N2 was afull partner in forming theDevolution proposal submitted toGovernment on September 4.

PRODUCTIVITY assesses theworth of what goes into making aproduct or service – labour,materials, energy, transport –against the value of what’sproduced.Increasing productivity is about

more outputs with the same orfewer inputs.A factory making 100 lightbulbs

with what it made 90 last year,seems to have raised productivity.But how isn’t so simple.Productivity is often expressed

in terms of labour, how efficientlystaff work. But that’s not thewhole picture.Our lightbulb manufacturer’s

productivity might rise becausethe are using

● raw materials more efficiently● cheaper transport● less energy.To assess increased

productivity in companies,sectors, regions or nationaleconomies, all potential inputs –not just labour – must beconsidered.Productivity can also be

expressed in different ways:● Gross Domestic Product

(GDP) – Value of goods andservices produced per hourworked.

● GVA (Gross Value Added) –The difference between the valueof goods and services produced,and the cost of materials andinputs for production.

Raising productivity remainssomething of a puzzle. Despitebeing home to highly successfulbusinesses and economic growth,a recent East Midlands Chamberreport highlighted that the region’sproductivity sat “well below thenational average and has done sosince at least 2004”, when theregion’s GVA per hour was 88.6. In2013 it was 87.5, below the Englishaverage of 101.6.Commenting on the report Chris

Hobson, Chamber Director of

Policy, said low productivity didnot mean low growth but warnedthat “limited changes inproductivity, especially among themanufacturing base, has thepotential to weaken our regionalcompetitiveness and needs to beaddressed.”Responding to this challenge, in

July D2N2 ran free productivityworkshops for key economicsector businesses; with guestspeakers revealing how they hadraised productivity.

D2N2heldBetterBusinessRegulation lunchtime sessions(jointlywithNottinghamshire Fire andRescueService) in June2015, inNottingham, to raise awarenessofbusiness regulations amongblackandethnicminority companies.

BetterBroadbandForNottinghamshire(BBFN) installed its 250th superfastbroadband “cabinet” inBlyth thissummer (2015). D2N2has invested£2.6 million inBBFNand£2.1 million inDigital Derbyshire.

Picture: Nottinghamshire County Council

D2N2helpedThornbridgeBrewery, Bakewell, to expandinto new foreignmarketswitha £78,000grant.

D2N2builds closer linksbetweenemployers,and skills and trainingproviders, promotinghigher level skills.


WhatwouldDevolutionmean for theD2N2area?As theGovernmentconsidersDevolutiondeals fromacross theUK,and theCities andLocalGovernmentDevolutionBill approaches a finalvote,we lookat theshiftingof powers fromWhitehall to the regions.

IFyou liveorwork in theD2N2areaandplan touse transport (public orprivate), buyahouse, change jobs,learnnewskills, accesspublicservices or setupabusiness anytimewithin thenext fewyears, thenDevolutionwill affect you.Far frombeingapaper exercise –

where the samebudgets andpowerswill simplypass fromthehandsof aLondonbureaucrat to one inNottinghamorDerby–Devolutionrepresents amajor shift of powerfromcentral to regional andcountygovernment.Credit (orblame, dependingon

yourviewpoint) Scotland.September 2014’s Scottishindependencevotemayhavedelivereda“no”but it boosted someEnglish regions’ long-heldbelief thatLondon’sholdneeded looseningGreaterManchester’s leaders

askedwhy, if their economywaslarger than that ofWales, theydidn’talsohaveaParliamentwith its ownpowers?Other regionspointedoutWhitehall departmentshadinfluenceoverhowmore thanhalf ofthemonies in local governmentbudgetswas raisedor spent.In the runup to 2015’sGeneral

Election, all themainpoliticalparties promised toaddress theissue.This resulted in theGovernment’s

Cities andLocalGovernmentDevolutionBill 2015-16,whichbeganlife in theHouseofLords.Nowin theCommons, it passed its secondreading lastmonth (October), andgoes to committee andreport stage,beforea third (final) readingandvote.RoyalAssent, bringing it intolaw,wouldhappen in 2016.Inparallelwith thenational

picture,D2N2areapolitical andbusiness leaders – including theLEP’sChairmanandChiefExecutive –are in final stagenegotiationswithGovernment

Ministers andsenior civil servantsover itsDevolutionDeal.The current shapeofD2N2’s deal

would seeaCombinedAuthority – astatutorybodyable to take collectivedecisionsonbehalf of allmemberlocal authorities in its catchment –for thewholeD2N2area, as aprecursor to it beinggranteddevolvedpowers, potentiallywithanelectedMayor/Commissioner,wieldingexecutivepowers, likeLondon’s, rather thanbeingceremonial.UnderSheffieldCityRegion’s

alreadydisclosedDevolutionDeal,itsMayorwill chair itsCombinedAuthority,withmembers servingashis/herCabinet.AnOverviewandScrutinyCommitteewouldholdthemtoaccount.TheMayorandCombinedAuthoritywill exercisepowers in relation to its constituentcouncils but spendingonactivitiesorprojects outside that boundarywouldhave tobenefit a specific area.However,Devolution is likely to

lookdifferent for eacharea, fitting toitsunique“asks”andneeds.Similarmodelshavebeen

announced for theNorth-EastCombinedAuthority and theTeesValleyCombinedAuthority.Anannouncementon theD2N2

Devodeal couldbemadeas earlyasthismonth, evenaheadof theGovernment’s annualAutumnStatement, scheduled forNovember25.But,whatever its eventual shape,

the suite ofnewpowers for adevolvedD2N2area couldbe

considerable, includingall or somecontrol over:

● roadbuildingandpublictransport;

● financial systems (including,possibly settinguparegionalbusinessbank);

● decidingwherehouses get builtandofwhat type;

● levyingadditional businesscharges (suchasdeciding to createnewBusiness ImprovementDistricts and imposinga levy tofinance this);

● decidingpolicingmatters (theBill allows for anelectedMayor totakeover thepowersof thearea’sPolice andCrimeCommissioner);

● educationmatters (includingpost-16 vocational skills andtraining, or retrainingprovision,shaping future careers);

● evendecidingonhealthandsocial carepriorities inanarea.Someof this is alreadyhappening,

evenbefore theCities andLocalGovernmentDevolutionBill hasfaceda final vote. Inhis JulyBudgettheChancellorpromisedGreaterManchesterpowersover its fireservice andpublic sector land,amongother things, andanelectedExecutiveMayorby2017, and saidfurtherdevolution talkswouldbestartedwithareas includingLiverpool andCornwall.For its part, theD2N2areawas

among the first toproduceadetailedDevolutionProspectus, inMarch2015,which formed thebasis of itsformal application toGovernmentinSeptember.Recognisinga

Changingpolicy...Devolutionand the nextfive yearsfor the LEPnetwork

CitiesministerGregClark, right, signing theD2N2GrowthDealwith LEPChairmanPeterRichardsonatNottinghamUniversity lastyear. Itwas a step towardshandingover ofpowers forNottinghamshire andDerbyshire.TheD2N2area is in final-stagenegotiationswithGovernmentMinisters and senior civilservants over itsDevolutionDeal,which couldcome into action next year.

Councillor JonCollinsspeaking at a“DevoDay”, onwhatDevolutionwillmean forbusiness.


THE LEP NETWORK, THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

THIS supplement has lookedmainly at how the D2N2 LocalEnterprise Partnership has livedup to its early promises;particularly around those fiveStrategic Priorities of: Businesssupport and access to finance,Innovation, Employment andskills, Infrastructure for economicgrowth, and Housing andregeneration.But the LEP Network, business

organisations including theFederation for Small Businesses;and think tanks such as The SmithInstitute and Localis, have lookedat what D2N2 and its fellow LEPsmight look like and be doing in2020 and beyond:

GREATER POWERS?Anybody concerned about anundemocratic grab for power byunelected LEPs in the futureshould take solace from TheSmith Institute’s report –Delivering Growth. Where Next forLocal Enterprise Partnerships? –which found little appetite fromLEPs to become mini-localauthorities. Whilst more influenceand involvement in the economiclife of their areas, and its levers,was welcomed there was a desirenot to be bogged down inbureaucracy and to be allowed to“just get on with it”.LEPs were keen to extend their

reach in the areas where they hadalready showed they could have apractical impact, such as roadsand sustainable transport (D2N2 ispouring millions of pounds intoroads improvement and cyclenetwork schemes).

SKILLS AND TRAININGMost future gazing reports on theLEPs found they already had goodties to their local universities.In attempting to draw closer

links between skills and trainingproviders and employers, throughinitiatives such as its ProviderCharter launched last April (2015),

D2N2 is typical of its fellow LEPsin recognising the importance ofhigher and further education,vocational and other skillsprogrammes as a driver ofeconomic growth.Skills should be a “fundamental

element of the devolutionarypush” for the LEPs, said the reportThe Next LEPs: Unlocking growthacross our localities; sponsoredby Lloyds Banking Group andwritten by Localis, an independentthink-tank focusing on localgovernment and localism.It suggested Skills Funding

Agency money should betransferred to the LEPs level,enabling skills programmes to be“tailored to help local supply bestmeet local demand”.

FUNDING CONTROLGreater control over their ownfunding, currently funnelledthrough Government or localauthorities (acting as accountablebodies), was a recurring themefor the LEPs spoken to in mostreports.Whilst keen to work even more

closely with local authority andother partners in their areas, LEPssuggested they could do morewith even a slight shift in theirfunding mechanism.Possible options suggested

were that the LEPs of 2020 mightup their spending power bypooling resources cross-borderwith neighbours or press formulti-year rather than annualbudgets, so they could better planlong term.Again the Localis report went

further, suggesting a significantincrease in core funding for LEPs(although this is unlikely givencurrent Government funding cuts).Whatever the shape of the LEP

network in 2020, there seemsplenty of appetite to see whatD2N2 and its fellow LEPs might becapable of over the next fiveyears.

significant opportunity to improvethe efficiencyof governance in thearea, theD2N2deal includes someambitious ideas:

● Ontransport –Acombinedtransport authority and integratedticketing to improve links forcitizens, forworkand leisure.

● Business –A£1 billion regionalinvestment organisation, setup tohelpbusinesses access financemore easily.

● Exports –AFreeTradeZoneallied toEastMidlandsAirport, thesecondbusiest freight terminal inthe countryafterHeathrow, toincrease international tradeandpassenger transport.

● Housing –Ahousinginvestment fund to jump-startstalledhousingprojects,particularlyaroundaffordablehousing.

● Skills andemployment –Moreandbetterquality apprenticeships,tackling the root causes of long-termunemployment, and furtherreducing rates of youngpeoplenotin educationor employment.D2N2ChairmanPeter

Richardsonsaid: “Ourarea tookanearly leadonDevolutionandwehave remainedoneof the frontrunners.“All thepartners inD2N2’s deal

are committed to getting the rightdeal for ourarea.Devolutionmustbe somethingwhicheveryone feelswill benefit themanddeliver on thatpromise.When it comes I amconvinced itwill be agamechangerfor thearea.”

D2N2 Chair Peter Richardson with Eric Pickles, then Secretary of State forthe Department for Communities and Local Government, which isoverseeing the Devolution process, at D2N2’s offices earlier this year.

Former cabinetminister EricPickleswith acopyof theD2N2areaDevolutionProspectus.

NottinghamCityCouncilLeader JonCollins and itsChief Executive, IanCurryer,boarding theLondon train inMarch todeliver theD2N2areaDevolutionProspectus.

Chief ExecutiveDavidRalph at aD2N2BusinessBreakfast inDerby inSeptember.Devolutionwasahot topic at this year’sBreakfasts series.

Anevent held atNottinghamConferenceCentre last year todiscuss the topic ofDevolution.


the first five years

D2N2Chief ExecutiveDavidRalph, left, andChairmanPeterRichardson.

Derby InnovationCentre (shownherewhenworkbegan)willopen soon, the firstbuildingon InfinityPark, part of theNottinghamandDerbyEnterpriseZonebackedbyD2N2

RichardMunyardofS&SPlastics, of Sutton-in-Ashfield,which receiveda£56,000grantfromD2N2’sUnlockingInvestment forGrowth fund.

DavidRalph, right,andKarl Hilton,ManagingDirectorof computergamingcompanyCrytek, at thefirm’sNottinghambase.

MichelleGairtesting naanbreadatButt Foods inNottingham,whichwas involved in aD2N2consultationto tackle the area’sskills shortages.

Leading shelving logisticssupplierQTSusedaD2N2grantto helpmovemanufacturing fromChina toUK, acquiringpremisesinPinxton. PicturedareQTSManagingDirector ShaunIngram, left, and JamesBosworth, BusinessGrowthManager from theManufacturingAdvisoryService.

D2N2Senior ProgrammeManager(SectorDevelopment), LindsayAllen,(centre) addressesdelegates at firstD2N2RuralMeansBusinessConference, held inApril (2015).

LloydsBankCommercial Banking’sChief Economist,TrevorWilliams, (seated, far right) joined fellowguestspeakers, futurologistChrisBarnatt andCreativeQuarterCEOKathyMcArdle, atD2N2’s 2015AnnualConference, held atChesterfield FC’s stadium.


AllianceBoots teamedupwithD2N2for the firstmajor projectwithin theNottinghamEnterpriseZone.

NottinghamcompanySASIELimited received£180,000 fromtheD2N2GrowingPlaces Loan tobuild the city’s first sustainablemodular assistedhouse.

LordHeseltine, left, andPeterRichardsonatBasfordHall College for abusinessQ&A.

FCLaser, ofDraycott, Derbyshire, successfully applied for a£66,000grant fromD2N2’sUnlocking Investment forGrowthprogramme to install a new£320,000 laser cuttingmachine. PeterRichardsonandDavidRalph arepicturedwith the firm’sBusinessDevelopmentManager, DarrenJohnson, right.

D2N2’sCreativeandDigitalStrategicActionplan, launchedthis year (2015),included radicalideas to supportthe key sector;suchasmicro-financingschemes forcreativebusinesses,representedbyNottingham’sBafta awardwinningTelevisionWorkshop.

WestNottsCollegehosts delegation fromGuangdong,China. The college is to receivemillions inD2N2 funding to support its higherlearning centre, due toopennext year.


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D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership

THE UK’S MOSTINSPIRATIONAL POSTCODEAnnual Conference, Friday 18 July, 7.30am to 10am atMediCity, Nottingham. Bookings at www.d2n2lep.org/BB

THEUK’SMOST INSPIRATIONALPOSTCODETheD2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership andD2N2GrowthHub hold free events throughout the year – andtake part in those of partner organisations – to keep business andwider communities updated on projectsaimed at growing theDerby, Derbyshire, NottinghamandNottinghamshire economy.Join us at our upcoming events inNovember.

The 2015 D2N2Business BreakfastsEach year D2N2 holds a series of freeBusiness Breakfasts, featuring its own and guest business speakers,representing key sectors. Four events have been held in the current series, attracting around 200 delegates,but places are still available for remainingNovember Breakfasts, running from 7.30am to 9.30am, on:

WednesdayNovember 18:At the Leengate Legends Lounge at Chesterfield FC’s Proact Stadium, 1866Sheffield Road, Chesterfield (S41 8NZ).Guest business speaker –Melanie Ulyatt, Founder andMDof One-to-One Support Services of Chesterfield(and newD2N2BoardMember for Skills).

WednesdayNovember 25:KelhamHall,Main Rd, Kelham,Newark (NG23 5QX).Joint guest business speakers –Wendy Tideswell andDebbieWhite, co-founders of The CakeDecoratingCompany inNottingham.Book online to attend via D2N2 Events pagewww.d2n2lep.org/About/Events

TheD2N2GrowthHubBusiness Adviser Service: 1-2-1 sessionsTheD2N2GrowthHub is offering free sessionswith an experienced business adviser for Derbyshirebusinesses looking to grow, in the short or long term.This is a free, ‘no catch’ opportunity to talk to an experienced business adviser about a range of businessissues; including but not limited to sales andmarketing, financing, skills and training, recruitment, growthplans, and systems and processes.The business reviewwill take one to two hours. Businesseswill have the option to receive a post-sessionreport and ongoing advice.

D2N2GrowthHub adviserwill next be at the EastMidlands Chamber Glossop office, TheOld Co-OpBuilding,Norfolk Square, Glossop (SK13 8BP) on ThursdayNovember 19. To book a session email:[email protected] or phone 0845 450 2099.Alternative datesmay also be available. For information ring theD2N2GrowthHub on 0333 006 9178or email: [email protected]

Powering up business: Five years of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership

Business

Transcript of Powering up business: Five years of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership