NWDA lists projects hit by spending cuts
The NWDA has outlined the grim news many applicants from developers to sub-regional quangos had been fearing.
The agency said all uncommitted projects will not receive NWDA funding in 2010/11, there will be no new new financial commitments in 2011/12 and operational funding for most partner organisations will not be renewed.
Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the North West Development Agency, said: "We are facing a challenging situation as we have to save £52 million from this year's NWDA budget…the size of the cuts means that we have little flexibility in our future budgets and the Agency will not be able to make any new investments or renew partner contracts before our dissolution in April 2012. The new Regional Growth Fund announced by Government will offer opportunities for the private and public sector for potential new projects from April 2011 onwards. I recognise that this is a very difficult time for both our partners and our staff across the region and I sincerely hope that many of these projects and partners will be able to find alternative sources of funding and will continue to support the growth of the Northwest economy for the years to come."
The breakdown of the cuts being made is as follows:
North West projects that approached NWDA for possible funding and will not now receive NWDA funding NB: This is not an exhaustive list but includes the majority of projects that had secured at least concept stage with the NWDA and were likely to request agency funding within the next 18 months. Applicants were at various stages: some on the list were close to being legally committed and have narrowly missed out; others were in the middle of the process; and the remainder had a long way to go to prove their concept and had no guarantee of funding.
- Media Sector Development Plan – Audio Visual Skills 2001/12
- Manchester Metropolitan University – Birley Fields Education & Health Campus
- All Souls Church Restoration, Bolton
- Preston Guild 2012
- English Half Marathon
- World Series Netball
- Manchester International Festival
- Midpoint 18 Employment Site Development, Middlewich, developed by Pochin
- Parklands Plot 5B, Middlebrook, Bolton, Orbit Developments
- Talbot Gateway, Blackpool, Muse Developments
- Burnley Bridge Business Park, Eshton Group
- Corridor Manchester Public Realm
- The Dispensary, New Islington, Manchester, Urban Splash
- The Manchester Square, Waterloo and St Chads Headlands, Blackpool
- Kingston House, Liverpool – Planning Fees, Langtree
- Leyland Trucks Training Programme
- Chester Zoo Natural Vision
- Crewe Rail Gateway – Main Project
- Ancoats Estate Management Company
- Crewe Green/Basford Link Road – Main Project
- Preston Vision: Winckley Square Public Realm
- Whitefield Economic Development Programme
- CBC Aintree
- Getrag Training Project, Halewood
- MakeMedia Centre
- Manchester Ship Canal Aeration (Salford Quays)
- Trafford Park Masterplan
- Parsonage Colliery Phase 1
- Royal Eye Hospital, Manchester – Enabling Works
- Next Generation Access Broadband Manchester
- Citadel – Court Square,Carlise
- Roman Maryport
- Lancaster Science Park
- Everyman and Playhouse Theatres, Liverpool
- Liverpool Science Park Innovation Centre 3, Neptune Developments
- National Football Museum, URBIS
- Blackburn TC Knowledge Zone – Cathedral Quarter
- Sportscity Major Destination Site
- West Float Land Remediation – Wirral
- Trafford Wharf land remediation
- Preston Vision: Flag Market Public Realm
- Riverside Park 2b – Wirral
- The Liverpool Institute of Vaccine Research
- Regional Aero Park – Samlesbury – Phase II
- BAE Submarine Solutions Training Programme
- Blackpool – Central Corridor Phase III
- Horwich Loco Works (remediation)
- Church Wharf, Bolton, Ask/Bluemantle
- Manchester – Burnley – Accrington direct rail link
- Carlisle Historic Core Public Realm
- Process Innogateway 2
- Town Wharf, Middlewich
- Crewe Vision Partnership contribution to costs
- Frodsham Gateway
- Faithful Enterprise
- Cibitas – Chester review
- Lake District National Park Authority – Employment Sites Programme
- Lake District Electric Vehicle demonstration
- Environmental Technologies Business Park
- Solid State Lighting Demonstration
- St Annes public realm – Open Golf 2012
- Gen-Probe UK Consolidation at Wythenshawe
- Aviation Power Up
- Climate Change Action Plan Northwest Climate Fund Phase 2
- Jaguar Land Rover Training Project
- Leyland Trucks Hybrid Demonstration
- Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral Arts Project
- Manchester is my Planet Phase 3
- Incubation National Nuclear Lab
- NW Autonomous Systems Programme – Innovation
- Centre of Excellence for low carbon vehicles technologies
- Mersey Tidal Test Centre, Peel
- Preston Vision: Innovation Trail
- Royal Institute for British Architects Second National HQ
- Rossendale Vocational Training Centre
- Rawtenstall Town Centre Public Realm
- Haslingden Public Realm
- Skelmersdale College Campus Renewal
- Co-op Office Development Skemersdale
- Stobart Air
- Thomas Storey Stockport
- Stalybridge West
- Trinity Mirror Transformation Project
- Wirral HE Campus
- University of Chester – County Hall refurbishment
- Chester University Food Research & Development
- Cumbria Higher Learning
- Sands Centre, Carlisle
- Centre for Genomics Research
- NW Clinical Fellowships Industry Programme
- Strategic Affordable Manufacturing in the UK Leading Environmental Technology
- Smart Grid Centre of Excellence
- Nuclear Fuel Applied Research Centre
- Warrington Bank Quay Station Business Lounge & Subway
- Nuclear Low Carbon Economic Area
- Wigan On Side Centre, Mesnes Park
- Turnpike Centre, Leigh
- Fleetwood Fish Park
- Centre for Exploitation of Energy Research
- City Centre North – the Co-operative Quarter
- NW Autonomous Systems Programme – Regional Sectors Project
Operational/Capacity funding for partner organisations which will end in March 2011 (NB: This does not include any existing individual projects managed by the partners, which will be discussed as part of the wider committed project discussions)
Sub Regional Partnerships (Includes core funding, inward investment and Climate Change Action Plan funding):
- Cumbria County Council / Cumbria Vision
- Commission for New Economy (includes GM Environment Commission Low Carbon Economic Area but excludes inward investment, done through MIDAS)
- Lancashire Economic Partnership
- Cheshire and Warrington Economic Alliance
- The Mersey Partnership (includes Mersey Waterfront project management but excludes Inward Investment funding**)
Urban Regeneration & Economic Development Companies:
- Liverpool Vision
- Central Salford
- New East Manchester
- Blackpool, Fylde & Wyre EDC
- Westlakes Renaissance (via Cumbria County Council)
- Regenerate Pennine Lancashire
Cluster Organisations*:
- Northwest Automotive Alliance
- North West Aerospace Alliance
- Northwest Textiles Network (NW Texnet)
- BioNow
- Chemicals Northwest
- Pro Manchester
- Envirolink Northwest
- Food Northwest
- Call Northwest
Other Support Organisations:
- Preston City Council – Preston Vision
- Burnley Borough Council – Burnley Vision
- Liverpool City Council – City Centre Movement Strategy
- South Ribble Borough Council – Leyland Vision
- Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council – The Southport Partnership
- Manchester Knowledge Capital
- Salford City Council – MediaCityUK Public Sector Partners Programme
- Cheshire West and Chester Council – Chester Renaissance
- Cheshire West & Chester Council – Northwich Regeneration
- Domestic Energy Alliance – Climate Change Action Plan
- Business in the Community – Climate Change Action Plan
- Energy Saving Trust – Climate Change Action Plan
- Natural England – Climate Change Action Plan
- Tidy Britain Group – Climate Change Action Plan
- Development Education Project (Manchester) – Climate Change Action Plan
- MIDAS
*Vision+Media and Mersey Maritime have operational funding until March 2012
** The Mersey Partnership Inward Investment funding continues until March 2012
For someone new to the world of NWDA funding, what percentage of these projects would actually receive NWDA backing?
By John Nash
This is terrible news for the North West and puts enormous pressure on those that are hoping to continue with The North West’s current status as the leading economic area in the UK outside London. We all expected these cuts but I feel so sorry for the people that are going to lose their jobs as a consequence of this. So many of these projects are involved in improving areas of economic decline where years of high unemployment and social deprevation have taken their toll (East Manchester as an example). Many other are involved in promoting and nuturing Green Industries which are going to be essential in creating jobs for the future and regenerating our flagging domestic manufacturing industry. I just hope that the plucky North West and my own City of Manchester can bite the bullet, weather the storm and come out the other side stronger and even more resillient than we already are!
By Anon
I guess the best way to read this as a ‘pint half full’
By Brian Holden
John – Applicants were at various stages: some on the list were close to being legally committed and have narrowly missed out. Others were in the middle of the process and a lot had a long way to go and probably didn’t even have an in-principle idea of funding likelihood.
By Ed
Glass half full is okay – if you’d already ordered the pint! many of the larger projects would have implications for the general well being and economic development of the region. Many charities, like ours, that work for the poorest and vulnerable in society while meeting carbon challenges, have hitherto had little from NWDA – but there are others that support our work, such as EST and the DEA activity that will suffer – hence a knock on effect. I am personally much perturbed.
By joanne carr
The role & work of RDA’s has been the subject of much debate & discussion over many years. Now that at last they are to be scrapped, one hopes that they will not reincarnate themselves, sad as it may be that some projects will not now go ahead
By Adrian Wilkinson
The value of a Public dev’t Authority has always been questionable. If the scheme had financial viability then it will still be so. Sadly much has been wasted by these quangos over the years with no real visibility of accountability and value for public money!
By Alan Jones
Thanks to the Tories for this – the last thing we want is regional development. The sooner these jobs and activities are centralised in London the better. At least Whitehall will be accountable and look out for the interests of the whole country. It may be a shame that all of the grants have been frozen for at least eight months, but they were always ‘bad policy’,
By Damo
We are clearly not ‘all in this together’. The millionaire club and their banking friends who now run Britain are brazenly taking money from the less privileged to protect the interests of a failed economic system. Of course we are all in favour of efficiency and effectiveness but I suggest if we are looking for savings we might start with http://costofwar.com/
By Kevin Donovan
If these orgs are now strangled and funding ceases, then what on earth do we need the Agency for if at all??? They will not be achieiving any input or output for business or industry other than what is already in the pipeline, it sounds like we are still throwing good after bad, we should shut the door and give them money to the Core Orgs to carry on the real work with industry not the board room why do we do evrything back to front in the UK, if we cant do it give it back to London not councils and more quango’s. It’s a shame as the supply chain led orgs for key areas of specific industry are genuine!
By Ian Fletcher
What point localism if there’s no cash? Localism without a pot = centralism.
By Manna
Where’s the strategy, where is the plan. What about all the time effort and money already put in to these projects…… Who will be monitoring the overall impacts of the demise of NWDA on the NW’s economy?
By Anon
The list of quangos and agencies is breath taking and it is too easy to see this cull as being effective way of sorting it all. But this is quite frankly a disaster for our region and the coalition should be ashamed. The fall out for employment and the north west society in general and the consequences are far reaching. The problem is no one is mapping the consequences and there is no plan behind this – in the end it will cost more.
By Nick Taylor
Having attended meetings and events at the NWDA – they looked to me like a massively overweight and bureaucratic government organisation (I am private sector). Lots of departments, with directors and managers all based in a massive glass building in Warrington. Big board of Directors, lots of consultants, and non executive directors supporting other overweight quango’s across the region. A complete waste of public money – these people draw big salaries yet when I turned up at 5:15pm at their head office it was like the Mary Celeste. But that appears to be the public sector.
By Joe
May I suggest to those heartened by these recent cuts that they take a good look at the ‘bottom line’ here? Economically speaking RDAs have made real sense with the NWDA for one returning over 5 times on original investments. Yes, perhaps there was room for efficiencies to be made, but the leverage that RDA money gave re: alternative streams such as the ERDF has now gone. That just doesn’t make sense as the UK is now contributing to a kitty that they can no longer draw from. This is nothing other than an ideologically driven policy masquerading as ‘clear economic thinking’. Brace yourselves for the double dip!
By Anon2