The document provides an overview of European Structural Funds for the UK government position from 2014-2020, including the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund. It outlines the key funding priorities and challenges around innovation, SMEs, low-carbon economy, employment, skills, and social inclusion. The funds will be allocated to and delivered through Local Enterprise Partnership areas as part of an integrated growth program focused on local needs and strategic economic plans.

1. European Structural Funds:
Overview – UK Government
Position Update
Nick Dexter
Deputy Director
Department for Communities and Local Government

2. Newcastle
Science City -
The Core
The Prince’s
Trust Enterprise
Programme,
Y&H
Creative and
digital
entrepreneurs
programme,
Nottingham
ESI Funds 2007-2013
Ocean Studios, Plymouth 2
The National
Graphene
Institute,
University of
Manchester
New technologies and
applications for
identification, location and
sensing (NTAILS),
Wolverhampton University
NETPark,
Durham
County
Council
European
Centre for
environment
and human
health,
Cornwall

3. ESI Funds 2014-2020
• £5.4bn ERDF and ESF and £177m EAFRD : integrated growth
programme for England
• over 95% allocated to Local Enterprise Partnership areas
• stronger links with EU strategy.
• local strategies reflecting local needs and wider strategic economic
plans
• dynamic partnerships
• Community Led Local Development (CLLD) and Sustainable Urban
Development (SUD)
• tougher performance framework

4. European Regional Development Fund
• three core themes: innovation, SMEs & a low carbon economy
• supported by enabling infrastructure: ICT, climate change, environment (and
transport in Cornwall)
• a specific cities agenda: Sustainable Urban Development
Key challenges and needs
• low R&D in England: target of 3% GDP, promoting business investment in R&D
and university/SME collaboration
• boost entrepreneurship and capacity & access to national and international
markets
• promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, integrated low carbon strategies:
• superfast broadband 95% coverage; tackle flood risks that stall development;
promote ecosystems and innovative technologies; transport infrastructure
challenges in Cornwall
• integrated city initiatives in core cities and London

5. European Social Fund
• three core themes: promoting employment and supporting labour mobility,
promoting social inclusion and combating poverty, education, skills and lifelong
learning
• complement and add value to national policies and programmes and address
local needs
Key challenges and needs
• labour market: unemployment and inactivity, especially among low skilled and
disadvantaged groups
• young people: youth unemployment and young people NEET
• social exclusion: inter-generational worklessness and multiple disadvantage
• skills: basic, intermediate and advanced: to support individual progression and
address employers’ skills needs
• gender equality and equal opportunities: specific barriers faced by women,
disabled people, ethnic minorities and older people

6. Local Enterprise
Partnership Areas

7. Local Growth – bringing it all together
LEP areas
LEPs
EZ funding
Growing Places
Fund
Regional Growth
Fund
programmes
Coastal Communities
Fund
Local Plans and
planning decisions
European Structural and Investment Funds
Strategic
Economic
Plan
Further
Education
College
Investment
Skills
Housing
Regeneration
GROWTH
Infrastructure
Jobs
Transport
links
Local authority
assets and spending
Growth
Deals
Public private
partnerships
Private Sector
Investment
National policy initiatives and strategic drivers
Enterprise

8. Synergies with other European Union funds
- ETC: transnational funds
- Horizon 2020 – from high-end research to local SMEs
- Erasmus+ - modernising education, training & youth work
- COSME – EU support for SMEs
- Creative Europe – culture & media sector
- Economic escalator – local-national-EU

9. Further information
9
ESI Funds, Partnership Agreement and Operational Programmes):
www.gov.uk
LEPs:
www.gov.uk/government/policies/supporting-economic-growth-through-local-
enterprise-partnerships-and-enterprise-zones/supporting-pages/
local-enterprise-partnerships
LEP network (including how LEP are working with Growth Deals):
www.lepnetwork.net/
European Funding Network (LEP Area ESI Fund Strategies):
europeanfundingnetwork.eu/news/how-leps-are-engaging-with-the-sector
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