Lancashire Business View awarded 4m to kick-start county jobs drive

By LBV

19 Oct 2012

The investment will be leveraged by the private sector to a total of £13m and, over a two year period, the Lancashire Business Enterprise Programme will support 600 businesses and create 1,000 new jobs.

Starting in 2013, businesses which have been operating for up to three years will be able to access up to £50,000 in grant funding with business advice, mentoring and support part of the package to successful bidders.

The grants will be provided on a 1:3 ratio – for each pound invested by the Programme, the recipient will invest £3 and must also demonstrate the capability for creating new jobs as a result of the investment.

Of the total £4m pot, £3m will be awarded as grants and, with private sector funds, this means £12m will be invested over two years.

Richard Slater, publisher of Lancashire Business View magazine, said: “This is fantastic news for the county and a privilege for us to be at the heart of an investment and jobs creation programme.

“What sets it apart from traditional grant schemes is that this one is being led by the private sector and will be driven by entrepreneurial thinking.

“Grants will be linked to the number and quality of jobs created, the amount of private sector investment attracted, and the additional economic impacts accrued.”

Economic development company Regenerate Pennine Lancashire will be Lancashire Business View’s delivery partner, while Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council will be the accountable body, responsible for the management of the funds.

“Getting to this point with the bid has required a true private-public partnership and it has been a real team effort to secure the funds,” added Richard Slater.

“What is particularly gratifying is that while the infrastructure for the bid is in the East of the county, all of the county will benefit.”

Coun Andy Kay, executive member for resources at Blackburn with Darwen Council and chair of Regenerate’s governing body, said: “This is a very exciting programme which will help hundreds of new businesses across the county, helping them to grow in size and strength.

“We can help them every step of the way. We have worked hard with our partners to secure this money for the whole of Lancashire to support businesses when they need it most and create much-needed good employment.”

Lancashire Business View’s project has the support of key figures across the county including the Lancashire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the Federation of Small Business (FSB), East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and Pennine Lancashire’s council leaders.

Edwin Booth, chair of the LEP, and head of Booths supermarkets, said: “This project will help to support the LEP in driving economic growth in Lancashire through securing new private sector investment and creating new jobs.”

Mike Damms, chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “We believe this programme will add substantially to the county’s rediscovery of the entrepreneurial spirit that has been world-leading in the recent past.

“Lancashire Business View are important partners and catalysts of partnership working and economic promotion.”

Gary Lovatt, regional chairman of the FSB, which has 4,000 members in Lancashire, said: “Small businesses make up over 99 per cent of all UK businesses, providing almost half of all private sector jobs and contributing a similar proportion of UK GDP. Assisting the smallest businesses to prosper will boost the whole economy.”

Details of the Lancashire Business Enterprise Programme will be announced at a later date.

Other Lancashire winners in the Regional Growth Fund announcement are:
• Aircelle, Burnley, which is developing a scheme for the aerospace supply chain involving premises construction, capital investment and R&D.
• Erlson Precision Components, Skelmersdale, which will carry out infrastructure improvements to the current facility.
• Kilgour Metal Treatments, Bispham, which will purchase and renovate a derelict building and invest in advanced manufacturing technologies.

Read more in our November-December edition. To subscribe, visit www.lancashirebusinessview.co.uk
 

Enjoyed this? Read more from LBV

Latest news

1

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway Alan McBride Muse Will Town Defence Infrastructure Organisation Jennifer Chard Defence Business Services Cllr Lynn Williams Blackpool Council Garry Bowker Vinci

Construction begins on new Civil Service office building in Talbot Gateway

20 May 2025

2

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities Skiddle cheque presentation to Alder Hey Hospital

Skiddle raises over £750,000 for charities

20 May 2025

3

Former Victorian Hotel approved for residential conversion The site

Former Victorian Hotel approved for residential conversion

19 May 2025

4

REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing Oliver Webber, Tracy Clavell-Bate and Tim Webber from Barnfield Group with Cllr Phil Riley, second from right, Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council

REVOLUTION PARK: Work starts on Darwen’s new home of advanced manufacturing

19 May 2025

5

Two Cuckoo Gins named winners in The Gin Guide Awards 2025 Mark Long

Two Cuckoo Gins named winners in The Gin Guide Awards 2025

19 May 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200pxtrident 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

The Business Network Central & East Lancashire

Mytton Fold, Langho, BB6 8AB

11:30 - 14:15

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May
Freelancer Meet-Up May.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: May

society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar
LBV Hub Seminars
22 May 2025 - 22 May 2025

Amber River True Bearing quarterly investment seminar

Cottons Hotel & Spa , Knutsford, WA16 0SU

16:00 - 18:00

Liverpool Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-881365363-4862066883-1-original.20241023-085714.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
23 May 2025 - 23 May 2025

Liverpool Business Expo 2025

Aintree Racecourse , Liverpool , L9 5AS

09:00 - 15:00

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29
Artboard 15.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
29 May 2025 - 29 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 29

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin