HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
ECONOMY AND EUROPE SUB-COMMITTEE ITEM 11
26 JUNE 1997
KONVER PROGRAMME - UPDATE ON BIDDING
REPORT OF THE HEAD OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Contact: Paddy Hillary Ext: 7391
1. Summary
This report updates members on the outcome of bidding from the
Hampshire area, under the auspices of Hampshire Economic
Partnership (HEP), for funding under the
Konver II programme for defence diversification.
2. Introduction
2. The Konver programme is a European Structural Funds Community
1 Initiative aimed at accelerating the diversification of economic
activities in regions heavily dependent on the defence sector.
Konver I, in 1993/4 attracted £1.1m for Hampshire projects. The
Konver II programme was announced in 1995 for funding to December
1997.
2. There have been two previous calls for bids under the second
2 Konver programme under which Hampshire has already received
funding during 1996/97.
2. The first call under Konver II resulted in £956,000 worth of
3 projects being awarded funding over a three year period. These
projects, of which details are given in Appendix 1 to this report,
included measures to support SMEs (small and medium sized
enterprises), rehabilitation of former military sites, tourism
promotion and facilities and training and retraining.
2. The second call resulted in £1,164,000 worth of funding for
4 Hampshire projects. Again, these projects cover the areas
mentioned in para 2.2 and details are given in Appendix 2 to this
report.
2. Due to under allocation, and some under spending in the area
5 covered by the Government Office for the South East (GOSE) under
the first two calls, the GOSE announced a third call in April 97
and a total of £4m worth of projects have been put forward, for
outline consideration, by HEP.
3. Konver II - Third Call
3. The projects submitted in May were in outline form and a decision
1 was received in early June on those projects considered
appropriate to go forward to the full bidding stage (see Appendix
3 for details). A final decision on funding allocations is
expected in July 1997.
3. Most of the projects submitted are for activities, and therefore
2 funding, over a three year period. The exception is the section
of projects for training and retraining which will have to be
spent during 1997.
3. One of the projects submitted is to enable more work to be carried
3 out on the analysis of the impact of defence cuts in the Hampshire
area and on the number of firms and individuals involved. The HEP
felt that this is essential to ensure that any future projects can
be targeted appropriately to achieve maximum benefit for the
economy as a whole.
4. Konver III
There has been no confirmation, as yet, of a third Konver
programme although the European Commission have included funding
in their plans. Discussions are being held with GOSE to establish
the new Government's approach to Konver and the likely priorities
for projects.
5. Conclusion
5. Hampshire has been very successful in attracting funds under the
1 Konver programme and in raising the profile of the problems
suffered in defence dependent areas in both Europe and the UK.
The continuation of Konver funding, and the targeting of action to
help local economies to diversify is essential and the latest
round of projects to be submitted will help maintain this
momentum.
6. Recommendation
That the successful outcome of £1164000 Call 2 approvals be
welcomed, and support given to KONVER II 3rd Call bids.
PHB33197
APPENDIX 1
KONVER II - 1ST CALL
Successful Hampshire Bids
Measure 1
Focus on Excellence £3,000
Focus on Excellence £8,200
£11,200
Measure 2
Defence links with Further and Higher £7,700
Education
Market and Product Development £187,500
Innovation and Technology Adviser £70,000
£265,200
Measure 3
FAST Feasibility Study £25,000
Daedalus £50,000
Sustainability Centre £79,345
£154,345
Measure 4
Mary Rose £247,000
£247,000
Measure 5
Retraining and reskilling (Highbury) £45,255
Access and NVQ (St Vincents) £55,469
CAD/CAM (Basingstoke) £87,600
Electronics etc (Basingstoke) £119,494
Management Placement (TEC) £58,500
£278,718
£956,463
TOTAL
APPENDIX 2
KONVER II - 2nd Call
Project Grant allocated
Measure 1 - Support to SMEs
Business Support Centre, Havant 149,850
Measure 2 - Technology Transfer
Enhanced Economic Development 133,000
Service
Measure 3 - Ex-MoD Sites
Priddy's Hard Heritage Area 526,386*
Measure 4 - Tourism
Royal Naval Museum Development 49,735
Gosport Peninsula Gateways 86,450
Project 27,944
Portsmouth Harbour Visitors 75,000**
Centre
Gosport/Fareham Tourist
Initiative
Measure 5 - Training etc
Partnership Degree Programme 35,954***
Re-training/Security Guards 40,824
Re-training/Security Installers 39,240
1,163,843
Total
* This is conditional upon the agreement of, and close
co-ordination with English Partnership for business
support/tourism development.
** Subject to the approval of the Department of National Heritage
*** This is the grant for 1997, approval in principle subject to
the availability of funds was also given for 1998 and 1999,
this amounts to £40,373 and over £20,000 in 1999.
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