13.08.08
Ambitious Cornish businesses to receive a special business boost

Ambitious businesses and social enterprises based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will shortly be receiving a new package of dedicated support thanks to the latest approved project within the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Convergence Programme.

This in-depth specialist business service will be formally launched in September. Accessed through Business Link it aims to provide expert support to over 2700 small to medium businesses over the next two years.  Businesses and social enterprises will be given a flexible package of support, tailored specifically to their needs. Increasing productivity and competitiveness on a national and international level are the primary objectives with the ultimate aim of helping to increase the economic prosperity of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

The service will receive £4.6 million ERDF Convergence and £1.5 million from the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) and Business Link will run the service, working in partnership with a number of key organisations throughout Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "Our ambition is to trigger a real step change in creating higher value in the Cornish economy through the ERDF Convergence Programme. Our investments will create the opportunity for more productive higher value businesses which can offer more quality better paid jobs. This new advisory service will particularly focus on those businesses whose activities add value through knowledge and innovation."

Adam Chambers, Chief Executive of Business Link, said: "We are delighted to be delivering this programme – with a new, in depth service to help ambitious Cornish businesses flourish.  Our role is to provide customers with local, relevant and high quality business support that will link them to the expertise essential to enable them to reach a new level of growth. We hope that this service will help contribute to the transformation of the economy, environment and quality of life in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.   To show our commitment we are pleased to announce that we are currently recruiting a number of positions to help deliver this service which will shortly be advertised in the Cornish press. For now, we are engaging with partners and the business community in Cornwall and look forward to formally launching this exciting new service in September."

Theo Leijser, South West RDA's Area Director for Cornwall and Scilly said: "The ERDF Convergence Programme is central to plans for the economic development of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and the decision to commit £1.5 million of RDA funding to this project demonstrates our commitment to creating a vibrant economy in the area."

For further information please contact Clare Morgan, Media Relations Manager, the Convergence Partnership Office, on 01872 223439/07973 813647 or email: cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk.

The ERDF Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will be investing £4.6 million into this specialist business service.

Editor's notes:

Business Link Service
Business Link is a Government funded service to help people start, run and grow businesses. The service provides free information, advice and support through a combination of a local enquiry service and an extensive regional website www.businesslinksw.co.uk. It links businesses to local and national specialists, and business support services. Over the last three years the service has supported nearly 20,000 people thinking of starting a business and 90,000 people running businesses. In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset, the Business Link service is delivered by Peninsula Enterprise. For more information call Business Link on 0845 600 9966 or visit www.businesslinksw.co.uk.

Peninsula Enterprise
Peninsula Enterprise is the organisation appointed by the South West of England Regional Development Agency to provide a range of support services for businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Devon and Somerset. These services include: Business Link, Train to Gain, South West Rural Enterprise Gateway and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI). Peninsula Enterprise is a business unit within Serco Regional Services Ltd, part of Serco Group Plc, and is responsible for handling public sector and grant funded programmes. For more information visit www.peninsula-enterprise.co.uk

About the Specialist Business Advisory Service
The new in depth business advisory service is made up of a series of products and each business supported will receive a tailored package unique to their needs. 

The service will sit alongside the existing Business Link service but will provide more in depth, flexible support for the right businesses. There will be more investment in specific business issues and sectors, increased engagement with higher education to promote entrepreneurship and other knowledge transfer activities.  The specialist team of advisors, based in Cornwall will be available to support a range of needs including young businesses with high growth potential, businesses trading nationally and internationally and innovative companies introducing new products and processes amongst others.  

New Business Advisers will cover:
ICT
Environment
High Growth
Enterprise for All
Social Enterprise
Partnership/Network advisers.

Included within the service will be a new high growth virtual network – an innovative web based platform to enable peer to peer group business advice which will provide a signposting system for suppliers and buyers and enable businesses to find resources to meet their needs. 

For further information on Convergence see: http://www.objectiveone.com/O1htm/01-convergence/convergence.htm

Convergence helpline telephone: 0800 028 0120.

In Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly the Convergence Programmes are made up of European Regional Development Fund (£311 million) and European Social Fund (£133 million) Convergence Programmes will run until 2013 and follow the successful Objective One Programme and prior to that Objective 5b.

The investment is intended to boost the region's economy by providing focussed support for business creating better quality, higher paid jobs. This support includes training and access to higher education, strengthening links between academia and business, improved IT infrastructure, additional high quality workspace and specialist support to boost business productivity.

The European Regional Development Fund Operational Programme, which is this region's contract with the European Commission, was signed off by Danuta Hubner, European Commissioner for Regional Policy, in December 2007. It contains four key areas of investment. These are Innovation, Research and Development; Enterprise and Investment; Transformational Infrastructure (digital, transport and knowledge) and Unlocking the Economic Potential of Place.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
The Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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