Decision details

At the Combined Authority Committee meeting in July 2022 the Outline Business Case for ISTART was approved and the funding for Phase 0 of the project was delegated to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils. The project is a collaboration between the University of Bath, Bath Spa University, Bath College and Bath & North East Somerset Council and aims to deliver the integration and co-location of skills, innovation and research activity, which will encourage collisions between academic insight, business application and learning which together will drive innovation.

A Phase 0 Implementation Plan has been produced by the Council and partners seeking funding of £1.361m for this initial element of the project.

To approve the Phase 0 Implementation Plan and the award of £1.361m

That a further report is presented to Chief Executives on the successes of Phase 0 to consider further funding for the development of Phase 1.

At the Combined Authority Committee meeting in July 2022 the Outline Business Case for ISTART was approved and the funding for Phase 0 of the project was delegated to the Combined Authority Chief Executive in consultation with the Chief Executives of the constituent Councils. The project is a collaboration between the University of Bath, Bath Spa University, Bath College and Bath & North East Somerset Council and aims to deliver the integration and co-location of skills, innovation and research activity, which will encourage collisions between academic insight, business application and learning which together will drive innovation.

A Phase 0 Implementation Plan has been produced by the Council and partners seeking funding of £1.361m for this initial element of the project.

No other options were considered given the specific delegation in place.

The approved Outline Business Case included an assessment of options for the ISTART project including considerations of form, scale and phasing.