Decisions

Delegated authority has been granted to the WECA Chief Executive to take decisions on the award of Digital Skills investment programme grants in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities.

As part of WECA’s Regional Recovery Plan, a £2 million investment was made in a Digital Skills investment programme, to design and commission a programme of digital skills support packages including:
a. ‘Basic digital skills and access’ – to build capacity to increase access and take-up, and support the most vulnerable groups (aligning with devolved Adult Education Budget).
b. ‘Medium to higher level digital skills’ – to build on skills interventions in existing projects (such as DETI and iSTART) and assets (such as the Institute of Technology and Institute of Coding) to create a multi-partner approach to delivering short courses, teaching core digital and professional skills to groups of unemployed.

Round one applications were submitted and assessed against eligibility / scoring criteria. The Business and Skills Directors of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on the recommendations that emerged from this assessment process.

The Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on the proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the following allocations:

a. UWE led consortium, with partners including NCC/DETI and CFMS, delivering four bootcamps covering Data Science and AI and User Experience Design: £249,708

b. Next Generation Skills Academy led consortium, with partners including Opposable Games and TechSPARK, delivering a Unity and Unreal Employment Pathway bootcamp: £82,213

c. Bath Spa University led consortium, with partners including the Institute of Coding, Bath College, TechSPARK and Bath Digital Festival, delivering five bootcamps on Digital Marketing: £199,734 - Note: this allocation is conditional on first submitting an acceptable programme content and delivery plan, including how the programme content (when fully known) differentiates from existing provision, and also including how the programme transitions learners into medium/high level employment.

Delegated authority has been granted to the WECA Chief Executive to take decisions on the award of Business Innovation Fund grants in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities.

The Business Innovation Fund is a support programme open to West of England based Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) seeking to progress research and development (R&D) activity, at experimental development stage, that will lead to the creation of new products, process and/or services.

WECA secured £1.45m of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support from the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government (MHCLG) towards a £3.23m total project cost to deliver this programme.

Round one grant applications were submitted and assessed against eligibility / scoring criteria. The Business and Skills Directors of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on the recommendations that emerged from this assessment process.

The Chief Executives of the West of England unitary authorities were consulted on the proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the following grant allocations:

Projects:
Project ref: BIF0004 - HBXL Group - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0035 - Motion Impossible Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0052 - PMG Services (Bristol) Ltd -£20,000
Project ref: BIF0065 - Clean Energy Prospector - £50,000
Project ref: BIF0071 - Calyo Limited -£20,000
Project ref: BIF0031 - Seetru Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0049 - Nu Nano Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0066 - Cookie Dough Franchise Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0012 - Rixxo Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0020 - Trigger Stuff CIC - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0017 - Inclusive Media Solutions Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0022 - BIRAL - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0059 - Bristol 247 CIC - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0032 - Auroch Digital Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0068 - Deathio Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0042 - Punk Couplings Limited - £50,000
Project ref: BIF0007 - Gridlock Technology Ltd - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0021 - Tallt Ventures - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0048 - Upfront Analytics Limited - £20,000
Project ref: BIF0009 - Complete Control (UK) Ltd - £50,000
Project ref: BIF0054 - IRIS Intelligence Ltd - £20,000

Total - £510,000

Delegated authority has been granted to the WECA Chief Executive to take decisions on the award of Green Business Grants (through the Low Carbon Challenge Fund) in consultation with the Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils.

The key details of this Green Business Grant application were as follows:
Green Business grant applicant: Reena Enterprises Ltd
Sector: Wholesale and retail
Local authority area: Bristol
Project description: Replacement of existing lighting with LED lighting at business premises.
Project timescale: April 2021
Approximate annual savings analysis of the proposal:
* Annual greenhouse gas emission: 2.4 tCO2e
* Annual energy use: 49.5% on electricity use
* Annual energy cost: £756 on energy bills

The proposal was assessed by officers as meeting the required criteria in terms of value for money, deliverability and financial viability.

The Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils were consulted on this proposal and were in agreement with the decision.

To award £3,424.68 to Reena Enterprises Ltd in relation to their Green Business Grant application (ref: GBG082).

Delegated authority has been granted to the WECA Chief Executive to take decisions on indicative devolved Adult Education Budget provider allocations for the 2021/22 academic year in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England constituent councils.

WECA is proposing at indicative allocation stage to utilise £14,776,019 of the overall 2021/22 academic year budget to fund the roll-forward provider allocations. These allocations take into account the 2020/21 mid-year provider allocation point, requests for voluntary transfer of allocations and the growth amounts (which were agreed by the WECA CEO in consultation with the WECA constituent council CEOs in March 2021). In line with the previously agreed minimum contract value for 2021/22, WECA are proposing to directly fund 11 providers. These providers can then agree sub-contracts with other providers as long as these are included (and agreed) within the Curriculum Delivery Plans subsequently submitted to WECA.

The Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils were consulted on this proposal and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the following proposed, indicative provider allocations (encompassing for each provider the roll-forward allocation, any applicable growth funding and approved requests for voluntary transfer of allocations):
City of Bristol College - £6,278,501
SGS College - £2,272,216
Bath College - £1,993,950
Weston College - £1,272,170
Bristol City Council - £1,135,168
South Gloucestershire Council - £595,188
WEA - £322,750
NCG (Trading as Kidderminster College) - £255,033
N-Gaged Training £252,441
Wiltshire College - £226,753
Bridgewater and Taunton College £171,849
Total £14,776,019
(It is noted that once indicative allocations are agreed, WECA officers will liaise with the related providers to ensure they develop and submit curriculum delivery plans to WECA for consideration and agreement).

Delegated authority has been granted to the WECA Chief Executive to take decisions on walking and cycling infrastructure feasibility and development funding applications in consultation with the Chief Executives of the West of England constituent councils.

Feasibility and Development funding applications were submitted for the following walking and cycling infrastructure schemes:

Bath & North East Somerset Council:
- Bath Quays Bridge cycle/pedestrian links - £170k
- Bath University walking & cycle routes (incl. Bath city centre, Combe Down) - £80k

Bristol City Council:
- Old City and King Street, Bristol - £100k
- St George Liveable Neighbourhood - £150k

South Gloucestershire Council:
- Strategic cycle route connecting Thornbury with the A38 via Alveston - £125k
- Strategic cycle route connecting Yate with the East Fringe (Yate Spur) - £125k

The Chief Executives of the WECA constituent councils were consulted on these proposals and were in agreement with the decision.

Approval given to the following Feasibility and Development Funding Applications and associated funding awards:
- Bath Quays Bridge cycle/pedestrian links - £170k
- Bath University walking & cycle routes (incl. Bath city centre, Combe Down) - £80k
- Old City and King Street, Bristol - £100k
- St George Liveable Neighbourhood - £150k
- Strategic cycle route connecting Thornbury with the A38 via Alveston - £125k
- Strategic cycle route connecting Yate with the East Fringe (Yate Spur) - £125k