The Local Area Framework A Strategy for the Great Yarmouth & Waveney sub-region
		Project Expenditure Summary for the Waveney Area
		Sub Regional Project Expenditure Summary
		Allocations v Commitments by Measure

Objective 2 is a European Union (EU) Structural fund, geographically designated to concentrate grant aid assistance for maximum impact on areas of greatest need where unemployment is high and economic prosperity is low in relation to European averages.

The aim of Objective 2 is to:
Create and maintain sustainable economic growth that leads to greater economic and social cohesion that protects and enhances the environment and results in increased prosperity, jobs and an improved quality of life for those who live and work in the Programme Area.

This aim is achieved through the creation, management and development of public, private and voluntary sector partnerships working together for the benefit and future prosperity of the designated area.

Waveney and Great Yarmouth are an Objective 2 sub-region. If you would like further details on Objective 2 in Great Yarmouth please click here.

What funds make up Objective 2?
There are two main funds under the Objective 2 Programme EU Structural Funds, as follows:

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which allows capital (creation of assets) and revenue (supporting activity) expenditure on projects which provide infrastructure or support towards economically focused projects.

European Social Fund (ESF which provides mostly revenue support to training type activities.

Funding
The Objective 2 Programme has £86m European Structural funding available across the region over the seven years of the programme.

Designated Areas
The East of England Objective 2 area includes Breckland, Great Yarmouth North Norfolk Coastal, Luton, Southend-on-Sea and Waveney. Each of these 6 areas are then broken down by ward and it is only the designated wards that are eligible to bid for Objective 2 funds.

• Within the Waveney Objective 2 designation, priorities 1 & 2 cover 14 wards:

• Carlton		Carlton Colville
  Gunton		Harbour
  Kessingland		Kirkley
  Lothingland		Mutford
  Normanston		Oulton Broad
  Pakefield		St Margarets
  Southwold		Whitton

• Within the Waveney Objective 2 designation, Priority 3 covers 5 wards:

  Harbour	Kirkley
  Normanston	St Margarets
  Whitton

OBJECTIVE 2 PRIORITIES AND MEASURES

The Priorities and Measures are the means for delivering the strategic aims of the programme. There are four Priorities, each of which deals with a specific theme. Each Priority contains several Measures, which are the actions for delivering those themes.
The bulk of the funding allocated to the Objective 2 Programme comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (90%) with the remainder coming from the European Social Fund (ESF) (10%).

PRIORITY 1 SUPPORT FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE ENTERPRISE (SME) CREATION, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
This priority reflects the need within the Programme Area for greater levels of entrepreneurship, achievement of international best practice benchmarks and increased use of new technology. In addition, it also recognises that difficulties in assessing capital can impede SME development and business start-ups. There are two measures within this Priority.

Measure 1.1 Promoting SME Creation, Growth and Development (ERDF)
To increase the number and quality of new start-ups and improve the competitiveness of existing SMEs through the provision of business support.

Measure 1.2 Improving SMEs Access to Capital (ERDF)
To increase the number and survival rate of new SME start-ups and the growth of existing companies through the provision of venture capital, loans and other financial engineering actions.

PRIORITY 2 DEVELOPING KEY LOCATION, CLUSTER/SECTORS
This Priority underlines the existence of specific locations within the Programme Areas which require additional targeted support consistent within the SPD's strategic development framework. This approach will maximise the economic benefit of the objective 2 Programme in a manner which sustainable and which promote social inclusion. This priority also addresses weaknesses within specific sectors and clusters in the Programming Area in relation to enterprise, innovation, managerial competencies and industrial structure. There are two Measures within this Priority.

Measure 2.1 Developing Key Locations (ERDF)
Key locations fall into four categories.

a) Large business and science parks and industrial estates and other business/industrial locations of strategic importance.
b) Centres of towns and sea fronts.
c) Market towns with a strong service centre function.
d) Zones of cultural, leisure, historical and environmental interest with the realisable potential to attract significant but sustainable number of visitors.

Details of the areas designated as key locations are set out in the Programme Complement.

Measure 2.2 Developing Key Cluster/Sectors (ERDF)
This measure provides support for key industrial sectors within the Programme Area including manufacturing, engineering, food processing, supply of services and products for offshore oil and gas exploration and production, transport (ports and airports), information and communication technologies, financial and business services, tourism leisure and heritage, arts and crafts and multimedia and film. This Measure also addresses the need to develop collaborative partnerships for mutual benefit between concentrations of SMEs (or clusters) involved in similar business activities.

Measure 2.3 Developing Skills for Employment and Opportunities within Key Locations and Clusters/Sectors (ESF)
To provide skills training relevant to the needs of the clusters and sectors within the Programme Area. These skills include basic skills, management, supervisory, communications/customer care. The Programme Complement contains further details on sectors and skills needed.

PRIORITY 3 COMMUNITY ECONOMIC REGENERATION
This Priority tackles issues of economic and social exclusion in parts of the Programme Area. The areas affected are identified mainly with reference to the DETR Index of Multiple Deprivation. Resources will be in the neediest areas to ensure adequate aid intensity. The kinds of activity involved will include community capacity building, business development, upskilling, care facilities, environmental improvements and community facilities. A list of areas targeted for support under this Priority is set out in the Programme Complement. There are three Measures within the Priority.

Measure 3.1 Building Community Capacity (ERDF)
This Measure aims to increase the capacity of targeted local communities to contribute to and be involved in the regeneration of their local areas. This will include development of community capacity and leadership, research activities, local partnerships and stakeholders, information and communication services, local regeneration strategies.

Measure 3.2 Building the Economic Base to Support Sustainable Communities (ERDF)
To increase the number of residents in employment through the development of community enterprise and the provision of facilities and services that increase their employability. Types of activities will include business advice, alternative financial instruments, managed workspace/business centres, care facilities, local training, ICT facilities, community transport schemes, environmental improvements, economically regenerative community buildings, employment/training-related recycle/waste management.

Measure 3.3 Developing Local Skills to Promote Community Economic Regeneration (ESF)
To increase the employability of residents of targeted areas through the provision of appropriate HRD guidance and support. Expected action will include skill audits, training programmes, personal development and advice, employment subsidies, community works schemes.

PRIORITY 4 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (ERDF & ESF)
The programme includes an allocation to provide technical assistance towards measures to prepare, appraise, monitor and evaluate activities planned or undertaken under this Programme. The major beneficiaries under this priority will be those in need of advice / training in putting together bids for funding under the other priorities / measures. Such beneficiaries would include existing / new SMEs and Community Groups.

Measure 4.1 Programme Management
Programme management includes the use of facilitators and co-ordination in order to ensure effective delivery of the programme.

Measure 4.2 Research and Development
The objective of this measure is to meet the requirement for useful evaluations of the Programme and to enable decisions about allocations of funds to activities to be based on established evidence.

OBJECTIVE 2 LOCAL AREA GROUPS AND FRAMEWORKS

The East of England Objective 2 Programme Area is not a single territorial unit but is made up of seven separate sub-regional areas. Each of these programme areas has a Local Area Group (LAG).

Membership of each LAG is made up of representatives from key local organisations such as Local Authorities, Further and Higher Education, Community and Voluntary Groups. Each Local Area Group has produced a Local Area Framework (LAF), which sets out the strategy for utilising Objective 2 funds to achieve economic regeneration in the local Programme area. The role of the LAG is to act as a conduit for projects to ensure that all projects being delivered in the local area are appropriate, non-duplicating and have been identified as priority actions within the Local Area Framework. Local Area Frameworks are reviewed on an annual basis. All project applications are first considered by the LAG in the context of the Local Area Framework before submission to Government Office for appraisal and consideration by the Objective 2 Operating Group. It is not the role of the LAG to undertake detailed appraisal of projects. The Facilitator will have overseen the development of the project in line with the established scoring criteria.

Contacts: