East Midlands cashes in on Europe
More than £111m in European structural funding has been pumped into the East Midlands to boost innovation, productivity and enterprise since 2007, the East Midlands Development Agency (Emda) has said. A total of £229m of investment from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) into these areas in the region is planned by 2013.
The programme, directed by the Emda, hopes to "increase productivity through innovation, improving resource efficiency in businesses, and boosting sustainable economic and enterprise activity in less advantaged communities". The programme has supported 135 projects in the region since 2007 with a further £48m of investment already, Emda said.
The programme aims to help small and medium sized businesses, universities, local authorities, business support intermediaries, entrepreneurs, social enterprises and community organisations.
Some of the largest grants have gone to the University of Northampton which received £2.5m, the University of Nottingham which has been given a £2.7m, and the Bolsover District Council was awarded £3.8m.
Stuart Creedy, head of ERDF at Emda, said: "The ERDF Competitiveness Programme is providing a much needed boost to both fledgling and established businesses, supporting innovation, competitiveness and job creation, as well as accelerating economic development in disadvantaged areas, and across the East Midlands as a whole."
