PROJECTS focusing on growth, innovation and decarbonisation have been put out to tender by West Northamptonshire Council.
It is seeking partners to deliver key elements of a multi-million pound investment plan which will benefit the local economy and support the sustainability goals of the area’s businesses.
The Growth & Innovation and Decarbonisation projects have each been allocated £625,000 from the council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, managed on behalf of the government.
Plans for the UKSPF funding include providing business support and revenue grants worth up to £20,000. The fund will encourage businesses to innovate and understand how they can grow their sales, profits, workforce and business as well as supporting employers to understand their energy usage and the measures they can implement to reduce emissions, increase efficiencies, and save on energy costs.
The chosen supplier for the Decarbonisation project will distribute grant funding and work with local businesses to develop sustainability plans, specifically towards achieving net zero and using government funding to tackle carbon emissions.
The Growth & Innovation project tender winner will distribute grant funding and work with businesses to deliver measures to progress their growth journey and to increase productivity.
“We want our funding to be inclusive and to really make a difference, to benefit the many thousands of businesses we have in this area to prosper,” said council leader Cllr Jonathan Nunn pictured left.
“These projects will not only help to grow our local economy and future-proof employment by creating a more inclusive market which is resilient to the impacts of climate change. They will also enable local businesses to diversify and invest in new technologies and energy-saving measures.
“We strongly believe that by working together to implement sustainable practices, initiatives, and investments and considering the small but vital steps we can all make, together we can achieve our shared mission to become Net-Zero by 2045.”
The tender closing date for the Decarbonisation and Growth & Innovation projects is December 8. Projects are expected to start in the spring and will run to the end March 2025. Further details and information regarding the tendering process can be found at www.westnorthants.gov.uk/working-us/doing-business-council.
The council has spent time planning how the funding can best achieve its growth aspirations and benefit the area’s economy. Cllr Daniel Lister pictured right, cabinet member for economic development, town centre regeneration and growth, said: “We are a local authority that recognises local employers as the lifeblood of our economy and it is for this reason, we are thrilled to be delivering the majority of our UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support local employers, improve and create jobs, boost the local economy and raise the profile of West Northants as an area where everyone can thrive.
“We are looking for delivery partners who share our ambition for inclusive and resilient growth in West Northants and are particularly interested in suppliers that can provide innovative and creative approaches for both the Growth & Innovation and Decarbonisation projects.”
More than £800,000 of Rural England Prosperity Funding will soon be available to support businesses in eligible rural areas. Three projects will target investment to support the drive to net zero, increase business productivity and growth and provide capital investment to support transformative rural initiatives.
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