European Structural Funds 2014-2020 consultation document

Update on the proposals for the Partnership Agreement and operational programmes of the 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).


PART 5: POTENTIAL STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS FOR STRUCTURAL FUNDS

(Please note that EAFRD and EMFF are covered in section 6)

SMART GROWTH: Competitiveness, innovation and Jobs

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PROPOSAL

LEAD ORG

DELIVERY

Potential ESIF Programme / Thematic Objective / Investment Priority

1

Developing Scotland's Workforce

To develop a coherent package of additional skills, training and workforce development support to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce

  • Advanced apprenticeships
  • Sectoral and regional skills for future industry needs - respond to local and regional need
  • Existing workforce development
  • Developing vocational pathways through school and college in response to Wood Commission
  • Curriculum development for new areas/sectors/ developments

SDS & SFC

Significant component will be additional high-level college and university places aimed at sectoral and regional need.

Advanced apprenticeships and existing workforce development delivered in partnership with business

Vocational pathways developed in target areas with schools and colleges.

ESIF Programme

European Social Fund ( ESF)

Thematic Objective

Investing in education, training and vocational training for skills and lifelong learning

Investment Priority

(c)(iv) Improving the labour market relevance of education and training systems, facilitating the transition from education to work, and strengthening vocational education and training systems and their quality, including through mechanisms for skills anticipation, adaptation of curricula and the establishment and development of work-based learning systems, including dual learning systems and apprenticeship schemes.

(c)(iii) Enhancing equal access to lifelong learning for all age groups in formal, non-formal and informal settings, upgrading the knowledge, skills and competences of the workforce, and promoting flexible learning pathways including through career guidance and validation of acquired competences.

2

Business Competitiveness

Aligning the support offered by Local Authorities and SE and HIE to identify future growth companies and support them to fulfil their potential. Strong focus on the key drivers of growth and competitiveness, including exporting, innovation and entrepreneurship. Will also address issues such as leadership development, efficiency and growing the digital economy.

SE/ HIE/ LA's/Visit Scotland

Aligned delivery between Local Authorities and SE/ HIE

Aim is to identify 700-1000 high growth companies as the 'next generation' capable of that growth within 5 years

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs

Investment Priority

Supporting the capacity of SME's to engage in growth in regional, national and international markets, and in innovation processes.

3

Innovation

Twin proposal to help businesses commercialise and capitalise on research; and to promote centres of excellence for that research. This recognises that multiple parts of the innovation system need to interact.

Aims to increase business R&D expenditure by £300 m. Aims for Scottish companies to be 'born global'.

HIE/ SE/ SFC

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

Strengthening research, technological development and innovation

Investment Priority

Promoting business investment in innovation and research and developing links and synergies between enterprises, R&D centres and higher education in particular product and service development, technology transfer, social innovation, eco-innovation, public service applications, demand stimulation, networking, clusters and open innovation through smart specialisation and supporting technological and applied research, pilot lines, early product validation actions, advanced manufacturing capabilities and first production, in particular key enabling technologies and diffusion of general purpose technologies

4

Next Generation Broadband Investment

To bring next generation superfast broadband to Highlands and Islands and other rural areas of Scotland with limited coverage through innovative solutions to ensure Scotland's most remote communities and businesses are not excluded from next generation broadband roll out.

SG Digital Directorate

In partnership with local; authorities and Community Broadband Scotland, using contracting and procurement

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund

Thematic Objective

Enhancing access to, and use and quality of, ICT

Investment Priority

Extending broadband deployment and the roll out of high speed networks and supporting the adoption of emerging technologies and networks for the digital economy

5

Scotland's 8 th City - the smart city

Glasgow is currently testing smart city technologies under the Technology Strategy Board funding. This programme will help Scotland's cities, industry and urban communities build on that, and innovate using new technologies and accelerate the transform delivery of city services - rollout a series of 'smart infrastructure and services' projects across Scotland's cities

Scottish Cities Alliance and SG Digital Directorate

Projects selected and procured through Cities Alliance network to fit with policy direction from Digital Directorate

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund

Thematic Objective

Enhancing the competitiveness of SMEs

Investment Priority

Supporting the creation and extension of advanced capacities or product and service development.

6

Financial Engineering Instruments

  • Proposals for expansion of access to finance funding, both through Scottish investment Bank and Local Authority Loan Funds
  • Proposal to use FEIs to fund low carbon transition fund (see proposal 8)
  • Proposal to use FEI's in future to support digital roll-out
  • proposal to use FEIs to ensure financial inclusion

Not yet clear

Possible to establish as a separate priority axis. Initial scoping work does not suggest this as the favoured option, and so these proposals may be delivered under other the relevant thematic objectives.

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

European Social Fund ( ESF)

Thematic Objective

- Strengthening RD&I

- Access to and use and quality of ICT

- Enhance Competitiveness of SMEs

- Supporting shift towards low carbon economy

- Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency

- Promoting employment and supporting labour market mobility

- Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH: Environment, low carbon and resource efficiency

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PROPOSALS

LEAD ORG

DELIVERY

Potenntial ESIF Programme / Thematic Objective / Investment Priority

7

Low Carbon travel and transport

Active Travel Hubs - Local facilities to link affordable bike hire and parking; safe, secure and convenient cycling and walking routes; and public transport as an alternative to taking the car.

National Smart Ticketing Scheme - A national Smart Transport Card acting as a catalyst for increased public transport use, reducing emissions and congestion from road travel

Low Carbon Transport Hubs - Trialling low carbon transport hubs at strategic sites to act as a catalyst for a step change in the take up of low carbon vehicles and the market for alternative fuels. Hubs will provide reliable low carbon refuelling services.

Transport Scotland

Active travel - Delivery likely to be a hybrid of Transport Scotland and locally promoted schemes, e.g. via community organisations or local authorities.

National Smart Ticketing Scheme - delivered by Transport Scotland via procurement where required

Hubs - TS to manage process for selecting sites and mix of alternative fuels with partners. Local authorities likely to play a role. Any building work must go through procurement.

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

- supporting the shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors

Investment Priority

- promoting low carbon strategies for all types of territories, in particular for urban areas, including the promotion of sustainable multi modal urban mobility and mitigation relevant adaptation measures

8

Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Development Fund

The fund will establish a low carbon programme to understand and support the economic opportunities arising from the transformation of Scotland's infrastructure. The programme will operate across a range of sectors that have significant potential for de-carbonisation and enterprise growth, including electricity and heat generation and energy efficiency, transport, resource efficiency and re-use, and food production and distribution, and will identify pipeline projects and support them to achieve significant external investment:

  • Investment base in low carbon infrastructure
  • Accelerate build rate of new renewable energy generation
  • Accelerated de-carbonisation of heat and transport fuels
  • Increased resource efficiency and energy demand reduction
  • Increased regional skills base and effective indigenous supply chain for low carbon infrastructure
  • Increase income generated and retained within regional economy from low carbon products and services

This fund has been established by merging a range of proposals from wider stakeholders including the third sector and local authorities.

Scottish Government

Through SG Green investment portfolio as a referral and advice centre.

Close working with enterprise agencies and local partners to identify priority sites.

Strong community angle

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

- supporting the shift towards a low carbon economy in all sectors

Investment Priority

- Promoting research in, innovation in and adoption of low-carbon technologies

- Promoting the production and distribution of energy derived from renewable sources

- Promoting the use of high efficiency co-generation of heat and power based on useful heat demand

[a number of the available Investment Priorities could be relevant. We will investigate the most suitable way to cover the range of activity proposed with the Commission]

9

Resource Efficient Circular Economy Accelerator Programme

To significantly scale up pilots and development projects in Scotland, delivering a transformative approach to supporting a resource efficient, circular economy

  • Growth of reprocessing and remanufacturing industries
  • Measurable business resource efficiency savings

Scottish Government and Zero Waste Scotland

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ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

(a) Supporting the shift towards a low carbon economy

(b) protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency

Investment Priority

(a) Promoting research, innovation and adaptation of low carbon technologies

(b) supporting industrial transition towards a resource-efficient economy, promoting green growth, eco-innovation and environmental performance management in public and private sectors

INCLUSIVE GROWTH: Local Development and Social inclusion

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PROPOSALS

LEAD ORG

DELIVERY

Potential ESIF Programme / Thematic Objective / Investment Priority

10

Enhanced Employability Pipelines & Youth Employment Scotland

To build on the existing P1 and P5 strategic skills pipeline approach that has been developed during the current Lowland and Uplands Scotland programme and incorporate a Youth Employer Recruitment Incentive programme:

  • Number of participants engaged in local pipelines
  • Number of participants progressing at least stage 3
  • Number progressing to at least stage 4
  • Number achieving a qualification
  • Number achieving a job
  • Number sustaining job at least 6 months
  • Number of young people progressing to ERI supported employment

CPPs - lead organisation

TBC

ESIF Programme

European Social Fund ( ESF)

Thematic Objective

Promoting sustainable and quality employment and supporting labour market mobility.

Investment Priority

Access to employment for job seekers and inactive people, including long term unemployed and people who are far from the labour market, also through local employment initiatives and support for labour market mobility.

11

Poverty and social inclusion

This proposal remains under development - a significant gap is emerging around community, family and household interventions to prevent social exclusion.

Not yet clear - under development

No lead yet identified although likely to have a significant delivery role for the third sector

ESIF Programme

European Social Fund ( ESF)

Thematic Objective

Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty and discrimination.

Investment Priority

Active inclusion, including with a view to promoting equal opportunities, active participation and improving employability.

[potential for other investment priorities depending on the focus]

12

Scottish Regeneration Capital Grant Fund

To focus on investment on delivering large scale transformational change. The focus will support economic and social activities that in turn support sustainable towns and cities. Key activities include land remediation, enabling infrastructure and support for town centres.

COSLA / SG

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

Promoting Social Inclusion and combating poverty and any discrimination.

Investment Priority

Support for physical, economic and social regeneration of deprived communities in urban and rural areas

13

Green Infrastructure

  • Proportion of households within 300m of publically useable greenspace of more than 0.2 ha
  • Improved perception of neighbourhoods
  • Increase in proportion of adults visiting outdoors at least once a week
  • Reduction in vacant and derelict land
  • Increase in number of businesses associated with management and use of green infrastructure
  • Economic impact of £49m and 300 FTEs created

SNH

SNH working with local authorities and community organisations to identify areas with, in particular, the central Scotland environment network, to develop

ESIF Programme

European Regional Development Fund ( ERDF)

Thematic Objective

Protecting the environment and promoting resource efficiency

Investment Priority

6 (e) action to improve the urban environment, revitalisation of cities, regeneration and decontamination of brownfield sites (including conversion areas), reduction of air pollution and promotion of noise reduction measures

AND potentially

9 (b) support for physical, economic and social regeneration of deprived communities in urban and rural areas

A range of other interventions were proposed through the development of the Sustainable growth theme, including Community Jobs Scotland, graduate recruitment, various initiatives aimed at development and capacity building in social enterprise and the third sector, domestic energy efficiency and advice and promoting cultural heritage. These are not represented here as the final meeting of the shadow SDPs felt they were either under-developed, lacked strategic fit with EU 2020 and other domestic funding available, did not represent value for money or should be merged with other proposals.

There will be a mid-point review in 2014-20 programmes, and further developments of some of these proposals may be reconsidered at that stage.

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