COMMONWEALTH LEGACY REPORT



COMMONWEALTH ECONOMIC BENEFITS LEGACY REPORT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. BACKGROUND

3. PROJECTS THAT MADE UP THE ECONOMIC PROGRAMME

4. SECTOR REPORTS

5. COUNTRY REPORTS

1. INTRODUCTION

The Commonwealth Economic Benefits (CEB) initiative was set up to assist the sustainable growth of the North West region’s economic base, by maximising economic opportunities from the Commonwealth Games in Manchester 2002 and by utilising the Games as a promotional asset for trade and investment.

The programme operated in the following areas:

• developing long term trade initiatives with Commonwealth countries through inward and outward trade missions, with a current focus on the following markets - Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa.

• promoting sector interests for both indigenous growth and trade activity for businesses in the North West of England. These groups include: - aerospace; automotive; creative industries; environmental technologies; health industries; information & communication technology (ICT); sports industries and tourism.

• identifying opportunities for, and disseminating information about, business opportunities relating to the Games, the Games sponsors and the Games infrastructure.

• informing all parts of the North West region and all relevant agencies about the benefits initiative and encouraging involvement.

• organising The Business Club in the run up to Games Time in July/August 2002 to maximise business opportunities alongside the sporting events. Learning from the success of Business Club Australia in the run up to and during the Olympic Games in Sydney, the establishment of The Business Club on the web and in Manchester during the period of the Commonwealth Games showcasing business opportunities for the country/North West region on the one hand with Commonwealth and other international countries on the other. The Business Club featured country and sector briefings, and also offered a matching service for one-to-one business discussions. In all there were 41 events – mainly held at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester during Games Time attracting an attendance of over 4000.

• Two major conferences – Cultural Impact, held in Liverpool and Bid to Benefit, held immediately after the Games at the Lowry Hotel – also formed part of The Business Club programme.

The Business Club continues to grow and at October 2002 has nearly 6000 members. The Club will continue to operate online but will also be involved in regional, national and international events.

2. BACKGROUND

When Manchester were awarded the XVII Commonwealth Games to take place in the summer of 2002, Manchester City Council decided that it wished to demonstrate an economic benefit and charged its Economic Department to take charge of the initiative. With the formation of MIDAS in June 1997 this initiative was allocated to it. In September 1997 the Commonwealth Economic Benefits Initiative was launched with the recruitment of three secondees from Manchester City Council, Manchester TEC and Government Office North West forming the secretariat of the Initiative.

During 1999 the 2002 North West Partnership submitted a successful Single Regeneration Bid for £6,200,000 towards a project costing almost £22,000,000 of which £1.8m was allocated to Sectoral Development against project costs of £4.3m over four years. This was to be used to implement programmes of action in 8 key sectors and 6 key markets, relevant to North West England.

Key Sectors - Aerospace, Automotive, Creative Industries, Education, Environmental Industries, Health Industries, Information & Communications Technology (ICT), Sports-related Industries, Tourism

Key Markets - Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa

Key activities would include the encouragement of bilateral trade and investment; conferences, exhibitions, and seminars; new market opportunities; having a North West representative in Commonwealth countries; supply chain development.

The Commonwealth Economic Benefits Initiative aimed to maximise the long term economic impact of the 2002 Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth-related activity on Manchester and the North West region, ensuring that the benefits were sustainable, thus contributing to the strengthening of the region’s economy.”

In detail the initiative would

• develop long term trade initiatives with key target markets, and respond to other opportunities in other markets that might arise.

• identify opportunities for, and disseminate information about, business opportunities relating to the Games and its local infrastructure.

• promote sector interests for both indigenous growth and trade activity. Initially these groups would include: aerospace; automotive; creative industries; education and training; environmental technologies; health industries; information & communication technology (ICT); sports industries and tourism.

• Organise business activities including a business club during games time to maximise business opportunities alongside the sporting events.

The responsibility for delivering this economic project was given to MIDAS as the sub-agent with £300k of the SRB monies allocated to the North West Tourist Board leaving £1.5m to be administered from February 2000 (when the delivery plan was approved) until 30th September 2003. MIDAS recruited a small team to deliver its own specific projects as well as to co-ordinate the overall economic programme reporting back to the Commonwealth Games Opportunities and Legacy Partnership Board via the Programme Manager (Lesley Giddins).

The Sectoral Bid was based on the following forecast outputs (actuals in brackets – 8 projects) :-

S R B £1,800,000

Public Sector Contribution £1,383,660 (£1,937k)

Private Sector Contribution £1,015,735 (£1,654k)

Jobs created (1Ai) 8 13.5

Business Advised (2D) 600 6,433

SME’s visiting the market (11A) 200 250

Networks created (12A) 6 24

3. S R B APPROVED PROJECTS

P006 Strategic Development (run by MIDAS/CEB) - £722,263

P016 Strategic Promotions (run by MIDAS/CEB) - £50,000

P018 Trade Development (run by MIDAS/CEB) - £243,378

P007 Health Care Capacity (run by CHCD) - £18,000

P008 Creative Frontiers (run by CIDS) - £35,780

P009 Supply Chain (run by C B E) - £20,000

P013 Trade Link (run by Manchester City Council) - £45,247

P017 Health Connections (run by CHCD) - £97,875

P019 Linking the Chains (run by N W A A) - £67,821

P020 Rabon (run by LARRIAT (Enterprise plc) - £15,032

P021 Supply Chain Development (run by C B E) - £177,700

TOTAL - £1,493,098

P010 Tourism (run by N W T B) - £309,295

P006 STRATEGIC PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT

A SRB grant of £130,000 over the fifteen months to 31st March 2001 was approved in February to fund the Prosperity North West project management team. The project has in addition to meeting salary and running costs of a team of five located at MIDAS also enabled the funding of some small ‘one off’ projects such as those undertaken by the aerospace and environment sectors to be initiated as part of the project sector development stage.

A SRB grant of £596,000 over two and a half years to 30th September 2003 allowed for the continuation of a strategic programme of sectoral development, cross sectoral work, trade activity and promotion to maximise the potential for economic growth in the region, particularly by SME’s that would be supported by dedicated staff. The project concentrated upon sectoral capacity building within the key growth sectors (previously identified) targeted: Creative, Health, Sports Industries, ICT, Environment, Automotive and Aerospace and in key target markets agreed with Trade Partners UK regionally and nationally..

The SRB costs to be funded were all revenue expenditure that basically met the salary and overhead expenditure and project costs of the dedicated staff team based at MIDAS involved in directing the programme that make up Prosperity North West (It should be noted that none of these specific activity projects include a MIDAS staffing element cost as it was all concentrated and absorbed within this project). This project was therefore the cornerstone of the Prosperity North West Economic Programme as it provided the staffing resources to enable the total programme involving a complex partnership arrangement and additional matched funding to be co-ordinated.

The provision of an administration support structure to develop the economic programme in conjunction with the appropriate target sector groups was originally established in February 1999 under project CGEP006 (approval ran out 31 March 2001). The main objective was the use of SRB funding to initially undertake research to establish the capacity and capability of the existing sector groups and to develop a robust group where one did not exist and to expand Lancashire based groups (eg aerospace & automotive) to encompass the whole NW region. This work had successfully been undertaken involving surveys in the health (health capacity – CGEP007), automotive (RABON – CGEP020) and environment (as part of CGEP006) sectors that will and has led in the case of the health sector to a specific projects being initiated by the sector group (health connections – CGEP017). During that year the CEBI team negotiated a co-operation agreement with British Trade International (Trade Partners UK & Invest UK) to develop activity in the six key Commonwealth countries concentrating on the key sectors of activity. This has resulted in greater liaison with Trade Partners UK at international, national and regional levels concentrated in the SRB supported project ‘Commonwealth Trade Development Project (CGEP018).

This ongoing work led to mainstream collaboration between the regional and national partners in the pursuit of the objectives and to which all partner organisations are financially and idealogically committed.

The funding primarily met the salary costs, travel costs and general overheads of servicing the economic programme within Prosperity North West. In addition it enabled a small amount of sector development work to take place in conjunction with the key sector partnership groups (aerospace, automotive, creative industries, environment, health, ICT and sport (tourism is handled via North West Tourist Board) before it was ready to become part of a programme initiative such as the Commonwealth Trade Development Programme. During the year 2001/02 £10k was invested into helping to establish a functional secretariat for Envirolink North West Ltd prior to a membership recruitment campaign that secured £90k of funding from the Regional Development Agency as part of its sector initiative. In addition the incorporation of the Creative Industries Frontiers project generated additional private sector contribution to the project and support for the further extension of the RABON (Automotive Sector) project (covering Cheshire, Cumbria and the non-KONVER area of Lancashire) ensured that the region was fully covered. In addition the establishment of a dedicated web site resulted in project meeting the cost of promotional material etc being developed in conjunction with MIDAS thus gaining access to its marketing budget. Administrative support towards the highly successful Skills Show held at Salford Quays in November 2002, was provided to its direct staff located at Midas’s offices.

The project team was managed on a day to day basis by the Commonwealth Team Programme Director and was responsible for providing administrative support to the target sector groups to promote commonwealth activity in the key markets. It was responsible for maintaining regular contact with key national, local and regional partners as well as monitoring of the SRB Prosperity North West budget of £1.8m and ensuring that proper financial records were maintained as required by the SRB Programme Director. The Commonwealth Team Project Director will be directly accountable to the Commonwealth Economic Benefits Initiative Group that met quarterly under the chairmanship of Mr Rod Sellers. CEBI itself consists of our agency partners and sector group leaders meeting quarterly with the September and March meetings opened up to a much wider audience. CEBI reports back to the Commonwealth Games Opportunities and Partnership Board, the organisation charged by Manchester City Council to deliver the social & economic programme and to co-ordinate under legacy activity.

In 2002 the programme concentrated upon bringing all the relevant sectors, the Supply Chain Development Programme and market activity together under the auspices of the Commonwealth Games Business Club, where strategic use of SRB (£20k) was used to lever in additional monies from T P U K (£150k), N W D A (£50k), E R D F (£150k) and Manchester Chamber of Commerce & Industry (M C C I) (£25k) as well as ‘in kind’ support from other partner agencies. (The Business Club outputs etc. are described in the Introduction to this report).

The target population was primarily the SME’s in the key sectors across the whole of the North West. As those sectors were not fully serviced in respect of the target Commonwealth countries it was therefore the function of CEBI to keep these markets at the forefront of attention both prior to/during and immediately after the Commonwealth Games. During the initial fifteen months of the pilot project surveys were undertaken in the environment, automotive and health sectors that resulted in SRB supported projects being undertaken.

The project was not used to substitute for mainstream provision but to use the ‘spotlight’ of the Commonwealth Games to highlight gaps in provision e.g. support for N W D A key clusters, access to trade opportunities in key priority markets and supply issues around the added business opportunities due to staging the games.

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£ £

S R B spend 726,000 (726,000)

Private and non public sector funding 853,650 (499,000)

Public Sector Funding 1,484,223 (1,516,000)

Jobs created (1Ai) 5 (5)

Jobs safeguarded (1Aii) 7 (7)

Businesses advised (2D) 5,333 (485)

Events taking place (30Ai) 52 (18)

SME’s visiting market (51A) 39 (95)

Business networks created (52A) 12 (6)

^ target output transferred to Trade Development Project (P018)

* performance up to 30th June 2003

P016 STRATEGIC PROMOTIONAL PROJECT

A SRB grant of £50,000 was approved in June to enable MIDAS in conjunction with Marketing Manchester to produce a range of promotional material and literature for marketing the Commonwealth Economic Benefits Initiative suitable for use at a range of promotional events. It was used to enhance the web site and allowed electronic access to information and promotional material. It ensured that the materials produced conformed to the ‘logo’ requirements of CG 2002 and maximised the promotional budgets of MIDAS and Marketing Manchester. Having successfully achieved this it was incorporated into the Strategic Development Project (P006) for subsequent years.

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£k £k

SRB spend 50 (50)

Private and non public sector funding 2 (5)

Public sector funding 4 (5)

Number of business sector groups sustained 5 (5)

P018 TRADE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

The Trade Development project (approved in September 2000) was based on the collaborative programme action plan signed between British Trade International (TPUK – regionally & nationally) and MIDAS after wide consultation with a broad range of local stake holders on the proposed projects. The action plan was structured by markets (Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, Singapore & South Africa) and sector strategies (aerospace, automotive, environmental services, health, creative industries, I C T, sports industry and tourism) and forms part of British Trade International’s wider country and sector strategies.

The project consisted of a number of activities, events, missions (inward & outward) to promote trade development with the key Commonwealth countries (listed above). Project outputs are tabulated below as are a list of trade missions that have been organised as part of the SRB programme (some prior to the approval of the trade development project funded through the Strategic Development Project -CGEP006). Importantly during the lifetime of this eighteen month project all of the target markets were visited by S M E’s based in North West England.

Highlights of the project include the Sports trade mission to South Africa in February 2001 (organised by MIDAS in conjunction with T P U K) that produced an inward mission from the South African Premier Soccer League to North West England immediately prior to the outward missions departure. That mission also enable us to liaise with the British Consulate-General in Cape Town to lay the foundations for the Liverpool Chamber mission that coincided with the ‘Liverpool Clipper’s’ arrival in June 2001 and the staging of a successful fashion show in conjunction with T P U K South Africa Desk.

The trade mission to Australia in February/March 2001 enabled the CEBI team to talk to Austrade about the Business Club organised at the Sydney Olympics the previous summer and formulate plans for the Commonwealth Business Club (our main thrust for 2002). In November 2001 the Singapore British Business Council brought it’s biannual meeting to Manchester (the first time the UK event has been located outside of London). In February 2002 we finally mounted a trade mission to India (organised by MIDAS in conjunction with T P U K) with the I C T group attending ICT 2002 in Mumbai (Bombay) and attending NASSCOM.

The Indian visit has resulted in the I C T Games time event majoring on India with a follow up trade mission planned for the end of this year. An Indian Environment Showcase event was held in Manchester during March 2002 plus plans for an Inward Mission from ‘Bollywood’ scheduled to take place in May 2002. The Cultural Industry & New Media have been funded to attend Badeck in Canada and once again this will lead to Games time activity. The project has continued in conjunction with Manchester Chamber of Commerce to target activity in Malaysia and once again this will be capitalised upon with Commonwealth Games Business Club activity. On the local scene the project helped to support the successful ‘In the City’ programme and the Commonwealth Film Festival.

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£k £k

SRB spend 247 (224)

Private & Non-Public Sector funding 706 (81)

Public Sector 213* (233)

Businesses advised 463 (235)

SME’s visiting Markets 170 (145)

* BTI (TPUK) changed the emphasis of its funding and instead committed £150k to the Commonwealth Business Club (part of the Strategic Development project P006)

TRADE MISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SRB PROGRAMME

1. Manchester Chamber to Malaysia & Singapore Nov. 1999 29

2. “ “ to South Africa & Mauritius Feb 2000 4

3. Liverpool Chamber Mission to Australia & N Z Feb. 2000 6

4. SMMT Mission to South Africa Oct 2000 2

5. Manchester C/C Mission to Malaysia & Singapore Oct. 2000 31

6. Liverpool C/C Mission to Australia & N Z Feb. 2001 29

7. MIDAS Sports Mission to South Africa Feb 2001 18

8. Manchester Mission to Australia March 2001 27

9. Liverpool C/C Mission to South Africa June 2001 19

10. Manchester Mission to Australia Sept. 2001 3

11. Manchester C/C Mission to Malaysia & Singapore Nov.2001 10

12. MIDAS ICT Mission to India Feb. 2002 16

13. Liverpool C/C Mission to Australia & N Z Feb 2002 22

TOTAL 216

CONCLUSION

The project has exceeded all its original targets with the exception of attracting funds from T P U K (B T I changed its emphasis on funding but is supporting the Commonwealth Business Club with £150k in cash plus considerable ‘in kind’ contribution) even in spite of the events of 11th September in New York. The cancellation of C H O G M in September 2001 denied us the opportunity to promote both Manchester’s staging of the Commonwealth Games and outlining plans for the Business Club to a wider Commonwealth audience.

P007 HEALTHCARE CAPACITY

| |

|This pilot project attracting SRB totalling £18,000 received approved in February 2000 to build a database which was an |

|essential foundation for a longer term project (Health Connections P017 the subject of a subsequent SRB proposal). However, |

|this short project stood on its own and created intrinsic benefits. In particular it was supportive of the strategy of the |

|North West Development Agency as expressed in their “2020” document. This data gathering project enabled an integrated data |

|base to be created that identified a register of export capacity in the north west for Health Sector companies and other |

|enterprises providing knowledge and training based services. The data base was to cover products, clinical service design, |

|health improvement plan design, knowledge transference, training expertise, and medical and health research capacity, as well |

|as expert consulting resources in both clinical and organisational matters. Once created it would be managed and maintained |

|by the Centre for Healthcare Development (CHCD) in conjunction with MEDILINK. |

| |

|In detail this particular SRB proposal involved the following activities: |

|Creating a data base of the target enterprises and individuals |

|Creating summary information on the target countries for dissemination to the possible participating enterprises in the north |

|west |

|Developing compatible questionnaires for the target enterprises and individuals |

|Managing the distribution, follow-up and receipt of completed questionnaires |

|Evaluation and inputting of the information on to the data base |

|Creating an e-mail data base to aid future communications |

|Delivering a report of the type of information available to the Health Sector Focus Group. |

| |

|OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets) |

| |

|£ £ |

|S R B spend 18,000 (18,000) |

|Private & non public funding 10,250 (10,250) |

|Public sector funding 14,450 (14,450) |

| |

|Number of capacity building initiatives (8f) 1 (1) |

|Number of business networks created (52Ai) 1 (1) |

| |

P017 HEALTH CONNECTIONS

The Health Connection project in the sum of £135,800.00 was approved in July 2000 for the period until 31st March 2002. The project was to link the capacity and capabilities of private sector companies, public sector organisations, academic institutions and individuals active in the health sector with potential markets in the target Commonwealth countries. The project was co-ordinated by the Centre for Health Care Development (CHCD) and directly built upon the survey report prepared under Healthcare Capacity (P007). The new network proposed to improve the co-ordination of collaborative efforts to enhance export performance of the whole Health Sector economy in the North West of England. In particular the export performance of S M E’s and the overseas activity of public sector organisations would be improved by more effective matching processes between companies and other organisations. Increased opportunities for export contacts would be made by attendance at trade shows and participation in trade missions and other collaborative developments.

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£ £

SRB 97,785 (135.800)

Private & non public sector funding 31,941 (92,490)

Public Sector funding 57,230 (132,355)

Number of businesses receiving advice (2D) 80 (35)

Number of capacity building initiatives (8F) 21 (33)

S M E’s visiting market (51A) 13 (12)

Number of business networks created (52Ai) 8 (11)

Number of enquiries received (52Aiii) 40 (70)

P008 CREATIVE FRONTIERS

| |

|The project approved in February 2000 in the sum of £36,000 until 31st March 2001 was to deliver services to support the |

|growth of international networking, market opportunities and trade in the creative industry sector. The services delivered |

|would be research, advice and targeted business support in order to: |

| |

|Identify key market opportunities in EU and Commonwealth member states |

|Identify SME’s and networks of SME’s with potential to trade in these markets |

|Build capacity locally for export through provision of sector specific advice and guidance to individual SME’s, and groups of |

|SME’s, to target markets and manage the outcomes of overseas marketing projects |

|Undertake development of projects which promote access to international markets for NW regional SME’s in the CI sector |

|Disseminate research outcomes and best practice from marketing initiatives to other SME’s and mainstream support services. |

| |

|Under this project ERDF monies were targeted to develop EU markets and market capability in Creative Industry SMEs in the |

|Manchester and City Pride area. SRB monies enabled the existing and new resources to be targeted to Commonwealth markets and |

|to Creative Industries in the North West region wishing to develop those markets. Project partners included Creative |

|Industries Development Service (CIDS), Marketing Manchester, Manchester Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Arts about Manchester |

|and the Manchester Institute of Popular Culture. |

| |

|When the project was completed the activity was incorporated into the Strategic Development Project (P006) & Trade Development|

|Project (P018). |

| |

|OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets) |

| |

|£ £ |

|S R B spend 35,780 (36,000) |

|Private & non public sector funding 21,880 (80,000) |

|Public sector funding 152,888 (131,513) |

| |

|Jobs created (1Ai) 0.5 (0.5) |

|Number of businesses receiving advice (2D) 115 (55) |

|Number of S M E’s visiting the market (51A) 22 (15) |

P019 LINKING THE CHAINS PROJECT

| |

| |

|The project co-ordinated by the North West Aerospace Alliance approved in September 2000 in the sum of £67,815 of SRB to run until 31st |

|March 2003 proposed to undertake three main activities to promote links between the Aerospace & Defence sector in the North West and the |

|equivalent industries in the Commonwealth. These links included India, Australia, South Africa, Canada, Singapore and Malaysia. The |

|principal mechanisms for improving links and encouraging development of trade included events held during the major international |

|aerospace and defence shows and in particular those held in Commonwealth countries. It was proposed to culminate this with a major |

|Commonwealth Aerospace conference event to be held in the North West during the Commonwealth Games (it became a Business Club sector |

|event). In order to provide an analytical framework for development of trade, it proposed to undertake a capability analysis of the |

|aerospace industries in each of the countries listed. |

|The three main activities are detailed below: |

| |

|1. Major Air Shows and Exhibitions |

|The North West Aerospace Alliance has attended shows on the basis of member interest. The Alliance has regularly exhibited at Farnborough|

|and Paris, attended the North American Show in Canada three times, and has also exhibited in Australia. It would then be the intention to|

|build upon the work undertaken at Farnborough 2000 Supported through the Strategic Development Project (P006) by to holding further |

|seminar/workshop events in Paris (2001) and at Farnborough in 2002. The scale of attendance and events at other air shows/ exhibitions |

|would depend on levels of interest generated. |

|2. Capability Analysis |

|This work to assess the capability of the North West Aerospace Industry was funded by the NWDA, and aimed at identifying priority areas |

|for improvement. SRB funding would enable the NWAA to build upon this initial work, as a basis for developing more effective links with |

|other regional aerospace industries across the world such as the Ontario Aerospace Council that identified a potential sector analysis |

|methodology for comparing gaps in the respective industries and to identify potential areas of synergy. NWAA proposed to undertake a |

|pilot study to test the potential of the methodology and to extend this to other participants.The NWAA had already signed Memorandum of |

|Understandings (MOUs) for co-operation with a number of regional aerospace associations including the Australian Industrial Defence |

|Network and the provincial associations in Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. It proposed to sign M O U’s with the |

|equivalent organisations in India, South Africa, Malaysia and Singapore. |

| |

|3 Commonwealth Games Aerospace Conference |

|Building on the links established NWAA proposed to host a major conference event in the North West to coincide with the Commonwealth Games|

|that take place at the same time as Farnborough 2002. In the event the conference was incorporated into the Business Club event programme |

|following Farnborough and was supplemented with visits to major aerospace centres in the North West by groups from Malaysia. |

| |

|OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets) |

| |

|£ £ |

|S R B spend 67,636 (67,815) |

|Private & non public sector funding 26,413 (33,295) |

|Public sector funding 11,698 (35,344) |

| |

|Number of jobs created (1Ai) 1 (1) |

|Number of businesses advised 400 (250) |

|Feasibility studies completed (11A) 7 (0) |

|S M E’s visiting the market (51A) 3 (10) |

|Number of business networks created (52Ai) 2 (0) |

| |

P020 RABON (AUTOMOTIVE PROJECT)

|The RABON project approved in September 2000 in the sum of £15,032 of SRB covering the period to 31st March 2001 allowed |

|LARRIAT (Lancashire & Regional Rail & Automotive Partnership) to apply resources to companies in Greater Manchester and |

|Merseyside, to recruit new members as well as profiling their business development requirements and include them on the |

|LARRIAT website. Since 1st April 1999 Lancashire County Council and the European Union's KONVER II programme have been funding|

|the Lancashire Road, Rail and Automotive Partnership (LARRIAT), a project managed by Enterprise plc. The project aimed to |

|improve the competitiveness and profitability of 160 member companies, mostly Tier 2 and 3 in the automotive supply chain, by |

|acting as a gateway for new business and training opportunities. Key features of the project are a monthly newsletter |

|informing members of events and business opportunities, as well as an interactive web-site providing a search facility to |

|enable customers to access information on members products and capabilities. Membership continued to grow both within the |

|eligible areas of Lancashire and outside through the creation of associate membership. The LARRIAT operating methodology and |

|business development support structure would be extended to SME automotive engineering and manufacturing companies in Greater |

|Manchester (GM) and Merseyside. This would enable most of the region's automotive related companies to: |

|receive the project newsletter and be listed on the web-site; |

|be personally notified by e-mail of new business opportunities, identified through the project's domestic and international |

|networks; |

|participate in automotive workshops on training, supply chain and business development topics; |

|participate in the LARRIAT mission programme to the major international trade shows targeted by the DTI Automotive |

|Directorate. |

|Extending the project was expected to produce considerable economies of scale as well as the following tangible benefits: |

| |

|promotion of the concept of an integrated North West automotive industry in line with RDA strategic objectives on sectorised |

|clusters; |

|there will be a quantifiable contribution to an increase in the profitability and competitiveness of a major part of the North|

|West SME engineering and automotive sector; |

|support will be given to the MIDAS initiative on Commonwealth Games related economic benefits through participation in |

|automotive missions to South Africa, India, Malaysia and Canada; |

|the project will promote the use of web based ICT systems and help to create an electronic business portal for the North West |

|automotive industry; |

|a mechanism will be created to promote inward investment into under-resourced SMEs thereby securing the employment base and |

|profitability of the automotive sector. |

| |

|Project Implementation Plan |

| |

|Within the initial six month pilot phase of the project the following outputs will be delivered: |

| |

|a marketing campaign to approximately 500 Greater Manchester and 100 Merseyside companies on the LARRIAT NorthWest Automotive |

|database in the automotive sector notifying them of project objectives and benefits and inviting participant registration; |

|telemarketing follow-through to companies who have failed to register interest three months after the start of the marketing |

|campaign ; |

|design and posting of approximately 100 GM and Merseyside participating companies within discreet regionalised segments of |

|the existing web-site; |

|immediate extension of the newsletter to participating GM and Merseyside companies as well as the new business information and|

|opportunity matching service drawn from the existing LARRIAT network and Tradelink UK; |

|extension of the LARRIAT programme of industry workshops, meet the buyer seminars and trade missions to GM and Merseyside |

|companies particularly focusing on Commonwealth markets such as India, Malaysia, South Africa and Canada; |

|profiling of GM and Merseyside participating companies and inclusion of their company details in the interactive web-site; |

|adaptation of the interactive web-site to provide electronic matching of new business opportunities to all LARRIAT, GM and |

|Merseyside participating companies. |

| |

|OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets) |

| |

|£ £ |

|S R B spend 15,032 (15,032) |

|Private and non public sector funding 0 (5,000) |

| |

|Number of businesses advised (2D) 42 (100) |

|Feasibility Studies (11Ai) 19 (20) |

|S M E’s visiting the market (51A) 3 (20) |

|Business networks created (52Ai) 1 (1) |

P009 SUPPLY CHAIN PROJECT PHASE 1

A SRB grant of £20,000 over the fifteen months to 31st March 2001 was approved in 2000 to fund the first phase of the Supply Chain project that was

directed towards the construction of Games venues, and targeted towards businesses involved in the construction sector. Subsequent stages will be directed towards other industries at times relevant for their involvement in the Games through potential use of Games sponsors linked to the specific targeted sectors of the Prosperity North West programme.

The Project’s objectives were;

1. To capture and spread the benefits of the games across the North West Region.

2. To ensure businesses are aware of potential construction contracts.

3. To assist with the awareness raising of best practice in construction.

4. To give the opportunity for SMEs to meet one to one with the main contractors

5. To give the main contractors the opportunity to effectively assess a number of potential new or existing local suppliers.

6. To ensure suppliers to the games, where ever possible, remain in the North West and therefore the economic benefits also remain in the region.

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£k £k

S R B spend 20 (20)

Private and non public sector funding 0 (0)

Public Sector Funding 15 (15)

Businesses advised (2D) (60)

Events taking place 3 (3)

P021 SUPPLY CHAIN DEVELOPMENT PHASE II

The Phase II project was offered SRB grant totalling £177,700 in July 2000 to target Commonwealth Games contractors. The programme exists to ensure that businesses in the North West region are able to take advantage of the opportunities generated by the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, and thereby retain the economic benefits within the region.

The Games are being run to the highest standard, with strict budgetary controls, and so it is essential that businesses engaged be selected because of their capabilities rather than just their location. The programme seeks to give regional businesses every opportunity to demonstrate their competitiveness and to provide support to improve their competitiveness and ability to win business wherever possible.

The programme has five main activities;

- working with Sponsors and supporters of the Games to meet their specific Games requirements

- working with Sponsors and supporters on their overall Supply Chain requirements

- working directly with the Games organisation

- raising competitiveness of businesses across the region

- communicating as widely as possible the opportunities created by the Games, the success of the Games and the capabilities of North West companies.

SupplyWise at Chamber Business Enterprises acted as the focal point for access to the Games on behalf of the programme partners (MIDAS, NWDA, Enterprise plc., C B E) and regional local authorities and agencies. Information about events and activities were cascaded across the region through those local agencies. Events included 2 Showcase Meet the Buyer events (in June and October 2001).

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£k £k

S R B spend 177.7 (177.7)

Private and non public sector funding

Public Sector funding

P013 TRADE LINK

A SRB grant of £65,000 over fifteen months to 31st March 2001 was awarded to the Trade Link project that seeks to define and implement cross-sectoral projects to utilise ICT for increasing SME capacity and competitiveness. Initial work was concentrated on taking a North West Group of exhibitors to Softworld 2000 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in October 2000. Further SRB funding of £179,500 was offered to Manchester City Council outside of the SRB economic programme and has all been defrayed (no further details are available)

OUTPUTS (budget targets in brackets)

£ £

S R B spend 45,288 (65,000)

Private and non public sector funding 12,500 (12,500)

Public Sector funding 68,000 (65,000)

Jobs created (1Ai) 1 (2)

Jobs safeguarded (1Aii) n/k (50)

Businesses advised (2D) 196 (250)

S M E’s visiting market (51A) 495 (750)

4.SECTOR REPORTS

AEROSPACE

SRB funding of £2,000 (from the Strategic Development Project – P006) was provided to the North West Aerospace Alliance towards the cost of funding a consultant to visit and investigate the potential market in South Africa. The overall conclusion was that South Africa is a longer term market with clear potential. SRB funding of £2,000 (from the Strategic Development Project – P006) was contributed to NWAA towards the cost of its hosting the Commonwealth Links in Aerospace Round Table Forum held as part of its exhibiting at the Farnborough Air Show on 25th July 2000. The event attracted representatives from Australia, Canada (both Ontario & Quebec) and India as well as other UK regional organisations including the SBAC (Society of British Aerospace Companies). SRB funding was approved (P019) to support a ‘Linking the chains – aerospace partnership project’ – see above. The Aerospace Sector organised a conference as part of the Business Club at the Games events held at Bridgewater Hall attracting an audience of 109.

AUTOMOTIVE

Approval was given for SRB funding of £15,000 to enable LARRIAT to work outside its Lancashire borders to promote the CEBI initiative in the automotive sector across the whole region. The project will seek to make contact with 500 Greater Manchester and 200 Merseyside automotive companies with a view to funding long-term initiatives through membership fees. (see RABON project (P020) above). A further SRB grant of £15,000 was approved in June 2001 as part of the Strategic Development Project (P006) to extend the RABON supported project throughout the remainder of the North West not covered by the KONVER funding in Lancashire. This second phase concentrated upon Cheshire, Cumbria and the non-Konver supported areas of Lancashire.

When the KONVER ERDF funding ceased in December 2001 LARRIAT through its sponsor Enterprise plc were unsuccessful in securing further funding from the NWDA to continue its region wide activity. The NWDA in consultation with the automotive industry sought to pursue its ‘cluster’ policy and establish a new industry grouping. However a partnership including LARRIAT, Trade Partners UK, NWDA & MIDAS came together to organise an Automotive Conference as part of the Business Club at the Games programme and attracted an audience of 85 including a large overseas contingent and displayed several quality cars on the forecourt of Bridgewater Hall.

Subsequent discussions have taken place (in June 2003) with Walter McKinlay a Senior Consultant with Optimat of East Kilbride, Scotland that had won the N W D A contract to ‘map’ the automotive sector following on from the initial ‘cluster’ work undertaken by Stratagem. Walter has been working closely with senior figures in the North West Motor manufacturing industry (he previously worked at the National Engineering Laboratory at East Kilbride (part of D T I) and for Leyland Trucks at Leyland prior to its demise. His work in Lancashire with both LAWTEC & ELTEC (now defunct) meant that he had some knowledge of the LARRIAT project. He has managed to get together many of the leading lights in the automotive industry based in the North West under the banner North West Automotive Group (NWAG) and is about to submit a proposal for funding the secretariat of NWAG to the NWDA. If successful this should result in a group who would address the industries direct needs as against the Merseyside Group that had concentrated purely upon training. Details of the LARRIAT membership list applicable in December 2001 (at the time funding ceased) were provided in case there were companies on it that were unknown to him from the other databases he had brought together.

CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

Agreement has been reached in conjunction with key partners including North West Development Agency (NWDA), North West Arts Board (NWAB) & Culture Industries Development Service (CIDS) on the priority sub sectors included joint funding of the post of Creative Industries Marketing Manager to take forward the sectors. A SRB grant of £36,000 (matched to ERDF funding) was been approved for the fifteen months to 31st March 2001 and led to the appointment of a Creative Frontier Worker (Project P008). The priority sub sectors identified include broadcasting and media (current activity includes work with Malaysia on an outward mission in October 2000 following a successful inward mission to the North West during July 2000); fashion & design; music; visual arts and performing arts & new leisure. Much of the creative industry work was subsequently pursued through the Strategic Development Project (P006) & Trade Development Project (P018) led by the C I Marketing Manager. Of particular note was the Bollywood Inward Mission from India in May 2002 followed by a return visit in October 2002 in conjunction with Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

ENVIRONMENT

An industry led forum chaired by Richard Pearce of Enviros March registered Envirolink North West Ltd. as a company limited by guarantee. The Secretariat was provided by Sustainability North West. A survey of the Environmental Technologies and Services companies funded jointly by the NWDA and MIDAS (through an SRB Grant of £8,000 – part of the Strategic Development Project (P006). The final report was published and sent to all participants prior to being presented at two regional meetings to discuss the findings and determine the way forward. The meetings originally planned to take place in late September 2000 were been postponed until the end of October so that the report could be launched alongside the delayed ‘Study into the Environmental Economy in the NW’ funded by NWDA. This study report was launched at a high profile event at the Lowry Centre with the planned ‘Northern’ regional presentation of the industry survey will taking place at Penrith, Cumbria in March 2001

The Environment Group participated at Environ 2000 Connections held in Liverpool on 8th June and the Gala Dinner which was addressed by CEBI Chairman, Rod Sellers. Business Link Warrington are organising a BTI supported trade mission to India in October that will major on the environment sector (a DTI key sector). However, although recruitment is underway, to date the response has been poor.

HEALTHCARE

The Healthcare Group were awarded SRB grants (see report on P007 – Health Capacity & P017 Health Connections).

I C T

The I C T group linked to the Commonwealth Connect project that formed the main basis of the extended ‘Trade Link’ project concentrating primarily in engaging Malaysian I C T businesses. This project built upon the original MIDAS/Salford University I C T trade mission of March 1998. Activity in Malaysia proved slow following the currency collapse and other priorities. The Group also looked closely at the Australian market but due to the world downturn in the I C T sector the Australian market was hit very badly. Given the buoyant I C T market in India the group turned its attention to this market and after several tentative attempts to arouse interest a trade mission was finally organised in conjunction with TPUK India Desk in February 2002. We finally mounted a trade mission to India with the I C T group attending ICT 2002 in Mumbai (Bombay) and attending NASSCOM as well as visiting Pune. The success of the mission led to the staging of an I C T event at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton in July 2002 as part of the Business Club at the Games initiative. The event that was linked to an Indian luncheon (Addressed by Digby Jones, Director General, C B I) attracted an audience of over 200 people. Activity in India is ongoing and hopefully the I C T database and project will gain financial support from N W D A and be brought to a successful fruition.

SPORTS INDUSTRIES

An exploratory meeting with the Sports Industries Federation revealed an interest to establish a NW Forum but as yet this has failed to materialise. However, as part of the agreed joint action plan with British Trade International (Trade Partners UK) discussions took place with the TPUK South Africa Desk to mount a Sports Industries mission to South Africa in February 2001 as part of Trade Development Project (P018). The trade mission to South Africa produced an inward mission from the South African Premier Soccer League to North West England immediately prior to the outward missions departure. During the mission itself a key conference was organised at Santon, Johannesburg in conjunction with the British Council to address the role of football as a way of engaging the wider community and addressed the issue of crowd safety and the value of bidding for major sporting events. The success of this conference directly led to the successful “Bid to Benefit’ Conference that took place at the Lowry Hotel in August 2002 as part of the Business Club programme. This was followed up by the B C hosting a sports seminar at the Imperial War Museum (28th May 2003 -the night of the European Champions Cup Final) as well as the Manchester Square (London) Sports Breakfast (11th June 2003) and evening with Peter Kenyon (CEO, Manchester United F.C.) at Old Trafford Football Ground (3rd July 2003).

TOURISM

A contract has been made with the North West Tourist Board (NWTB) (in conjunction with Marketing Manchester) to deliver training and capacity building programme within an overall Tourism Marketing Strategy for the North West building upon mainstream British Tourist Authority (BTA) funded activities. An SRB grant of £100k was awarded for the first phase of the project for the fifteen months to 31st March 2001.

SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (CONSTRUCTION)

SRB grants supported the project (see Projects P009 & P021 above).

5. COUNTRY REPORTS

AUSTRALIA

The trade mission to Australia in February/March 2001 enabled the CEBI team to talk to Austrade about the Business Club organised at the Sydney Olympics the previous summer and formulate plans for the Commonwealth Business Club (our main thrust for 2002). The I C T Group also looked closely at the Australian market but due to the world downturn in the I C T sector the Australian market was hit very badly. A total of 87 North West business people participated in five trade missions to Australia. In addition there were seven specific Australian events at the Business Club in July 2002 attracting 102 participants.

CANADA

The Cultural Industry & New Media have been funded to attend Badeck in Canada and once again this will lead to Games time activity. The Business Club has continued to work closely with the Canadian High Commission in London and has participated in several events with both them and TPUK Canada Desk. There were two specific Canadian events at the Business Club in July 2002 attracting 89 participants.

INDIA

The buoyant I C T market in India persuaded the I C T group to turn its attention to this market and after several tentative attempts to arouse interest a trade mission was finally organised in conjunction with TPUK India Desk in February 2002. The I C T group of 16 people attended ICT 2002 in Mumbai (Bombay) and also attended NASSCOM as well as visiting Pune. The success of the mission led to the staging of an I C T event at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton in July 2002 as part of the Business Club at the Games initiative. The event that was linked to an Indian luncheon (Addressed by Digby Jones, Director General, C B I) attracted an audience of over 200 people. Activity in India is ongoing and hopefully the I C T database and project will gain financial support from N W D A and be brought to a successful fruition. In addition an Indian Environment Showcase event was held in Manchester during March 2002. Of particular note was the creative industry activity that majored upon the Bollywood Inward Mission from India in May 2002 followed by a return visit in October 2002 in conjunction with Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.

MALAYSIA

The trade development project continued in conjunction with Manchester Chamber of Commerce to target activity in Malaysia resulting in some 67 North West business people visiting the market. In addition there were six specific Malaysian events organised as part of the Business Club activity in July 2002 attracting 138 participants. Malaysian delegates also featured strongly in both the automotive and aerospace seminars.

SINGAPORE

In November 2001 the Singapore British Business Council brought it’s biannual meeting to Manchester (the first time the UK event has been located outside of London). There were two outward trade missions visiting the market resulting in 13 North West business people visiting Singapore. In addition there were two specific Singapore events organised as part of the Business Club activity in July 2002 attracting 99 participants.

SOUTH AFRICA

The Sports trade mission to South Africa in February 2001 (organised by MIDAS in conjunction with T P U K) that produced an inward mission from the South African Premier Soccer League to North West England immediately prior to the outward missions departure as part of the agreed joint action plan with Trade Partners UK (part of Trade Development Project - P018). The trade mission to South Africa produced an inward mission from the South African Premier Soccer League to North West England immediately prior to the outward missions departure. During the mission itself a key conference was organised at Santon, Johannesburg in conjunction with the British Council to address the role of football as a way of engaging the wider community and addressed the issue of crowd safety and the value of bidding for major sporting events. The success of this conference directly led to the successful “Bid to Benefit’ Conference that took place at the Lowry Hotel in August 2002 as part of the Business Club programme. That mission also enable us to liaise with the British Consulate-General in Cape Town to lay the foundations for the Liverpool Chamber mission that coincided with the ‘Liverpool Clipper’s’ arrival in June 2001 and the staging of a successful fashion show in conjunction with T P U K South Africa Desk. A further mission to Cape Town took place in June 2003. Over the period there were four trade missions that visited South Africa (excluding the June 2003 mission) resulting in 43 business people visiting the market. In addition two events were organised as part of the Business Club activity in July 2002 both hosted by the South African High Commissioner and attracted 183 participants.

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