ARDS AND NORTH DOWN BOROUGH COUNCIL 28 February 2020 Dear Sir/Madam You are hereby invited to attend a meeting of the Regeneration and Development Committee of the Ards and North Down Borough Council which will be held in the Council Chamber, 2 Church Street, Newtownards on Thursday 5 March 2020 commencing at 7.00pm. Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be available from 6.00pm. Yours faithfully Stephen Reid Chief Executive Ards and North Down Borough Council A G E N D A 1. Apologies 2. Declarations of Interest 3. Presentation - plans for the Ulster Folk and Ulster Transport Museums - Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive, National Museums NI accompanied by William Blair, Director of Collections and Aaron Ward, Head of Creative Engagement 4. Presentation – East Border Region Update - Pamela Arthurs, Chief Executive and Dette Hughes, Programme Manager (report attached) 5. Economic Development Performance Report, Quarter 3 (Oct-Dec) 2019-2020 (report attached) 6. Pickie Funpark Performance Report, Quarter 3 (Oct-Dec) 2019-2020 (report attached) 7. Project 24 Event Programme (report attached) 8. Job Fair 2019 Evaluation (report attached) 9. Economic Development Service Unit Plan 2020-2021 (report attached) 10. Implications of Withdrawing Funding for Strangford Lough and Lecale Partnership/Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership (report attached) 11. Tourism Unit Performance Report, Quarter 3 (Oct-Dec) 2019-2020 (report attached) 12. Tourism Service Unit Plan 2020-2021 (report attached) 13. Regeneration Service Unit Plan 2020-2021 (report attached) 14. Regeneration Unit Performance Report, Quarter 3 (Oct-Dec) 2019-2020 (report attached) 15. Five Chambers of Commerce Update (report attached) 16. Reconstitution of Bangor Town Advisory Group (report attached) 17. Town Steering Group Meeting Minutes for noting (minutes attached): i. Bangor Town Steering Group Minutes of 27 January 2020 ii. Bangor Town Steering Group Minutes of 3 December 2019 iii. Comber Town Steering Group Minutes of 16 January 2020 iv. Donaghadee Town Steering Group Minutes of 20 January 2020 v. Donaghadee Town Steering Group Minutes of 28 November 2019 vi. Holywood Town Steering Group Minutes of 26 November 2019 vii. Newtownards Town Steering Group Minutes of 5 February 2020 viii. Newtownards Town Steering Group Minutes of 7 November 2019 18. Financial Difficulties Facing NI Water (report attached) 19. Regeneration and Development Budgetary Control Report, January 2020 (report attached) 20. Exploris Performance Report, Quarter 3 (Oct-Dec) 2019-2020 (report attached) 21. GAP Programme Evaluation 2018-2019 (report attached) 22. Gifted Fair Update (report attached) ***IN CONFIDENCE*** 23. Belfast Region City Deal Update (report attached) 24. Queen’s Parade Update (verbal report) 25. Bangor Marina Performance Report, Quarter 3 (Oct-Dec) 2019-2020 (report attached) 2 **OUT OF CONFIDENCE** 26. Any Other Notified Business. MEMBERSHIP OF REGENERATION AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Alderman Menagh Councillor Douglas Alderman McDowell Councillor Dunlop (Chair) Alderman Smith (Vice Chair) Councillor Gilmour Councillor Adair Councillor Kennedy Councillor Armstrong-Cotter Councillor McClean Councillor Blaney Councillor McKimm Councillor Brooks Councillor Walker Councillor Cummings Councillor Wilson 3 Unclassified ITEM 4 Ards and North Down Borough Council Report Classification Unclassified Council/Committee Regeneration and Development Date of Meeting 05 March 2020 Responsible Director Director of Regeneration, Development and Planning Responsible Head of Head of Economic Development Service Date of Report 14 February 2020 File Reference ED65 Legislation Section 75 Compliant Yes ☒ No ☐ Other ☐ If other, please add comment below: Subject East Border Region Update Attachments East Border Region Charter and Protocols Background East Border Region Ltd is a local authority-led cross-border network and has a total population of 826,000. It comprises 6 Local Authorities: Ards and North Down Borough Council, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council and Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council in Northern Ireland with Louth, Monaghan and Meath County Councils in the Republic Of Ireland. Ards and North Down Borough Council has been involved in working with the East Border Region Group (EBR) during the last three rounds of European Structural Funds. Ards Borough Council joined EBR in 2003 and North Down Borough Council joined in 2006. Under Interreg III and Interreg IV, EBR has managed the funds on behalf of the Council areas involved in the group. Since the opening of the latest programme, EBR has applied for, or contributed to the applications of a number of large and small projects on behalf of the region and the ones listed in the synopsis have been either agreed or are being considered under stage 2 and are relevant to our Council area. The total number of projects which EBR has applied for Page 1 of 7 Unclassified represents a combined investment of €91.13 million from Interreg V, however, several projects have secured a financial management role for EBR and not all the projects are relevant to every Council area across the region. A summary is outlined below: INTERREG VA Programme EBR are currently involved in 8 INTERREG VA funded projects involving a range of Partners, each of these projects will have a positive impact on the entire eligible area for the Programme. Local Authority projects: • Carlingford Lough Greenway €3.4m • Ulster Canal Greenway €4.9m • CANN (Biodiversity) €8.17m • Co-Innovate €16.6m Sub Total €33.07m Commercial Opportunities: • SWELL €35m • Source-to-tap €5.3m Sub Total €40.3m Tender Opportunities • Eastern Corridor Medical Eng Centre €8.36m • Centre for Personalised Medicine €9.4m Sub Total €17.76m Total INT VA €91.13m Funding from these 8 projects, combined with contribution from member Councils, results in EBR core costs fully covered until Dec 2022. Whilst eligible projects apply across the spectrum of Council Functions, the Regeneration, Development and Planning Directorate is the source of EBR membership funding, consequently Regeneration and Development Committee is the parent Committee to approve continued membership fees to EBR. Synopsis of EBR projects and opportunities for ANDBC 1. CO-INNOVATE PROGRAMME (€16.67m) The Co-Innovate programme, a cross-border research and innovation (R&I) initiative aimed at SMEs and funded under the European INTERREG VA Programme, runs from December 2016 to March 2022 led by Intertrade Ireland. EBR is a partner alongside the Enterprise Agencies, LEO’s and Scottish Enterprise. The Council does not part-fund (it is funded at 100%) but supports programme promotion as part of the East Border Region, so that SMEs in Ards and North Down can benefit. Page 2 of 7 Unclassified Co-Innovate aims to increase the proportion of SMEs engaged in cross-border research and innovation in the Interreg eligible region. In Northern Ireland, key elements of Co-innovate are delivered by Enterprise NI and its member Local Enterprise Agencies. In the Border Region of Ireland this support will be delivered by the Local Enterprise Offices in Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. It is widely recognised that innovation is a critical driver to competitiveness and growth. A survey carried out by InterTradeIreland across the eligible region showed that nearly 50% of SMEs are not innovation active and the Co-Innovate programme, which will run until 2022 offers an integrated programme of support to reduce this figure. There are five key strands of activities that will engage with over 1,408 SMEs providing education and capability development support tailored to their needs. Co-innovate aims to support three priority sectors, renewables, health & life science and agri- food but all businesses in the manufacturing and tradable services sectors can apply. Strand 1 – An SME’s first formal engagement with the Co-Innovate programme will be to undertake a newly developed R&I diagnostic toolkit: the ‘Innovation Ready Reckoner’. This will be conducted to assess the company’s current position in terms of innovation. A series of workshops will be delivered at different times and locations throughout the first 3 years of the programme. They will be delivered by Innovation Experts familiar with the challenges facing SMEs. Strand 2 – Successful companies will undertake a detailed Business Status Review (BSR). After a selection process, companies will progress to a comprehensive Innovation Audit (IA). Strand 3 – Enterprise-specific action plans will be designed for each company progressing to Strand 3. These action plans will concentrate on developing Research & Innovation capabilities. Up to 10 days intensive mentoring will be provided to address specific challenges. The Local Enterprise Agencies - North Down Development Organisation and Ards Business Centre have been involved in the delivery of Strands 1-3 in the Council area. Strand 4 – Companies will have the opportunity to engage in a cross-border R&I partnership involving their company, a research institute and an intern over a 12-month period. Co-Innovate will pay 50% of an intern’s salary for 1 year (up to €18,500) and provide 24 days of support from a research institute at no cost to the company; and Strand 5 - Sector-specific networks and partnerships involving enterprises and research institutes will be established. B2B collaborations can avail of up to €150K. Page 3 of 7 Unclassified Delivery in Ards & North Down Borough Council area The table below provides a progress update into the current status of delivery (2 years and 5 months into the programme). The programme commenced in July 2017 and will continue for Strands 1-3 until June 2020, and Strands 4 & 5 to March 2022. St. 1 St. 1 St. 2 St. 2 St.2 St.2 IA St. 3/4/5 St.3/4/5 Target Actual BSR BSR IA actual target actual Target Actual target 32 17 32 12 12 3 2 2 As stated, the Local Enterprise Agencies were involved in the delivery of Strands 1-3. Approximately a year ago Ards Business Centre stopped delivering the Co-Innovate Programme due to lack of take-up.