and/or expand as part of the next stage of the GM business growth strategy. These form .... number of further programmes
Greater Manchester Business Growth Strategy The attached paper sets out the progress to date on implementing the Greater Manchester Business Growth Strategy that was agreed in Spring 2011 and the development of the Business Growth Hub and identifies the links to the new start up programme. The paper proposes (section 3.3) a set of services that we would now want to develop and/or expand as part of the next stage of the GM business growth strategy. These form the basis for the current discussion with Government on business growth, trade and internationalisation as part of the “Deal for Cities”. The Growth Hub will closely link with a new GM Start Up programme, a partnership delivery model that is likely to commence in early Summer 2012.
The Committee are invited to consider and comment on the paper.
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Development of the Greater Manchester Business Growth Strategy 1
Introduction The North West Regional Leaders Board previously agreed to the development of a network of Growth Hubs across the Northwest. These Hubs will act as the focal point for all support services for companies that demonstrate growth potential. This paper sets out the progress made to date on the implementation of our Business Growth Strategy and development of the Business Growth Hub (the Hub) in Greater Manchester and outlines the proposed priorities for the next stage of development of the business growth strategy. The Hub has been established to play a major role in the drive for strong, sustainable business growth across Greater Manchester and the North West. It will act as the focal point for businesses that wish to grow, providing co-ordinated and cohesive growth programmes, business networks, growth groups and links to specialist information, advice and services. Annex A illustrates the current operating model for the Hub and the range of services developed and available to date. The early stages of the Business Growth Hub’s development has been focussed upon coordinating a range of private and public and local and national services for businesses with significant growth potential. We have been successful in securing a variety of public and private resources to support the development and operation of the Growth Hub. The Hub’s services are described in section 3.1 We are now developing our strategy further. In particular we intend to develop the strategy such that the Hub can: Deepen its diagnostic and advisory services to identify the growth barriers of businesses and actions and services to address these. Expand existing and introduce new services to broaden the support available for businesses that are major providers of employment and GVA, with a particular focus upon improving their trading and exporting. Build on Manchester’s success in attracting foreign inward investment to create additional and new employment opportunities. Work with existing business-finance providers to further expand and simplify access to finance. Maximise the employment growth potential arising out of the development of Greater Manchester’s low-carbon economy. Support employers to take a greater role in commissioning the support they require for their workforce development and to implement high performing workplace strategies. Revitalise the business base of our district and town centres.
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2
National Policy Development
Research published by NESTA shows that the 6 per cent of UK businesses with the highest growth rates generated half of the new jobs created by existing businesses between 2002 and 2008. Based on this research BIS policy initially focused on the development of a series of “growth hubs”. However, the policy evolved to focus on “coaching” as the principle means by which BIS would encourage the development of more high growth businesses.
The national policy is no longer to create a number of geographically focused “growth hubs”, rather it is to tender for largely national programmes such as Coaching for Growth;
The coaching for growth programme will be focused on developing 10,000 additional businesses per year to add to the 20,000 naturally occurring, thus avoiding “deadweight”. This policy will be implemented firmly and also over the three years of the programme;
Contractors will be required to evidence an average of at least 20% growth per year over three years;
Overall, this means that:
A large part of our and the national SME market will be left out of the national picture because providers will be forced to adopt extremely selective methods. Businesses which “only” have the potential to achieve growth of 10% or 15% would not be eligible.
Businesses that do not suit or want a coaching approach will not take this up. In the NW, we have many successful alternative approaches designed to meet the diversity of growth and innovation needs within the SME sector, such as: -
Programmes based on workshops for business leaders, managers and/or senior teams Course based programmes delivered by universities and other providers with content designed to meet identified business needs Mixed models, including groups of businesses working together to solve problems, cross-sectoral networks Sectoral programmes with specialised, more technical inputs Programmes focused on innovation in products, processes, methods of production/service delivery, management, work organisation, market development
Some of the other national programmes such as UKTI, the Manufacturing Advisory Service and the TSB supply chain programme provide good bases upon which to develop and expand those services to support a wider range of businesses; here we can combine the national resource with our own resources, ERDF and RGF to provide a more comprehensive service offer that best exploits the growth potential of Greater Manchester.
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This has led us to conclude that:
3 3.1
national programmes, notably the Coaching for Growth Programme, will only be one “tool in the tool box” and that we need to continue to develop our own services and approach to growth hubs as a much wider concept. The Business Growth Hub will work with all companies that have the ambition and capability to grow;
our and our partners’ delivery of national programmes provides us with a good basis upon which to expand those programmes and develop new programmes specific to Greater Manchester using our own and other nationally and locally available resources;
and thus that the next stage of our strategic development is to put in place a number of further programmes that both enhance the Growth Hub and coordinate and resource programmes for those businesses that are major providers of employment, contributors to GVA and strategically important to Greater Manchester; these are set out below at section 3.3.
What our Business Growth Hub will achieve The Business Growth Hub will:
foster a vibrant growth-led transformation of our local economy which unlocks, expands and accelerates the growth potential of businesses; become a core partner of all businesses with a strong focus on those existing and future businesses that are key to employment and GVA growth; brings together and develops a community of like minded companies and growth support providers.
We now have in place many important elements for our Growth Hub. This includes access to a range of publicly-funded and privately-provided support programmes including: Access to Finance
The North West Access to Finance service has transferred into the MS group and will provide an independent service to Hub clients. Delivery will range from workshops to intensive individual company Access to Finance Coaching. The service also provides direct access to the publicly backed funds such as those operated by the North West Fund, Business Finance Solutions and Bolton Business Ventures. Responsibility for running the North West Business Angels (NWBA) network has transferred to the MS group and will form a core part of the Hub offer, complementing the existing finance product offers of MS and its partners. A GM Business Growth Grant scheme is currently the subject of discussion with GM partners and will also form party of the Access to Finance set of services.
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Resource Efficiency & Low carbon
The ENWORKS service has transferred to Manchester Solutions and together with the existing Chamber Plus service will be developed to provide an ongoing support service to businesses to assist them in reducing costs, waste, CO2 emissions and use of materials, energy and water.
Innovation
The Hub has partnered with a range of specialists to provide innovation services that focus on IP, technology transfer, innovation skills and R&D tax relief advice.
Mentoring
The Hub will run a mentoring service where clients are carefully matched with a mentor who will provide pro-bono advice and guidance to clients. The NWDA has agreed to pass responsibility for the North West Mentoring Programme to the MS group. In partnership with external providers (e.g. Academy of Chief Executives) the Hub will also offer peer to peer growth groups.
Growth Coaching
The Government has identified the provision of paid-for Business Growth Coaches, who provide tailored advice and guidance to clients, as a key priority for investment. We will work closely with Grant Thornton (who are the provider of the service to BIS) on the delivery arrangements for the Business Coaching for Growth programme such that the service is integrated within the Hub offer. Winning Pitch, Grant Thornton’s consortium partner, is committed to working with the Hub re Business Coaching for Growth.
Manufacturing Advice
We are in final contracting stage with the MAC consortium who have been chosen to deliver the MAS service. From Spring 2012 MS will be delivering the national Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) across the North West. MAS provides companies, whatever their size, with practical support on all aspects of manufacturing and offers direct access to manufacturing experts with a proven track record. The service includes advice, research, process reviews, events and where appropriate, subsidised consultancy assistance.
Start up support
The Hub will also closely link to the new Greater Manchester start up programme which will help individuals consider, prepare and start their own enterprises.
We also have in place a range of other services including support with Standards & Accreditation, Purchasing & Procurement, Management Development & Higher Skills and Workforce Development. 3.2
The Hub’s target market The Hub will operate across the whole of Greater Manchester and, where appropriate, will deliver programmes across a broader geography. The Regional Leaders Board
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has agreed that a network of Growth Hubs will operate across the Northwest. To-date other LEPs are less advanced in the development of their Hubs but we have offered to work with them to share our approaches and we have some pan-regional lead responsibility including for business finance and low carbon/resource efficiency. We already have account management and delivery relationships with over 8,000 businesses across Greater Manchester. These relationships and our delivery of services such as
Trade and Investment
Investors in People
Manufacturing Advisory Service (from 2012)
Chamber membership services
North West Apprenticeship Company
have provided a strong base upon which to develop the Hub and it’s new, additional services. The table below summarises the current level of utilisation of existing key services across the conurbation. Number of Greater Manchester businesses using existing Hub services (figures relate to twelve month period) Service Resource efficiency & low carbon Apprenticeship Workforce training Investors in People Chamber Membership Business events, consultancy etc. UKTI trade services Export documentation Access to finance
Businesses 321 981 834 2023 4549 1567 260 655 244
These businesses are already major providers of employment and GVA growth. Together with those businesses that will locate here from abroad and create new employment they are fundamental to our economy and prosperity and thus to the Growth Hub. In terms of those businesses that will contribute to major employment growth extensive work has been undertaken by New Economy to assess the number and location of high growth firms. There are over 1,200 companies across the North West that have achieved 70% plus growth (turnover and/or employment) over the past three years (BIS’ definition of high growth i.e. 20% per annum over three years) and a further 4,500 that have been identified as having high growth potential. Annex B provides data (from the ‘FAME’ database) on growth at different %/year levels for Greater Manchester. As would be expected, high-growth firms are notably concentrated in the core of the conurbation, accounting for nearly 2.5% of the business base in the City of Manchester, as illustrated below. Trafford also stands out as a district with both high absolute and relative numbers of high-growth firms. Although the percentage
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difference between the districts appears small, such differences can be significant given the disproportionate effect such firms have on growth overall. Location of High-growth Firms within Greater Manchester 700
665
NUMBER OF HIGH-GROWTH FIR
600
500
400 339 300
269 220
218
218
200
172 145
133
124
100
BU RY
E ID M ES TA
HA M O LD
AL E CH D RO
W IG AN
BO LT O N
O RD SA LF
O RT O CK P ST
FO RD TR AF
M
AN CH
ES T
ER
0
Source: Business Link North West, 2010
Whilst smaller in terms of absolute numbers, Rochdale, Salford, and Wigan all have an above average proportion of high-growth firms within their business base, as illustrated below. In contrast, the two commuter areas of Bury and Stockport have relative low proportions of high-growth businesses (though Stockport’s absolute number is third highest in the conurbation) – a trend that may reflect the fact that entrepreneurs from these areas are more willing to commute and to start businesses in the conurbation core.
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Percentage of High-growth Businesses within GM districts 2.50%
2.42%
2.02%
2.02%
HIGH-GROWTH AS PERCENTAGE OF BUSINESS BA
2.00%
1.99% 1.90% GM AVERAGE 1.82% 1.67%
1.63% NW AVERAGE 1.73% 1.48%
1.50%
1.28%
1.26%
1.00%
0.50%
B U R Y
S TO C K P O R T
TA M E S ID E
O LD H A M
B O LT O N
W IG A N
S AL FO R D
TR A FF O R D
R O C H D AL E
M A N C H ES TE R
0.00%
Source: Business Link North West, 2010
3.3
Developing further the Growth Hub’s services The ending/contraction of many regional programmes has provided us with an opportunity to review and re-commission a number of new activities that build upon and complement existing priority services. In the next stage of development we will pursue a strategy that will:
Allow for an enhanced account management arrangement for high-growth and strategically important businesses. The objective here is to ensure that services are tailored to businesses needs and support their growth potential through supported take up and utilisation of services as well as maintaining close relationships with key businesses in order to support and influence their major business and investment decisions.
Expand our trade and export services: Here we will utilise the recently announced additional national funding to expand the existing UKTI service preparing for the loss of NWDA funding from 2013 and extending the existing service to improve the promotion and availability of export-specific finance products including export-credit guarantees.
Enhance our inward investment offer and resource. Here we will increase our already stretching targets for securing jobs growth from inward investment activity and enhance our ‘after-care’ support for foreign-owned firms to maximise retention and their growth.
Build upon the new Technology Strategy Board supply chain programme for advanced manufacturing and low carbon industries and build on this by extending this to other key sectors for Greater Manchester including construction, food & drink and creative, media & digital.
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3.4
Extend our public-private business finance offer to include access to early-stage finance to support new high-growth, innovation-based business formation and secure the long-term development and future for the existing access to finance services.
Extend and secure the existing cost-reduction, resource efficiency and low carbon services for business to improve business competitiveness and reduce carbon use.
Support employers to implement their own programmes for high-performing workplaces including leadership and management development, workforce development strategies underpinned with Investors in People and manufacturing excellence skills.
Contribute to business success and retention in those district and town centres that are experiencing trading decline including debt and financial advisory services, business diversification and collaboration, marketing support, reducing supplier costs and property advice.
Expand the existing national coaching service to encompass a wider set of businesses (than the national eligibility currently permits) and complement this with a business-to-business mentoring programme to support early-stage businesses.
Respond to the demand for business start-up advice and support following the demise of the previous regional programme with two “sub-programmes” focussing upon start-ups with growth potential and “one-person” start-ups.
Business Growth Hub Referral Network and Assessment arrangements Hub clients will be sourced through an extensive Hub Referral Network. We have developed relationships with a bank of referral partners which comprises business and professional service providers including many high profile accountancy, legal, banks and finance companies. This will be expanded over the coming months through an ongoing targeted programme. A Hub Referral Partner Information Pack has been developed and is now in use. Local Authorities will be critical referral partners and, through TMEG, key staff will be briefed on the services of the Hub and how they can refer clients to it services. Discussions are taking place with some LAs to explore the possibility of working with LAs to ensure that any firm that is seeking planning consent for expansion is fully linked into the wider growth support that is available through the Hub. We are also working closely with Chambers of Commerce, Enterprise Agencies, business representative and professional bodies, Pro-Manchester, science parks and universities. An internal referral mechanism has also been established within MS. The central Hub team will run an IT and telephone based service which assesses highgrowth business’ needs and provides such companies with a report that outlines a recommended package of growth support. It will undertake proactive, targeted campaigns to promote programmes and deal with the application, assessment and
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selection of clients. Our intention is to now introduce a dedicated team of Business Growth Managers who will undertake face to face support/advice with clients. The core Hub team will also manage the referral network and supplier base.
4
Funding
4.1
The first-phase development of the Business Growth Hub has been, and is currently being, funded by Manchester Solutions. Other sources of funding and the progress made to date are outlined in the table below. This has included the funding of the:
core team of 5 Business Growth Hub staff who are responsible for the development of the referral and delivery network, maintenance of the web site, handling of enquiries, implementation of the Hub events network and monitoring impacts;
development and maintenance of the Hub’s website, www.businessgrowthhub.com, and associated social media platforms;
Hub’s launch and the inaugural Manchester Conference for Growth;
bidding teams who have been responsible for securing external public funds to further enhance the development of the Hub;
In addition to the funding provided by Manchester Solutions, other potential sources of funding and the progress made to date are outlined in the table below:
Source of Finance
Progress to date
Next steps
Commercial revenue
The Hub offers a paid for recruitment and assessment service for other providers, as was the case with the Goldman Sachs programme and LEAD at MMU. The Hub has been established to also be able to offer services to clients on a commercial basis and a list of suppliers has been identified with whom we are negotiating commercial deals. These include various models: payment for referrals; joint revenuesharing; “pay as you grow”. We are also exploring the option of loans linked to growth outcomes.
Target organisations who are seeking to recruit companies to their own growth programmes. Develop the paid-for event programme. Finalise commercial revenue sharing deals with suppliers.
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Source of Finance
Progress to date
Next steps
Sponsorship
Initial discussions have been held with a range of corporates across Greater Manchester to identify potential sponsorship opportunities. An draft sponsorship prospectus has been developed which outlines the opportunities to become: Main sponsor: Prime sponsor Programme sponsor Business to business sponsor: Media partner
Hub/Chamber team to promote opportunities to targets identified for each category. Relationship Manager to manage sponsorship network and seek future opportunities.
Regional Growth Fund
The GM LEP submitted the overall: “Manchester Business Growth Programme: Delivering National Rebalancing and Recovery”.
A core-team has been introduced within AGMA to enhance GM’s ability to develop a strong pipeline of projects.
National Government procured programmes
MS/Hub: – Will work with Grant Thornton to integrate the BIS’ Business Coaching for Growth programme within the Hub arrangements. (This is a £208 million national service which will aim to increase the number of high growth businesses by 10,000.) – Is part of the Grant Thornton consortium for the delivery of the Manufacturing Advisory Service. This is a £57 million programme which has been procured at a national level. Through MS and Greater Manchester partners the Hub already has direct access to a range of national government programmes including: UKTI Trade, UKTI Invest, Investors in People, Skills Funding Agency programmes etc
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We are keeping in close contact with BIS to identify any other future opportunities but we do not anticipate any major announcements in the coming months.
Source of Finance
Progress to date
Next steps
ERDF
MS is planning to submit/has submitted ERDF bids which will support the Hub operation. These include: - Business Growth including core funding of the Hub as well as growth programmes - Investment readiness to support the continuation of the Access to Finance service - Expansion and novation of existing international trade contract - Expansion of the current ENWORKS programme - Greater Manchester Start Up programme - SME Micro Finance - High Performance Workplace - SME competitiveness programme in deprived wards If necessary and not “done at source” we will also seek to match national programme resources with ERDF.
Bids will be submitted over the course of the next 3 months.
GM LEP/AGMA/Local Authority
The majority of LAs have indicated that they will provide match funding and/or staff resources to the GM start up programme. At this stage there are no additional GM level resources for business support.
NA
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Annex A
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Annex B
Growth Rate (last accounting year)
UK Total Industrial
Service
Other Key Sectors
Totals
Sector Automotive 32,784 Logistics and Transport 113,913 Engineering 78,877 Manufacturing 80,616 Construction 251,692 Business and Financial Servic915,647 Education 23,601 Health and Social Care 57,040 Public Sector 3,108 Retail 115,128 Hairdressing 14,896 Other Services 80,093 Hospitality & Tourism 156,538 Aviation 7,550 Sport 32,840 ICT 150,361 Creative Industries 119,996 2,234,680
GM Total 1273 4,673 3180 2,549 8,572 34,445 790 2,446 105 4,205 582 3,065 5,048 208 965 4,526 3,371 80003
1 - 5% GM Penetration 6 -10% 75 198 157 118 318 779 20 96 2 202 7 72 209 10 56 170 129 2618
6% 4% 5% 5% 4% 2% 3% 4% 2% 5% 1% 2% 4% 5% 6% 4% 4%
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72 170 91 104 238 838 22 118 5 160 6 70 291 10 40 118 112 2465
GM P enetration
6% 4% 3% 4% 3% 2% 3% 5% 5% 4% 1% 2% 6% 5% 4% 3% 3%
11 -15% GM Penetration 64 127 114 119 227 642 8 56 2 112 10 42 123 8 26 100 79 1859
5% 3% 4% 5% 3% 2% 1% 2% 2% 3% 2% 1% 2% 4% 3% 2% 2%
16 - 20% GM Penetration 62 108 92 83 168 794 15 44 0 77 8 43 93 8 21 104 71 1791
5% 2% 3% 3% 2% 2% 2% 2% 0% 2% 1% 1% 2% 4% 2% 2% 2%
Total 273 603 454 424 951 3053 65 314 9 551 31 227 716 36 143 492 391 8733
Total GM Penetration
21% 13% 14% 17% 11% 9% 8% 13% 9% 13% 5% 7% 14% 17% 15% 11% 12%
