Council welcomes Cumbrian successes in Regional Growth Fund awards

Cumbria County Council's leader has welcomed the news that three Cumbrian enterprise projects have been successful in securing financial backing from the Government's £1.4billion Regional Growth Fund.

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills has announced 119 successful bids from 492 applications nationally in round two of the Regional Growth Fund. Three bids endorsed by the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership have been successful and have received conditional offers of funding, subject to a process of due diligence.

They are:

*Energy Coast West Cumbria: an investment programme to strengthen and diversify the local economy.

*Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon: support for the refurbishment and expansion of the company, a specialist renewable energy manufacturer, as part of the Kendal Canal Head improvements.

*Pirelli Tyres: investment to grow their business.

The Government has been clear that projects and programmes with significant potential for creating new jobs and sustainable economic growth were the most likely to win support.

Cumbria County Council's leader Eddie Martin, who is a board member of the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership which endorsed the three successful bids, said:

"I am delighted that Cumbria has had a 'hit rate' which appears to be higher than the national average in terms of successes versus applications. It will now be down to the individual teams behind those bids to prove that they are sustainable and viable to ensure that their plans come to fruition, but we all hope they are successful.

"The Regional Growth Fund replaced the former regional development agencies and we all await with interest how the Government plans to move forward with plans to stimulate the economy now that the second and final round of the Regional Growth Fund has closed. Public sector funding can go a long way in kickstarting sustainable growth in the private sector and we all recognise the need for ongoing investment."