The Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority (GLCCA) is to bid for a share of a £500m funding pot to develop an ‘innovation cluster’ in the county for ag-tech (agricultural technology) and defence.
The GLCCA’s business and infrastructure board unanimously agreed earlier this month to endorse making an expression of interest to the Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF).
Run by UK Research and Innovation, it will invest £500m in building up high-potential innovation clusters across the UK. Due to how recently the combined authority came into existence, the GLCCA can only seek up to £20m, and is to put forward a bid based on ag-tech and defence.
It comes as the GLCCA has partnered with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) over a plan to improve skills training in Lincolnshire, now out for consultation. The Local Skills Improvement Plan looks to shape the training sector in the county.
“I am aware that this fund is going to be massively oversubscribed and the chances of us getting it are slim,” said Lincolnshire County Council leader Coun Sean Matthews at the business and infrastructure board meeting. He asked what was being done alongside the bid to make it easier in future to get this type of funding, stating it was understood having a Mayor would make it easier.
Ruth Carver, interim deputy director of the GLCCA, explained that once in existence for 18 months, the GLCCA can apply for an integrated single settlement which will open up such opportunities. Coun Richard Hannigan queried why ag-tech and defence were chosen.
Ms Carver said the criteria asked for emerging clusters that would add value to the economy. “The intersection I suppose between ag-tech and defence is really about technology,” she said, adding drones “would be a classic kind of example in this particular space”.
A submission for the bid process’s first phase must be made by February 12, with the outcome known in May. Criteria also includes future private sector match funding requirements.
Each combined authority can only make one bid for LIPF. But the GLCCA is exploring ways it can support Hull and East Riding Combined Authority’s (HEYCA) intended bid. This is set to be a Humber bid focused on the energy sector.
