Local Authority Co-Financing in Bedfordshire
The management of the ESF Co-Financing Plan 2008-2010 in Bedfordshire is a shared service for Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council. The Team is located in the Sustainable Communities Directorate in the Economic Growth Regeneration Service at Central Bedfordshire. For more information please contact us on 0300 300 8000.
History
The former Bedfordshire County Council successfully applied to Government Office for the East of England to become a Co-financing Organisation for the European Social Fund in May 2002 and issued its first prospectus in July 2002.
At the completion of Plan 1 the County Council applied for further funding under the European Social Fund Programme for 2007-13. The Council received approval for its 2008-2011 Co-Financing Plan from Government Office for the East of England on Monday 14th January 2008.
The first Prospectus issued under Plan 2 was launched in late January 2008. At the close of the tendering period in April special consent was sought to novate the contracts to the new Unitary, Central Bedfordshire, from 1st April 2009 - this was obtained on July 16th 2008. 10 contracts were then agreed, for 9 activities, and Service Level Agreements signed for 10 contracts. Activity commenced from August 1st 2008.
In August 2008 the Council was offered additional funding as a consequence of the weakening value of sterling against the Euro. This, together with funds not taken up in the first tender round generated a new Prospectus and this was issued in December 2008. This new funding provides a mix of activity - some with existing suppliers and also new activity to the same client groups in almost equal measure between NEETS (not in education, employment or training) and Employability. Six contracts for this activity are now in place.
A list of the successful tenderers (application/pdf; 7kB) and more information on the projects funded to date are available on the Project List page.
