News: Growing Rotherham engineering specialist boosts productivity

A longstanding design engineering company has ignited its ambitious growth plans after securing funds from the South Yorkshire Business Productivity grant scheme, by helping them to save a staggering half a day per employee, per week in lost working time.

Rotherham-based Philford Design Engineering, which is headquartered at Aldwarke Business Park designs, manufactures and installs the vital equipment relied upon by the quarrying, mining, recycling and energy sectors, including conveyor belts, crushers and automated metal detection equipment.

Over the past twelve months the company has seen its workforce increase by 25% and with a growing order book, Philford’s senior management team began exploring ways of improving the way in which the business operated.

A key challenge the business faced was that it was reliant upon a dedicated welding bays, which often meant moving large structures around the factory during the manufacturing process. Realising they were in a unique position to overcome the challenges the company was facing, Daniel Beckett decided to reach out to RiDO for advice.

Help came in the form of key account manager John Fox, who advised the company that it may be eligible to receive support through the South Yorkshire Business Productivity grant scheme: a match-funded ERDF grant scheme, specifically developed to help businesses overcome growth barriers.

The successful grant application enabled Philford Design Engineering to invest in new mobile welding and ventilation equipment, allowing crucial fabrication work to be undertaken without the need to move the large structures around the factory.

The funding secured proved to be transformational and as a result of the changes the company has implemented it is hoping to add another five new recruits to its workforce, as well as helping to pass on the skills and knowledge within the business to the next generation through its apprenticeship programme.

With the costs of the project match-funded through the grant, the company was also able to set aside additional funds to commission a new argon gas line, reducing the reliance on individual bottles, which needed to be replaced regularly throughout the working week. Since implementing the changes, the company has not only reduced lost working time, but the new welding equipment purchased has helped it to reduce spatter – formed when droplets of molten materials land on surfaces near to the area being welded.

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Daniel Beckett, Management Accountant, Philford Design Engineering, said: “We’ve seen demand for our services increase significantly over the past 18 months, resulting in a 25% growth in our workforce. As a relatively small business, we knew that the key to creating sustainable growth wasn’t simply about recruiting new members of staff, but also overcoming the barriers that were impacting upon our capacity. This meant re-thinking the way in which we operated as a business.

"We knew that the limitations of our welding bay were holding the business back. I explained the problems we were facing to John Fox, and he recommended that we should apply to the Business Productivity Programme for help. The match-funded grant we received has helped us to purchase new portable welding equipment, which means that rather than spending time moving large steel structures around the factory, the welding equipment can be moved to where it’s needed.

"The match-funded grant also meant that funds which would have been set aside to invest in the welding equipment could also be reinvested back into the business and as a result we were able to bring forward our plans to commission a new argon gas line, which eliminated overnight the time spent changing individual gas bottles.

"The measures we have introduced have proved to be transformational for our business. Not only have they reduced the need to move the large structures we’re working on around the factory, but the new equipment has helped us to create a better quality of weld; the reduction in spatter being created also means less time grinding and cleaning too. It all adds up to quite a large time saving.

"Until the work was completed, we didn’t quite appreciate just how much time was being lost. We didn’t realise how transformative to our business the funds would prove to be, resulting not only in increased productivity, reduced lost working time, but also contributing towards the creation of five additional new jobs in the business this year.”

John Fox, Key Account Manager, RiDO, added: “SME businesses like Philford Design Engineering are the lifeblood of the local and regional economy, but in many cases the challenges they face can stifle their growth. The South Yorkshire Business Productivity Grant scheme was launched specifically to help businesses across the region unlock the barriers to growth they face.

"Philford Design Engineering recognised that simply recruiting new members of staff would not solve the problems they were facing; instead, they needed to re-think the way a key element of their production process was undertaken – something that required significant investment - and I feel confident that the Business Productivity Grant funding the company has received will help them to lay the foundations to create new skilled jobs and enjoy a period of growth and expansion.”

Philford Design Engineering was founded in 1979 by two ex-coal mining Design Engineers to provide specialist services to support the coal industry. Today, the company is one of just a small number of UK businesses that is responsible for designing, manufacturing, installing and maintaining heavy industry equipment.

The Business Productivity Programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and provides businesses with 50% grant funding up to a maximum of £12,499, and the other 50% must be provided by the business. The maximum project application is £24,999 and can include investment in new equipment or machinery and consultancy services to help them overcome barriers to growth. The scheme is delivered by Enterprising Barnsley, Business Sheffield, Business Doncaster and the Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO).

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News: Ceremony for canal barrier completion at Forge Island

Rotherham Council and partners have officially opened the new, state-of-the-art canal barrier at Forge Island in the town centre.

The barrier has added a new feature to the Rotherham skyline alongside the historic Rotherham canal, lock and towpath. The barrier is a single phase of the Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme, which will reduce the risk of flooding to the town centre, businesses and Rotherham Central railway station.

Construction work began on the barrier in August 2021 and was completed in August 2022.

The barrier and associated works in this phase cost £4.45m and was funded by funding from the Levelling Up Fund, South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, European Regional Development Fund, Yorkshire Regional Flood and Coastal Committee Local Levy, and Network Rail.

The construction of the barrier required around 50 tonnes of steel reinforcements and 1,000 tonnes of concrete. This included 450 tonnes of low carbon cement free concrete, which resulted in a saving of 44 tonnes of embedded Carbon Dioxide (CO2) compared to traditional cement concrete and supported the Council’s commitment to a cleaner, greener local environment, targeting the reduction of carbon emissions.

Rotherham Council’s Cabinet member for Transport and Environment, Cllr Dominic Beck, said: “The new canal barrier at the Rotherham Lock is a fantastic focal point of the flood alleviation works and showcases all of the hard work done by our Flood Risk Team and partners during the project. The canal barrier has already become an iconic part of the Rotherham town centre skyline, and will provide reassurance and protection for countless residents who live and work alongside the River Don.

“I am very proud to be involved in the opening of the Canal Barrier, especially as from Monday 7th November to Sunday 13th November is the Environment Agency’s Flood Action week. The canal barrier is a great example of what the Council and its partners are doing to prepare and act so that reduce risk to damage and to life from flooding in Rotherham.”

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The canal barrier is part of the Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme (RRFAS) – a project which will construct new flood defences along a five kilometre stretch of the River Don through the Templeborough, town centre and Parkgate areas of Rotherham. The project also includes a section of flood defences in Kilnhurst.

Darren Blank, Project Manager at Jackson Civil Engineering, said: “The project has been highly challenging whilst proving rewarding in all aspects of Civil Engineering and teamwork. It has highlighted the importance of early collaboration and relationships throughout the scheme stakeholders. We as the Principal Contractor have tried to place these principals at the forefront whilst relying on the skills and expertise of our site teams to deliver a high standard of delivery. We are immensely proud of the final product and the innovations and sustainable solutions we found along the way. We look forward to continuing to deliver flood resilience projects in Rotherham in the future, thereby protecting the residents and businesses as we move into a changing climatic period.”

Recommended reading: Is this the end for Rotherham town centre?

Mark Duquemin, Head of Environmental Management & Sustainability for Pell Frischmann, said: “We are very pleased to see the canal barrier come to life, ready to protect the people and communities of Rotherham from flooding. It’s been rewarding working on the design and supporting the construction of this iconic structure with our design partners KGAL, providing mechanical & electrical services for the flood gate, and Ecus, providing landscape architecture services.”

By 2023, approximately £15m of works will have been constructed as part of the latest phases of the Flood Alleviation Scheme, providing a continuous line of defence over 1.6km. A further 1.9km is still needed on the north/west bank in order to reduce risk from the River Don between Forge Island and Parkgate. Further work is also required at Marsh Street/Sheffield Road and Effingham Street/St Anne’s near Parkgate.

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News: Countdown on for Yorkshire entrepreneurs to join business boost programme

Yorkshire start-ups have until August 15 to sign up to join an accelerator programme designed to take their business to the next level.

Successful London start up accelerator Unrest is on the quest for Yorkshire start-ups and early stage companies who are ready to take their business to the next level, as applications for its first programme in the North close on Monday August 15.

Designed to unlock growth opportunities, Unrest will run its 16-week programme from Sheffield aimed at consumer-driven startups which positively impact on people’s lives.

Yorkshire’s aspiring intrapreneurs and entrepreneurs are invited to apply with the most promising entrepreneurs chosen for a place on the programme which starts in September.

Orr Vinegold, co-founder of Unrest, said: “This unique programme fills in the knowledge gaps and teaches founders how to navigate investors, consumers, experience, technology, and their own impact.

“Unrest allows access to the insight and tools needed to accelerate their business to a level of success that might usually be achieved after many years in business. This is such an exciting opportunity for businesses in the region.

“Entrepreneurship is a key driver for regional growth. We want to unlock opportunities within Yorkshire’s diverse business sectors.

“We are committed to helping start-ups. This year alone we have developed 16 businesses further their potential and go on to bigger and better possibilities.

“Our goal is to find the game-changers and innovators who are ready to be brave with their thinking and develop sustainable businesses to stimulate the economy’s growth and prosperity.”



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Unrest South Yorkshire will be delivered in partnership with Capital Enterprise (UK) Limited and Barnsley Council, and is part-funded through the European Regional Development Fund.

Recommended reading: How Rotherham Entrepreneurs Are Turning Online Niches into Digital Gold in 2025

Laura Bennett, Regional Lead, Capital Enterprise (UK) Limited, said: “Yorkshire is proudly supportive of social impact initiatives and mission-driven projects, and we have a long tradition of social enterprises founded here, working to support our communities and reduce inequalities.

“We are thrilled that Unrest are bringing their expertise, experience, and networks to the region to supercharge 30 mission-driven businesses to think big and act globally – taking South Yorkshire ingenuity and passion for social good to a national and international audience.”

The Unrest programme has already incubated 16 brands including Bea Fertility, the first at-home fertility treatment, making ICI fertility treatment accessible and affordable, now cited as one of WIRED’s 2021 100 Hottest Start-ups in Europe and has raised $1m in funding.

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News: New canal barrier superstructure in place

An eye-catching new addition to the Rotherham townscape has been installed - a new multimillion pound canal barrier at Forge Island.

The Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme (RRFAS) aims to provide flood defences to ensure that Rotherham town centre, including the central station, are more resilient to future flood events.

Work began last year on Phase 2C - a canal barrier at Forge Island where the site of the former Tesco store is set to be home to an eight screen cinema, a 69 bed hotel, four restaurants and car parking.

The barrier now has a mild steel main gate with a large curved structure over the navigable canal at Brown's Cut (near Rotherham Lock), located close to where the canal separates from the River Don.

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Centregreat Engineering manufactured and installed the barrier for Jackson Civil Engineering, who are delivering the £3m scheme for the client Rotherham Council.

A spokesperson for Jackson Civil Engineering, said: "The installation of the arch is the culmination of eight months work.

"The structure will reduce the risk of flooding in the town whilst its stunning arch design will compliment town centre development."

Other work in the area includes 0.5km of new flood defences upstream of Rotherham United's AESSEAL New York Stadium, located along the canal side near Ickles Lock, the canal towpaths, Brinsworth Street and the railway.

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News: Allocation of EU funding replacement labelled an outrage by South Yorkshire mayor

South Yorkshire has been allocated £38m in new regeneration funding, much less than the hundreds of millions it previously received from structural EU funding that the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund replaces.

Conditional allocations of £2.6 billion over the next three years have been announced from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) with the cash to be spent regenerating rundown high streets, fighting anti-social behaviour and crime, or helping more people into decent jobs - helping to revive communities, tackle economic decline and reverse geographical disparities in the UK.

The government committed to match the previous EU funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and say that the fund will be much more flexible and locally led, freeing communities from the bureaucratic, rigid and complex processes of the EU Structural Funds.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up Rt Hon Michael Gove MP said: "We have taken back control of our money from the EU and we are empowering those who know their communities best to deliver on their priorities.

"The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will help to unleash the creativity and talent of communities that have for too long been overlooked and undervalued.

"By targeting this funding at areas of the country that need it the most, we will help spread opportunity and level up in every part of the United Kingdom."

Previous settlements saw South Yorkshire allocated €410m for 2007-2013 and from 2014-2020 this was cut to around €180m. A legal challenge into the government's decision followed.

The allocation formula for UK Shared Prosperity Fund takes into account both the local population data, and a broadly based measure of need, including factors like unemployment and income levels. This is to ensure the most amount of money is going to areas which will truly benefit from the fund.

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Funding for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be £2.6 billion between 2022 and 2025, with this figure reaching £1.5 billion per year by March 2025, delivering on the UK government’s commitment to match the average spending of EU structural funds over the previous programme. Previous EU programmes ramped up and down, and areas will continue to receive EU funding until the end of 2024. Similarly, UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be increased from £40m in 2022/23 to £1.5 billion in 2024/25, at which point it will match the EU funds it has replaced.

The Government added that in England each Local Enterprise Partnership area "will receive the same in real terms as it used to under EU funding," and within each Local Enterprise Partnership area an index of need will be used to allocated funding to each local authority.

For South Yorkshire, allocations are £7,287,599 for Barnsley, £8,960,876 for Doncaster, £7,083,489 for Rotherham and £15,574,166 for Sheffield.

In order to access the funding, lead local authorities are being asked to complete an investment plan by the summer, setting out how they intend to use and deliver the funding.

Outgoing South Yorkshire Mayor, Dan Jarvis said: "This announcement is nothing more than an outrage; a cynical Conservative con that utterly fails South Yorkshire and drives a coach and horses through the Government’s Levelling Up agenda.

"Instead of delivering the additional £900m South Yorkshire is owed, and that I’ve consistently pushed the Government to deliver, we’ve been given little over £38m over a 3-year period. This announcement has been sneaked out just a few hours before purdah and with Parliament in recess – it exemplifies this Government’s complete contempt for people in our region.

"Throughout my time as Mayor I have worked tirelessly to build a stronger, fairer and greener South Yorkshire – but I have done so with both hands tied behind my back, because central government has broken virtually every promise it’s made to our region."

Last year, £1.84m was offered from the Community Renewal Fund to help establish a "Creative & Cultural Skills Embassy" linked to Rotherham's Children's Capital of Culture idea. The Community Renewal Fund is a precursor for the new UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

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News: Spotlight on Rotherham as it launches Children’s Capital of Culture programme

Rotherham is officially launching its journey to become the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture, with a never-seen-before 10-day festival of events aimed at children and young people.

The Children’s Capital of Culture Launch Festival (21 February – 3 March) will give a taste of what 2025 could look like in Rotherham, spotlighting it as a cultural destination and home to a hive of creative talent.

Rotherham town centre will be transformed into a playground for the young community during February half-term, with a skate and arts festival, demos by Team GB skaters and BMX pros, a giant spray-painting robot, live music, large-scale art installations, and unmissable creative workshops and events.

Julie Dalton, Managing Director of Gullivers and Chair of the Children’s Capital of Culture Programme Board, explains: “In 2025, Rotherham will be the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture, designed and delivered by children and young people from across the borough. This is a bold, first-of-its kind initiative that aims to empower children and young people to create a future narrative for Rotherham on their own terms, celebrating its culture, identity and distinctive heritage. The journey officially starts here, and we want everyone to get behind it.”

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The launch festival kick-starts a five-month pilot programme of activity for 0–25-year-olds in Rotherham. From now until June 2022, children and young people can attend events, join creative networks and take part in skills training programmes as part of the Children’s Capital of Culture programme, which has received £1.4m from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

Cllr Dave Sheppard, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, adds: “We will be using this time to give young people in Rotherham more life-changing training and skills opportunities in the creative and cultural sectors than they’ve ever had before, that will make a lasting impact on them and on our town. We want to make Rotherham a place that young people are proud to call home, and where they want to develop, work and invest. We’re making improvements that will help change the perception of Rotherham, inside and outside the town, and lead a wave of aspiration amongst our young people.”

The Children’s Capital of Culture project is led by Rotherham Council, delivered in partnership with children and young people, businesses, voluntary and community sector organisations and cultural institutions from across the borough. The programme has received significant external funding from the UK Community Renewal Fund, Arts Council England, South Yorkshire MCA, and ERDF.

Rotherham Children's Capital of Culture website

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News: Finance Yorkshire's new funds

Regional funding body, Finance Yorkshire has appointed The FSE Group to manage two business loan investment streams.

The appointment follows Finance Yorkshire’s announcement of a new fund to support business growth across the region. Investments are available to eligible SMEs across Yorkshire and the Humber with ambitions to expand, create jobs and improve productivity.

The new fund has been structured to provide SMEs with a range of support through Seedcorn and Growth Fund (primarily equity) investments, along with large and small Business Loans.

The FSE Group will manage the two Business Loan funds. It was announced in September that Anticus Partners will manage the Seedcorn and Growth streams.

A ten-year contract, both funds will invest in SME companies in the Yorkshire and Humber region. The Seedcorn Fund will support fast growth start-up businesses, whilst the Growth Fund will focus upon existing businesses, with a particular emphasis upon Management Buyouts and Replacement Capital.

Finance Yorkshire’s new fund is expected to invest more than £50m over the next five years as it continues to realise its investment portfolio from its earlier fund.

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The new fund has been created from the combined legacies successfully created by Finance Yorkshire and the former South Yorkshire Investment Fund. Finance Yorkshire’s JEREMIE and Extension Funds invested £113m in more than 500 companies in the region.

Finance Yorkshire Chief Executive, Alex McWhirter said: “We’re looking forward to working with The FSE Group to provide much-needed investment to companies with great potential but who are unable to access finance from traditional and other alternative sources.

“The FSE Group emerged as the best candidate following a competitive tendering process and they have wide-ranging experience of delivering investments that help SMEs to reach their maximum potential.”

The FSE Group CEO, Paul Marston added: “We are delighted to be appointed fund manager for these two loan funds and join Anticus Partners in providing alternative finance options to high growth SMEs across Yorkshire and the Humber. The FSE Group has been funding and supporting growth SMEs for 20 years and we look forward to building on Finance Yorkshire’s previous success.”

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News: Transform SY - a new accelerator for South Yorkshire

An exciting new programme that is designed to support tech entrepreneurs to accelerate their business growth has launched in South Yorkshire.

Transform SY will form part of the ambitious TEAM SY project – a joint initiative between Capital Enterprise (a non-profit organisation striving to make the UK the best place to start a business) and Barnsley Council.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through TEAM SY in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) and UKSE, TEAM SY will accelerate the development and market-making of a regional tech ecosystem.

The Transform SY programme, which will run throughout 2022 and aims to support 60 businesses, will be delivered by Entrepreneurial Spark, one of the first accelerators established in the United Kingdom back in 2012. This will be Entrepreneurial Spark’s 22nd accelerator, and their first opportunity for entrepreneurs in South Yorkshire. Other programmes have included a UK-wide network of hubs, programmes in Asia and Central America, and most recently the national Space Accelerator in partnership with the UK Space Agency.

Transform SY is open for applications and will recruit a first cohort of 20 entrepreneurs. The aim is to build a cohort of startups that represents South Yorkshire as a whole, with the diversity of skills, ages, ethnicity, and socio-economic background from across the region.

Founders that join the programme will be immersed in an intensive 6-month experience, using techniques honed from 40,000 hours of deep interaction with entrepreneurs globally. The accelerator is free of charge and no equity will be taken, to remove any financial barriers to participation. Participants will improve their ability and performance based on 4 outcomes:

- Mindset – Developing the way they think to create ambitious leaders
- Business – Creating a sustainable growth engine
- Funding – Exploring opportunities within, but also beyond private investment
- Community – Nurturing a network that transcends geography and is formative for future success and collaboration

Transform SY was born from the necessity to improve South Yorkshire’s entrepreneurial landscape, creating a critical mass of credible, visible, and diverse entrepreneurs to serve as leaders and role models in the community. In turn these founders will inspire others to start businesses and create opportunities by drawing funding and talent to the region. The programme aims to offer the opportunity for more people from all walks of life to become entrepreneurs, and to reduce the gaps between startups and funding bodies.

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Transform SY is a result of a collaboration between public and private sectors. The programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through TEAM SY in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and UKSE. All partners share a vision to deliver inclusive economic growth by driving up the success rate for entrepreneurs and contributing to a cultural shift that will lead to a more sustainable business ecosystem.

Mike Stephens, CEO of Entrepreneurial Spark, said: “South Yorkshire has been my home for many years, so I am delighted to be able to bring Entrepreneurial Spark to the region. Having worked with SMEs here for over ten years I have met some fantastic entrepreneurs, and this is a great opportunity to unearth more of them from communities throughout South Yorkshire. Entrepreneurs have a massive role to play in generating an inclusive economic recovery from the pandemic and mobilising them here has the potential to deliver this across the whole region.”

Darren Balcombe, deputy CEO of Capital Enterprise, added: “We are very excited to see Transform SY be announced. We want to see South Yorkshire's startup founders gain access to a programme that develops entrepreneurial leadership, whilst developing businesses and a lasting community.

TEAM SY is a key project that demonstrates how South Yorkshire is working to further grow its high value digital and tech cluster. As a region we are behind others in our startup rates and TEAM SY is responding to this by introducing fantastic accelerator programmes like Transform SY to create a strong, sustainable, and competitive entrepreneurial ecosystem."

Steve Lyon, Regional Executive for UKSE, said: “This is an exciting initiative that will further cement South Yorkshire as the place to be for tech enabled businesses spanning a whole range of sectors.

“The accelerator will provide participants with invaluable access to support and advice from a wealth of experts in their individual fields, helping to fuel sustainable growth and create further job opportunities in the region.

“UKSE is delighted to be involved and very much looking forward to meeting with the applicants in due course.”

Dan Jarvis, Mayor of South Yorkshire, added: “We are delighted to be partners of Transform South Yorkshire. Through our own plan for economic recovery and renewal, my MCA is working towards a stronger, greener, and fairer South Yorkshire. Transform South Yorkshire’s programme of support is an exciting opportunity for local founders to play their part too in our region’s recovery. This specific scheme will not only act as an accelerator for local entrepreneurs but puts inclusivity and sustainability at the heart of a broader programme of our local eco-business system. I am very pleased to see it launched.”

Businesses registered or economically active in South Yorkshire, founded less than three years ago and using technology in some way, are eligible to apply for Transform SY. Preference will be given to founders who are working on their business full-time and are post-proof of concept stage. Applications will be accepted until December 17 and the programme will commence on January 10 2022.

Transform SY website
TEAM SY website

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News: South Yorkshire’s SMEs set for £3.3m grant funding boost

A grant scheme which aims to help businesses across South Yorkshire to bridge the productivity gap is set to provide up to £3.3m in grant funding to boost the local economy, after the region was identified as the lowest performing City Region in England and one of the worst performing areas in Europe.

With productivity being closely linked to improving quality of life, the Business Productivity Programme which was launched in October and to date has supported over 100 businesses, will help businesses to overcome barriers to growth and productivity challenges by applying for a match-funded grant.

Projects which include both consultancy services and investment in new equipment or machinery up to a value of £24,999 can apply for up to 50% of the costs to be funded through the new grant scheme. The new scheme is funded through the European Regional Development Fund and will be delivered by Enterprising Barnsley, Business Sheffield, Business Doncaster and Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO).

To qualify for the grant funding, businesses must be based in South Yorkshire and been trading for more than twelve months. As part of the application process businesses must submit a detailed expenditure plan.

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According to the latest statistics released by the Office of National Statistics, only Swansea Bay City Region had a lower level of productivity than the Sheffield City Region. Data published by the Sheffield City Region has also suggested that if business productivity levels increased, the size of the local economy would increase from £35bn to £44bn if it matched the UK national average, and £62bn when compared with London.

Anna Smith, Programme Manager, Business Productivity Programme said: “As many businesses turn their attentions to working in a post Covid-19 and post Brexit world, many have been forced to adapt and embrace news ways of running their business. The business productivity programme was developed in a bid to help businesses access the skills, support and capital needed to respond a changing economy.

“Business productivity is an important benchmark and research has consistently showed strong links between economic growth, quality of life and standard of living. Although there have been some signs of increases in productivity in recent years, South Yorkshire has struggled to catch up with other parts of the UK. Instead, the gap appears to widening.

“Historically, the local economy has been dependent upon low-skilled jobs and according to research published by the Sheffield City Region, nearly half of those jobs are at threat of automation within the next two decades. The aim of the business productivity programme is to help equip South Yorkshire businesses with the skills and support needed to innovate, invest in R&D and drive future economic growth within the region.

“The long term aim of the programme is to help attract and retain high skilled jobs within South Yorkshire, by helping businesses to understand and overcome perceived barriers to growth."

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News: £3m flood scheme aims to protect town centre and station

Plans have been submitted for the next section of a crucial flood alleviation scheme in Rotherham - a section which aims to keep services on track at the central station.

Undergoing a £10.4m redevelopment and re-opening in 2012, Rotherham Central station was severely affected by floods in November 2019 and as recently as January 2021, heavy rain closed the railway line in Rotherham.

Rotherham Renaissance Flood Alleviation Scheme Phase 2A (RRFAS 2A) aims to provide flood defences to ensure that Rotherham town centre, including Rotherham Central Railway Station, are more resilient to future flood events.

Phase 2A provides flood defences from Ickles Lock to Centenary Way on the edge of the town centre. It links to earlier phases such as the £15m Phase 1 that was completed in 2008 and comprised of 1.7km of flood protection at Templeborough and the creation of the Centenary Wetland.

A lack of adequate public sector funding has meant that only few projects have taken place on the stretch of the river up to Parkgate since, until work began linked to the Forge Island leisure development.

The application, drawn up by consultants at Pell Frischmann, said: "Flood events in November 2000, June 2007 and more recently, in November 2019 have all demonstrated the scale of flood risk in Rotherham town centre. The floods have adversely affected key transport infrastructure, key utility infrastructure and a significant number of commercial, industrial, and retail properties.

"The aim of this scheme is to provide flood defences to ensure that Rotherham town centre, including Rotherham Central Railway Station, are more resilient to future flood events."

Works include sheet piled flood walls, concrete walls, replaced railway embankments, raised highways and an improved drainage pipe to prevent backflows during flood conditions onto Network Rail infrastructure. Resurfacing tow paths and replacement planting are also in the plans.

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The Trans Pennine Trail route runs through the site, and will be closed for part of the duration of the works.

Work is due to start in Winter/Spring 2021 and is due to be completed in 2022.

The overall cost of phase 2A is approximately £3.2m. This is being joint funded using £1.6m of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and £1.6m from the Council's Town Centre Investment Fund.

Rothbiz reported earlier this year that Rotherham was set to benefit from an £80m Government investment in South Yorkshire flood defences. £52m of which is required to deliver the Rotherham projects, including the Council-led Rotherham To Kilnhurst Flood Alleviation Scheme that has a total cost of £24m.

A £9m investment from the council is already being delivered, including a new flood wall on Forge Island, a new Canal Barrier and new flood defences upstream of the New York Stadium. £5.8m has also been allocated from Council's 2021 capital programme for flood work.

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News: £5m investment to boost the growth of South Yorkshire's tech sector

Innovative tech entrepreneurs across South Yorkshire are set to benefit from a £5.9m project to turbocharge the region's business support and investment provision.

The TEAM SY project has been set up to connect with existing business support services in the region and to expand, enhance and extend the collective impact of their work.

Start-up experts Capital Enterprise, in partnership with Barnsley Council, will lead on the project working collaboratively with business support providers, universities, co-working spaces and other partners in Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster.

Darren Balcombe of Capital Enterprise said: “We are very excited about working with everyone in South Yorkshire to help expand and improve the existing business support and investment ecosystem – and bring new resources and expertise into the mix.”

TEAM SY, which stands for Tech Ecosystem Acceleration and Market-making in South Yorkshire is backed by £3,543,766 from the ERDF England Programme, designed to support economic growth in the regions.

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The project will run for three years and aims to help digital and tech businesses explore new ideas and markets, set-up or scale-up their tech companies and create up to 200 high-value jobs in the process. A key objective will be to help entrepreneurs gain financial backing for their enterprises, attracting over £20m in private investment to the region.

Darren said: “Our mission is to help new and early stage South Yorkshire businesses take best advantage of what support is already available to them and to identify and invest in the regional strengths such as IOT, Advanced manufacturing, Movement technologies and Digital health for example.

“On top of that we want to shine a light on the region so that it becomes renowned as a great place to set up, grow and invest in a successful tech business. We want that beacon to attract entrepreneurs, start-ups and funders from around the world to South Yorkshire.”

TEAM SY leaders will soon be based at Sheffield Technology Parks, on Arundel Street, Sheffield and the DMC 01 hub, on Barnsley’s The Seam digital campus.

Councillor Tim Cheetham, Barnsley Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture said: “We look forward to welcoming the Capital Enterprise team to South Yorkshire and seeing their energy, enthusiasm and expertise have a significant impact on the region’s digital and tech business community.

“A thriving and innovative tech industry is recognised as a tremendous driver for wider economic growth in an area too as it can help larger employers embrace digital technology, improve productivity and adapt to changing markets and customer demands too.

“The TEAM project is a really fantastic investment in our region’s award-winning tech business support infrastructure at this time.”

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News: Waddington start work on new Rotherham industrial units

Rotherham-based developer, EV Waddington Ltd, has started work on ten new industrial units in Dinnington after securing a £1.6m grant from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The development will create units of 5,560 to 32,300 sq ft providing high quality industrial and manufacturing space targeted towards SME occupiers at 31 East on the site of the former Dinnington Colliery.

The £7m project, also backed by Northern Powerhouse, will see a total of 80,000 sq ft of new units built over three terraces to supply much needed industrial and manufacturing accommodation for the South Yorkshire region and provide up to 180 jobs.

Developer Tony Waddington said: "Our new project at 31 East continues our response to addressing the lack of commercial property offer of this type in the region.

"The premises are designed with flexibility, to allow units to be combined and accommodate a variety of uses and sizes."

Rebecca Schofield, partner at the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, which is marketing the development, added: "The development is suitable for a variety of uses. Improvements to upgrade the A57, have made 31 East easily accessible from the national motorway network. Its location and range of unit sizes will appeal to the local and regional market."

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Also on site are Trebor Developments, working in conjunction with its partner Hillwood, on its 78,558 sq ft Atomic project.

Paul Mercer, managing director at Mercer & Co, who helped secure the £1.6m ERDF grant award, said: “This latest addition to the EV Waddington development portfolio will help enhance the competitiveness of SMEs and accelerate development in the region. It will help accommodate up to 180 new FTE jobs and generate £96m GVA over the next 10-year period thanks to ERDF support."

The units will be finished to a high specification to include full insulation, 6.5m internal height and full height roller shutter loading doors, three-phase electricity, fibre enabled, LED lighting, sizeable external loading areas, dedicated car parking and fully fitted office accommodation.

As well as the new plans for 31 East, EV Waddington Limited has already developed Northfield Business Park in Rotherham, Vantage Park in Sheffield, Shortwood Business Park in Barnsley, and Aldwarke Business Parks and Chesterton Court in Rotherham.

Waddington website

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News: SCR universities head up business support projects

Nearly £5m has been secured to boost business and enterprise in the Sheffield city region (SCR) with the local universities working in partnerships to coordinate support.

ScaleUp 360 is a three-year European funded project that brings together a group of business experts from  Doncaster and East Midlands Chambers of Commerce and Barnsley Business and Innovation Centre (BBIC) under the leadership of Sheffield Hallam University.

The group will deliver a tailored high growth support programme to businesses and entrepreneurs, from pre/early start-up to investment ready, with the ambition to grow their business.

Each client will have a dedicated account manager whose role it will be to ensure they have access to the scale-up  expertise, knowledge and connections they need to grow a sustainable and investment ready business.This will include 1-2-1 specialist business advice, mentor support, workshops and access to investment opportunities.

Professor Kevin Kerrigan, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Business and Enterprise at Sheffield Hallam University, said: "ScaleUp 360is an ambitious Sheffield City Region wide accelerator programme designed to provide the inspirational advice and support that businesses and entrepreneurs need in order to achieve sustainable high growth.

"Sheffield Hallam's support for entrepreneurs and regional businesses through innovation and enterprise is just one of the ways the University is driving future economies in the region and beyond."

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£1.8m in further European funding has also been secured for the Sheffield Innovation Programme (SIP) that was set up in 2016 to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the region in accessing academic expertise, facilities and resources at both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University to stimulate innovation and deliver new products and services.

The programme is free for businesses to use and, since it began, more than 200 academics from both universities have worked with more than 300 companies from across the region. This has helped businesses in the region to engage in more than £1.2m worth of collaborative projects through Innovate UK programmes.

Professor Dave Petley, Vice-President for Research and Innovation at the University of Sheffield, said: "We're delighted that this successful programme, which has such a profound impact on businesses and economic growth in our region, will continue for another three years.

"This scheme is a fantastic way for regional businesses to access our world-leading facilities and academic expertise to drive innovation and find solutions to the challenges they face."

ScaleUp 360 website
Sheffield Innovation Programme website

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News: Local firms can RISE again

A project which has been connecting graduates to small to medium-sized businesses across the region for the past five years is celebrating a major cash windfall.

Partners in the Sheffield city region (SCR) have been awarded £684,000 of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

The funding matches a significant investment in the project made by The University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield City Council.

The RISE Enhancement Project will continue to expand the work of the RISE scheme, initially piloted in 2013 in response to SME feedback around recruiting graduates, which highlighted issues such as not having a training framework for a graduate employee and assessment centre style recruitment processes to find the "right" candidate being too expensive. Graduates also had concerns around employment opportunities.

RISE delivers a bespoke programme of business support activity designed to address the barriers limiting SMEs' access to graduates. This has helped to strengthen the skills base of the city region and enhance the region's reputation as a graduate-friendly place to pursue a rewarding career.

In five years RISE helped more than 300 local SMEs to recruit more than 400 graduate employees with over 75% of RISE graduates going on to secure permanent employment. Many progress quickly within the company, seeing increased responsibility and pay rises early on, proving the success of the matches made by the scheme.

A recent evaluation of the scheme estimated that RISE has had a positive economic impact of more than £7.7m in net Gross Valued Added (GVA) with its return on investment equally as impressive, standing at £14 per £1 spent. These figures compare very favourably to other graduate employment and business support schemes delivered across other parts of the UK.

Jonathan Buck, managing director at Riverside Automation, one of the companies which has benefitted from RISE, said: "RISE worked really well for us. The RISE team took on all the initial applications and whittled them down through the four assessment stages. Basically, they did a lot of ground work for us – which was great as we wouldn't have had the resources to interview the number of initial applicants ourselves."

The RISE Enhancement Project will launch in Autumn this year and will include new features, such as an enhanced grant for companies seeking to recruit competitive digital roles, in recognition of the significant shortage in these areas, which price many SMEs out of the graduate market.

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There will also be an improved business support offer, with businesses receiving information, advice and brokerage from specialist advisors and a dedicated post to support SMEs access other support after a graduate is appointed.

In the next three years the RISE Enhancement Project will support a further 200 SMEs across the SCR to recruit 330 graduate employees.

Professor Koen Lamberts, vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: "We are deeply proud that our University is working in partnership with our city region and local employers to develop the skilled graduates businesses need. Projects like RISE make us an extremely attractive region to those looking for talent to contribute to their companies. This "Sheffield model" is nationally and internationally pioneering, and I am happy to be able to commit funding to ensure it continues in the future."

Professor Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, added: "The University is committed to supporting the region to grow and thrive. RISE is a way we can create more opportunities for our graduates to stay and make excellent contributions to businesses here with their skills and knowledge they have gained through studying with us. I am so pleased that our support has ensured the continuation of RISE and look forward to seeing it grow and develop in this next phase."

Since RISE has expanded it is offered as part of the SCR Growth Hub, which aims to be the single point of contact for all business support across the region.

David Grimes, head of the SCR Growth Hub, said: "The RISE Enhancement Project is a useful initiative for the region's businesses to tap into and we're pleased to continue to support this successful programme as it helps connect graduate talent to businesses that are looking to innovate, grow and bring in new skills."

RISE website

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News: Rotherham business park secures £1.47m funding

A £5.5m project to create new industrial space in Rotherham is underway following agreement between developers EV Waddington Ltd and The Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

60,000 sq ft of high quality industrial and manufacturing space for SME occupiers is being created at Northfield Business Park after a £1.47m grant was approved from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) managed by the MHCLG.

The development on Forge Way at Parkgate by EV Waddington offers ten units in two-terraces providing much needed industrial and manufacturing accommodation for the South Yorkshire region.

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Developer Tony Waddington said: "This funding continues our aim to attract new companies to the city region, with the right commercial property offer.

"The premises have been designed with the utmost flexibility and are suitable for manufacturing and industrial use and the units can be combined to accommodate larger requirements where required."

Rebecca Schofield, partner at the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, which acted for EV Waddington and helped provide market advice to secure the ERDF grant, added: "The accommodation is ideally located within the Parkgate area of Rotherham and offers a range of unit sizes to appeal to the local and regional market."

A leader in speculative development, Rotherham-based Waddington provides the region with industrial, commercial and office accommodation to let.

Paul Mercer, managing director at Mercer & Co, who helped secure the ERDF grant award, said: "This latest addition to the EV Waddington development portfolio will help enhance the competitiveness of SMEs and accelerate development in the region. It will help to accommodate up to 174 new FTE jobs and generate £75m GVA over the next 10-year period thanks to ERDF support."

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The units will be finished to a specification to include 6.5m eaves; connection to all mains services; full height roller shutter loading door and fitted office accommodation over two floors. The units will be constructed to a BREEAM very good specification including solar panels to each unit and are fibre enabled.

As well as the new plans for Northfield, E V Waddington Limited has already developed Vantage Park in Sheffield, Shortwood Business Park in Barnsley, and Aldwarke Business Parks and Chesterton Court in Rotherham.

EV Waddington website

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News: Vantage Park fully occupied

Rotherham-based developer, E V Waddington Ltd, specialist in brownfield development, has completed the final works on the second phase of Vantage Park and revealed the Sheffield scheme is now fully occupied.

A leader in speculative development, Waddington provides the region with industrial, commercial and office accommodation to let.

Evolving from a timber merchants, the Waddington's property portfolio was started approximately 80 years ago with the acquisition of a number of properties alongside South Yorkshire's canals network and was added to along the years with a number of investments and land acquisitions.

Having acquired the 7.6 acre site in 2014, the firm has delivered 110,000 sq ft of commercial floorspace for SME occupiers across 15 units ranging in size from 4,785 sq ft.

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Leading composite door supplier Distinction Doors is the latest occupier to expand into 40,000 sq ft along with Sheffield handmade shoemaker Goral Shoes, which has leased 5,485 sq ft as expansion from its site on Spital Hill.

In deals brokered by the Sheffield office of Knight Frank, they join established businesses ICD Alloys, Libertine FPE, and Cafeology.

Rebecca Schofield, partner at Knight Frank in Sheffield, said: "The development was the second phase of the successful Vantage Park project and saw the creation of 110,000 sq ft of space designed for SME occupiers.

"The brisk lettings were indicative of the levels of occupier interest that we are witnessing across the Sheffield city region from businesses looking to relocate, or expand their operations in the area.

"What has attracted businesses is the flexibility of space and the accessibility to the motorway from Vantage Park which fronts straight onto Sheffield Road, adjacent to Junction 34 of the M1 Motorway and also within easy reach of Junction 33 via Centenary Way."

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Tony Waddington of EV Waddington, added: "We knew it was a great location to bring forward our product.

"We are very pleased with the end result and it's great to see the business park fully let. This development will provide a further boost to the local economy."

Both phases of the Vantage Park development have been part financed by the ERDF as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

Back in their native Rotherham, Waddington is currently building new speculative commercial units at Northfields, Parkgate.

EV Waddington website
Knight Frank website

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News: Funding boost for SCR projects

The Sheffield city region (SCR) is working to sign off on millions of euros of funding for economic development and regeneration projects before the UK leaves the European Union (EU) next year.

Structural funding from the EU is integral to meeting the targets in the Local Enterprise Partnership's (LEP's) Growth Plan, which set an ambitious target of creating 70,000 new jobs in the SCR by 2023.

The SCR has an allocation of just over €200m of funding through the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) to invest in projects and initiatives between 2014 and 2020.

The latest calls for cash from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) include projects based on providing gap funding to land owners and developers, supporting potential inward investors, supporting companies to be more innovative, support for low carbon schemes, supporting businesses to take advantage of superfast broadband, and support targeted at businesses that demonstrate growth potential.

£5m is set to allocated to projects that increase the provision of available property. The call states: "The availability of a quality commercial property stock is key to increasing SCR's share of Inward Investment and also to encourage local growth."

ERDF support is being made available for development in the key SCR growth areas – in particular the urban centres, Enterprise Zones and motorway corridors.

£10m has been earmarked to continue the SCR's targeting of investment and support at entrepreneurs and businesses with the potential to grow and create high value jobs with projects that are complimentary to the SCR Growth Hub.

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£3m is available for local interventions to help overcome some of the barriers faced by potential foreign investors.

£7m is set to allocated to target the "large number of SMEs which are disconnected from the innovation ecosystem" with projects to "address SCR business' low propensity for innovation, stimulate demand and idea creation for innovation and productivity growth."

For low carbon projects, £13m is set to be used to strengthen energy supply and systems, as well as ensuring greater resource efficiency. Helping business take up low carbon technology, demonstration schemes and regenerating brownfield land are key aspects of the call.

£2.3m is set to be allocated to support new and existing businesses with benefiting from superfast broadband through digital transformation and innovation.

The Government has previously said it will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects which continue after the UK has left the EU. Most projects will need to be complete by June 2023.

In March 2019, Britain will exit the EU and the Government has confirmed that it will launch the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, using money returning from the EU to provide funding for economic development and local growth across the UK.

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News: New Rotherham district heating network in the pipeline

With the Templeborough Biomass Power Plant now generating clean, green electricity, plans are being put in place to harness the heat from the £150m development.

The Rotherham District Heating Network (RDHN) project aims to provide Rotherham town centre and key industrial energy-using areas of Rotherham with a low cost renewable choice for their heat source. It will take heat from the power plant, which uses renewable waste wood fuels as its energy source, to supply heating to public and private sector commercial, industrial and residential applications.

Consultants, Green Directions, has developed a proposal for the heat network and the project has a budget of over £16m based on a detailed engineering study commissioned from Atkins. The project has applied to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for part of the funding.

Now a planning application has been submitted by Templeborough Biomass Power Plant Ltd for an energy centre beside the power plant, which was built on disused land at the Firth Rixson Ickles Works, which would ensure an interrupted supply of hot water to the heating network.

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The 4,000 sq ft building will house three gas boilers with three flues. It could accommodate an additional two boilers if the project expands.

A concurrent planning application has also been submitted for the Rotherham District Heating Network - the distribution system of insulated pipes that takes heat from a central source and delivers it to a number of domestic or non-domestic buildings.

The plans, drawn up by Wardell Armstrong, show the pipes starting at Templeborough with a "West Network" that will go south west to the industrial areas of the Brinsworth Stripmill and the Steelphalt sites and an "East Network" that will go north east to the south-western part of Rotherham town centre.

Passing the AESSEAL New York Stadium, the pipeline could serve Rotherham Council's Riverside House, properties on the High Street, University Centre Rotherham, Clifton Park, the Markets and Rotherham Leisure Complex.

Heat networks form an important part of the Government's plan to reduce carbon and cut heating bills for customers.

The Templeborough Biomass Power Plant is expected to generate around 41MW of green electricity which is enough to supply 78,000 homes and save over 150,000 tons of CO2 every year.

Templeborough Biomass Power Plant website

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News: Calls to devolve economic development funding

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, has joined calls from business leaders and civil society leaders in the North to demand control over funding needed to rebalance the economy.

The last allocation of funding lead to a legal battle with the Government.

In March 2019, Britain will exit the European Union (EU) and the Government has confirmed that it will launch the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, using money returning from the EU to provide funding for economic development and local growth across the UK.

In a cross-party call, the Mayors of Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Tees Valley and Sheffield City Region (SCR), alongside the NP11 Board, representing the North's 11 local enterprise partnerships, the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, the voice of business in the North and the People's Powerhouse, a grassroots movement, say the Government must fully fund and devolve the money.

EU Structural Funds have been committed until 2020 and are worth £2.4 billion a year - £1.2 billion from the EU, matched by public and private sources.

A joint statement from the leaders said: "Ministers have promised a consultation on the Shared Prosperity Fund this year and this is becoming urgent if we are not to be left with a damaging gap between the ending of EU Structural Funds and the setting up of the Shared Prosperity Fund – a gap which would lead to the closure of vital economic programmes and investments."

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Over €200m in EU funding was expected to be used to support businesses, inward investment, infrastructure, innovation and social inclusion in the SCR until 2020. EU funding has been used to support growing businesses and enable job-creating infrastructure and commercial property projects to be realised.

A number of SCR projects are currently being developed to utilise millions in EU funds before Brexit.

The Government has previously said it will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes which continue after the UK has left the EU.

Northern regions have previously fought the Government on this issue. Led by Rotherham Council, a legal fight with the Government failed over the way it decided how millions of EU funding was allocated. The coalition Government diverted funds to devolved areas such as Scotland and Wales which meant that €60m less than the European Commission notionally allocated for South Yorkshire was actually allocated to the SCR.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "As we get set to leave the European Union in March next year, it is critical that the Government reaffirm their commitment to devolution by giving elected Mayors control of a fair share of the money that used to be sent to Brussels."

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News: Clock is ticking on SCR business support

Rotherham businesses only have until next month to make use of a grant support project via the Sheffield city region (SCR).

The SCR Growth Enhancement Project provides local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with grant support up to £5,000 towards consultancy projects, intensive one-to-one support from a business growth specialist or key account manager or access to free masterclasses delivered by private sector experts.

The opportunity to access grant support is only available until the September 19, so businesses who are hoping to take advantage of this initiative need to act fast and contact the SCR Growth Hub in a hurry to submit their application.

The SCR Growth Hub is the model that coordinates and simplifies business support so that it joins up national, local, public and private business provisions across the city region.

Support is available to high growth businesses, and the project is financed by the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

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The project has so far committed to support over 190 businesses financially, with a vast sum of over £784k across the region.

Masterclasses and one-to-one support from a Business Growth Specialist or Key Account Manager will continue to be available to eligible businesses until the end of March 2019.

The Sheffield City Region Growth Hub Enhancement Project is receiving up to £2.7m of ERDF funding.

Rothbiz reported in March, that a number of projects to support businesses in the SCR had been developed to utilise European funding before Britain leaves the European Union (EU).

The calls, totaling £7.2m focus on high growth SMEs, the digital sector, improving supply chains, investing in R&D and helping SMEs to harness graduate talent.

SCR Growth hub website

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