Warm welcome for '21st century' start-up business centre
COUNCILLORS have given a warm welcome to the creation of a business development centre in the New Forest with the target of generating 100 jobs over three years.
The district council’s ruling cabinet agreed on Wednesday to contribute £75,000 of seed funding to turn South Efford House, in Everton, near Lymington, into the newly-named C4Si Business Centre offering “21st century” facilities for start-up companies.
The operation, off the A337 Milford Road, has been set three-year targets of 100 jobs, 50 apprenticeships, 60 businesses completing an innovation growth programme, and 30 new enterprises.
The facility will be run by the Centre for Social Innovation (C4Si), a community interest company which will reinvest income back into the enterprise.
Its directors are Paul Sherry (48) and Rodney Clark (52) who were appointed in November last year.
Cllr Michael Harris, NFDC cabinet member for local economic development, property and innovation, said: “C4Si’s vision of growing local enterprise and skills reflects the council’s key priority of supporting local business to prosper for the benefit of our community.
“The focus on delivering business training and support, particularly in the area of digital innovation, fits with our ambition to encourage businesses that deliver high economic growth with low environmental impact and to promote the New Forest as open for business.”
Under a 10-year lease, the premises, which were formerly home to the national park authority, will be kitted out with a 50-seat conference room, flexible work and meeting space, and business set-up services.
NFDC said the centre has already attracted 10 micro-businesses.
Cllr Sue Bennison welcomed the plan but voiced concern at the drop in New Forest apprenticeships since 2010, reported in a cabinet briefing.
She added: “I am very pleased to see that earn-while-you-learn will be an alternative to the traditional university route because I think a lot of students come out of university with very little prospect of earning a living.”
Cllr Anna Rostand commented: “I support this whole-heartedly. It’s great because there’s a bus stop outside – but sadly there are not many buses. I wish to support that because of young people and the lack of public transport.”
A skills programme will run with NFDC and Brockenhurst and Totton colleges and a “director of innovation” will be recruited.
NFDC leader Cllr Barry Rickman said: “I have been involved in progressing this project over several years. I am very keen on apprenticeships and the work that’s been done with the colleges is amazing and I hope it prospers.”
To pay for its set-up, Hampshire County Council is also providing £75,000, with £220,000 from the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership to create combined funding worth £370,000. Work is expected to start in the next few weeks.
The cabinet report said a clawback mechanism would be put in place to recover funding if the business centre failed.
