Five Additional Regions Receive Funding

Five Additional Regions Receive Funding From New Regional Development Programme

Industry New Zealand Acting Chairman Craig Boyce today announced five more funding approvals under the first stage of the Government¡¦s new Regional Partnerships Programme. A total of nearly $900,000 has now been approved to support regions since the scheme was launched last year. Regions approved for funding in the latest round were: Wairarapa ($80,000), Tairawhiti ($155,000), Northland ($200,000), Hawkes Bay ($99,688) and Kapiti/Horowhenua ($51,187).

The Government has allocated $33.750 million for regional development over the next three years. Under the Regional Partnerships Programme, funding of up to $100,000 is available to assist individual regions to develop strategic plans for regional development. Further assistance of up to $100,000 per year, to build the expertise needed to implement planned initiatives, is also available. A third funding tranche of up to $2 million is available to contribute to major regional initiatives, which relate to those strategies.

Craig Boyce says the broad mix of regions allocated funds in the latest round is very pleasing and demonstrates that regional stakeholders and Government can work very effectively together to identify and develop the capacity to take advantage of regional strengths and opportunities. ¡§Local Government, iwi, business, and community organisations have quickly realised a co-operative approach is the key to successful regional development, and the key to securing funding through the Regional Partnership Programme, to help that development to take place,¡¨ he says.

A total of 13 applications for assistance were received for the latest round of funding. Of those, three applicants requested funding for one year and all were approved in full. Two applications requested funding for more than one year and had some funding for the first year approved. Five applications were referred back to the applicants for further work. The issues raised in the remaining applications are now being dealt with in other ways.

Regions that have been successful with their funding bids this time can make further applications in future as the economic development work in those regions continues.

Craig Boyce also expects that more regions will be making funding applications over the coming months. He says that Industry New Zealand is keen to see as many regions as possible participating in the programme and gaining benefits from it. ¡§We intend to work closely with applicants to ensure submissions stand the greatest chance of success. We want as many regions as possible to benefit from this programme,¡¨ he says.

Regions that received funding in the latest round are:

Region $Amount RPP Component Regional contact
Wairarapa

Tairawhiti

Northland

Hawkes Bay

Kapiti/
Horowhenua
$80,000

$155,000

$200,000

$99,688

$51,187

Strategic planning

Strategic planning & Capability building

Strategic planning & Capability building

Strategic planning

Strategic planning Masterton Business Enterprise Ltd
Geoff Copps

Gisborne District Council
Rick Mansell

Northland Regional Council
Warren MacLennan

Vision 2020 Incorporated
Dr Karen Cooper

Enterprise Horowhenua
Tony Rush

Further information on regional development activities in a particular region is available from the regional contact (see table).

In the first funding round during December last year the Wanganui, Ruapehu, and Rangitikei region, Marlborough, and Rotorua regions received funding support.

Ends/¡K

For further information contact:
Nigel Morris
Industry NZ
Phone (04) 495 5089, or 025 546 412

Background to the Regional Partnerships Programme

The Regional Partnership Programme is about broadly based ranges of groups within each region working in partnership with each other and with central government to:

„h Develop a well-thought out and inclusive strategy (Strategic Planning)
„h Build the capability to put the strategy into practice (Building Capability); and
„h Identify major initiatives led by the region and supported by central Government (Major Regional Initiatives)

Like other Industry New Zealand programmes, the Regional Partnership Programme aims to facilitate and promote effective and sustainable long-term development. The budget for the programme is $5.625 million (this year) and $11.25 million and $16.875 million in subsequent years.

Regional Partnerships

Applications must be supported by a broad partnership of private and public sector groups in the region. The partnership should include groups such as business representatives, local government, iwi, economic development agencies, community organisations and educational institutions.

Expressions of Interest

As a first step, Expressions of Interest (EoIs) were invited in the programme and 137 were received by the deadline of 29 September 2000.

The EoIs covered most areas of the country. They included some broadly based and inclusive initiatives of the kind that the RPP is designed to encourage and support, but many were sector or project specific initiatives.

A number of organisations that submitted EoIs have also sought funding under other programmes from Industry New Zealand and/or other agencies.

Applications for funding assistance.

Industry New Zealand has been working with regions to identify regional groupings and to encourage and assist with the development, or refinement, of applications for funding assistance under the RPP.

When the Regional Partnership Programme team judges a proposal meets the criteria of the programme, it goes before an Assessment Panel. This group consists of representatives of Industry New Zealand, the Ministry of Economic Development, Te Puni Kokiri, and two independent people with regional development expertise. When it is satisfied with all or part of a proposal the group recommends funding approval to a sub-committee of the Industry NZ Board. This recommendation may include some conditions.

Formal funding agreements will then be entered into between Industry New Zealand and the regional grouping concerned.

28/02/01 14:43

© Scoop Media