Feb 6, 2000
In December 1995 Keighley was awarded £18.7 million for a 7-year regeneration scheme. One of the lead organisations behind the bid was Keighley Business Forum, who had been pursuing government regeneration cash since 1992.
Keighley SRB is run by the Keighley Regeneration Partnership Association, whose membership is open to anyone living or working in the area. This is overseen by the SRB Board, chaired by local councillor Andy Mudd. His deputy is Tim Parr who also chairs Keighley Business Forum. Other board members include local MP Anne Cryer and Keighley News editor Malcolm Hoddy.
Funds are distributed covering 5 main areas: Community & health, Enterprise support, Education & training, Housing and Community safety. Many grants are divided up over several years. This has meant that, although the scheme is due to run until 2003, it's budget had already all been allocated by late 1999 and the SRB board was not accepting any further applications.
In less than 2 years, Keighley Business Forum had 8 projects funded through the SRB totalling over £1 million. Half of which were subsequently passed onto KBF's "sister" company NCEEM:
Project |
1996/97 |
1997/98 |
1998/99 |
1999/00 |
2000/01 |
2001/02 |
2002/03 |
TOTAL |
Enhancement of Cedar House |
£15,000 |
£30,000 |
£25,000 |
£25,000 |
£25,000 |
£20,000 |
£15,000 |
£155,000 |
Serviced Offices |
|
£35,000 |
£25,000 |
£20,000 |
£20,000 |
£15,000 |
£5,000 |
£120,000 |
Marketing Keighley |
£10,000 |
£35,000 |
£30,000 |
£30,000 |
£20,000 |
£20,000 |
£20,000 |
£165,000 |
Environmental projects |
|
£50,000 |
£60,000# |
£60,000 |
£60,000 |
£30,000 |
|
£260,000 |
Waste Minimisation project |
|
£10,000 |
£10,000 |
£10,000* |
£10,000 |
£10,000 |
£10,000 |
£60,000 |
Yorkshire Business Network |
£20,000 |
£25,000 |
£20,000 |
£20,000* |
£15,000 |
£10,000 |
£5,000 |
£115,000 |
European Resource project |
|
|
£20,000 |
£20,000* |
£20,000 |
£20,000 |
£20,000 |
£100,000 |
Virtual centre of Excellence |
|
|
£20,000 |
£20,000* |
£20,000 |
£60,000 |
£20,000 |
£140,000 |
TOTALS |
£45,000 |
£185,000 |
£210,000 |
£205,000 |
£190,000 |
£185,000 |
£95,000 |
£1,115,000 |
# Actual for year was £25,000 ; * Paid directly to NCEEM |
Councillor Andy Mudd has resigned as head of Keighley SRB and is to be replaced by Labour councillor Lynne Joyce. Cllr Mudd said that difficulties with his new job in Manchester, and a possible "conflict of interest" with his position on the Councils "External Scrutiny Committee" were responsible. Keighley SRB is on the list for possible scrutiny in the future.
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