Decision details

To use the £3.7m DCMS grant, which was injected into the capital programme at the July 2016 Executive Board meeting for a Tech Hub, to establish the Leeds Tech Hub Fund and give authority to incur expenditure against that fund to the Director of City Development, in consultation with the Executive Member for Strategy and Resources.

Further to Minute No. 50, 27^th July 2016, the Director of City Development submitted a report providing an update on the development of proposals for a Tech Hub, and which also proposed the establishment of a Leeds Tech Hub Fund, with the running of an open grant competition in Autumn 2016 in order to determine the most appropriate project(s) to support via the fund. In addition, the report also sought approval to delegate subsequent authority to the Director of City Development with regard to the selection of the winning project(s) and also to enter into any associated funding agreements.

Members welcomed the approach being taken in respect of the open grant competition and also welcomed the involvement of the tech sector in this initiative.

RESOLVED – That in recognising the opportunity that has been provided by the £3.7m Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) grant fora Tech Hub in Leeds:

(i)  Approval be given to the establishment of a Leeds Tech Hub Fund;

(ii)  The necessary authority be delegated to the Director of City Development in order to run an open competition for the allocation of the Leeds Tech Hub Fund, together with the selection of the successful project(s) to be supported via the Fund;

(iii)  The decisions being made in line with the resolutions above be supported via input from the tech sector, through input from the Leeds Digital Board.

Lead Officer will consult with stakeholders and include their comments in the appraisal report.

Executive Member, Resources and Strategy

Leeds tech sector (via representatives nominated by Leeds Digital Board)

Chief Digital Officer

Chief Officer, Economy and Regeneration