Purpose

To approve Strategic Economic Devlopment Fund
(SEDF) funding for a number of bids/projects submitted for
consideration by the City Region Board

Decision

Having considered all the information, the
Board noted the Officer’s recommendations and took account of
the funding which is currently allocated to the Strategic Economic
Development Fund (SEDF) and
 
RESOLVED to:
 
Allocate funding from the Strategic Economic
Development Fund (SEDF) to support the below projects which
contribute to the economic growth agenda and delivery of the
priorities of the City Region Board, including contributing to
sustainable growth, inward investment, contribute to the employment
and skills agenda and provide support to Gloucestershire
businesses.
 
The bids have been agreed in principle subject
to the City Region Board’s Senior Officer Group agreeing the
individual performance framework and expected outcomes for each
project.
 
 
SEDF Bid 1:
Gloucestershire Local Area Energy Plan and Energy Officer
 
The Board noted that this bid had particular strengths, which aimed to fund the
production of an Energy Plan and recruitment of an Energy Officer
to support the energy resource planning and oversee production of a
clear Energy Plan for the county, setting priorities and providing
strong evidence on future demand, generation, and infrastructure.
It positions Gloucestershire alongside other authorities and
ensures we can contribute fully to the South
West Regional Energy Strategic Planning (RESP) Transitional
Plan and the enduring RESP plan. The project builds lasting
capacity through officer training and expertise, supports a formal
RESP submission in 2026, and includes early work on cost
efficiencies and commissioning which makes it a strategic
investment with long-term benefits.
 
Funding amount requested: £325,000
Decision: to award
funding for the full amount requested: £325,000.
 
 
SEDF Bid 2:
Gloucestershire Careers Hub
 
The Board noted that the Gloucestershire
Careers Hub asked for £596,299 in funding over 3.5 years. The
project focused on improving and enhancing the current careers
education in schools and colleges, while helping employers promote
their brand awareness and job opportunities to students and
teachers. Its aim was to inspire young people to think about future
careers and aligns with the region’s economic priorities of
sustainable growth, inward investment, employment and skills, and
business support.

This funding would allow the Hub to access an annual grant from the
Department for Education via the Careers & Enterprise Company,
which provides 50% match funding for the staff delivery team as
well as local delivery fund for the project and a fully funded
project leader. It would also expand the Hub’s work to
include resources for key growth sectors such as green skills,
cyber, and digital. The project will increase its reach to 62
schools and colleges and grow its network of more than 100
employers.
 
Funding amount requested: £596299
Decision: to award the funding amount of £392,000 over a
two-year funding period.
 
 
SEDF Bid 3: The
Growth & Enterprise Team at GCC – Inward Investment
support
 
The Board noted the project requested
£350,000 in funding (reduced from an original
£380,000). It aimed to strengthen Gloucestershire’s
ability to attract investment by increasing the capacity of the
current team, which is very small at just 1.2 FTE. With reduced
national and regional support, this funding would allow the team to
expand and compete for investment, noting that other local
authority areas have larger teams. It would enable Gloucestershire
to promote its assets more effectively at national and
international events, engage with intermediaries such as the
British Embassy network, and showcase opportunities and key assets
to attract foreign direct investment. The project would also
strengthen links with universities and colleges, aligning
investment with skills development and workforce
opportunities.

Funding amount requested: £350,000
Decision: to award
the full revised funding amount of £350,000
 
 
SEDF Bid 4: Growing
the Advanced Engineering and Manufacturing (AEM) Sector in
Tewkesbury Borough and Gloucestershire
 
The Board noted that this project was seeking
£400,000 which aimed to unlock the growth potential of
Gloucestershire’s Advanced Engineering & Manufacturing
(AEM) Sector, which is a major contributor to supporting the local
economy, and provides high quality jobs, as well as skills and
training opportunities for the local workforce. The funding would
support countywide initiatives, led by Tewkesbury Borough Council,
in partnership with all the other local authorities. Key actions
include deploying dedicated AEM advisors through the Growth Hub
network to assist SMEs with some of the barriers to growth such as
skills, innovation, access to finance and premises and establishing
an AEM business board/group to provide strategic industry
leadership. The business case was based on key findings from its
recent AEM study, and outcomes including over 150 businesses
supported, c170 jobs created/retained and estimated £3.5m GVA
uplift.
 
Funding amount requested: £400,000
Decision: to award
the full funding amount requested of £400,000
 
 
SEDF Bid 5:
Future-Proofing the Visitor Economy: A
Strategic Framework for Sustainable Growth in Gloucestershire and
the Cotswolds
 
The Board noted that this project was
requesting £300,000, and was a collaborative initiative led
by all seven local authority areas. It aimed to create a unified
county data platform for the tourism and visitor economy sector,
eliminating duplication and inconsistency. This platform would
provide real-time insights to support smarter planning, investment,
and marketing for both public and private sectors. It would
strengthen Gloucestershire’s position nationally, by having a
new countywide Strategic Visitor Economy Growth Plan, that would
align with Visit England’s new strategy and partnership
arrangements and enable access to future funding
opportunities.

The project would also directly help local businesses in the sector
to adapt to market trends, manage tourism capacity, and optimise
their operations. It would support sustainable growth and regional
competitiveness. Expected outcomes include visitor growth of
5–10% over the next three years, new visitor-related jobs,
and open access to research data for businesses and
stakeholders.
 
Funding amount requested: £300,000
Decision: To award
the full funding amount requested of £300,000.
 
 
Bid 6: Resilient
Futures Lab: Gloucestershire’s centre for energy management
and environmental monitoring
 
The Board noted Hartpury University was
requesting £395,000, to create a living lab environment that
tests a range of technologies including automation, AI, and
environmental sensors to optimise energy use, model clean energy
generation, and support biodiversity. The lab would also showcase
emerging agri-tech, precision farming,
and smartphone-based crop monitoring, while embedding green skills
into education and modelling climate resilience strategies. The
funding would enable Hartpury to accelerate the project.

The lab would deliver benefits including testing new technologies
in real-world live settings and providing green skills training to
1,000 students. Other outcomes include creating three jobs, hosting
workshops for 130 professionals, supporting five businesses to
improve energy efficiency, publishing five case studies, and
developing a business case to ensure the lab’s sustainability
beyond 2028.

Funding amount requested:
£395,000
Decision: To award
£133,000 of the requested £395,000
 
 
 
Bid 7: SIDEKICK
Venture Studio
 
The Board noted that the project had requested
£400,000 to establish Gloucestershire’s first dedicated
cyber, national security, and defence-focused venture studio. The
aim was to turn the region’s untapped potential into a
sustainable engine for technology businesses. The first portfolio
will create 30 high-growth start-ups over three years. Funding
would provide specialist operational resources such as legal,
marketing, and technical support to reduce risks for early-stage
ventures and accelerate their time to market.

This very innovative project complements existing regional
initiatives and strengthens the significant cyber and digital
ecosystem. Expected outcomes include creation of over 300
high-value jobs across Gloucestershire, in cyber, defence and
national security. The roles would span product development,
engineering, operations, marketing and executive leadership across
the cohort of high growth start-ups. This growth will generate
£31.5 million in GVA and boosting the regional supply chain.
It would also encourage students to apply to local universities and
support, as well as benefitting local training/apprenticeship
providers, and any local entrepreneurs who might be seek new
careers pathways.

Funding amount
requested: £400,000
Decision: To award
the funding amount of £300,000 (as an investment loan)