The Joint Enterprise Delivery Committee met on Tuesday 20 October 2026 to discuss progress on key economic development initiatives. The committee approved the allocation of £298,250 from legacy reserves to support the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub's business support programmes and noted the continued success of the Careers Hub, agreeing to ring-fence funds for its future delivery. The committee also received updates on the ScaleUp Loans programme, the Fifty500 Midlands Growth Corridor initiative, and the management of Local Enterprise Partnership legacy reserves.

Growth Hub Funding Boosted

The committee approved the allocation of up to £298,250 from the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SSLEP) legacy reserves to bolster the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub's business support programmes. This funding will support targeted initiatives aimed at helping businesses innovate, improve productivity, access finance, and create jobs. The Growth Hub has secured core government funding through to March 2029, providing a stable platform for its operations. Proposed initiatives include business growth grants, specialist sector advisors, diversification and market expansion programmes, cyber-resilience support, and the further development of investor and finance networks. Councillor Robin Hall, Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, expressed particular interest in the cyber-resilience support, highlighting its importance given recent national data breaches.

Careers Hub Continues Strong Performance

The Joint Enterprise Delivery Committee reviewed the performance of the Careers Hub, noting its continued success in engaging schools across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, with participation now extending to 94% of schools. A significant achievement highlighted was the completion of 19,245 future skills questionnaires by young people, exceeding the annual target by 42%. The committee agreed to continue ring-fencing reserves to support the Hub's delivery, providing a contingency should Careers Enterprise Company (CEC) funding reduce or cease. Concerns were raised about the demand for work experience placements, with one councillor noting over 100,000 hits on a single social media post about police work experience opportunities. The committee also discussed the broader challenge of ensuring young people of all ages have access to work experience.

ScaleUp Loans Programme Shows Positive Returns

The committee received an update on the ScaleUp Loans programme, which provides loans of £5,000 to £100,000 to established small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to invest in technology, capital equipment, improve productivity, support expansion, create jobs, and enhance energy efficiency. Between July 2024 and July 2026, £1.313 million in loans has been provided, with nearly £1 million already repaid. The scheme targets UK SMEs trading for more than three years and prioritises businesses that are growing and recruiting staff. While a 25% default rate was modelled, no defaults have occurred to date, although two businesses have temporarily reduced payments due to supply and cash flow pressures. The programme is being repositioned as a broader productivity, growth, and inward investment tool.

Fifty500 Initiative to Strengthen A50/A500 Corridor

The committee was updated on the Fifty500 initiative, which aims to strengthen the case for government investment in the A50/A500 strategic corridor. Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council have commissioned AECOM to conduct a technical study, costing up to £30,000, to analyse how National Highways and the Department for Transport assess road schemes. This study will help inform representations to the government regarding improvements to the A50/A500 junctions, which are currently operating at capacity. The aim is to ensure that proposals for the corridor are competitive for national investment and that the existing appraisal methodology adequately captures the economic case for investment in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.

LEP Legacy Reserves Position Statement

The committee noted the position statement regarding the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) legacy reserves. Since the transfer of LEP responsibilities, the committee has allocated funding towards various key programmes, including business support and skills development. The report detailed the spend commitments approved to date against the two LEP legacy reserves and the current uncommitted balances. The committee was asked to consider the potential financial impact on the Growing Places Fund (GPF) Loans Restricted Reserve if current loan debt is not fully recovered and needs to be written off.