Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Portfolio Holder: Inclusive Economy and Third Sector and the Director for Commercial Development and Investment.

           The LCR Combined Authority considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Inclusive Growth and Third Sector and Director of Commercial Development and Investment which sought approval to support The Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd (“MTC”) to develop a digital manufacturing accelerator (“DMA”).

           Metro Mayor S Rotheram reported that The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) Ltd where seeking approval of grant support of up to £14,950,000. This grant support would enable MTC to expand its facilities and create more than 40 highly skilled jobs.

           Councillor P Hackett, Portfolio Holder: Inclusive Growth and Third Sector, reported that MTC was a national leader in advanced manufacturing and the grant funding would support a Rapidly Reconfigurable Factory Environment at Liverpool Science Park in the Knowledge Quarter and a Digital Factory Environment (‘digital sandpit’) which would be located at STFC’s Hartree Centre in the SciTech Daresbury campus.

Metro Mayor S Rotheram reported that over 30 letters of support had been received from regional and national businesses in relation to the application, as they believed this project and pattern would help them develop further in the City Region, leading to high quality advanced manufacturing and digital jobs.

Mark Bousfield, Director of Commercial Development and Investment provided Members with a short presentation which demonstrated the proposals.

RESOLVED – That:-

(i)             the provision of grant support of up to £14,950,000 to the Manufacturing Technology Centre be approved; and

(ii)            authority be granted to the Director of Commercial Development and Investment to finalise negotiations of detailed terms of the funding and associated agreements in consultation with the Combined Authority Monitoring Officer and Combined Authority Treasurer.