European funding has helped a variety of North Yorkshire projects gain vital support, says SIR GRAHAM HALL, chairman of Yorkshire Forward.

Last month I wrote about the serious implications for North Yorkshire when existing EU funding programmes finish in three years time - with the area benefiting from around £43 million between 2000 - 2006, Objective 2 funding now provides vital support to a wide range of rural and urban businesses and organisations.

Just how vital can be demonstrated here - as part of the innovative ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Objective 2 Business Support Scheme, Yorkshire Forward has now agreed funding of £1,264,600 for Business Link York & North Yorkshire to manage four separate initiatives supporting business development in the Objective 2 designated areas of North Yorkshire.

Supporting Innovations in Adaptive Businesses is a service that offers a financial contribution towards the cost of provision of specialist third party support, available from the private sector or through the commercial arm of universities and HE/FE Institutes.

The funding will support development, growth and diversification opportunities identified in each eligible business through a process of holistic diagnosis and action planning.

The tourist industry in the region took a hard knock during the foot and mouth crisis and Yorkshire Forward and our partners have worked steadfastly to help enable its recovery.

The Ryedale Tourism Business Support Initiative aims to increase the competitiveness and quality of existing growth orientated tourism businesses, or those with the potential to grow, in Ryedale and the North Yorkshire Moors Objective 2 area, by helping them to trade beyond their present customer base.

The Family Business Centre brings together family business owners, second generation managers and professional advisers experienced in supporting the development of the "family business" to discuss and explore important issues, to share their knowledge, and provide advice.

An initial diagnosis will identify perceived issues and difficulties in each participating business and will establish measures by which each business will be assessed.

A range of targeted support will then be made available to assist the family businesses to overcome problems and increase their development potential.

Finally, the Best Practice in Food Design Programme will further extend the assistance exclusive to Food and Drink SMEs in the Objective 2 areas of North Yorkshire, as a result of implementing design best practice.

This will include improving external business communications through the adoption of design best practice, such as using graphical communications, and improving manufacturing capability through the adoption of Manufacturing Best Practice, for example continuously reducing cost and increasing efficiency.

It will also improve product development through increased knowledge of business tools, or through reappraisal of existing product development management.

These four very different projects and services are a reality because of European funding. We will be continuing to work hard to ensure this essential supply is not lost to North Yorkshire in future years.

Updated: 11:54 Tuesday, June 24, 2003