Provision of Business Advice – Blackpool Net Zero Academy (Shared Prosperity Fund)

Blackpool has been awarded £5.1m from the UK’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to deliver a series of capital and revenue projects under three themes: people and skills, community and place and supporting local businesses. The schemes deliver a range of interventions from physical town centre regeneration through to direct business support. Blackpool Council administers the UKSPF fund, with projects delivered by a range of internal and external organisations.

Funding has been allocated to a number of projects within the Supporting Local Business theme. The Council aims to enhance its offer to local businesses by investing allocated SPF funds in an integrated range of quality business advice for start-ups and growth ambitious companies; and to accelerate business decarbonisation.

Other “green” SPF projects have also been supported, including the Blackpool Eco Hub and Blackpool Eco Homes, which aim to provide retrofit and basic home energy advice for residents from a base at Palatine Library.

The purpose of this tender is to procure decarbonisation advice for local businesses on the journey to net zero - a new initiative called The Blackpool Net Zero Academy. Advice for pre start and existing businesses with growth potential is the subject of a separate tender, a sister initiative called the Blackpool Business Growth Academy.

The contract will be managed by the Council’s Business Growth Team (BGT) (part of the Economic & Cultural Services Department).