Published Delegated Executive Decisions

Decision ref

0008 2026/27

Decision date

02/07/2026

Portfolio

Business, Highways & Transport

Wards

All wards

Title

Directly award a contract to the Growth Company to deliver a business support & startup service

Summary

To directly award a contract via the Constellia Framework to the Growth Company to deliver the St Helens Place-Based Business Support Service for 2026/27, funded through the Local Growth Fund (LGF), ensuring continuity of provision following 2025/26 delivery.

Purpose

This report seeks approval to directly award a contract for the continued delivery of the St Helens Business Support Service for 2026/27. The service forms a core component of the Council’s Inclusive Growth commitment, and the main focus of the Local Growth Fund (LGF) programme and ensures continuity of support to businesses and entrepreneurs across the borough, avoiding a gap in provision following the 2025/26 programme.

Background

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) has approved an allocation of £490,000 Local Growth Fund (LGF) funding to St Helens Borough Council for 2026/27 to deliver Place-Based Business Support. The St Helens Place-Based Business Support (PBBS) programme is designed to deliver a comprehensive package of support to businesses and entrepreneurs across the borough, including start-ups, SMEs, and socially trading organisations. The programme focuses on business survival, growth, productivity improvement, and job creation. This programme has been specifically designed to ensure continuity of core business support provision following previous UKSPF delivery, avoiding a cliff-edge in local support while wider Liverpool City Region support arrangements continue to evolve. During 2025/26, the Growth Company successfully delivered the Council’s core business support service, establishing delivery infrastructure, business engagement pipelines, and strong working relationships with the Council and local partners. The organisation has a proven track record in delivering place-based business support and already has an operational presence within St Helens. To ensure continuity, allocate £396,000 of the LGF allocation to this contract, which is the same level of UKSPF utilised for this in 2025/26. The proposed 2026/27 delivery model builds on established provision, ensuring: - Continuity of support for existing and new businesses - Retention of local intelligence and business relationships - Efficient mobilisation aligned to programme timelines - Delivery against LGF outputs and outcomes This programme will deliver the following minimum outputs and outcomes during 2026/27: Jobs created: 42 New enterprises created: 16 Enterprises with improved productivity: 12 Enterprises receiving support: 70 Individuals supported to become enterprise-ready: 48 A direct award via the Constellia Framework is considered appropriate as it provides a compliant procurement route while ensuring continuity of a proven service model, minimising delivery risk and avoiding disruption to businesses currently receiving support. The Constellia Framework provides an efficient and compliant route to market, with a 2% management fee, reducing procurement timelines and minimising administrative and contract management burden on the Council. This route has been advised as compliant and suitable by the Council's legal team and Star procurement. The Growth Company is therefore recommended as the delivery partner for the 2026/27 programme. This approach reflects a continuation of delivery across multiple years, providing stability to the local business support ecosystem while regional arrangements continue to evolve.

Conclusion

The proposed direct award of £396,000 of Local Growth Funding to Growth Company via Constellia ensures continuity of a proven business support service in St Helens, funded through the Local Growth Fund for 2026/27. Following successful delivery in both 2024/25 and 2025/26, the Growth Company is ideally placed to deliver the programme at pace, maintaining key relationships with local businesses and partners. A direct award via the Constellia Framework provides a compliant and efficient route to secure delivery while avoiding disruption and safeguarding the achievement of LGF outputs and outcomes.

Risk Implications

Key Risks: 1. Risk of underperformance against LGF outputs and outcomes 2. Transition risk between previous UKSPF provision and LGF programme requirements 3. Reliance on a single delivery partner Mitigation Measures: Robust contract management arrangements Monthly and quarterly performance monitoring aligned to LGF requirements [LGF 26.27...- PBBS v3 | PDF] Payment structure linked to outputs and outcomes Close working between the Constellia, the provider and the Council’s Economy Team

Measures to Redress Risk

Mitigation Measures: Robust contract management arrangements Monthly and quarterly performance monitoring aligned to LGF requirements [LGF 26.27...- PBBS v3 | PDF] Payment structure linked to outputs and outcomes Close working between the Constellia, the provider and the Council’s Economy Team

Declarations Of Interest

None

Equality Impact Assessment

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More information

Please contact Steven Berlyne on 01744 671750