ACE programme 2001-5

For the past four years, the ACE programme – a Gloucestershire County Council initiative which is managed by local agency Co-operative Futures and part-funded by the European Social Fund – has been developing and promoting new ideas for community enterprise in the county.

Eleven research summaries, which will broaden awareness of key issues affecting the development of community enterprise, and 17 feasibility study reports detailing enterprising new ideas have been published. These have the potential to create hundreds of new jobs and attract in excess of £25m inward investment.

New enterprising sectors include recycling, agriculture, the arts, community transport and renewable energy. 

Several are large projects which are of national significance. They look at ways to make services currently dependent on grant aid more sustainable for the years ahead.