Agenda item

In February 2022 HMG Levelling Up, White Paper was published, which sets out how opportunity will be spread more equally across the UK.

In order to support the ambitions of the Levelling Up Paper, the Government has allocated £2.6bn through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) over 3 years. Three Rivers District Council has been awarded £1m for 2022-25.

In order to access the 2022-25 allocation of funding, Three Rivers District Council is required to submit a Local Investment Plan, by 1 August 2022, outlining those local priorities that the Council wishes to focus on. The Investment Plan will include a high level outline of the interventions and investments that the funding will prioritise, together with an overview of the expected outputs and outcomes.

This report makes recommendations for the allocation of the funding within Three Rivers which if agreed will then be used to develop the required Investment Plan.

In February 2022 HMG Levelling Up, White Paper was published, which sets out how opportunity will be spread more equally across the UK.

In order to support the ambitions of the Levelling Up Paper, the Government has allocated £2.6bn through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) over 3 years. Three Rivers District Council has been awarded £1m for 2022-25.

In order to access the 2022-25 allocation of funding, Three Rivers District Council is required to submit a Local Investment Plan, by 1 August 2022, outlining those local priorities that the Council wishes to focus on. The Investment Plan will include a high level outline of the interventions and investments that the funding will prioritise, together with an overview of the expected outputs and outcomes.

This report makes recommendations for the allocation of the funding within Three Rivers which if agreed will then be used to develop the required Investment Plan.

The Interim Head of Community Partnerships provided details on the allocation of the funding to the Council over the 3 year period.  Details were provided on how that funding should be allocated although it was noted that the guidance on how the funding could be used had been circulated late to the Council.  The funding had been split as either revenue or capital.  The investment plan once finalised would need to be submitted to the Government by the beginning of August for consideration before any release of the funding.

A Member raised concern on the allocation of the grant on Objective 1.  A lot of businesses were struggling with the cost of living crisis and high wage demands.  They felt that there were other schemes to fund and the funding should not be used for de-carbonisation projects and felt the proposals did not meet the targets.

It was advised that a number of projects had been able to support local businesses.

On the further £179 million funding this will be managed centrally by the Department of Education to improve adult numeracy through the ‘Multiply’ Programme which would be delivered at a national level.

A Member said the proposals put forward to the Committee were the best way to get the most out of the grant in the short timescales we had to submit the bid.  A lot of the proposals were things officers were already working on but had no funding.

The Interim Head of Community Partnerships advised that de-carbonisation was part of the scheme and referred Members to the background papers and the interventions list for England which included de-carbonisation as a specific intervention under the theme of supporting local business.  The 3 Local MPs had been consulted and were invited to the June LSP Board meeting but had not attended.  Any feedback received from the MPs would be provided to Committee Members.

Post meeting note: No specific feedback had been received from the MPs.

Councillor Stephen Cox moved the recommendation at 10.1 and 10.2 of the report with an amendment to recommendation 10.1 that the £10k (£5k for 2023/24 and £5k in 2024/25) for Enhancement of long term hoardings to contribute positively to the built environment be added to the subsidised swimming lessons, seconded by Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst who advised that there seemed to be a typographical error in the figures in Appendix 1.

The Director of Community and Environmental Services advised that with regard to the Enhancement of long term hoardings to contribute positively to the built environment the total should be £10,000 and the total Investment in Play areas, Parks, Open Spaces and Woodlands should be £151,403.

The Interim Head of Community Partnerships advised the amendment could be made as both were revenue bids.

On being put to the Committee the motion with the amendment to recommendation 10.1 was declared CARRIED by the Chair the voting being 11 For, 1 Against and 1 Abstention.

On being put to the Committee the recommendation at 10.2 was declared CARRIED by the Chair the voting being unanimous.

RESOLVED:

The priority projects listed in Appendix 1 for inclusion in the Three Rivers, UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Local Investment Plan with the amendment that £10k (£5k for 2023/24 and £5k in 2024/25) for Enhancement of long term hoardings to contribute positively to the built environment be added to the subsidised swimming lessons.

That delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to take the necessary decisions and actions required to finalise and submit the required Investment Plan and accept the allocation of funds, and then to implement and administer the scheme and all related plans in accordance with the requirements and priorities of the prospectus and fund.