Lancaster City Council has invited local organisations to become delivery partners and help shape a local Investment Plan for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The Council has to submit its investment plan by 1st August 2022, to secure a three-year core funding allocation of £5.3m.
Nationally, the £2.6 billion fund is part of the Government’s Levelling Up agenda and aims to improve livelihoods and spread opportunity and prosperity in all parts of the UK by targeting areas that need it most.
As responsible body for the funding, the city council is starting to prepare an investment plan to secure a total of £5.3m for the Lancaster district over a three-year period.
The funding will be allocated annually, and the majority of funding will be available in the final year of the programme, as European Union structural funds in the community come to an end. It is mainly a revenue-based fund, with only a limited allocation for capital projects. Some of this allocation may be used for programmes which deliver across more than one local authority area, or by us for direct delivery of programmes.
The Council had already held three virtual focus groups for interested organisations interested in knowing more about becoming a delivery partner, and there’s a page here on the Council web site about the funding.
To register an interest in attending, email business.support@lancaster.gov.uk.
Councillor Caroline Jackson, Leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “In our commitment to supporting our local economy and creating rewarding opportunities for all our residents so they can feel safe and be proud of where they live, we are confident that this funding will help us achieve these goals.
“We look forward to working with our local people and organisations to come up with a robust investment plan which will enable residents to live healthy and enjoyable lives and create new opportunities for everyone.
“This funding is an unprecedented opportunity to bring together proposals that support business, skills training and research alongside ways to increase health and well-being through physical activity, arts and culture.
“We expect there to be a lot of interest from organisations some of whom may already be working with us and some terrific proposals for funding. We are particularly interested in partnership proposals from organisations, especially those working alongside local business.
“A local stakeholder partnership group involving business, health and education will support the city council in its overall strategic planning and the robust decision-making at the end of the process.”
Any organisation that has legal status can participate and receive funding, including arms-length bodies of government if appropriate.
The Council will also consider proposals for projects that link with wider economic opportunities beyond the Lancaster district, so that we can strengthen the delivery of local outcomes.
The deadline for submission of a UKSPF investment plan for the Lancaster district is 1st August 2022.
• More information is available at www.lancaster.gov.uk/ukspf