Issue - meetings

Report number:     CAB/WS/22/059

Portfolio holders: Councillors John Griffiths and Sarah Broughton

Lead officer: Ian Gallin

Resolved:

That:

1.       the implementation arrangements for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Investment Plan (at Appendix A to Report number: CAB/WS/22/059), be approved, subject to funding being received from Government.

2.       The West Suffolk Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) investment allocations (at Appendix B to Report number: CAB/WS/22/059), be approved for submission to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

3.       It be agreed for officers to complete the full REPF Defra investment plan addendum template in line with the details contained in Report number: CAB/WS/22/059.

4.       Delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make changes to the UKSPF implementation plans and the REPF investment plan addendum allocations, following input from the Local Partnership Group.

5.       Delegated authority be granted to the Portfolio Holder for Resources and Property to implement the approved REPF investment plan addendum once funding has been received from Defra, including implementing minor variations in the funding amounts for each intervention, in order to respond to changing circumstances over the lifetime of the Fund.

The Cabinet considered this report, which sought approval for the implementation arrangements for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF); and for the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) investment allocations and associated matters.

On 26 July 2022, the Council approved and submitted its UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) investment plan to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The investment plan set out how West Suffolk proposed to spend its £1,943,467 against a selection of the Government’s 41 ‘interventions’. Appendix A attached to the report, provided detail for implementing each intervention in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024. The range of proposed mechanisms and recipients represented a good spread across different sectors, localities and organisation types, all with the aim of building capacity and supporting the Council’s growth and families and communities objectives, particularly in the face of current economic challenges.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had since announced a further fund, known as the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), or ‘Rural Fund’ as a top-up to UKSPF (covering the priorities of Communities and Place and Supporting Local Business only). West Suffolk’s allocation was £753,701 (over the two years) and the capital funding could be used everywhere in the district outside Bury St Edmunds.

In a similar way to the UKSPF, the Council needed to submit to Government a plan for how the £753,701 would be allocated against a set of ‘interventions’ and these were set out in Appendix B. The proposed allocations aimed to support West Suffolk’s rural areas by building capacity and supporting the local economy and communities, in order to meet the Government’s objectives contained in section 1.6 of the report.

Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of the Council, drew relevant issues to the attention of Cabinet including reiterating how both of these funds offered significant opportunities to further invest in the local area to continue to support growth, enhance local places, bolster the support for the most vulnerable in the communities and offer opportunities to local residents to develop new skills.

As the other portfolio holder leading on this matter, Councillor Sarah Broughton, Portfolio Holder for Resources and Property, was delighted to second the motion moved by Councillor Griffiths. Given the tight time constraints imposed by Government, she felt the Council was maximising the opportunities the funds offered to make a real difference to the local economy and communities, supporting businesses and residents during a very challenging time.  

Upon invitation by the Chair, the Chief Executive explained the role of the Local Partnership Group in the process, which consisted of several representatives from partners and organisations across the district. The establishment of the Group was a requirement of the UKSPF prospectus and would oversee the implementation of the UKSPF and REPF. The Group had held its first meeting on 7 November 2022, and representatives of the approach undertaken to date to manage the implementation of both funds had been supported.

In response to a question, the Cabinet was informed that a communications plan was in place. Once  ...  view the full minutes text for item 411