We have been given £1 million from the government to spend over the next two and a half years, to help support our local communities.
We will receive most of the money in 2024/25.
The funds, which are part of the government's levelling up scheme, must be spent to ‘build pride in place and increase life chances’ of our local area. Please see the UK Shared Prosperity Fund prospectus for more information.
What we are planning to spend the money on
Taking account of government criteria and guidelines, we have looked at existing funding, together with data about the local area and its wider strategic priorities. We are using this information to help us to develop an investment plan.
We are proposing to use our investment plan on local projects under the following themes:
Communities and place
- Public realm improvements - for example - wayfinding, cycling and pedestrian access opportunities
- Town centre events and promotions - including town centre management, events and support for town centre businesses
- Support for place and businesses during town centre regeneration
- Heritage, culture and arts activities
- Health - addressing priority health needs (such as high blood pressure, childhood obesity and mental health) in areas of deprivation
- Local and neighbourhood support - smaller scale, more local neighbourhood based projects
Supporting local business
- Sector support - including aerospace, digital and creative and incubator hubs
People and skills
- Apprenticeships, training and skills development
What we would like from you
We are planning to consult with you about what you think the most pressing local challenges that need to be solved. We would also like to know which projects or initiatives are best to do this.
We will be sharing our consultation soon on this web page.
In the meantime, if you have any comments, please contact us using the details below.