Decision details

(i)  To delegate authority to the Executive Director, Communities Culture and Homes to take all actions necessary to accept the grants and deliver the projects until March 2025.

(ii)  To accept, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, a grant of £1,544,238 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, £1,182,512 from the ‘Multiply’ Programme, along with a £20,000 revenue contribution towards development costs of the UKSPF Investment Plan.

(iii)  To approve, in accordance with Financial Procedure Rules, revenue expenditure £1,310,517 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and £1,182,512 from the ‘Multiply’ Programme during the Financial Years 2022/23 – 2024/25 and capital expenditure of £253,721 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund during the Financial Years 2022/23 – 2024/25.

(iv)  To approve the Council to act as Accountable Body for the administration of grant funding for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and for the Multiply Programme.

1.  The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has allocated the Council £1,564,238 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund (over three Financial Years) (Including £20,000 development costs). In addition, the Department for Education (DfE) has offered an allocation of £1,182,512 (over 3 years) to the Council to deliver the ‘Multiply’ Programme.

2.  Government requested that local authorities draft Investment Plans for each programme and aims to notify the Council in September (Multiply) and October (UKSPF) regarding its considerations and if it has approved the proposed uses of funding.

3.  Cabinet consideration to accept the funding is requested in September 2022, and the decision to sign Funding Agreements and begin delivery delegated to the Executive Director for Communities, Culture and Homes, as the Government’s confirmation of each Investment Plan may not dovetail with the Council’s decision making timetable. Ensuring a prompt start can be made to delivery will lessen the risks of an underspend in 2022/23.

4.  Under Financial Procedure Rules, the matter requires a decision to accept the grant awards from the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities, and the Department for Education

To not accept the grants would result in the loss of external funding that will assist in improving the basic numeracy levels of residents, and a range of interventions to improve community safety, the living environment, community engagement, business support and employment/skills in the city.