Issue - meetings

UPDATE ON THE UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND (UKSPF)

 

 

Meeting: 30/01/2023 - Cabinet (Item 7)

7 UPDATE ON THE UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUND (UKSPF) pdf icon PDF 151 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to minute 7 of the Cabinet meeting held on 31 October 2022, consideration was given to a progress report made in respect of the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF).

 

It was confirmed that the UK Government had approved the South-West Regional Investment Plan in December 2022 and an allocation of funding which totalled £38.6m had been secured for Carmarthenshire to enable the Authority to deliver against some of the County’s strategic objectives. Reference was made to the legal implications set out within the report whereby it was confirmed that Swansea Council, as the lead Authority on behalf of the South-West region, maintained overall accountability for the funding and the operation of the SPF, however delivery and management of the programme in Carmarthenshire was the responsibility of the Authority.

 

The report detailed the anchor projects within the themes of Community, Rural, Place, Supporting Local Business and Employability & Skills. An overview of the financial implications, governance and administrative processes was also provided to the Cabinet.  In this regard, consideration was given to the decision-making arrangements for the Anchor and Standalone projects which included the development of an application form and assessment criteria, as appended to the report.

 

In recognition that UK Government had stipulated a completion date of 31 March 2025 for all UK SPF activity, the Cabinet’s approval was requested to proceed with the recruitment of staff for the Internal Anchor teams and the Programme Management team, together with the opening up of calls for all applications prior to entering into a formal Service Level Agreement with Swansea Council.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

 

7.1

To endorse steps taken to date and proposed to enable officers to continue their preparatory work for the delivery of the funding, i.e. setting up processes and procedures for delivery, and developing formal legal agreements as required.

 

7.2

To approve the proposed application and decision making process.

 

7.3

To approve flexibility in the working budgets so that refinements can be made in consultation with Finance and the Regeneration Partnership.

 

7.4

To delegate authority to Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism to sign off the detailed Anchor projects following  recommendation of the Regeneration Partnership.

 

7.5

To proceed at risk with opening up calls for all applications prior to entering into a formal Service Level Agreement with Swansea Council.

 

7.6

To delegate authority to Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism to approve projects up to £100k.

 

7.7

To proceed at risk with the recruitment of staff for the internal Anchor teams and Programme Management team to enable the programme to commence as soon as possible.