Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Economy that sought approval and acceptance of the £2,295,803 UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) grant allocation following confirmation of award from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLHUC) in early December 2022.  Oldham submitted applications against three interventions from the UKSPF Communities and Place programme; namely:

• E1: Funding for improvements to town centres and high street, including better accessibility for disabled people, including capital costs and running costs.
• E3: Creation of and improvements to local green spaces, community gardens, watercourses and embankments, along with incorporating natural features into wider public spaces.
• E6: Support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF or the Fund) provided £2.6 billion of new funding for local investment by March 2025, with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the Fund via a funding formula.

Local Authorities were directed to identify and build on their own strengths and needs at a local level, focused on pride in place and increasing life chances. Local places will be able to use the Fund to complement funding such as the Levelling Up Fund, and mainstream employment and skills provision to maximise impact and simplify delivery. There are three key investment priorities under the Fund:

            - Community and Place

            - Supporting Local Business; and

            - People and Skills

This report related  to the Community and Place investment priority. 

GMCA were the accountable body for the Fund and, following submission of the GM UKSPF Investment Plan to Government at the end of July 2022, the focus of UKSPF in GM was on implementation planning.

GMCA invited local authorities to submit proposals to ensure projects are compliant with Government guidance and would collectively meet the required outputs and outcomes as set out in the GM UKSPF Investment Plan for the Communities and Place Investment Priority.

Oldham had been allocated £2.298m from UKSPF across the key interventions of the programme namely E1, E3 and E6.

The Council had focused its proposals around active, accessible public realm and travel routes; rehabilitation of green space including infrastructure for community and visitor use; and a programme of cultural events that build upon and generate legacy projects for Oldham's residents and visitors alike.

The proposed programme was drawn from the Creating a Better Place strategy and action plan and will support a range of projects that will meet the core 3 interventions.

Options/Alternatives

Option 1- Do nothing.  Failure to accept the grant allocation of UKSPF would reflect negatively on the perception of the town and its ambitions. It would have significant implications for delivery of the project budgets and, therefore, the achievement of regeneration ambitions and objectives.

Option 2 - Formally accept the UKSPF award allocation for £2.296m and enter into the Memorandum of Understanding as set out in this report.

RESOLVED – That the Cabinet would consider the commercially sensitive information contained at Item 19 of the agenda before making a decision.