Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) provides £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 rather than a competition. The report details the UKSPF Communities and Place funding allocation for Stockport and the proposed governance arrangements for it.

The Cabinet is recommended to:-

(1) Note the content of the report, including the approach relating to Stockport’s UKSPF investment plan for Communities & Place and the suitability of the proposed governance model for any future Support for Local Business and the People and Skills elements of UKSPF, once they are approved.

(2) Agrees to delegate authority to the Director of Development and Regeneration who will approve funding allocations for projects in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration, to oversee and approve the delivery of activities relating to Stockport’s investment plan.

(3) Note that the Cabinet and Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee receive copies of the regular reporting on the project bids and agreed funding allocations, and any other updates on UKSPF.

Officer contact: Richard Mortimer by email at: richard.mortimer@stockport.gov.uk

The Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration (Councillor Colin MacAlister) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Communities and Place funding allocation for Stockport and the proposed governance arrangements.

RESOLVED - (1) That the content of the report be noted, including the approach relating to Stockport’s UKSPF investment plan for Communities & Place and the suitability of the proposed governance model for any future Support for Local Business and the People and Skills elements of UKSPF, once they are approved.

(2) That authority be delegated to the Director of Development and Regeneration who will approve funding allocations for projects in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy & Regeneration, to oversee and approve the delivery of activities relating to Stockport’s investment plan.

(3) That it be noted that the Cabinet and Economy & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee will receive copies of the regular reporting on the project bids and agreed funding allocations, and any other updates on UKSPF.

To consider a report of the Director of Development and Regeneration.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) provides £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 rather than a competition. The report details the UKSPF Communities and Place funding allocation for Stockport and the proposed governance arrangements for it.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to note:

1.    the content of the report, including the approach relating to Stockport’s UKSPF investment plan for Communities and Place, and the suitability of the proposed governance model for any future Support for Local Business and the People and Skills elements of UKSPF, once they are approved;

2.    that authority be delegated to the Director of Development and Regeneration (who will approve funding allocations for projects) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration to oversee and approve the delivery of activities relating to Stockport’s investment plan; and

3.    to agree to receive regular updates on UKSPF.

Officer contact: Richard Mortimer | richard.mortimer@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Director of Development and Regeneration submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) which provided information as to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Communities and Place funding allocation for Stockport and the proposed governance arrangements for it.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, Councillor Colin MacAlister, and Head of Economy, Work and Skills, Richard Mortimer, attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee. 

The following comments were made/ issues raised:

·         It was suggested that a district centre champion be part of Communities and Place Project Bid Reference Group; thought would be given as to the appropriate person that could participate e.g., a District Centre Manager.

·         It was noted that funding would be borough-wide and not solely for district centres.

·         It was suggested that reporting to the Scrutiny Committee on funds awarded would be a useful mechanism for members to raise any concerns with awards and/ or processes.

·         There would be an opportunity for applicants to reapply for funding if their applications were unsuccessful, and as a consequence, there was no appeal process. An applicant would receive feedback to enable them to review the strengths and weaknesses of their application.

·         It was noted that the intention of the fund was to replace the European Structural Fund and was likely to be oversubscribed; it was difficult to anticipate the volume of applications that would be received.

·         There would be a communications plan in place to promote the fund.

·         The Scrutiny Committee recommended that Cabinet consider District Centre Manager and elected member participation in the process in some form.

RESOLVED – (1) that the content of the report, approach relating to Stockport’s UKSPF investment plan for Communities and Place, and the suitability of the proposed governance model for any future Support for Local Business and the People and Skills elements of UKSPF (once they are approved), be noted;

(2) that authority delegated to the Director of Development and Regeneration (who will approve funding allocations for projects) in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration to oversee and approve the delivery of activities relating to Stockport’s investment plan, be noted;

(3) That regular updates on UKSPF to the Scrutiny Committee be agreed; and

(4) That the Cabinet be recommended to consider District Centre Manager and elected member participation in the process in some form.