Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Healey introduced the report and explained that the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) would deliver £2.5bn of investment until March 2025 across the UK.  The aim of the programme was “to build pride in place and increase life chances”.  United Kingdom (UK) Government had allocated £126m to North Wales to deliver the programme between 2022/2023 and 2024/2025, with £10.8m allocated to Flintshire for the core programme.

The report provided an update on the development of the programme management infrastructure, both locally and regionally, and set out recommended priorities for the programme, as well as criteria by which projects seeking funding through the programme would be assessed.                                        

The report also provided a broad update on the strategic Council projects that were under development in readiness for the programme.

Gwynedd County Council had been nominated as the lead accountable body for the programme in North Wales.  In advance of the UK Government approval for the programme, officers from the six authorities had been preparing the systems needed to allocate and manage funds from the programme.

The Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) said the report had been considered at the recent Environment and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee where it was supported.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That the progress made in developing the Shared Prosperity Fund programme both regionally and locally be noted; and

(b)       That the broad outline of the structures and processes to be used to deliver the programme be approved, and delegated authority be given to the Chief Officer (Planning, Environment and Economy) and the Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economy to amend and finalise those as needed, once the approval for the programme had been received from UK Government and final terms and conditions were available.