District Council continues to support local communities and businesses through UK Shared Prosperity Funding

In October 2024, the Government announced a one-year extension to the UKSPF programme for the 2025/2026 delivery year, while longer-term funding plans are considered.

The programme originally began in December 2022, with the District Council successfully securing £3.29 million to deliver selected priorities across three themes of communities and place, supporting businesses and people and skills.

The local impact of the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive, supporting 342 businesses, creating and safeguarding over 100 jobs, planting more than 3,000 trees, supporting over 250 residents to gain skills, helping more than 650 residents volunteer, delivering 120 community events, and much more.

The Council were also previously awarded a further £891,000 between 2023 and 2025 through the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), known as a capital top-up to UKSPF for eligible, rural areas. This funding has successfully supported a variety of community groups, sports clubs, charities and businesses in rural areas of the district, to encourage improved access to opportunity and to support rural economic growth.

During the one-year extension of UKSPF to March 2026, the Council will no longer act as the lead recipient of the funding allocation from Government. Instead, a regional UKSPF sum of approximately £25 million has been allocated to the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA). EMCCA recently confirmed their intentions to award this extension of funding to District and Borough Councils to continue to deliver activities, in accordance with the fund objectives and regional, and local priorities. These plans provide Newark and Sherwood District Council with approximately £1.345 million of UKSPF in 2025/2026.

The additional allocation of grant to the area will focus on supporting existing services valued by residents and businesses, helping to provide continuity of key support schemes throughout a transition year, whilst longer term funding plans are considered by Government. This includes:

• Support for businesses to grow, diversify and improve sustainability such as workshops, 121 advice services and access to grant funding.
• Skills engagement schemes and volunteering opportunities for young people at risk of, or considered not in employment, education or training.
• Continued activity at Sherwood Community Tree Nursery, including a district wide tree planting and volunteering programme.
• Improvements to town centres and priority regeneration projects, including the Shaping Sherwood Rival Scheme.
• Support for economically inactive residents to gain skills, and progress towards employment, as well as helping people in employment to progress within the workforce.

Councillor Claire Penny, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Economic Development, stated: “It is encouraging that we can continue with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund for at least another year, which will assist us in supporting the local economy during a crucial period.

“I have seen firsthand how this fund benefits local groups and people, so it is reassuring to see its continuation. We have already identified numerous key projects that will benefit from this funding, providing significant support to the local area.”

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus