Bedford Borough is to receive £3,100,402 and Central Bedfordshire £4,944,685 from the Government through the £2.6 billion UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to help level up the community – from regenerating run down high streets to fighting anti-social behaviour.
The funding delivers on the UK government’s commitment to match the previous EU funding from the European Social Fund and European Regional Development Fund.
The UKSPF invests in local communities by helping to regenerate high streets, tackle economic decline, and reverse geographical inequalities – with areas in greater need receiving more support. The funding is part of the Government’s mission to level up the UK, by ensuring that where an individual is born does not determine the success and opportunities afforded to them.
The investment will deliver on the Government’s mission to level up the United Kingdom – regenerating communities, tackling economic decline, and reversing geographical inequalities to ensure that everyone can fulfil their potential. The funding also includes free tutoring, digital training and flexible courses to help adults with low-level maths skills get back into work, as well as measures to get more young people into high-skilled jobs.
Richard Fuller MP has welcomed the news that as part of this investment, £3.1m and £4.9m has been awarded to Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council, respectively.
The spending confirms that the government has fulfilled its commitment to match previous EU funding on social and regional development.
Commenting, Richard said:
We have taken back control of our money from the EU and we are empowering local communities to deliver on their priorities, rather than unelected bureaucrats in Brussels.
The local investment can be used across a range of projects, from supporting adults who lack basic numeracy skills, helping young people into good jobs, and regenerating our high streets.
More information on the UKSPF can be found here.
The fund will be much more flexible and locally led, freeing communities from the bureaucratic, rigid and complex processes of the EU Structural Funds. Bureaucracy will be slashed, and there will be far more discretion over what money is spent on. EU requirements for match funding, which impacted on poorer places, will be abolished. Instead of regional agencies, funding decisions will be made by elected leaders in local government, with input from local members of parliament and local businesses and voluntary groups.
The fund also includes a new £559 million adult numeracy programme for the whole UK, Multiply, which will support people with no or low-level maths skills get back into work. The scheme will offer free personal tutoring, digital training, and flexible courses to improve adults’ confidence and numeracy skills.
Driving forward the missions in the government’s Levelling Up White Paper, this fund is in addition to other levelling up funding, including the £4.8 billion Levelling Up Fund, £150 million Community Ownership Fund and £3.6 billion Towns Fund. On top of this, the government is making available an additional £3.7 billion to councils this year.
