54 HUNTINGDONSHIRE UK SHARED PROSPERITY FUNDING PDF 203 KB
To receive a report providing an overview of the proposed activities to be delivered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Executive Councillor: S Wakeford.
Contact: K McFarlane - (01480) 388332
Additional documents:
Decision:
The Cabinet has:
(a) endorsed the submission of the programme of Huntingdonshire wide UK Shared Prosperity Fund activity;
(b) delegated authority to the Corporate Director (Place) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources to make amendments to Huntingdonshire programme activity following feedback from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and/or Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority on the proposed programme of activity in response to any changes arising from the Autumn 2022 Budget;
(c) delegated authority to the Corporate Director (Place), the S151 Officer and Head of Legal Practice in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to:
i) enter into the Funding Agreement with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority to enable the delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, including the Rural England Fund;
ii) enter into all relevant and necessary grant Funding Agreements and contracts for the successful delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, including the Rural Fund.
(d) delegated authority to the Corporate Director (Place) and the S151 Officer in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to re-allocate UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Fund to existing or new activity to ensure the Huntingdonshire allocation is fully utilised by March 2025; and
(e) requested an update on the Huntingdonshire programme of activity to both the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth) and Cabinet in March 2023.
Minutes:
Consideration was given to a report by the Corporate Director (Place) (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) providing an overview of the proposed activities to be delivered through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in Huntingdonshire that support the delivery of Council priorities and align with other external funding streams to maximise opportunities to deliver the best outcomes for residents, businesses and place.
The Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing delivered a comprehensive background to the report drawing particular attention to the recommendations proposed. The Cabinet were informed that the Investment Plan was subject to Government approval and that key deliverables had been linked to funding opportunities as necessary. Attention was then drawn to the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel (Performance & Growth) where the Panel had expressed their wish to receive an update on the Huntingdonshire programme of activity in three months’ time. Subject to this, the Panel were supportive of the proposals and the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing advised that he was happy to provide a report back to both Overview and Scrutiny and Cabinet in March 2023.
A question was raised by the Executive Councillor for Leisure, Waste and Street Scene concerning how the actions and deliverables within the Investment Plan would be measured and evaluated. In response, the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing reported that a number of metrics had already been built into the proposals and that progress against these measures would be included in future update reports.
Following brief discussion on the merits of bringing back a report in March 2023 and having expressed their support for it, the Cabinet
RESOLVED
(a) to endorse the submission of the programme of Huntingdonshire wide UK Shared Prosperity Fund activity;
(b) to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Place) in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance & Resources to make amendments to Huntingdonshire programme activity following feedback from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and/or Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority on the proposed programme of activity in response to any changes arising from the Autumn 2022 Budget;
(c) to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Place), the S151 Officer and Head of Legal Practice in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to:
i) enter into the Funding Agreement with the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority to enable the delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, including the Rural England Fund;
ii) enter into all relevant and necessary grant Funding Agreements and contracts for the successful delivery of the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, including the Rural Fund.
(d) to delegate authority to the Corporate Director (Place) and the S151 Officer in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy & Housing and Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources to re-allocate UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Fund to existing or new activity to ensure the Huntingdonshire allocation is fully utilised by ... view the full minutes text for item 54
45 Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Funding PDF 179 KB
The Panel is invited to comment on the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Funding Report.
Contact: K McFarlane 01480 388332
Additional documents:
Minutes:
By means of a report by the Corporate Director (Place) (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book), the Huntingdonshire UK Shared Prosperity Funding Report was presented to the Panel.
Councillor Gardener queried whether the Active Travel Feasibility Studies were purely for cycleways, in response to which, the Panel heard that all active travel suggestions were encouraged. The Panel heard about a specific example of the cycleway alongside the A1 from Brampton to Alconbury which did not link into Alconbury village, following which the Panel were assured that the lack of integration had been previously flagged with the County Council.
It was observed by Councillor Corney that the £150,000 earmarked for studies would not stretch far across the district, who then enquired whether any partnership working with local walking and cycling groups had been considered to ensure studies were not duplicated. The Panel heard that the Executive were keen to achieve viable routes for residents and partnership opportunities would be considered.
It was clarified to the Panel that the Council would look to support local businesses in decreasing their utility costs following an observation from Councillor Cawley regarding the wording of the report.
The Panel heard that the Council would look to support local businesses through specialist advice and were developing an action plan to maximise funding opportunities to businesses in both the short and long term.
Councillor Gray stated that whilst broadly supportive of the thrust of what is overall hoped to be achieved, he had concerns over the lack of detail contained within the report, expressly concern that all proposals were completely underdeveloped. It was further stated that greater detail alongside the business plans would be desirable before authority be delegated to others for decision making. The Panel were informed that external funding brought challenges of tight timescales but that this was something that the Executive were happy to reflect upon and come back with.
The Panel requested that the Cabinet consider adding the following recommendation to their report;
· To provide an update on the Huntingdonshire programme of activity to both the Overview and Scrutiny Panel and Cabinet within three months.
With the addition of this recommendation, the Panel
RESOLVED
to encourage Cabinet to endorse the remaining recommendations within the report.