Issue - meetings

To consider a report by the Regeneration and Housing Delivery Manager providing an update on the programme of activity funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) in Huntingdonshire.

Executive Councillor: S Wakeford

The Cabinet received and noted the progress on the projects within the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) programme that support the delivery of the best outcomes for residents, businesses, and the District.

With the aid of a report prepared by the Regeneration and Housing Delivery Manager the Cabinet received an update (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) that provided details on the programme of activity funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) in Huntingdonshire.

By way of background the Executive Councillor for Jobs, Economy, and Housing reported that the UKSPF and REPF supported the delivery of HDC priorities and in alignment with other external funding streams maximised the opportunities to deliver the best outcomes for residents, businesses, and district.

Cabinet observed that the UKSPF and REPF is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda that will provide HDC with a total of £2.71billion of new funding for local investment by March 2025. All areas of the UK received an allocation from the fund via a formula. The UKSPF fund enables areas to target funding where it is needed most; building pride in place, supporting high quality skills training, supporting pay, employment, and productivity growth, and achieving improved life chances, this it was noted is structured into three pillars: (1) Communities and Place, (2) Supporting Local Businesses, and (3) People and Skills.

Members noted that (A) Huntingdonshire had received an allocation of £1,878,645.43 UKSPF after a fixed 4% programme administration was removed, this 4% was shared equally between the Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA). In addition, a further £304,749.89 was set aside to support Cambridgeshire wide activity; and (B) REPF funding is administered through the CPCA with Huntingdonshire’s allocation totalling £957,788.00, this is capital funding only. The REPF is different to the UKSPF allocation in that match funding is required via an intervention rate for each business or organisation in receipt of REPF.

Members attention was drawn to the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel in particular it was noted that: following an enquiry from (i) Councillor Gardener on the progress and implementation of the Electrical Vehicle Charging Scheme, it was noted that the Panel had been informed that whilst there were updates on project deliveries within the Appendix to the report, the Electrical Vehicle Strategy was still in the implementation process but that progress would be reported back to the Panel in due course; and (ii) Councillor Jennings enquired how the team would be managing the success of projects where the measure was stated to improve perception. Following which the Panel had been assured that work was underway on how to better demonstrate and articulate project success and that this measure would be developed into a more tangible measure and that this would be further elaborated in a future report.

In conclusion after careful consideration of the report the Chair Moved and Cabinet:

RESOLVED

To note the progress on the projects within the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) programme that supported the delivery of the best outcomes for residents, businesses, and the District.

The Panel is invited to comment on the UK Shared Prosperity and Rural England Prosperity Fund Update Report.

Executive Councillor: S Wakeford

By means of a report by the Regeneration and Housing Delivery Manager, (a copy of which was appended in the Minute Book), the UK Shared Prosperity and Rural England Prosperity Fund Update was presented to the Panel.

Following an enquiry from Councillor Gardener on the progress and implementation of the Electrical Vehicle Charging Scheme, the Panel heard that whilst there were updates on project deliveries within the Appendix to the report, the Electrical Vehicle Strategy was still in the implementation process but that progress would be reported back to the Panel in due course.

Councillor Jennings enquired how the team would be managing the success of projects where the measure was stated to improve perception. Following which the Panel were assured that work was underway on how to better demonstrate and articulate project success and that this measure would be developed into a more tangible measure and that this would be further elaborated in a future report.

Following a question from Councillor Gleadow, the Panel were assured that the budget risks relating to the programme for staff had been assessed and that were felt to be sufficient.

In response to an enquiry from Councillor Cawley, the Panel heard that details on the Huntingdon Business Accelerator were available and would be distributed to Members following the meeting to allow further communication with interested parishes and businesses.

Following questions from Councillor Blackwell and Councillor Gardener, the Panel heard that it was hoped that active travel could be developed in rural areas to connect and improve routes between villages, towns and points of interest. It was also stated that the funding mentioned within the report was designed to develop feasibility studies for up to five areas which in turn would allow those applicants to mobilise and bid for funding to fulfil the project as it becomes available.

Following the discussion, it was

RESOLVED

that the comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Panel be passed to Cabinet for their consideration when making a decision upon the recommendations contained within the report.