RESOLVED that Cabinet –

a)    formally accepts £197,761.00 from the Rural England Prosperity Fund for 2025 to 2026;

b)    approves the allocation of £120,000.00 for the Rural England Prosperity Fund Business Grants Scheme and further approves the allocation of £77,761.00 for the Rural England Prosperity Fund Community Grants Scheme;

c)    approves the criteria for the assessment of grants for both Schemes under the Rural England Prosperity Fund, as set out in Appendix A to the Portfolio Holder’s report (A.1);

d)    authorises the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, Regeneration and Tourism and the Portfolio Holder for Arts, Culture and Heritage to approve the award of grants to organisations under the Rural England Prosperity Fund in line with its sister fund’s (the UK Shared Prosperity Fund) criteria; and

e)    acknowledges that the documentation to accept the grant funding from Government will require signing by the Council’s Section 151 Officer, and which will be undertaken following that Officer’s consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth and Tourism.