Decision details
Decision Maker: Corporate Director (Place & Wellbeing) & Deputy Chief Executive
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
The Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) is a
Government initiative which allocates funding as an add-on to the
existing UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Tendring has been
allocated £659,335, to be spent across years 2023/24 (25%)
and 2025/26 (75%).
The REPF is a capital funding opportunity with no allocation made
within it for resourcing or administration costs. As an add-on to
the UKSPF, Government anticipates that any resourcing costs will be
met through the 4% allocation made through that scheme.
This allocation is designed to replace the previous LEADER and
Growth Funds, which also focussed on rural areas, and projects
should address one or both of the following themes:
•Support for Rural Businesses
•Investment in Rural Communities
Rural, in the criteria, is defined as a village of less than 10,000
people, or a market town with significant supply to surrounding
rural areas, of no more than 30,000 people.
In order to access Tendring’s allocation, the Council must
submit an addendum to the original UKSPF Investment Plan (submitted
July 2022) to outline further identified REPF project/s. The
deadline to do so, via online portal, is 30th November 2022.
Decision:
To submit an addendum to the Council's
original UKSPF Investment Plan bid by the Government's deadline of
30 November 2022.
The Portfolio Holder for Business & Economic Growth, Councillor
Mary Newton was consulted, and she has concurred with the
submission of the investment plan addendum in order to access the
funding.
Alternative options considered:
Option 1 - not applying to access the funding
allocation. This option is not being taken forward as the funding
is non competitive, and is designed to replace the previous LEADER
and Growth Funds, which also focussed on rural areas.
Publication date: 24/11/2022
Date of decision: 23/11/2022