Issue - meetings

Appendix 1 and 2 are separate for Cabinet members only.

Both appendices are exempt under paragraph 14 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 – Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

There is an acknowledged public interest in openness in relation to the use of public resources and related financial issues. It is also acknowledged that there are occasions, in order to protect the financial and commercial interests that matters related to such information need to be discussed without being publicised. The appendices to the report deal specifically with financial and business matter and related discussions. Publication of such commercially sensitive information could adversely affect the interests of the applicants and undermine the confidence of others  in sharing sensitive information for consideration. This would be contrary to the wider public interest of securing the best overall outcome. For those reasons I am satisfied that the matter should be exempt in the public interest.

1.    It was agreed to commit a total of £21,352,966 of Gwynedd's allocation from the UK's Shared Prosperity Fund to the Schemes listed in Appendix 1 of the report in accordance with the amounts noted.

2.    The Head of Economy and Community Department was authorised, in consultation with the Head of Legal Service, the Head of Finance Department and the Chief Executive, to authorise the release of offer letters to the schemes subject to completing final checks and receiving the seal of approval of the Shared Prosperity Fund: Gwynedd Panel to any special conditions.

3.    It was agreed to establish four Enabling Funds (with a total budget of £6,131,000) to distribute smaller amounts of Shared Prosperity funding to enterprises and communities in the county and to authorise the implementation of three funds under the management of Cyngor Gwynedd.

4.    The Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee was requested to carry out an investigation into the work area of supporting community / social enterprises to increase the Council's understanding and to ensure that the efforts of the organisations assimilate and reinforce each other.

The report was submitted by Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn.

DECISION

1.    It was agreed to commit a total of £21,352,966 of Gwynedd's allocation from the UK's Shared Prosperity Fund to the Schemes listed in Appendix 1 of the report in accordance with the amounts noted.

2.    The Head of Economy and Community Department, in consultation with the Head of Legal Service, the Head of Finance Department and the Chief Executive, was authorised to release offer letters to the schemes subject to completing final checks and receiving the seal of approval of the Shared Prosperity Fund: Gwynedd Panel to any special conditions.

3.    It was agreed to establish four Enabling Funds (with a total budget of £6,131,000) to distribute smaller amounts of Shared Prosperity funding to enterprises and communities in the county and to authorise the implementation of three funds under the management of Cyngor Gwynedd.

4.    The Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee was asked to carry out an investigation into the work area of supporting community / social enterprises to increase the Council's understanding and to ensure that the efforts of the organisations correspond and reinforce each other.

DISCUSSION

It was explained that the Cabinet’s decision at the meeting on 24 January 2023 had established a procedure to administrate the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) in Gwynedd. It was explained that the Shared Prosperity Fund: Gwynedd Panel was established following this decision, to confirm which schemes would be chosen to receive funding, following a period of receiving applications.

It was reported that the fund was worth £24.4 million and that it should be allocated by the end of March 2025. It was noted that the Shared Prosperity Fund: Gwynedd Panel, had received 144 applications (equivalent to £52 million). It was confirmed that 38 of these applications had been successful, and that additional funds had been established in order to support smaller enterprises.

The officers were thanked for assessing the prosperity fund applications effectively and transparently.

It was confirmed that a cross-section of projects had received the support of the fund, with a number of different types of schemes and locations included at the end of the open applications period. It was detailed that it was intended to open funds for smaller amounts of funding using this fund in order to ensure that the funding would reach every area within Gwynedd.

Disappointment was expressed that the period of time to spend the money from the fund had been reduced following late confirmation of the arrangements of the British Government.