Issue - meetings

Appendix 1 is separate for Cabinet Members only.

The Appendix is exempt under Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12 A of the Local Gofernment Act 1972 – Information relating to the Financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that Information).

The contents of the item includes confidential and commercially sensitive Information on a number of projects. This is relevant to the situation of a number of organisations.

1.    To agree to the continuation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund's regional governance procedure  for the 2025/26 transitional year, and authorise the Head of Economy and Community Department - in consultation with the Head of Finance, Head of Legal Service and the Chief Executive - to confirm the arrangements.

2.    To agree to continue with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund's local governance arrangements in Gwynedd for the 2025/26 transitional year.

3.    To agree that it is required for every scheme in Gwynedd, which receives funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund, to realise two principles, namely:

3.a.        That targeted efforts are made to ensure that SPF money and the resulting benefits are beneficial to communities and residents in all parts of Gwynedd

3.b.        That targeted efforts are made to encourage activities (and organisations), that have not previously received funding, to obtain access to support.

4.    To agree to evolve and adapt activities from the existing projects and extend then for the transitional year, in accordance with the principle of the UK Government that the 2025/26 funding of the Shared Prosperity Fund is an extension of the 2022/24 to 2024/25 period, which transitions to a new funding procedure.

5.    To ask the Shared Prosperity Fund Panel to give detailed consideration to the individual schemes being considered for the Gwynedd allocation of the Shared Prosperity Fund, and present a recommendation back to the Cabinet on the individual allocations.

6.    Within the £7,900,000 budget, to agree to the continuation of four funds (with a total budget of approximately £2.29 million) to distribute smaller sums of Shared Prosperity Fund money to the county's enterprises and communities, authorising the continuation of three funds under Cyngor Gwynedd's control.

The report was presented by Cllr R. Medwyn Hughes

DECISION

1.    To agree to the continuation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund's regional governance procedure for the 2025/26 transitional year, and authorise the Head of Economy and Community Department – in consultation with the Head of Finance, Head of Legal Service and the Chief Executive – to confirm the arrangements.

2.    To agree to continue with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund's local governance arrangements in Gwynedd for the 2025/26 transitional year.

3.    To agree that it is required for every scheme in Gwynedd that receives funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund to realise two principles, namely:

3.a.        That targeted efforts are made to ensure that SPF money and the resulting benefits are beneficial to communities and residents in all parts of Gwynedd

3.b.        That targeted efforts are made to encourage activities (and organisations) that have not previously received funding, to obtain access to support.

4.    To agree to evolve and adapt activities from existing projects and extend them for the transitional year, in accordance with the principle of the UK Government that the 2025/26 funding of the Shared Prosperity Fund is an extension of the 2022/24 to 2024/25 period, which transitions to a new funding procedure.

5.    To ask the Shared Prosperity Fund Panel to give detailed consideration to the individual schemes being considered for the Gwynedd allocation of the Shared Prosperity Fund, and present a recommendation back to the Cabinet on the individual allocations.

6.    Within the £7,900,000 budget, to agree to the continuation of four funds (with a total budget of approximately £2.29 million) to distribute smaller sums of Shared Prosperity Fund money to the county's enterprises and communities, authorising the continuation of three funds under Cyngor Gwynedd's control.

DISCUSSION

The members were reminded that the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) was money provided by the UK Government since 2022, to promote schemes for the benefit of the economy and communities. It was elaborated that Cyngor Gwynedd was the Lead Authority for North Wales and led on several projects. It was reported that £23.6 million had been allocated to fund 40 schemes under the budget of this Fund in Gwynedd.

It was explained that, originally, the end of March 2025 marked when this Fund would end when the UK Government had drawn up the initial plan. However, in October 2024 the Government had announced their intention to extend the Fund for a transition year (2025/26) to allow time to revise the funding system from April 2026. It was noted that the funding provided within the Fund was less than in previous years, with pressure on Local Authorities to ensure that it was spent by the end of the current financial year.

It was confirmed that evaluation of the projects that had been funded to date was currently underway, as the Fund's budget would expire at the end of the current financial year.

It was pointed out that the timetable for using the money provided from the Fund was very  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7