LATEST: 
Appraisal of Stage 1 applications ongoing

  • The first call for UKSPF projects in North Wales closed on 24 February 2023.
  • 299 applications, asking for over £250 million of UKSPF funding were received.
  • The UKSPF allocation for North Wales is £126.46 million, the funds requested are therefore significantly greater than the sum available.
  • Applications are currently being assessed by local authorities.  Local stakeholders will be advising local authorities as they decide which applications should progress to prepare a detailed Stage 2 application.
  • The anticipated timetable for local authorities to make their decisions on Stage 1 applications is as follows:
    Early April for Flintshire and Gwynedd
    Mid April for Conwy and the Isle of Anglesey
    Early May for Denbighshire
    Mid May for Wrexham 

Overview

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and will provide £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025.

The overarching objective of the Fund is building pride in place and increasing life chances.

The UKSPF aims to achieve this through three investment priorities:

  • Community & Place;
  • Supporting Local Business; and
  • People & Skills (including the 'Multiply' initiative to improve adult numeracy)

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus provides a comprehensive overview of the fund.

Shared Prosperity Fund in North Wales

In Wales, local areas must work with others within their region to deliver the Fund.  The North Wales region includes the counties of Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd, the Isle of Anglesey and Wrexham.

A total of £126.46 million has been allocated form the UKSPF to North Wales. The total includes £21.84 million which must be used to support 'Multiply', the adult numeracy initiative. 

The funding includes both capital and revenue money for the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025. 

On 5 December 2022, the UK Government announced that the money will be coming to North Wales, but the funds will only be confirmed by the UK Government for one financial year at a time.

Allocation per local authority

£24,520,120

Conwy

£25,647,958

Denbighshire

£13,102,933

Flintshire

£24,423,747

Gwynedd

£16,081,937

Isle of Anglesey

£22,684,205

Wrexham

Delivery of the UKSPF in North Wales

The local authorities in North Wales will work together to administer the UKSPF. However, all fund decisions will be made locally in each area.

Local authorities will decide which projects will receive money advised by a partnership of local stakeholders.

Applicants can submit an application to deliver projects in one or more local authority area.  Each local authority area will determine whether or not they wish to support an application.

Any project funded by the UKSPF must address one, or more, of the 53 interventions listed in the

Projects must also deliver one or more of the outputs and outcomes published by the UK Government:

Project selection

Each local authority will determine how they wish to select projects for UKSPF support. However, common considerations will include:

  • the alignment of proposals with UKSPF priority investments and interventions;
  • proposals' anticipated outputs and outcomes;
  • additionality and alignment of proposed projects with current and planned activity;
  • deliverability and the capacity / capability of the applicant (including awareness of legal and regulatory requirements)
  • alignment with national, regional and especially local strategies, priorities and needs;

Local areas will consider the overall mix of activities proposed as well as individual proposals to ensure the needs of their localities are addressed and the objectives of the UKSPF investment priorities are addressed.

Regional strategies and plans

North Wales Regional Economic Framework.pdf

North Wales Growth Deal

North Wales Skills & Employment Plan (2023-25).pdf 

Mersey-Dee-Area-Prospectus.pdf

How to apply

Applications for UKSPF funding in North Wales will follow a two-stage process:

Stage 1: submission of outline project application

Stage 2: submission of detailed project application

Local Authorities will prioritise and select projects on the basis of their stage 1 outline application.

Selected projects will be invited to prepare and submit a stage 2 detailed application, which will provide further information on the proposal.  Formal grant funding agreements will be issued following appraisal of the stage 2 detailed application.

  • Consider the eligibility of your proposal by reviewing the UKSPF interventions, outputs and outcomes and its alignment with the needs and aspirations of the locality / localities in which you wish to operate. Regional and local teams are in place should you require any advice or guidance.
  • Read the guidance for submitting a stage 1 outline project application and gather all the required information by reviewing the offline version of the stage 1 application form (the offline version is provided as an editable document to help you prepare).
  • Click on the link below to complete and submit your stage 1 outline project application via our online portal before midday on Friday, 24 February 2023 (note that only applications submitted via the online portal will be considered).

The next steps once applications are received will be:

  1. The application will be appraised by the relevant local Shared Prosperity Fund team (projects seeking to deliver in one Local Authority area only) or the regional Shared Prosperity Fund team (projects seeking to deliver in more than one Local Authority area).
  2. Views sought form relevant stakeholders.
  3. Local Advisory Panel (or Panels in the case of projects seeking to deliver in more than one Local Authority area) will assess and prioritise the projects to hand and make recommendations to Local Authority / Authorities.
  4. Local Authority / Authorities decide which projects they wish to support.
  5. Applicants are advised of decision.
  6. Successful applicants are invited to prepare and submit stage 2 detailed project application.
  • Once received, stage 2 detailed project applications are appraised and final due diligence of applicants completed.
  • Local authority / authorities confirm final decision on application.
  • Formal grant funding agreements, detailing the claims process, will be issued by regional team on behalf of the Local Authority.

The timescale for decision making will vary according to the process / procedure followed be each Local Authority.  Information on anticipated timescales for each local authority is available on their website.

  • The timescale for delivery of the UKSF is short; in practice, all projects will need to be completed and final claims submitted by 31 December 2024, to allow time for closure of the programme.
  • Considering the short period available for delivery, local authorities will be seeking to support a relatively small number of larger, strategic projects. All projects submitted must seek at least £250,000 of UKSPF funds; local authorities anticipate that, on average, supported projects will be seeking £1 million plus of UKSPF funds.
  • To enable local businesses, organisations and communities seeking smaller amounts of support to access UKSPF funds; most local authorities will be looking to establish local intermediary funds, providing a simplified application, approval and monitoring regime. Information on these funds will appear on individual local authorities websites as it becomes available.
  • As noted previously, although the UK Government has announced the UKSPF allocations for the period up-to 31 March 2025, the funding is only confirmed on an annual basis. The funding agreements provided by North Wales local authorities to successful applicants will reflect this.  Any applicant, committing to expenditure beyond the period for which funding is confirmed will do so at their own risk.
  • The eligible period for expenditure under the UKSPF began on 1 April 2022. Applicants may therefore an element of retrospective expenditure within their applications.  Note that any expenditure incurred by applicants prior to signing a grant funding agreement will be entirely at their own risk.
  • The UKSPF includes both capital and revenue funding. Applicants can choose to submit applications for capital only project, revenue only projects or projects seeking a combination of both.
  • Operating in compliance with the new UK subsidy control regime which began on 4 January 2023, will be a key requirement for any project. All applicants should familiarise themselves with the requirements of the regime:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/subsidy-control-regime

  • Given the constrained circumstances for the delivery of the UKSPF, confidence in the deliverability of submitted proposals will be a key consideration for local authorities alongside the capacity and capability of applicant organisations.
  • In submitting an application, you will authorise the local authority/authorities to make the necessary enquiries to check any information that is required for the administration of the UKSPF programme. The information you provide may also be shared with others as stated in the Gwynedd Council Privacy Notice.

Stage 1 guidance

Contact the local authorities for further information

Contact the Shared Prosperity North Wales Team

If you intend to deliver a project across more than one local authority area and need further information.

Email - SharedProsperityNorthWales@gwynedd.llyw.cymru