UKSPF funding - which has seen more than £12.5 million invested across South & East Lincolnshire - will be extended

Vital community causes will still be backed after it was announced United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund backing has been extended.

Following the Government’s Autumn Budget, the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership has been told UKSPF has been renewed for an additional one-year period.

Between 2022 and March 2025 a total of £12.5 million will have been invested in the sub-region, with cash delivered to more than 150 projects thanks to this initiative which invests in businesses and communities, with the goal of driving local growth, improving pride in place and improving adult skills.

Among the beneficiaries have been the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone, a community event to celebrate legendary explorer Matthew Flinders be interred in his hoem village of Donington and revamping the Lincolnshire Coast Light Railway at Skegness.

Many village play areas have also been invested in thanks to GRASSroots backing.

In a joint statement, Coun Anne Dorrian, leader of Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey Couns Steve Kirk, portfolio holder for The Coastal Economy, and Adam Grist, portfolio holder for Market Towns and Rural Economy, and Coun Paul Redgate, portfolio holder for Finance at South Holland District Council, said: “This is obviously fantastic news for the ongoing development of community projects, support for local businesses and impactful skills and employment projects.

“While we don’t yet know how the new UKSPF programme will look, we do know that this existing programme has already been transformational for our area and has already delivered many successful initiatives.

“Our areas have already exceeded their Investment Plan targets in a number of key areas, with particular strengths being growth advice and support given by Advice4Growth/Grants4Growth and the nearly £3million given across the Partnership in small grants to community facilities through the Lincolnshire Community Foundation GRASSroots scheme.

“We hope that the second programme will have a very similar impact.

“We urge all projects who are interested in applying for the new funding to keep an eye out for updates and details of the new programme, which will be released in due course, as they become available.

“We look forward to what this next version of UKSPF will do for all of our people, community projects and businesses.”

While the funding has been secured, guidance and timings have yet to be confirmed by the Government.

The current UKSPF/RPF programme ends in March 2025, with all of the projects which have received funding through this required to meet their contractual obligations and deadlines.

Further information on future funding opportunities through the new UKSPF programme will be announced in due course.