A questionnaire is now open giving Somerset residents and businesses the chance to have their say on how more than £7m of funding should be spent to help build pride in local communities and increase life chances.
Somerset has been allocated a total of £7.26m of funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to invest in the area between 2022 and 2025.
The funding forms part of the Government’s national Levelling Up agenda, and now Somerset is developing a Local Investment Plan to support the key objectives of the fund.
They are seeking thoughts from Somerset businesses and residents on how they think the funding should be prioritised. A questionnaire is now live, and can be found on the UKSPF page on the opens in a new windowSomerset County Council website.
Councillor Val Keitch, Somerset County Council Executive Lead Member for Local Government Reorganisation and Prosperity, said: “Somerset County Council is committed to being a Council that listens to its residents, and your input can help shape the Local Investment Plan for this funding.
“I would urge everyone to have their say in this consultation to help ensure that this money is channelled into projects that will make a real difference in Somerset.”
Somerset’s Local Investment Plan will set out the themes and types of projects that will be prioritised with the funding over the next three years.
The primary goal of the UKSPF is to build pride in local communities and increase life chances. The Government has set out three main investment areas: Communities and place – investing in infrastructure, green spaces and community-led projects, Local Business – creating jobs, providing support for those starting businesses, and improving retail, hospitality and leisure facilities, and People and skills – boosting core skills and supporting people to progress into work.
The questionnaire will be open until 24th June 2022. The responses will help inform the priorities for the Local Investment Plan, which will then be submitted to Government for consideration. They hope to be able to begin delivering activity in Autumn 2022.
You can find out more information about the UK Shared Prosperity Fund on the opens in a new windowSomerset County Council webiste.