To consider a package of initiatives to strengthen support for villages, parishes and market towns across East Lindsey.

1)          That £620,000 be allocated from the Corporate Priority Reserve to support the expansion of (and administration of) the successful LCF GrassROOTs scheme, alongside increased investment in Communities and Place projects (parish, village hall and market town development projects);

2)          That authority be delegated to the s151 in conjunction with the AD Strategic Growth and Development to agree the final split of resources required as an addition to the budget in respect of revenue and capital;

3)          That a further capital sum of £250,000 be allocated to be added to the Capital programme as a Community Loan Facility financed from the Corporate Priorities Reserve and note that the administration of this will be undertaken as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Prosperity Fund Programmes.

A report was presented to enable consideration of a package of initiatives to strengthen financial support for villages, parishes and market towns across East Lindsey.

During his introduction, the Portfolio Holder for Market Towns and the Rural Economy advised this was a good news report.  Members noted the UK Shared Prosperity Fund had commenced in 2023 and a strand of this had been aimed at parish councils, village halls and community projects, which was the Lincolnshire Community Foundation Grassroots Scheme which had to date invested almost £750,000.  Some of those supported schemes were listed at paragraph 1.4 of the report.

It was noted the funding stream was time limited to March 2025, and funding after this was unclear. The success of this scheme had meant that demand would soon outstrip the supply of funding available, with only £228,000 remaining to distribute.  It was therefore likely that the scheme would close before the end of the UKSPF Programme (March 2025) without additional support.

The proposal was to build on the success of the scheme to avoid an abrupt end to funding and the knock effects through investment from the Corporate Priority Reserve, bringing together a Community Loan facility with the UKSPF/RPF Programme.

An immediate additional investment of £870,000 would enable the expansion of the current investment in communities through the UKSPF programme, coupled with additional support through a loan facility. These Funds would be invested in accordance with the principles of the Council’s existing UKSPF Investment Plan (as well as the emerging SELCP Growth and Prosperity Plan) and in so doing, would count as ‘Leveraged Additional Investment’ to the UKSPF Programme.  Resource would also be allocated to extend the contract management arrangements for Communities and Place projects and the LCF Contract (for an additional nine months beyond the current UKSPF Programme).  This would have the benefit of giving communities additional time to deliver, certainty for the contract delivery team and supporting a greater number of projects across a wider range of geographies within East Lindsey District.

The financial implications of this resourcing strategy, assuming a non-continuation of UKSPF fund post Marsh 2025, were set out at paragraph 2.3 of the report. 

Should the UK share prosperity funding be extended or the situation changed, the resourcing implications of this approach would be reviewed further, likely resulting in an even greater allocation of funds to parishes and market towns.

During discussion Members were fully supportive of the proposals and recognised the difficulties that some Town and Parish Councils faced in accessing funding.  Thanks were extended to officers for their work on this project. 

The recommendations were duly Proposed and Seconded for approval.

RESOLVED

1)          That £620,000 be allocated from the Corporate Priority Reserve to support the expansion of (and administration of) the successful LCF GrassROOTs scheme, alongside increased investment in Communities and Place projects (parish, village hall and market town development projects);

2)          That authority be delegated to the s151 in conjunction with the Assistant Director for Strategic Growth and Development to agree the final split of resources required as an addition to the budget in respect of revenue and capital;

3)          That a further capital sum of £250,000 be allocated to be added to the Capital programme as a Community Loan Facility financed from the Corporate Priorities Reserve and note that the administration of this will be undertaken as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Prosperity Fund Programmes.

Reasons:

Considerations and conclusions for this investment are made within the text of this report, including the options appraisal below.

Other options:

Option 1 - Proceed as per the recommendation of this Report

Under this option there will be the creation of a loan fund, coupled with an expansion of the successful LCF GRASSroots grant funding scheme, leading to an increased number of Communities and Place projects delivered locally, resulting in greater investment in rural communities, augmented pride in place and longer term, sustainable support to community buildings. The risks associated with the upcoming end of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme shall also be partially ameliorated. This will support the realisation of the benefits as set out within the report below.

Option 2 – Do nothing

Under this option, the recommendations are not taken forward, with the opportunity to expand the level of support offered to parish, village hall and community projects not realised and the wider benefits of the report detailed below will also not be realised.