Decision details

Purpose of Report

To seek Executive approval to submit Lincoln’s project programme for the one-year UKSPF (UK Shared Prosperity Fund) funding available for 2025-26.

Decision

1.    That the proposed programme for the 2025-26 UKSPF funding in Lincoln as detailed within the recently circulated revised Appendix A to the report, be submitted to North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) for inclusion in the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral County Combined Authority (GLMCCA) government submission.

2.    Subject to approval of the overall Investment Plan by GLMCCA partners, that the budget allocations set out in paragraph 4.1 of the officer’s report be included in the General Investment Programme and General Fund revenue account in 2025/26.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Reasons for the Decision

City of Lincoln Council was previously directly awarded £2,810,773 of funding from the government’s UKSPF programme between 2022-25 which had enabled us to deliver a comprehensive programme of projects across Lincoln particularly focusing on community and people projects within our most deprived areas, alongside business support, employment, and skills. That programme needed to be fully spent and delivered by 31 March 2025 and was on track to do so.

The government announced in the Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024 that there would be a further one-year stand-alone UKSPF programme for 2025-26. As Lincoln was now part of a devolved combined county authority, this new allocation had been pooled into a single allocation for Greater Lincolnshire. North East Lincolnshire Council (NELC) was the accountable body for the funding in 2025-26 and would be managing, monitoring and reporting on the overall programme for the Greater Lincolnshire Mayoral County Combined Authority (GLMCCA).

Lincoln had been allocated a total of £874,295 under the one-year stand-alone UKSPF programme for 2025-26, which comprised £143,680 capital and £730,615 revenue funds for spend delivery by 31 March 2026.

An update from NELC on 5 March 2025 confirmed the following further requirements:

-      NELC would issue a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to each council area in April 2025.

-      Individual Investment Plans should be locally approved with a target date of 21 March 2025 (Lincoln had notified NELC that Executive would be held on 24 March 2025 and that was acceptable).

-      Overall Investment Plan to be agreed by GLMCCA partners and uploaded by 18 April 2025.

-      First payments by early June 2025 (anything prior was at risk).

-      Review of delivery in September 2025 so programme needed to be well underway and committed to avoid clawback/reduction of funding.

-      Full review of programme in January 2026 to ensure spend and delivery achievable by 31 March 2026.

The draft investment plan prioritised funding for the community and place and people and skills priorities given the GLMCCA’s approach to the supporting Business priority.

Under the original UKSPF allocation for 2022-2025 the Council acted as the accountable body, for 2025/26 that responsibility now sat with NELC.

The administration of the scheme would continue in the existing way with the Council directly delivering a number of schemes itself along with delivery through external organisations. Grant draw-downs and claims monitoring would be through NELC rather than through MHCLG. The current, robust, programme management and monitoring arrangements would continue to be in place.