Decision details

Decision to award non-allocated funds, realised through efficiency savings, arising within the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme through the agreed protocol to a project that has engaged with the Programme through a referral from Inward Investment. The proposal has, as with any application to UKSPF/RPF, been evaluated by the relevant Officer Panel and Partnership Sub-Group and has also received political and Senior Officer approval.

HMP North Sea Camp – HGV Driving for Prison Leavers - £12,871 Funding for 15 prisoners at HMP North Sea Camp to undertake Cat C+E HGV Driver Licences and receive placements with local employers across the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership area (for example, Freshlinc). They will undertake these placements on day release and the jobs will be held open for them on resettlement – the aim being to fill shortage vacancies, reduce re-offending and support local businesses through funding appropriately qualified labour.

As part of HMG’s Levelling Up Agenda and in line with the commitments made by East Lindsey District in the UKSPF Prospectus and Investment Plan, we have committed to invest in high-impact projects across three core themes:

• Communities and place - Supporting community groups and investment in community facilities; enhancing the cultural and heritage offer; widening the use of community buildings; initiatives to help support our town centres.
• Supporting local business - Helping local businesses invest for future growth; growing the food processing, horticulture and logistics sector; encouraging new businesses to establish; helping the local social and community enterprises to innovate and grow.
• People and skills - Developing skills and employment opportunities within the fresh food, food processing and logistics sectors; creating new training hubs; supporting local residents with skills and access to employment.

This allocation meets the objectives that we have committed to under all three Themes. With this project passing a rigorous assessment process, we are confident that it can deliver the outcomes expected from the Programme quickly and substantively. This has been the basis of the decision.

These funds were allocated through the agreed protocol on the allocation of UKSPF ‘underspent funds’ subsequent to the closure of the last open call for funds - Procurement or closed competition. This time, the latter was chosen, and the allocation was awarded to projects that had engaged with the Fund prior to its closure for applications or projects that had been referred from other Programmes within the Council. They were appraised competitively by the relevant Partnership Sub-Group and consultation occurred with the relevant Portfolio Holder, as would occur in the open application process. The decision was then made on a delegated officer basis by the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for the UKSPF Programme.

The alternative option to awarding funds would be to not award the funding, which would bring severe reputational risk to the Council both with the public and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.