Posted on Thursday 4th November 2021
Philip White
Three projects to boost businesses, skills, job creation and regeneration in Staffordshire have had bids approved for a share of a UK-wide fund.
Announced by the Government this week, the successful county bids to the UK Community Renewal Fund have a combined value of £1.5million. They include the county council’s Staffordshire Means Back to Business support programme.
The projects are
• Staffordshire County Council – Staffordshire Means Back to Business (£751,560)
• Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council - Carbon Reduction and Sustainable Energy Creation Programme (£219,300)
• Staffordshire University - Innovation and Productivity Pathfinder (£538,385)
The UK Community Renewal Fund aims to support and invest in communities across the country through innovative pilot programmes. In total £200million has been made available by the Government for this financial year.
Bids were submitted from a range of projects and included voluntary, community and social enterprises, business development organisations, colleges, universities, training providers and councils. Bids of up to three million pounds have been considered.
They were submitted by Staffordshire County Council on behalf on the applicants, with the Government making the final decision.
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said:
It is fantastic news that we have had three county projects approved by the Government to receive a share of the UK Community Renewal Fund, including our own Staffordshire Means Back to Business programme. We know they will make a difference to our communities and businesses.
We received strong project applications and needed to prioritise a selection to go forward for consideration by the Government, which has recognised their quality and ability to get started straight away.
The fund is supporting one of our top priorities as a county council to reinvigorate our communities and businesses through investment, skills development, job creation and regeneration.”