Political boss Cllr Miles Parkinson says he is "thrilled" and outlined his hopes for the future after confirming his authority is set to apply for nearly £3 million in government funding.

In a meeting conducted last week, Cllr Parkinson confirmed Hyndburn Council is hoping to receive £2.9 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for the period April 2022 to April 2025.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a government-allocated fund which is intended to reduce inequalities between communities, as part of the Government’s wider “levelling up” agenda.

The Fund was launched with the publication of its full prospectus on April 13.

The Shared Prosperity Fund has been allocated to lead local authorities across the UK using a formula rather than by inviting competitive bids.

In two tier areas such as Lancashire, the district councils are classed as the lead authority rather than the County Council.  

The financial allocation can be used either for revenue or for capital purposes, subject to the approval of an investment plan the authority is required to submit to government sometime between June 30 and August 1, 2022.

The government is making £20,000 of funding available to each ‘lead local authority’ to undertake work for their application, including the Investment Plan preparation.

Independent Cllr Parkinson, leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, said of the funding: “I’m very pleased indeed.

"It is slightly under £3m but what we’ve been allocated will go a long way.

“What this allows us to do is make huge improvements to our town centre and the wider borough.

"Our local MP, Sara Britcliffe, deserves plaudits too as she has supported our proposals to the government throughout the process.

“We will be investing in business growth and support, eco-developments, international trade support and tourism marketing amongst other things that will greatly benefit Hyndburn in the future.

“In terms of regeneration of the town centre and in particular the Arndale and Accrington Train Station, as examples - we are aware of what is required and will be making huge improvements not just via the UKSPF but with the £22m Levelling Up fund.

“With this continued funding we can make Accrington a wonderful place and somewhere that people want to come to from far and wide.”

Running in parallel with the UKSPF, Hyndburn Council is currently finalising its £22m Levelling-Up bid. This has to be submitted on or before July 6.

Since the bid will be strengthened if it's able to cross-reference its intention to use the Shared Prosperity Fund to complement the levelling up projects, Mr Parkinson says it is important for the council to determine the authority’s UKSPF investment plan by this earlier deadline.

To access its allocation, the council must submit an Investment Plan setting out how it would spend the money.

It is also required to engage local partners in the preparation of the Investment Plan which should address one or more the fund’s three main investment priorities.

These are:

  • Communities & Place - building pride in the community, restoring a sense of community and belonging and regenerating Town centres
  • Supporting Local Business - increasing pay, employment chances and productivity
  • People & Skills - supporting high quality skills and training.

In the full UKSPF report, the Investment Plan priorities are set out as the following:

Boost - £ 260k Business support:

The Growth Hub (Boost) provides a generic business support service which is equally available across Lancashire, ensuring a universal service of enquiry brokerage and sign-posting, basic boot camps for new starts and mentoring for more established businesses.

Economic Development Function - £150k

This proposal is to enhance the Council’s economic development capacity. The overall aim is to help support the Council’s ambitious growth plans including the Town Centre Investment Plan (TCIP) and planned investment. A new Economic Development Officer post proposed and supported by key partners and stakeholders will support and improve the local economy, including Accrington town centre, through encouraging investment, attracting new business, and creating new jobs.

International Trade Support - £40k

Assistance to help ‘land’ inward investment and promote exports.

Tourism Attractions/Marketing - £20k

This project will focus on supporting visitor economy businesses to grow back the volume and value of visitors, extending reach beyond the region into national and international markets. [Sub Total 1 - £470k]

Business Support: Low Carbon Business Support for Net Zero and Transition & Decarbonisation - £140K

Carbon footprints (unlimited number) and unlimited ongoing 1-2-1 and group support for firms to work towards their net-zero action plan, & e.g. reduce energy bills/install ISO14001, climate emergency data for local authorities, manufacturers assisted to decarbonise their manufacturing processes and secure their jobs/survival – delivery by Chamber Low Carbon, UCLAN and AMRC. The program involves fully funded carbon footprints for businesses across the borough and unlimited support for them to implement their net-zero action plans, adopt low carbon tech and reduce energy use etc

New Low Carbon Technology - £110K

The project will drive new technology development and secure new low-carbon manufacturing for Lancashire communities, creating jobs and products for export. Ultimately building the profile for Lancashire as a low-carbon technology leader in the UK. [Sub Total 2 - £250K]

Support the Arndale Masterplan - £150k

Prepare a masterplan for the future of the Accrington Arndale Centre. This intervention has been welcomed in principle by the site owners who would be asked to make a contribution to the overall cost.

Support the Arts, Culture and Heritage package - £1.2465m

This proposal is for a series of measures that will deliver ‘game changing’ cultural investment in the Borough. We will do this by putting in place the resources and infrastructure that we need to run a comprehensive programme of Arts, Culture and Heritage investment over the next three years. This programme will support the delivery of the TCIP and the planned investment through the Levelling up fund. We see this as an essential component of our plans to regenerate the Town Centre, celebrate our culture, and generate activity and footfall to kick-start the growth of our economy.

This proposal is sponsored by a range of key partners drawn from the Arts, Culture and Heritage stakeholder group. In the coming months it is our intention to set in place formal arrangements for a Cultural Investment Board that will take strategic oversight of this agenda. This will include taking responsibility for directing, commissioning and reviewing our activities as well as building relationship to external funders, community organisations and other partners with a view to generating additional investment.

All budgets are scaled to a 30-month delivery timescale based on an assumed funding award on September 2022.

 i) Arts, Culture & Heritage events budget - £250 k (£100k pa.)

ii) Marketing & Promotion £200k (£90k per full year)

iii) Arts, Culture & Heritage Officer £125k (£50k per full year incl. on-costs)

iv) Events organiser & programmer consultant - £125k (£50 per full year)

v) Design and feasibility studies for Market Chambers Arts, Culture and Heritage Centre - £50k

vi) Capital works budget for Market Chambers Arts, Culture and Heritage Centre - £470k

vii) Business plan budget (£26.5k) (Total £1.25m)

Support the proposals to ‘Green’ the town centre and improve the Accrington Pals Memorial Garden - £560k

Raising the environmental quality of the town centre by the use of new/replacement tree planting and enhanced greening of existing run down/paved areas:

1. Opportunities to improve a series of pocket parks, located around the town centre to provide valuable amenity space and contribute positively to the environmental quality of the town

2. Opportunity to improve the current Accrington Pals Memorial Garden to become greener with new planting, trees and grass areas (£275k of total)

3. Opportunity to replace the small stunted trees along Broadway with proper growing pits and larger ones to match those at the entrance of the market hall service yard

 4. A one-off perennial planting scheme for the beds in the town square.

Offer £75k each to the Market Hall and Burtons Chambers as first-year incentive/promotion packages in advance of the buildings opening. - £150k

Marketing and Promotion budget to create interest and awareness etc. for the redeveloped Burtons Chambers (clients for the shared workspaces) and Market Hall (customers and operators for the food and drink provision). [Sub Total 3 - £2.11m]