The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)
Investment priorities
The Investment Plan is focused around three UKSPF investment priorities:• Communities and place
Strengthening social fabric and fostering a sense of local pride and belonging through investments in infrastructure, local green space and community-led projects.
• Local business
Creating jobs and boosting community cohesion through investment in existing industries and institutions, support for those starting businesses, sharing knowledge and expertise, improvement in retail, hospitality and leisure facilities, networking and collaboration and stimulating innovation and growth.
• People and skills
Boosting core skills and supporting adults to progress in work, supporting disadvantaged people to access the skills they need, supporting local areas to fund local skills needs, reduction in levels of economic inactivity by supporting those furthest from the labour market.
The government has decided that ‘people and skills’ projects will only be able to apply in 2024/2025.
Within Tameside funding from UKSPF will be delivered in accordance with the overarching Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Implementation Plan and Investment Plan which was approved by Government in December 2022.
Within the UKSPF Communities and Place investment priority Tameside has been allocated £1.9m to be delivered against specific projects by 31 March 2025. These project fall under the following UKSPF interventions:
- E1 Funding for improvements to town centres and high streets
- E3 Creation of and improvements to local green spaces, community gardens, watercourses and embankments
- E6 Support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities
The UKSPF Communities and Place funding in Tameside will support the delivery of a range of borough wide projects against these interventions and a series of town centre specific projects focused on Stalybridge, Hyde and Ashton.
A list of the projects can be viewed here
What's happened so far?
Over the last eighteen months, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) has delivered brilliant results across Tameside, exceeding expectations in number of key areas and creating a lasting positive impact for the borough’s residents and businesses.
With funding on track to be spent, there are a range of impressive achievements that highlight the program’s success. A number of targets set have not just been met but have been exceeded:
- 1,787 M² of commercial space has been improved or delivered
- Over 250,000 square metres of public realm including pedestrian pathways have been improved
- Over 270 local events and activities have been held or supported
- More than 690 socially excluded individuals have accessed support
The fund’s impact extends to broader outcomes, and has been driving growth creating key jobs, engaging the community, and highlighting growth in community engagement, encouraging economic development.
- 64 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) jobs have been created
- 193 Community-led Arts, Cultural, Heritage, and Creative Programmes programs have been supported
- Footfall has been increased across town centre attracting and engaging 907,366 visitors through events
- 310 volunteer opportunities and roles established, exceeding the target set
Ashton Market Hall is also set to be upgraded using £250,000 of UKSPF funding in line with ambitions for the Market Square. Works will change some of the layout to support existing traders and bring in a wider age range of customers by offering an improved food and beverage area. This will support more activities and events and enhance the market offer and the toilet and changing facilities will also be updated as part of the works.
Improvements to Hyde Market Ground identified through the Hyde Town Centre Masterplan are currently ongoing utilising £75,000 of funds. Following discussions with market traders work is underway to remove a number of the fixed market stalls which will be replaced with a more flexible parasol provision with two of the existing fixed stalls remaining.
Cultural initiatives and events such as Stalybridge Street Fest, Saturdays on the Square, Ashton Paint Jam andTameside Christmas Lantern Parade have enriched community life, while improvements to playgrounds and paving have refreshed parks, greenspaces, and town centres.
Want to receive updates?
To be added to the contact list for updates on the UKSPF programme please email ukspf@tameside.gov.uk
More information
Read more about the UKSPF at
GOV.UK.
