The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information, visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus
Burnley Borough Council has been allocated £3,488,102 to March 2025. This can be used to support a wide range of projects to build pride in place and improve life chances, across three investment priorities as detailed below:
- Community and place – £1,533,033
- Supporting local business – £982,429
- People and skills – £952,640
The council has worked with local partners including voluntary and community sector organisations, business representatives and other key stakeholders to develop an Investment Plan. This builds on the Council’s existing Economic & Community Recovery Strategies, identifying the activities that are the right solutions for our borough and that will have the greatest impact in meeting our local needs.
Councillor Mark Townsend, the council’s executive member for economy and growth, said: “It’s great news to see almost £3.5 million of funding is being invested in our borough and it’s another example of Burnley Council’s ongoing drive to bring much-needed investment into our area. The focus will be on supporting local business growth and entrepreneurship and boosting our communities and supporting the skills of our residents and businesses.”
What we will deliver
All of the projects listed below have been or are subject to the submission and approval of a suitable business case.
Community & Place
- Burnley Community Grant Scheme will provide small grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to community groups and third sector organisations to deliver a range of projects around improving place, accessibility, healthy lives, green spaces, arts, culture, heritage and sports. If you’d like to receive a grant application pack please contact Heather Starkie at heather.starkie@bprcvs.co.uk.
- Development of Padiham Riverside green space linked to the flood resilience scheme that is already underway. Provision of wildflower meadows, tree planting and some wetland areas.
- Improvements to Barden Track to make this a more well used facility across the community including use by schools, clubs, community groups, individuals as well as being more accessible to wheelchair users and for wheelchair sports.
- Several play areas will be improved together with improvements and research into the provision of wheeled sports facilities.
- A feasibility study will be carried out into the proposed new Youth Zone for Burnley. The Youth Zone will provide a brand-new facility with open access to all young people aged 8 – 18. Providing them with access to the latest state of the art facilities with specialist youth services embedded within.
- Investment will be made into the town’s Heritage Action Zone on Lower St James Street working with property owners to restore disused and underused properties with significant heritage work.
- Colne Road will see investment to support and identify a range of environmental interventions and work towards restoring its identity.
Supporting Local Business
Projects under this theme are in collaboration with other local authorities and delivery partners across Lancashire, led by Lancashire County Council. (Some projects won’t be live until Sept/Oct 2023)
- Boost – providing universal business support for pre-start, new start, existing and growth businesses ranging from one-to-one coaching, workshops, networks, finance, leadership, new markets and productivity.
- Business and Community Programme – UCLan, Lancaster and Edge Hill Universities have combined together to offer their knowledge, expertise and facilities. Services will include cyber & digital, energy, low carbon, data driven innovation for scaling growth, research & development as well as access to the university scientists, labs, industry practitioners and graduate placement.
- International Trade – working with the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce businesses can seek advice and support if they already trade internationally or wish to trade internationally to help them realise their export potential and increase international sales. Support will also be available to educate businesses after the transition out of the single market and to help businesses explore global opportunities. Contact Stef Heywood at s.heywood@chamberelancs.co.uk or Mandy Lockett at m.lockett@chamberelancs.co.uk. You can also email international@chamberelancs.co.uk.
- Burnley Manufacturing Programme – specialist one-to-one support for all sectors of manufacturing will be available, aligning seamlessly with Made Smarter to identify opportunities for digitalisation of IR4.0 tech to drive productivity, net zero transition, green growth markets, and improving value added activities leading to growth. Tools and techniques around leadership & management will also be available.
- Net Zero & Decarbonisation – the Chamber of Commerce, UCLan & AMRC have come together to provide support to Burnley businesses with the highest carbon footprint, analysing environmental impact and providing best practice support and in-depth decarbonisation planning and net zero future proofing. Contact Debbie Treadwell at info@chamberlowcarbon.co.uk.
People and Skills
Burnley Together Steps to Employment project will provide tailored support for Burnley residents who are classed as economically inactive, including those who want a job but have not recently sought work, and those who are the most dis-engaged, maybe with additional barriers to employment.
The project will target young people, the over 50s, BAME (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities, and the long-term unemployed. There will be an additional focus on women, those with disabilities and those who are not in education, employment or training or at risk of becoming so.
Support will include careers, coaching, emotional therapy, health programmes, family and wellbeing support, physical/social support using the natural environment at Towneley Hall. There will also be specific help for those considering starting a business. Creche facilities will also be available to allow individuals to take up volunteering opportunities.
The project will work closely with the Social Prescribing Team and Burnley Leisure’s Activity Co-ordinators and will promote becoming more active and healthy on the journey back to work/education.
For more information contact Sam Howarth at showarth@calico.org.uk.
If you would like to know more about accessing support on any of the above projects please use the contact details provided.
For any other information please contact Burnley Council’s Shared Prosperity Fund Manager – Samantha Smallridge – ssmallridge@burnley.gov.uk
Burnley Council’s Investment Plan is available below.
