Content

The Council
resolved:-
(i)            
to note Aberdeen City Council awarded
£1,429,228 through the Cultural Investment Framework as part
of the 2025/26 budget (as detailed below):-
(ii)          
to note the Castlegate
Arts unsuccessful application for Culture Investment Framework
funding was considered through a fair and transparent process, with
the officers recommending not to award funding due to the
organisation not meeting investment priorities and the
“Following the Public Pound” guidance, with the final
decision being made at the Budget meeting on 5 March
2025;
(iii)         
to note the Finance and Resources Committee
unanimously agreed on 26 March 2025 to allocate £508,000 for
Local Business Support and £521,380 for People and Skills
from the 2025/26 UK Shared Prosperity Fund;
(iv)         
to note the competitive application process for
allocation of the 2025/26 UK Shared Prosperity Fund, with
approximately £4 million worth of applications received for
the Community and Place element, and only £1.2 million of
funding remaining to allocate within the programme, and that the
Finance and Resources Committee will make the final decision on the
applications at its scheduled meeting on 7 May 2025;
(v)          
to agree that any proposal to allocate funds
directly from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which bypasses this
process sets a concerning precedent and is disrespectful to those
organisations who have already applied for funding;
(vi)         
to note that directing funds to specific projects
without a clear process undermines objectiveness and fairness and
could lead to similar claims from other organisations who were not
approved for funding and may risk non-compliance with
“Following the Public Pound” guidance and may also
create a risk of the Council having to repay some of the money back
to the UK Government on the grounds of having awarded money to
projects which may not meet UK Shared Prosperity Fund eligibility
and criteria;
(vii)       
to acknowledge the funding provided to date by
Aberdeen City Council’s SNP and Liberal Democrat Partnership
in 2024/25:
 

Communities and Place -
2024/25

Organisation

Project

UKSPF Award

ACVO

Aberdeen Third Sector Hub feasibility
Study

£60,000

Aberdeen City Council

Tall Ships Races Aberdeen 2025 Culture Programme
24/25

£99,200

Growing2gether

Strengthening Communities by Building Local Skills,
Wellbeing and Resilience project

£26,447

Look Again

Aberdeen Independents project

£63,000

Soundfestival

Soundcommunities

£37,000

St Georges Community Centre

Saint Georges Community Centre

£45,228

Port of Aberdeen Trust Port

Tall Ships Community Promotion, which includes
volunteer recruitment and engaging young people with sail
traineeships;

£108,000

Avenue

Mental Health and Relationship Support for Families
and Individuals in Aberdeen

£116,777

Aberdeen Performing Arts

Repointing and Exterior Restorations at His
Majesty’s Theatre

£91,078.58

Aberdeen City Council

Phase 2 of the Denis Law Trail

£85,000

Belmont Community Cinema

Belmont Community Cinema

£75,000

Cairncry
Community Centre

Community Café Refurbishment
project

£14,391.60

Granite City Taekwondo

Tillydrone Community Centre Upgrades

£100,000

SHMU

Redevelopment to Station House

£99,954

Local Business Support –
2024/25

Organisation

Project

UKSPF Award

Aberdeen City Council

Business Start-up grants

£562,680

Aberdeen City Council

Aberdeen Renewable Energy Groups (AREG)’s
Enhancing Offshore Wind Renewables through Digital
Innovation

£45,000

Aberdeen City Council

Culture Aberdeen Network Coordination
Service

£40,000

Aberdeen City Council

Energy Pilot Project

£137,592

Aberdeen City Council

Learning Journey Support for SMEs

£40,000

Aberdeen City Council

AI Upskilling for SMEs

£48,740

Aberdeen City Council

Tall Ships Creative Makers Programme

£55,000

Aberdeen City Council

Vibrant & Sustainable City Centre
Pilot

£100,000

Aberdeen City Council

Freebie Fortnight

£115,000

Aberdeen City Council

Love Local Card

£10,000

Aberdeen City Council

The Travel Trade Tours - Countryside Ranger
Service

£10,700

 
(viii)      
given the above outlined process for the allocation
of UK Shared Prosperity Funding for 2025/26, to take no further
action.