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(1) 
That the completion of the Council’s 2022/25 UKSPF Programme,
as set out in the report to the Executive Board in December 2024 be
noted.
 
(2) 
That confirmation of the Council’s allocation of
£2.786m to support the delivery of the UKSPF Extension
Programme for 2025/26 be welcomed, and in doing so, a supplementary
capital estimate of £358k and a supplementary revenue
estimate of £2.428m to be funded from the UKSPF grant be
welcomed.
 
(3) 
That the proposed project allocations and funding profile for the
Council’s UKSPF Extension Programme for 2025/26, as set out
at Appendix A attached to the report be approved (subject to
compliance with Government’s Subsidy Control
Regulations).
 
(4) 
That the new reporting and accountable body arrangements for the
UKSPF Extension Programme for 2025/26 required by Government be
noted.  The recently formed Lancashire
Combined County Authority (LCCA) would now act as the accountable
body for all Lancashire Councils with Blackpool Council performing
this role on behalf of the LCCA.
 
(5) 
That the Strategic Directors for Growth and Development and Finance
and Resources, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, be
authorised to finalise the Council’s UKSPF contractual
arrangements for 2025/26 with Blackpool Council.
 
(6) 
That, in view of change in funding arrangements with the LCCA and
with some of the projects continuing on from the current financial
year, the possibility of the Council making payments to delivery
partners in advance of receipt of UKSPF fund be noted.
 
(7) 
That membership of a new Darwen Town Deal Board, as set out in the
report, which would help to streamline and integrate Darwen’s
current governance arrangements, comprising the Darwen Town Deal
and (former) Long Term Plan for Town Boards to oversee both the
delivery of the Town Deal Delivery Programme and Plan for
Neighbourhoods (PfN) initiative be approved for consideration by
Government.
 
(8) 
That it be agreed that the spatial boundary for the Darwen PfN
initiative should be coterminous with the agreed Darwen Town Deal
boundary to ensure strategic alignment.
 
(9) 
That the Strategic Directors for Growth and Development and Finance
and Resources, in consultation with the Leader, be authorised to
finalise the Darwen Town Board governance and PfN boundary
arrangements with Government.
 
(10)       
That the Council’s gratitude be expressed to the Darwen Town
Deal Board for their work in establishing a major growth plan which
was delivering key outcomes for Darwen.
 
(11)       
That the Government’s requirement to develop a 10-year
Regeneration Plan and a 4-year Investment Plan for the Darwen PfN
initiative, building on the work already undertaken by the former
Darwen Long Term Plan Board, which would form the nucleus of the
new Darwen Town Board be noted.
 
(12)       
That it be noted more detailed guidance was due shortly on the
preparation of the PfN Regeneration and Investment Plans, which was
to be submitted to Government by this Autumn, with spend commencing
from April 2026.  Once new guidance was
received and analysed, a further report would be submitted to the
Executive Board on the development and approval of the PfN
Regeneration and Investment Plans.
 
(13)       
That the necessary adjustments to the Council’s Revenue
Budget be approved to reflect the profile of likely expenditure and
funding as set out in the Financial Implications, and it be
acknowledged that this may be subject to change as the 10-year
Regeneration and 4-year Investment Plan were finalised.