Decision

Decision to undertake separate awards to
successful applicants of the UK Shared Prosperity/Rural Prosperity
Fund Programme through the open Communtiies and Place grant Scheme.
Specifically, funding will be made available to the following
project:
Fenside Community Centre/Volunteer It Yourself -£25,300
Refurbishment of Fenside Community Centre in Boston, engaging a
cohort of at least 15 NEET or at-risk young people (16+) to learn
vocational construction skills while improving a key community
facility. Activities include painting, repairs, and outdoor
improvements, with mentoring from professional tradespeople.
Participants gain City & Guilds Entry Level 3
qualifications.

Reasons for the decision

As part of HMG’s Levelling Up Agenda and
in line with the commitments made by Boston Borough in the UKSPF
Prospectus and Investment Plan, we have committed to invest in
high-impact projects across three core themes:
•Communities and place - Supporting community groups and
investment in community facilities; enhancing the cultural and
heritage offer; widening the use of community buildings;
initiatives to help support our town centres.
•Supporting local business - Helping local businesses invest
for future growth; growing the food processing, horticulture, and
logistics sector; encouraging new businesses to establish; helping
the local social and community enterprises to innovate and
grow.
•People and skills - Developing skills and employment
opportunities within the fresh food, food processing and logistics
sectors; creating new training hubs; supporting local residents
with skills and access to employment.
These allocations principally meet the objectives that we have
committed to under the Communities and Place Theme, with the
projects passing a rigorous two-Panel assessment process following
an open process. We are confident that they can deliver the
outcomes expected from the Programme quickly and substantively.
This has been the basis of the decision.

Alternative options considered

These funds were allocated on a competitive
basis, based on a round of submitted Full Applications to the UK
Shared Prosperity and Rural Prosperity Fund. The alternative would
be to not award the funding, which would bring severe reputational
risk to the Council both with the public and the Department for
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.