Decision

Decision to award non-allocated funds,
realised through efficiency savings, arising within the UK Shared
Prosperity Fund Programme through the agreed protocol to a project
that has engaged with the Programme through a referral from Inward
Investment. The proposal has, as with any application to UKSPF/RPF,
been evaluated by the relevant Officer Panel and Partnership
Sub-Group and has also received political and Senior Officer
approval.

HMP North Sea Camp – HGV Driving for Prison Leavers -
£12,871 Funding for 15 prisoners at HMP North Sea Camp to
undertake Cat C+E HGV Driver Licences and receive placements with
local employers across the South and East Lincolnshire Councils
Partnership area (for example, Freshlinc). They will undertake
these placements on day release and the jobs will be held open for
them on resettlement – the aim being to fill shortage
vacancies, reduce re-offending and support local businesses through
funding appropriately qualified labour.

Reasons for the decision

As part of HMG’s Levelling Up Agenda and
in line with the commitments made by East Lindsey District 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.

This allocation meets the objectives that we have committed to
under all three Themes. With this project passing a rigorous
assessment process, we are confident that it 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 through the agreed
protocol on the allocation of UKSPF ‘underspent funds’
subsequent to the closure of the last open call for funds -
Procurement or closed competition. This time, the latter was
chosen, and the allocation was awarded to projects that had engaged
with the Fund prior to its closure for applications or projects
that had been referred from other Programmes within the Council.
They were appraised competitively by the relevant Partnership
Sub-Group and consultation occurred with the relevant Portfolio
Holder, as would occur in the open application process. The
decision was then made on a delegated officer basis by the Senior
Responsible Officer (SRO) for the UKSPF Programme.

The alternative option to awarding funds 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.