Purpose

Approve approach to Connect to Work programme
and UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) extension in North
Northants.

Content

RESOLVED
 
KEY DECISION
 
That the Executive:
 
a)   
Welcomed the allocation to North Northamptonshire of
£1,581,860 through the UK Shared Prosperity Funding and
delegated approval to the Section 151 officer to sign the
Memorandum of Understanding with Government to secure the
funding.
 
b)   
Agreed that the funding continues to be targeted in
line with the submitted Investment Plan and approach as set out in
paragraph 4.6.
 
c)   
Supported the continuation of arrangements for the
award of funding and related matters, with decisions delegated to
the Executive Director of Place & Economy (Deputy Chief
Executive) in consultation with the Executive Member for Growth
& Regeneration, and alongside and through
engagement  with the UK Shared
Prosperity Fund Panel, also comprising the Executive Members for
Housing, Communities & Levelling Up and Rural Communities &
Localism.
 
d)   
Welcomed the new Connect to Work programme and move
towards locally delivered employment support and agree that the
Council develop a Local Delivery Plan for North Northamptonshire
working alongside other principal local authorities in the South
Midlands.
 

e)   
Delegated authority to the Executive Director,
Adults, Health Partnerships & Housing, in consultation with the
Executive Member for Adults, Health & Wellbeing,  to submit the Connect to Work Programme Local
Delivery Plan to Government, and the Section 151 Officer authorise
any related agreements to secure the funding and deliver the
programme in this area.

 

 

 

 

Reasons for Recommendations – The recommendations will
ensure that:
 

·      
The Council can take full advantage of the funding
which has been allocated to the area through the UK Shared
Prosperity Fund.  This follows the
decision by Government to extend the programme for a further
year. 

·      
The Council can secure funding support through the
Government’s new Connect to Work programme.  This programme will help address barriers to
employment and economic activity targeting people with physical,
mental or other challenges.

Alternative Options Considered – The Council could choose
not to support either or both the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and
Connect to Work (C2W) programme. 
However, this approach would result in lost funding and associated
opportunities to communities, residents, businesses, and other
stakeholders in the area.  An
alternative approach to the C2W programme could involve developing
a joint Local Delivery Plan, but this would inevitably slow
progress, add further complexity, and could limit the ability to
target funding on local priorities.