OFFICER DECISION

 

Decision:   To award UKSPF funding to support nine retailer and trader association projects and initiatives from seven traders associations for a total of £42,306

Decision Date: 26th November 2024

Type of Decision: Director                                      Key

 

    Non-Key

X

Portfolio Area that decision relates to:

Leader (inc Corporate Services, Policy, Strategy & Partnerships)

 

Environment and Climate Emergency

 

Economy & Culture

 

X

Finance, Performance, Major Projects & Equalities

 

Children, Young People and Education

X

Transport

 

Health, Wellbeing and Adults Social Care

 

Housing, Planning & Safer Communities

 

Background/ Decision Summary

 

York has been allocated £5.1m from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to implement the investment plan that was agreed by DLUHC in January 2023. In October 2022, CYC Executive gave delegated authority to the Corporate Director of Place to implement this Investment Plan, in consultation with the relevant Executive Members and the York UKSPF Partnership Board.  This delegation was reconfirmed in October 2023 when Executive considered the results of a light touch review of the programme. 

 

Due to the senior management restructure, the Director of City Development is now responsible for decisions on implementation in consultation with the Executive Member.  The Executive Member for Economy and Culture has declared a conflict of interest.  The Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion is therefore being consulted for this allocation.

 

As part of the UKSPF allocation, £53,700 was made available in May 2024 for proposals from traders associations and networks to support groups of retailers to work together for their collective benefit.  An open competition was run in September 2024 to seek applications to the fund.

 

Fourteen applications were received from 11 different groups. These applications have been appraised and scored against the published criteria.  Our UKSPF Assurance Framework requires a minimum score of 70 for projects to be funded, and nine of the proposals meet that threshold.

 

These are summarised below: 

 

Applicant

Project summary

Score

Amount

Bishopthorpe Road Traders' Association

New website, branding refresh and collateral

80

10,000

Shambles Area Traders Association (SATA)

Website refresh and training for members

80

1,500

York High Street Forum

Website refresh, organisation relaunch and symposium

76

5,000

Indie York

Three successful applications:

·         Loyalty card initiative,

·         Indie York collateral,

·         Training & coaching for members

 

77

75

73

 

2,720

4,335

1,820

Acomb Alive!

Xmas lights 2024 + new website

74

5,431

Goodramgate Traders Association

Training for businesses, refresh of Goodramgate Heritage Trail

74

10,000

Haxby and Wigginton Traders' Association

Haxby Xmas lights – LED replacements

74

1,500

Total

42,306

 

The total funding required for these 9 proposals is £42,306, which is less than the published budget.

 

Options Considered:

 

Option 1: Award funding to the projects that met the required threshold for funding.

Option 2: Do not award funding

 

Options Rejected:

Option 2: As there is sufficient funding to support the proposals and they all met the required threshold of 70/100, there is no reason to withhold funding.

 

Consultation Process:

Before running the grant competition, the UKSPF Partnership Board were consulted and gave their support for the launch of the fund.  The Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects, Human Rights, Equality and Inclusion has been consulted on the detail of this decision and supports these allocations.

 

Implications

Crime & Disorder

 

 

Equalities

X

Highways

 

Human Resources

 

 

Legal

X

ICT

 

Financial

 

 

Affordability

 

Property

 

Climate Change

 

 

Health

 

Other

 

Environment

 

 

Human Rights

X

 

 

Implications Contact:

 

Simon Brereton

 

 

 

Level of Risk:  Acceptable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wards Affected:


All Wards

X

Fishergate

 

Holgate

 

Rural West York

 

Acomb

 

Fulford & Heslington

 

Hull Road

 

Strensall

 

Bishopthorpe

 

Guildhall

 

Huntington & New Earswick

 

Westfield

 

Clifton

 

Haxby & Wigginton

 

Micklegate

 

Wheldrake

 

Copmanthorpe

 

Heworth

 

Osbaldwick & Derwent

 

 

Dringhouses & Woodthorpe

 

Heworth Without

 

Rawcliffe & Clifton

 

 

 

Comments/Observations:

The competition has been run in accordance with our Assurance Framework, and the projects that reached the required threshold are all recommended for support.

Decision:

To award a total of £42,306 UKSPF funding to the seven traders associations as set out in the table above.

Decision Made by: Claire Foale, Interim Director of City Development

Contact Details: Claire.Foale@york.gov.uk

On behalf of:  Chief Operating Officer

To be implemented by:

Simon Brereton

Head of Economy

On Completion – Signed off by:

 

 

 Claire Foale, Interim Director of City Development

Date: 26.11.24