£753,701 Rural Fund confirmed for West Suffolk
Funding of over three quarters of a million pounds has been confirmed by the government for schemes proposed by West Suffolk Council to support rural areas.
West Suffolk Council’s provisional allocation of £753,701 from the government’s Rural England Prosperity fund was subject to approval of an investment plan, which has just been received.
The allocation is part of a £110 million national fund and is a successor to EU funding as a targeted top up for rural areas in the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The rural funding is for projects and covers the years 2023-24 (£188,000) and 2024-25 (£565,701). It can be spent anywhere in West Suffolk outside Bury St Edmunds (Bury St Edmunds is not regarded as rural under the Government’s criteria).
West Suffolk’s now-approved proposals for using the funding were agreed by cabinet on November 8, 2022, focusing on:
- Green space improvements;
- Supporting the visitor economy;
- Waste and streetscene improvements;
- Supporting local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities; and
- Building capacity in the community and voluntary sector.
A significant part of West Suffolk’s allocation over the two years will take the form of grant schemes for local businesses and local community groups. Further details on these grant schemes will be published after the local elections in May.
West Suffolk has now been allocated £1.94 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and has already allocated its first year of grants.