This report was presented by The Head of Operations, Community Services, the purpose of which was to update the Town and Community Council Forum on the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund and a series of grant funds available as part of the delivery programme for Bridgend’s Local Investment Plan through the United Kingdom Shared Prosperity Fund.

He stated that it was a brief background to the delivery programme for Bridgend's element at the UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, specifically outlining a number of grant funds that will be made available. He brought the  Forum’s attention to a number of implications, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU on the 31st of January 2020, loss of access to funding programmes, including the European Structural Investment Funds following Brexit.

He also brought to Forum’s attention the UK Government's commitment to replacement of lost European funding opportunities to level up opportunity.

The creation of the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) was one of the main results of that promise with 2.6 billion having been allocated for local investment by March 25 across the UK.

He stated that the report outlined the development steps of the Bridgend Borough Local investment plan for SPF (Appendix 1 to the report referred)

The Head of Operations, Community Services stated that section 2 highlighted how it was being created in alignment with investment priorities and with the themes of the Shared Prosperity fund, along with the Authority’s economic strategy and investment plans.

He stated that the authority free main themes of community and place, supporting local businesses and people, in skills being the main crux of the investment plan.

The plans submitted to UK government were made on a regional basis for SE Wales authorities where Rhondda Cynon Taff acted as the lead authority.

Section 3 of the report highlighted how investment areas within the plan can be delivered in several ways and included in-house delivery, commissioning, procurement and focuses on the allocation of grant funds.

He stated that the report highlighted individual grant fund streams and the values set up or being set up to deliver Bridgend's element of the Shared prosperity fund. The grant schemes were brought before and approved by Cabinet in June of this year. Set out in the main body of the report from pages 58 through to 61 the Grant Schemes are Bridgend Valley's Placemaking Property Improvement Grant , The Empty Property Survey Grant the Community Feasibility Fund, The Business Development Grant, The Business Feasibility Grant and finally The Tourism Events Support Grant.

The Placemaking Property Improvement Grant and the Empty Property Survey grant could be found on the Council’s website, with guidance on application forms. The business development grant and business feasibility grant were also on the website along with the guidance documents.

A member queried when other grants will be available and what the deadlines would be, she also inquired about promotions that have been done to educate the public of the schemes.

The Head of Operations, Community Services responded that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18