What is the policy / strategy / function / trying to achieve / do?    

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda. North Lanarkshire received an allocation of £13,871,047. The objectives of the UKSPF are to:

• Boost productivity, pay, jobs and living standards by growing the private sector, especially in those places where they are lagging,
• Spread opportunities and improve public services, especially in those places where they are weakest,
• Restore a sense of community, local pride and belonging, especially in those places where they have been lost, and
• Empower local leaders and communities, especially in those places lacking local agency.

The North Lanarkshire UKSPF Investment Plan will be delivered across the following investment themes:

• Communities and Place
• Supporting Local Businesses
• People and Skills
• Multiply

If this is a budget saving, how will the saving be achieved?

The UKPSF is external funding from the UK Government, primarily a successor fund to previous EU funding. As the allocation exceeds current approved EU funding there is no budget saving anticipated.

If this policy is subject to the FSD what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage? 

The UKSPF Investment plan will be delivered through a series of interventions and projects that will have a positive impact on socio-economic disadvantage. In particular the following will be impacted:

Low income – UKPSF interventions will aim to upskill residents to increase employability and improve access to job opportunities. It will also include specific provision to help address fuel poverty and money/debt management.

Low wealth – UKSPF will support activities to improve training, qualifications and entrepreneurship through engagement and support for target groups such as adults with no maths qualifications or young people at risk of a negative destination on leaving school.

Material deprivation – interventions will support the development of digital inclusion for communities and individuals across North Lanarkshire.

Area Deprivation – UKSPF will support capital improvements to facilities in disadvantaged communities and will also target employability support in areas falling within the 20 most deprived areas across Scotland.

Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals

The UKSPF Investment plan will fund a range of interventions to target specific groups and individuals including those that aim to:

• support volunteering opportunities and initiatives
• support for community empowerment and capacity building to deliver priorities and improve outcomes agreed with communities through the LOIP’s
• advice and assistance for those facing fuel poverty
• enhance digital connectivity for community facilities
• grant funding and support for businesses to help increase start-ups, growth, investment, and employment opportunities
• support to help increase business start-ups and encourage entrepreneurs in excluded/underrepresented groups such as those from the BAME community
• funding to help support growth and capacity building for social enterprises
• employability support, programmes and funding to support those furthest from the labour market
• support to develop skills academies to support North Lanarkshire residents seeking employment – focus will be on digital skills, construction and health and social care
• support to expand support programmes to help vulnerable young people achieve positive post-school destinations
• provide bespoke and tailored numeracy learning through the integrated maths in the community programme
• delivery of training to improve financial literacy for people with debt problems

These interventions have been designed to support social inclusion and will benefit particular groups of residents (potentially young people, older people, disabled people and people from ethnic minority groups).

Business, skills, employment and industry-specific initiatives are likely to be implemented in order to remove or lessen barriers to accessing the labour market faced by some residents within North Lanarkshire as well as widening economic opportunities for all.

Investment in our active travel infrastructure will be crucial in connecting our people and communities with easier access to key education and employment sites within North Lanarkshire as well as culture and leisure facilities across the authority.

What actions / measures will be put in place or are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?

The overall aim of the Shared Prosperity Fund is to build pride in place and increase life chances across all areas of the UK . This will be achieved through the investment themes of:

Communities and place – targeting areas of social disadvantage by investing local community facilities, improving active travel, creating and supporting volunteering opportunities, supporting community empowerment and the delivery of the LOIPS and tackling fuel poverty.

Supporting local businesses – focusing on support for under-represented groups and those who do not traditionally engage with mainstream services to encourage entrepreneurialism, start-up businesses and social enterprises.

People and skills – providing training and upskilling for those who are economically inactive or are furthest from the labour market to improve employability and increase employment prospects. This will include young people who are at risk of entering a negative destination on leaving school.

As such the UKSPF Investment plan aims to improve opportunities and promote equality in communities, businesses and for individuals across North Lanarkshire.

What is the result / recommendations of the EqIA

Implement the UKPSF Investment Plan.