Shared Prosperity Funding
Background and Context
Ashford Borough Council has been successful in securing its’ allocation of the UK Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). The council's allocation is £1,016,512 for UKSPF and £593,508 for REPF.
Both funds are linked to the UK Government’s Levelling Up White Paper and aim to support interventions in the key themes of Communities & Place, Supporting Local Businesses and People & Skills. The funding is allocated for work between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2025. Further information about both funds is available on the UK Government website.
Following consultations with a wide range of stakeholders and having received expressions of interest, Ashford has gained approval from the UK Government to proceed with interventions and activity identified in our Local Investment Plan (UKSPF) and Addendum Plan (REPF).
Ashford Borough Council’s Investment Plans are:
UKSPF Local Investment Plan [pdf] 1280KB
REPF Addendum Plan [pdf] 2026KB
Funding Allocations
The UKSPF activity falls within three Priorities, ‘Community and Place’, ‘Supporting Local Business’ and ‘People and Skills’. The REPF activity falls within two categories, ‘Supporting Rural Communities’ and ‘Supporting Rural Businesses’. Within the approved Plans, Ashford Borough Council has identified 11 key interventions across these priorities and categories which have been allocated funding. The table below provides the outline funding allocations which may be subject to change in accordance with UKSPF guidance.
As of March 2024, Ashford Borough Council has spent 88% of its UKSPF and REPF allocations to date providing over £455,000 to support communities and businesses between 2022 and 2024. Underspending from 2023-24 is again being allowed to be rolled over into 2024-25 by Government.
| Priority / Category | 2022-24 Capital (spent) | 2022-24 Revenue (spent) | 2024-25 Capital | 2024-25 Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Supporting Local Business | £0 | £62,325 | £0 | £43,159 |
| People and Skills | £0 | £0 | £0 | £250,000 |
| UKSPF Management | N/A | £22,589 | N/A | £18,071 |
| Rural Communities | £37,532 | N/A | £240,190 | N/A |
| Rural Businesses | £93,469 | N/A | £222,317 | N/A |
| Communities and Place | £57,800 | £182,009 | £178,934 | £201,625 |
| YEAR TOTAL | £188,801 | £266,923 | £641,441 | £512,855 |
UKSPF funding can be used across the whole Ashford Borough, including Ashford Urban Area, whereas REPF funding can only be used in the rural areas as defined by Defra. An interactive map is available on the Defra website (in the menu on the left hand side please follow 'Administrative Boundaries' and then choose 'Other Administrative Boundaries' and finally choose the 'Rural England Prosperity Fund' option).
Projects and Calls
To keep up to date about UKSPF and REPF opportunities, please subscribe to the Ashford Business Newsletter.
+ Communities and Place - Ashford Town Centre Reset Projects
As part of the Town Centre Reset Strategy Action Plan, some interventions are being delivered using UKSPF funding.
Projects completed include:
Ashford UnFramed Mural Festival | (see the video of Ashford Unframed here)
Hello Ashford interactive feedback scheme
Ashford Temporary Furniture and Parklets
A Town Centre Accessibility Study was undertaken, with consultants MIMA Group procured to assess the accessibility of the town centre, some business venues and organising training sessions.
Projects currently underway include:
Officers are delivering a project to install play equipment in Ashford town centre to provide a fun space for families with young children and support footfall and dwell time.
Officers are also progressing a project to install Feature Lighting in the Lower High Street to make this part of town more visually appealing.
This year's Carnival of the Baubles event, set for 23 November 2024, will also be supported using UKSPF funding. See some of the highlights from last year's event here.
+ Communities and Place - One You Kent Outreach Programme
As part of our commitment to support communities’ health and wellbeing, the Eat Well Spend Less Roadshow events are being delivered using UKSPF funding up to March 2025. The team have completed 8 events as of March 2024, with additional ones planned over the coming months. It has proven successful with over 1,200 visitors to the events and in March 2024 the roadshow received the Healthwatch Recognition Award.
Dates for the next Eat Well Spend Less roadshows are announced on our News section.
+ Communities and Place - Youth Crime Prevention Programme
Having undertaken a highly successful programme previously, with crime prevention initiatives for individuals up to age 25, we are funding a new programme using UKSPF up to March 2025. The programme was publicly tendered in 2022 and has successfully begun its activity, with over 37 individuals reached between 2022 and 2024, dramatically changing the lives of some youngster for the better.
Find out more about the programme delivered by Charlton Athletic Community Trust.
+ Communities and Place and Rural Communities - Community Amenities Grants (UKSPF and REPF)
We have established a grant programme to support community organisations seeking to make improvements to their local infrastructure and assets up to March 2025. To date these grants have, for example, helped improve community halls, repair tennis courts and play areas across the Borough.
Find out more on our Community Grants and Funding page.
+ Supporting Local Businesses - Ashford & Tenterden Visitor Economy Programme
The visitor economy and hospitality are important sectors for the borough’s economy that need ongoing support to enhance their offer and drive visitors to destinations and venues. We are using UKSPF funding to March 2025, to provide a programme of business support for destinations and venues as well as supporting the marketing of Ashford’s burgeoning wine sector.
The programme was publicly tendered in 2023 and Visit Kent (Go To Places Ltd) have been appointed to deliver this scheme.
The "On the Map" programme launched on 2 October 2023 and you can find out more on the Visit Kent Business website.
Also we have launched the Cheers! campaign, a guide to Ashford and Tenterden's must-see vineyards.
+ Supporting Local Businesses - Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Sector Support Programme
We have established a support programme for voluntary organisations and social enterprises or startups that are looking to grow or need help. We are using UKSPF funding up to March 2025 to deliver this programme which was procured in July 2023 and Social Enterprise Kent have been appointed to deliver this scheme. To date this programme has supported over 20 organisations, of which 6 were new/starting organisations.
This programme remains open. To find out more please visit the Social Enterprise Kent website.
+ People and Skills - Main People and Skills Programme
We’ve partnered with EKC Group (Ashford College) to deliver a range of fully-funded courses for those over the age of 19 who live in, and those who are employed by a company registered in the Ashford Borough.
From Green Skills to Coaching and Mentoring, the range of courses are designed to help you develop your skills and unlock future job opportunities in the area.
+ People and Skills - Screen and Digital Skills Programme
The Ashford Screen and Digital Skills Programme will deliver workshops, events, masterclasses and showcase locally produced films. The aim of the programme is to highlight the amazing talent there is locally and highlight routes for people to work in the Digital and Film sector.
The Screen Ashford programme has been publicly tendered and Screen South, a Kent-based National Portfolio Organisation, are delivering alongside the Ashford-based film production company Borderpoint Films.
+ Rural Businesses - Rural Green Business Grants
We have established Green Business Grants for business premises in rural areas. These include:
The Rural Energy Efficiency Grants of up to £5,000 to facilitate energy efficiency projects in commercial buildings in rural areas of the Ashford Borough.
The Rural Energy Transition Grants of up to £15,000 to facilitate energy transition projects in commercial buildings in the rural areas of the Ashford Borough.
You can find out more and apply for a Rural Green Business Grant here.
+ Rural Businesses - Rural Place and Provenance Programme
We have established a grants programme to support food & drink producers, tourism and hospitality businesses in the rural areas of the Ashford Borough. These include:
The Rural Boost Grants of between £500 and £3,000 to facilitate projects in commercial premises in rural areas that will improve productivity, operational processes and support the business' viability and growth.
The Rural Investment Grant of between £3,000 and £10,000 to facilitate projects at commercial sites in rural areas which support the creation and uptake of start-up space for food & drink producers, tourism and hospitality businesses as well as facilitating projects that will help tackle the 'last-mile' challenge to increase visitor numbers to rural destinations.
You can find out more and apply for a Rural Investment Grant here..
For any further queries please email prosperity.funding@ashford.gov.uk.
