Gedling Borough Council has secured funding to improve the borough using an allocation of £2.9 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund over the next three years.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is the successor to the European Structural Fund and Gedling Borough Council will receive £368,000 in the first year followed by £696,000 in year two and a final instalment of £1.8 million in year three.
The council’s bid included a detailed investment plan that showed how it will spend the money in order to meet the government’s funding criteria and what the benefits to the local community will be. The fund identifies three local priorities; communities and place, support for local businesses and people and skills.
The council will be looking at a range of ideas to spend the money including improving town centres, green spaces, encouraging visitors and improving community engagement programmes. Projects in the first year include plans to refurbish Lambley Lane sports pavilion, expand CCTV in crime hotspots in areas including Calverton, provide community grants to local charities and groups and the council will also use the funding to install new Changing Places public toilets at King George V Playing Fields in Arnold Town Centre.
As part of the submission, the council consulted with local community groups, businesses and partners to establish what they think the money should be used for. The consultation results were included in the plan and helped shape some of the key priorities for the fund. The bid was also formally backed by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council, councillor Michael Payne, said: “This is good news for Gedling. We are very pleased to have secured this much needed funding to help support our local communities across Gedling Borough.
“We put together a robust investment plan and worked with local communities to help identify the best places for this funding to be used. As the funding is over three years, we have a limited allocation in the first year but we will start work on improving sports and recreation in key areas of the borough, specifically a refurbishment of the sports pavilion on Lambley Lane in Gedling and the installation of a new Changing Places toilet in King George V Park in Arnold.
“We now look forward to the Government approving our £50 million Levelling Up Fund bid to further improve our local community.”
Cabinet member for growth and regeneration, councillor Jenny Hollingsworth said: “This money will be used to support communities all across the borough including areas in Gedling, Calverton and Mapperley.
“I am very pleased that the Lambley Lane sports pavilion in Gedling will be one of the first places to benefit from this funding. The refurbished pavilion will ensure grassroots sports are back in the area and help improve the health and wellbeing of local residents and families.”
