North Yorkshire Council has announced that rural communities around the county are set to benefit from funding support.
With the executive meeting on the 4th July, £5.4 million worth of funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund looks set to be approved as the council is aiming to support businesses, communities and place. The scheme was established after the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, providing 100% funding for rural communities.
Through this, the council received an allocation of £5.4 million over the course of the next two years thanks to a successful Rural England Prosperity Fund Investment Plan. The result is the awarding of the largest amount of funding for any local authority in the country.
Councillor Carl Les, Leader of North Yorkshire Council, said:
“This funding represents a significant opportunity for our rural communities. It is the largest amount allocated to any council in the country as part of the government’s overall Levelling Up programme.
“The programme’s aspirations to increase pride in their local town centres and engage more with culture and community strongly align with our ambitions along with our sustainable growth and support for local area improvements.”
The funding will be used in two parts, with £2.7 million being utilised to support local businesses and the remaining £2.7 million supporting communities and places. Micro and small businesses will be able to benefit from a £1.5 million grant scheme, with this being supplemented by £600,000 as part of a project to grow the economy and support innovation and £600,000 to develop and promote the visitor economy.
The second half of the funding will bring in £467,000 worth of grant aid to support community groups, £400,000 towards the improvement of green spaces, and £333,000 for the local heritage offer. £333,000 will also be allocated towards arts, culture, and heritage, with recycling boosts and volunteering and social action projects being granted £717,000 and £467,000 respectively.
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