Content

11.1

The Economic Development and
Skills Policy Committee considered a report of the Executive
Director of City Futures seeking;
 

·      
Approval on the proposals for the use of UK Shared Prosperity Fund
(UKSPF) – People and Skills allocation for
Sheffield

·      
Noting that Sheffield City Council will become the Accountable Body
on behalf of other South Yorkshire Local Authorities for a
proportion of the activity funded by UKSPF following the entering
of a funding agreement with SYMCA to enable the delivery of the
UKSPF programme in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

·      
Approval to spend with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) on
employment support activity and to spend on training in response to
community and employers’ identified needs.

 

 

11.2

RESOLVED
UNANIMOUSLY: That Economic Development and Skills Policy
Committee:-
 
a) 
Note that Sheffield City Council proposes:

 

     
i.        
As Accountable Body for activity funded by UKSPF (strands 1 & 2
activity) for an overall regional value of £7.65m, in line
with the approval by the Finance Sub-Committee on 7th November
2022;

    
ii.        
As Accountable body, to enter into funding agreements with SYMCA to
enable the delivery of the UKSPF programme in Sheffield and South
Yorkshire as set out in this report; and

   
iii.        
that the scope of the bid is developed in line with the South
Yorkshire Investment Plan for SYMCA and a SY-wide delivery
model
 
b) Approve the use of
£3.94m of UKSPF People and Skills funding and £922,520
match funding totalling £4.87m in Sheffield, to be used for
the activity described and set out in the table in section 4.2 of
this report, Note that this includes
 

     
i.        
£1.89m commissioning with the Voluntary and Community Sector
(VCS) on employment support activity (with no individual contract
exceeding a value of £250,000)

    
ii.        
£560,000 on training in response to community and
employers’ identified needs, (with no individual contract
exceeding a value of £250,000).

 

 

11.3

Reasons for
Decision

 

 

11.3.1

The underlying benefit that
this proposal brings to secure external funding to
deliver a programme of activity
in Sheffield that will cover:
 
- Addressing the cost-of-living
crisis
- Support the community
sector
- Support to the cultural and
visitor economy
- Improvements to the built
environment and reduce carbon emissions

 

 

11.4

Alternatives
Considered and Rejected

 

 

11.4.1

Not applying for SPF funding
was considered. However, this would result in
most Council run core
employment and skills programmes stopping altogether
and result in withdrawal of
funding for the VCS and the communities they serve.
Due to a shared understanding
with SYMCA of the local labour market
challenges, the Investment Plan
submitted aligns well with the local needs and
therefore the activity we seek
to deliver fits with the programme of funding.

 

 

11.4.2

Alternative models were considered but would
have less alignment with the
themes developed in the SYSPF Investment Plan
and might not be supported
by SYMCA. Alternative funding has been
attained or is being sought for other
activity which does not fit with the
investment plan.