Investment Plan Summary

Arun District Council has been allocated £1,083,399 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to spend on local projects between 2022 and March 2025. The UKSPF is part of the Government’s levelling up agenda and enables local areas to focus on their own priorities to build pride in place, boost productivity and spread opportunities.

Following extensive consultation with partners resulting in over 120 responses,  Arun District Council submitted its UKSPF Investment Plan to Government in July 2022. We are now inviting local partners to bid to help us deliver our Plan.

This document contains a summary of the UKSPF investment priorities, interventions, outputs, outcomes and funding in our UKSPF investment plan. A separate bidding template [docx] 85KB and a guidance document on how to bid to deliver elements of Arun’s UKSPF Investment Plan and details of the assessment process are also available. You must use the bidding template if you wish to bid.

Arun’s UKSPF Investment Plan

UKSPF can be used to deliver activities selected from the Government’s list of 141 possible interventions under three investment priorities:

  • Communities and Place
  • Supporting Local Business
  • People and Skills  (in year three only)

Our UKSPF Investment Plan is based on analysis of the issues and challenges facing Arun as well as the priorities identified in our strategies and plans. (See our bidding guidance for links to key documents.) We have also taken into account more than 120 ideas for projects suggested by our partners during our consultation. The amount of our allocation is relatively small so these ideas have been prioritised according to the aims in our key strategies and incorporated under our Investment Plan themes, if appropriate.

Key considerations in developing our Investment Plan were:

  • Our intention to deliver maximum impact for the relatively small amount of money available to support our strategic priorities
  • The Government’s requirements for monitoring and evaluation; data must be easily collectable, measurable and commensurate with the level of funding available
  • The imperative to deliver projects quickly and cost effectively, including starting in the current financial year for the UKSPF Communities and Place and Supporting Local Business Investment Priorities

These considerations and our analysis of challenges, opportunities and priorities have resulted in us selecting the following interventions, outputs and outcomes from the menu offered in the UKSPF guidance.

We are considering setting up a separate Community Projects Fund for individual projects which were not deemed suitable for inclusion in the UKSPF Investment Plan. Details will follow shortly.

Investment Plan Summary

Arun District Council has been allocated £1,083,399 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to spend on local projects between 2022 and March 2025. The UKSPF is part of the Government’s levelling up agenda and enables local areas to focus on their own priorities to build pride in place, boost productivity and spread opportunities.

Following extensive consultation with partners resulting in over 120 responses,  Arun District Council submitted its UKSPF Investment Plan to Government in July 2022. We are now inviting local partners to bid to help us deliver our Plan.

This document contains a summary of the UKSPF investment priorities, interventions, outputs, outcomes and funding in our UKSPF investment plan. A separate bidding template [docx] 85KB and a guidance document on how to bid to deliver elements of Arun’s UKSPF Investment Plan and details of the assessment process are also available. You must use the bidding template if you wish to bid.

UKSPF Investment Priority: Communities and Place: Total UKSPF funding: £564k (52%)

In line with our current strategic priorities, our UKSPF Investment Plan highlights the importance of our two main urban centres, Bognor and Littlehampton, where the majority of our population lives. We aim to continue and consolidate the positive progress we are making on regenerating our town centres and are targeting improvements on the public realm and public spaces as well as cultural and leisure facilities in Bognor and Littlehampton.

Outside our urban areas, we have an important, large rural area. Our green infrastructure is very important to Arun and contributes to the higher than average life satisfaction of our residents. This is an opportunity for us to capitalise on opportunities for walking, cycling and other outdoor activities as well as active tourism.

Interventions, outputs and outcomes

E1: Funding for improvements to town centres and high streets:

Total UKSPF funding: £345k (32%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

Continue the regeneration of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton through:

  • Improved public realm in Bognor Regis Town Centre and Seafront
  • Improved public realm in Bognor Regis Town Centre and Seafront
  • Improved green spaces in the town centres
  • Improved signage, street art and a clearer identity for Bognor

Amount of public realm created or improved (m2)

 

Sqm of land made wheelchair accessible/step free (m2)

Increased footfall (% increase)

 

Improved perception of facilities/amenities (% increase)

£70k

£65k

£210k

 

E3: Creation of and improvements to green spaces:

Total UKSPF funding £151k (14%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

Promoting healthy and active lifestyles and encouraging active tourism through:

  • Creating a network of high quality, multifunctional green spaces
  • Improved infrastructure for cycling and walking

Amount of public realm created or improved (m2)

Improved perception of facilities/amenities (% increase)

£22k

£20k

£109k

 

E8: Campaigns to encourage visits and exploring of local area.

Total UKSPF funding £20k (2%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

A collective approach with partners to area tourism  through:

  • The creation of thematic tourism trails promoting attractions such as Littlehampton Harbour, Arundel historic centre, Bognor Regis seafront etc.

Number of organisations receiving non-financial support (numerical value)

Increased visitor numbers (% increase)

£0

£10k

£10k

 

E14: Funding to support relevant feasibility studies:

Total UKSPF funding: £48k(4%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

A robust feasibility study to:

  • Identify new opportunities for development in Littlehampton and Bognor Regis, e.g. through repurposing underutilised land and/or buildings for arts and cultural use

Number of feasibility studies supported (numerical value)

Increased number of projects arising from funded feasibility studies (% increase)

£0

£48k

£0

UKSPF Investment Priority: Supporting Local Business: Total UKSPF £403k (37%)

Our UKSPF Investment Plan highlights the need to grow Arun’s economy, capitalising on our locational advantages, availability of good quality employment space, diverse business population, including  tourism, manufacturing, horticulture, creative and digital industries, and local business support expertise.

Interventions, outputs and outcomes

E17: Development and promotion of the visitor economy:

total UKSPF funding £144k (13%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

Develop new, high value target markets for Arun tourism including overnight visitors through:

  • Developing the brand proposition
  • Increasing the supply of holiday accommodation e.g. glamping and eco lodges
  • Develop the local food and drink sector through specialist business support
  • Develop walking and cycling infrastructure

 

 

Number of businesses receiving non-financial support (numerical value)

Increased visitor numbers (% increase)

£39k

£35k

£70k

 

E23: Strengthening local entrepreneurial ecosystems:

total UKSPF funding £259k (24%)

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

Radically extend the quality and reach of business support for businesses in Arun through:

  • High quality business support including start-up support, management development, marketing, communication, financial management, exporting
  • Specialist support for key sectors including sector networks and expert support for the environmental sector, manufacturing and creative and digital industries

Number of businesses receiving non-financial support (numerical value)

Jobs created (numerical value)

 

Number of new businesses created (numerical value)

£0

£85k

£174k

UKSPF Investment Priority: People and Skills: (Total UKSPF: £117k (11%)

Our UKSPF Investment Plan highlights the relatively low skills of Arun residents compared to other districts in West Sussex as well as the skills gaps and shortages experienced by local businesses, particularly in engineering and manufacturing, construction, digital, IT and technology, tourism, land-based, health and care. It highlights opportunities to address skills for young people, green skills and skills for priority sectors.

NB: People and Skills funding is not available in years 1 and 2 of UKSPF

People and Skills: Interventions, outputs and outcomes

E33: Employment support for economically inactive people:

total UKSPF £25k(2%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5
  • Provide economically inactive or unemployed young people with skills, career guidance and support.

Number of economically inactive people engaging with keyworker support services (numerical value)

 

Number of people supported to engage in job-searching (numerical value)

Number of people engaged in job-searching following support (numerical value)

 

Number of people in employment, including self-employment, following support (numerical value)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

N/A

£25k

 

E37: Tailored support to help people in employment:

total UKSPF £60k (6%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

Develop digital and technical skills for industries in our key sectors through:

  • Tailored provision to meet the needs of learners and employers though a mix of work-based and classroom learning as appropriate
     

Number of people supported to participate in education (numerical value)

Number of people gaining qualifications, licences and skills (numerical value)

 

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

N/A

£60k

E39: Green skills courses:

total UKSPF funding £32k  (3%)

 

What we want to see delivered

Outputs

Outcomes

Funding 2022/3

Funding 2023/4

Funding 2024/5

Enable people to access work in the environmental sector, land-based industries or organisations moving to low carbon technologies and practices through:

  • delivery of green skills by expert training organisations, using a mix of classroom and work-based learning as appropriate to meet employers’ and learners’ needs

Number of people receiving support to gain employment (numerical value)

Number of people gaining a qualification or completing a course following support (numerical value)

 

 

 

 

 

 

N/A

 

 

 

 

 

 

N/A

£32K

 

Annex A: Capital revenue split

Totals

 

Intervention

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

E1: Improvements to town centres & high streets

£70,000

£65,000

£210,000

E3: Creation of and improvements to local green spaces

£22,000

£20,000

£109,000

E8: Campaigns to encourage visits and exploring of local area

 

£10,000

£10,000

E14: Relevant feasibility studies

 

£47,961

 

Communities and Place Total

£92,000

£142,961

£329,000

E17: Development & promotion of visitor economy

£39,480

£35,000

£69,000

E23: Strengthening local entrepreneurial ecosystems

 

£85,000

£174,458

 Supporting Local Business Total

£39,480

£120,000

£243,458

E33: Employment support for economically inactive people

 

 

£25,000

E37: Tailored support for the employed to access courses

 

 

£60,000

E39: Green skills courses

 

 

£31,500

People and Skills Total

£0

£0

£116,500

 

£131,480

£262,961

£688,958

 

Capitals and revenues

 

Intervention

Capital 22/23

Revenue 22/23

Capital 23/24

Revenue 23/24

Capital 24/25

Revenue 24/25

Capital/Revenue Totals

E1: Improvements to town centres & high streets

£50,000

£20,000

£60,000

£5,000

£190,000

£20,000

£345,000

E3: Creation of and improvements to local green spaces

£15,000

£7,000

£15,000

£5,000

£89,000

£20,000

£151,000

E8: Campaigns to encourage visits and exploring of local area

£0

£0

£0

£10,000

£10,000

£0

£20,000

E14: Relevant feasibility studies

£0

£0

£0

£47,961

£0

£0

£47,961

Communities and Place Total

£65,000

£27,000

£75,000

£67,961

£289,000

£40,000

£563,961

E17: Development & promotion of visitor economy

£0

£39,480

£0

£35,000

£0

£69,000

£143,480

E23: Strengthening local entrepreneurial ecosystems

£0

£0

£0

£85,000

£0

£174,458

£259,458

 Supporting Local Business Total

£0

£39,480

£0

£120,000

£0

£243,458

£402,938

E33: Employment support for economically inactive people

 

 

 

 

£0

£25,000

£25,000

E37: Tailored support for the employed to access courses

 

 

 

 

£0

£60,000

£60,000

E39: Green skills courses

 

 

 

 

 

£31,500

£31,500

People and Skills Total

£0

£0

£0

£0

£0

£116,500

£116,500

 

£65,000

£66,480

£75,000

£187,961

£289,000

£399,958

£1,083,399