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LGA responds to Spending Review UK Shared Prosperity Fund announcement

Cllr Kevin Bentley comments on the government’s announcement that local pilots and £1.5 billion of funding a year would be promised in a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund


Commenting on the government’s announcement that local pilots and £1.5 billion of funding a year would be promised in a new UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chair of the Local Government Association’s EU Exit Taskforce, said:

“European funding has been used by local areas to create jobs, support small and medium enterprises, deliver skills training, and invest in critical local infrastructure. We are therefore pleased that its replacement will be at least £1.5 billion a year which brings much needed clarity for councils planning for the future. 

“The additional £220 million promised today to help local areas transition to a new funding scheme in 2021/22 by running pilots prevents a financial cliff edge and is a good step forward. The Government must now work with councils to make sure that this is a locally designed fund that fully replaces previous support from European schemes.”