Shared Prosperity Fund

The Cheshire West and Chester Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) Investment Plan, approved by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, sets out identified priorities which we are looking to support, within the parameters of the Government's funding criteria. The aim is to address the key challenges and opportunities that the Council and our local stakeholders identified:

• raise aspirations of young people through learning and volunteering opportunities to support their future careers
• support those facing barriers to employment and training to achieve their potential
• support employees with their career opportunities and employers to have access to the skills they need for growth
• support skills development to meet the needs of key sectors in the borough, such as low-carbon, health and social care, finance, visitor economy and manufacturing

The funding will be used to complement existing provision already available to residents and businesses such as skills bootcamps, employment support offers (available through Department for Work and Pensions, the Council and other partners) and further and higher education provision.

A gap analysis of provision is needed to ensure we can target specific areas where provision maybe limited or missing. Although the government is now permitting spend in both year one and year three of the SPF programme, we are not yet in a position to procure services at this time. We are currently working to complete the gap analysis with an aim of procuring services in Autumn 2023.