£2.7 million boost to help level up communities in Worcestershire

The money will be a share of £200 million boost for local economies announced by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove this week.

The Government’s Community renewal programme is providing funding for locally led, innovative projects to support local communities, businesses and young people.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, cabinet member with responsibility for economy and skills at Worcestershire County Council said, “I am thrilled to see this funding boost for the county. The projects that this will support are exciting, innovative, and will be an asset to the future of economy of Worcestershire.

“This is a great investment into growth and talent in the county and the range of projects will bring support to multiple industries.”

The Worcestershire Projects being funded through the Community Renewal Fund include:

• Activities which will help deliver the UK’s net zero carbon targets, helping ready Worcestershire’s businesses for decarbonisation.  New interventions will be piloted around Net Zero Carbon Business Engagement, Decarbonisation Reviews and support for business.
• A project aimed at supporting those furthest from the labour market the project will work alongside established local community groups, to support members of the community to gain new skills including advancement of digital skills, resilience and mental wellbeing, and improve their readiness for employment.
• Technology Accelerator pilot which will stimulate technology entrepreneurism in North Worcestershire for start-up and scale-up business and will promote low and zero carbon technologies.
• A project to generate and accelerate film production, support the untapped growth potential of the film industry businesses, upskill and reskill young people to develop a pool of creative and entrepreneurial talent, and as a result create new employment and attract investment
• A project aimed at enabling enterprise skills development for young people at secondary schools, middle schools, special schools, Colleges, Youth and Community hubs in Worcestershire

The Community Renewal Fund will pilot imaginative new programmes to boost productivity and grow local economies and help local areas prepare for the launch of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2022, the scheme that will see UK-wide funding at least match EU money, reaching around £1.5 billion a year.

For more information, please visit the UK Community Renewal Fund: prospectus 2021-22 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)