22 July 2022
Shared Prosperity Fund

Our market towns, especially their High Streets, are the beating hearts of our rural community – so often bringing people together, creating jobs and spreading prosperity.

That’s why I am delighted to have been involved in discussions with both Breckland Council and South Norfolk Council this past week to hear how they intend to use their allocated money from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Unlike most other funding pots, neither council has to bid for funds from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Instead, they have allocated amounts which can be unlocked by creating a business plan that sets out how that money will be utilised, and maximised, for the benefit of the communities in an area.

There is much work to be done but I am very pleased with the efforts I have seen from both councils thus far. Both Breckland and South Norfolk are already getting to work and establishing what they can do to deliver real positive benefits to the communities in their districts.

Rest assured, I will continue to do all I can as both councils progress this work over the coming months. This is a significant step towards ‘levelling up’ in our region and I am determined to help our councils in whatever way I can.