Cheshire West & Chester Council awards over £2.2 million to support Arts, Culture and Community projects

Cheshire West and Chester Council has awarded more than £2 million of UK Shared Prosperity funding to 26 projects supporting arts, culture and regeneration.

The funding is also supporting the most vulnerable in society and those at risk due to the cost-of-living crisis through the voluntary and community sector in the borough.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides funding for local investment until March 2025 replacing European funding.

Councillor Nathan Pardoe, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Regeneration and Digital Transformation said: “I am delighted that we are able to make these awards for projects covering the next two years which will make such a substantial impact on helping to deliver vitality to our town centres and support residents most exposed to the cost-of-living crisis.”

The funding supporting projects over the next two years has a broad geographic coverage in Cheshire West and Chester many benefit the whole borough including projects in Northwich, Winsford, Ellesmere Port, Chester, Frodsham, Blacon, Farndon, Netherpool and Weaverham.

The Cheshire Sandstone Ridge will be supported to run events and help develop visitor potential and Castle Park Arts Centre in Frodsham will invest in digital and AV equipment allowing them to expand the use of the centre and improve economic sustainability.

The Now Northwich festival, youth music activities in Winsford and Theatre Porto outreach and community activity in Ellesmere Port also receive new funding to support arts and culture in the borough.  

Councillor Pardoe added: “The Council remains committed to supporting people with the cost-of-living crisis, and many of the projects we are supporting with these awards are focused on our most deprived neighbourhoods. These including Pantry for Blacon and the Little Sutton Community hub which will make a real and tangible difference to help improve access to services.

“We felt it was vital that our plans support the most vulnerable in society, so I am pleased that we are able to award funding to a wide range of groups which deliver services and increase volunteering to support people with disabilities, people with autism, carers, victims of domestic violence and trauma as well as communities which have higher incidents of mental ill-health.”

The programme also sets aside a small amount of funding to undertake feasibility studies which include an accessibility study to map facilities and identify priorities for helping to support disabled people have better access to towns and the city centre and a study to Identify sites to grow food to help support community projects in deprived neighbourhoods.

The Council will be launching a second call for Community and Place projects in the Autumn and full details of funding available and criteria are on the webpage together with a list of successful awards is available at: https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/business/shared-prosperity-fund/communities-and-place

Grants to third parties over £50,000 are awarded provisionally subject to Member call in and final due diligence checks.

For more information on UK Shared Prosperity visit: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus